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La era digital: oportunidades y desafíos para el trabajo y el empleo

La capacidad de la humanidad para almacenar, transmitir y manipular la información ha aumentado en gran medida en los últimos años debido al surgimiento de innovaciones en los ámbitos de la tecnología de la informática y las telecomunicaciones. Estas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) están realizando aportaciones significativas en casi todos los sectores de la economía, lo que está dando lugar a una aceleración general del ritmo de la evolución tecnológica. Al mismo tiempo, el trabajo, su contenido, su organización y su diseño, así como su normativa y su protección, están experimentando grandes transformaciones en esta era digital. A menudo, dichas transformaciones también vuelven a menudo difusos los límites entre las diferentes dimensiones del trabajo y entre trabajo, empleo y actividades no laborales.

Topic

Recent updates

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From January to June 2022, Eurofound supported the work of France's presidency of the Council of the EU, providing valuable research results on specific topics linked with the presidency priorities.

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EU context

Los legisladores necesitan adquirir conocimientos que les ayuden a abordar cuestiones sobre una regulación eficaz; sobre cómo garantizar la protección social en su más amplio sentido y equilibrar las demandas de empresas, sociedades y personas a la hora de explotar las grandes posibilidades que la digitalización ofrece.

La Comisión Europea aprobó su estrategia de Mercado Único Digital para Europa en 2015 y la identificó como una de sus prioridades políticas. La estrategia puede ofrecer oportunidades digitales a ciudadanos y empresas y aspira a consolidar el puesto de la UE como líder mundial en términos de economía digital. Su objetivo consiste en aumentar el acceso a la información, generar empleos para aquellas personas que posean las habilidades digitales adecuadas y transformar los servicios públicos.  Como la economía colaborativa se está extendiendo en la UE, la Comisión trata de fomentar el desarrollo de nuevos e innovadores servicios, a la vez que garantiza las medidas de protección apropiadas. La Comunicación sobre la Agenda Europea para la economía colaborativa de la Comisión en 2016 esclarece las recomendaciones de normas y políticas en este ámbito para ciudadanos, empresas y Estados miembros.

La labor de Eurofound

Eurofound está considerando las repercusiones más amplias para las condiciones laborales, la normativa laboral y más allá de la escala y del alcance crecientes de las tecnologías digitales en el mercado laboral.

Se está analizando el impacto laboral de las tecnologías innovadoras en los servicios. Eurofound también estudia las consecuencias de la economía de las plataformas (en particular, del trabajo en régimen de externalización abierta) para el mercado laboral. Además, se continúa con las investigaciones sobre las condiciones de trabajo y empleo de los trabajadores móviles de TIC.

Se indagará sobre el tipo de trabajo y de empleo en la era digital, haciendo hincapié en:

Aportaciones fundamentales

Un informe conjunto con la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) sobre el trabajo en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar ha tenido en cuenta el impacto del teletrabajo y del trabajo móvil mediante TIC en los aspectos seleccionados de las condiciones laborales.

La serie de seminarios de la Fundación de Eurofound constituye una oportunidad para que gobiernos, sindicatos y trabajadores traten el desarrollo de las políticas de la UE relacionadas con la sociedad, el empleo y el trabajo. En 2016, la serie de seminarios de la Fundación se centró en el impacto de la digitalización en el trabajo y en reforzar las agendas nacionales para una mejor implementación de los cambios digitales.

Key outputs

Current and ongoing research

 

Other ongoing work

  • In 2021, Eurofound will finalise and publish its 2020 work programme research on the impact of digitisation technologies on work organisation and working conditions and launch its online flagship resource on digitalisation.

 

Eurofound expert(s)

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Sara Riso is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She is involved in research projects in the areas of employment change and restructuring. She joined...

Research manager,
Working life research unit
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Tina Weber is a research manager in Eurofound’s Working Life unit. Having previously shared her time between the Employment and Working Life units, her work has focused on labour...

Research manager,
Working life research unit
Publications results (44)

Platform work is a form of employment that uses an online platform to match the supply of and demand for paid labour. In Europe, platform work is still small in scale but is rapidly developing. The types of work offered through platforms are ever-increasing, as are the challenges for existing

24 September 2018

This overview report summarises the findings of 20 case studies looking at recent changes in the task content of five manufacturing occupations (car assemblers, meat processing workers, hand-packers, chemical products plant and machine operators and inspection engineers) as a result of factors such

06 September 2018

Across Europe, new forms of employment are emerging that differ significantly from traditional employment. Some of these forms of employment transform the relationship between employer and employee while others change work organisation and work patterns.

25 July 2018

Living and working in Europe, Eurofound’s 2017 yearbook, provides a snapshot of the latest developments in the work and lives of Europeans as recounted in the Agency’s research activities over the course of 2017. As economies recover, Eurofound reported on the positive trends in employment, with

12 June 2018

The onset of the digital revolution has resulted in technological advances that are constantly evolving. A key element of concern to policymakers is the impact that these changes will have on the world of work and employment. This report reviews the history of the digital revolution to date, placing

24 May 2018

This overview report summarises the findings of five case studies on the likely impact of game changing technologies on production and employment in the manufacturing sector in Europe up to 2025: advanced industrial robotics; industrial internet of things; additive manufacturing; electric vehicles;

05 April 2018

This report examines developments in non-standard employment over the last decade. It looks at trends in the main categories of non-standard employment – temporary, temporary agency and part-time work and self-employment – based mainly on data from the European Union Labour Force Survey. It

13 September 2017

New information and communications technologies have revolutionised work and life in the 21st century. The constant connectivity enabled by these devices allows work to be performed at any time and from almost anywhere. This joint report by the ILO and Eurofound synthesises the findings of national

15 February 2017

Evidence from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain reveals that social partners are closely involved in setting up national strategies to manage digital change in the world of work. Up to now, this has been a high-level affair and there are only a few collective agreements or

30 January 2017

The Foundation Seminar Series (FSS) is an opportunity for governments, trade unions and employers to share knowledge and experiences on the development of EU social, employment and work-related policies.

23 December 2016

Online resources results (25)
Image of woman paying for goods by credit card through a smartphone in a coffee shop

Bank restructuring: disruptors versus incumbents

While high-street banks reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by accelerating the push to digitalisation and cutting jobs, some digital-only banks are recruiting new staff to meet growing demand. An example is the ‘disruptor’ bank Revolut which has recently announced the creation of 1,000 jobs worldwide

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Twin transition and pandemic challenge Eurofound to increase expertise, strengthen partnerships, expand reach, says new Director

Eurofound welcomed Ivailo Kalfin to his new role as Executive Director on 1 June. After one month in the job, he reflects on the challenges facing the EU, how they will impact on the work of Eurofound and his priorities for shaping the Agency over the next five years.

Telework, ICT-based mobile work in Europe: Trends, challenges and the right to disconnect 11 March 2021 - EMCO virtual meeting hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union Presentation by Oscar Vargas Llave, Research Manager, Eurofound

16 Marzo 2021

Working remotely: An overview of trends, opportunities, challenges and risks 9 March 2021 Presentation by Irene Mandl, Head of unit - Employment, Eurofound

9 Marzo 2021

Connecting and disconnecting and work-life balance 9 March 2021 Presentation by Tina Weber, Research manager - Employment unit, Eurofound

9 Marzo 2021
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Coronavirus highlights sick pay void for platform workers

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is starting to have a serious impact on the world economy. The consequences for platform workers are especially severe in light of forced work stoppages due to self-isolation and lack of sick pay in many cases. Recent media coverage shows that platform workers in

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Amazon’s expansion in Europe

The U.S. online retail giant Amazon is investing heavily in Europe, creating 11,580 jobs in 2018 alone. As Europe turns towards e-commerce, automation and digitalisation, Amazon will play a key role in reshaping the retail sector. But its impacts are unlikely to be confined to retail alone.


Blogs results (23)
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The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising. Yet, in

27 Septiembre 2022
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Telework has become a permanent feature of working life in Europe. While we’ve seen the benefits of more flexible ways of working – particularly during the pandemic – the problems that arise from an increasingly connected life are also becoming clearer. Unfortunately, legislation alone may not be

13 Julio 2022
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The answer is yes – potentially. Assessing the environmental benefits of telework is a complex task, because any move to work from home involves a series of changes in individuals’ daily lives and activities, as well as company-level decisions, that may positively or negatively influence the level

23 Junio 2022
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Whether it is couch surfing, baby-sitting, pizza delivery or getting Ikea furniture assembled by somebody who can do it better, platforms can mediate all kinds of voluntary or professional services. Platform work is at the heart of the ‘sharing economy’. But while this may sound like a new form of

31 Marzo 2022
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When it comes to Europe’s COVID-19 recovery and its aspiration to build back a more resilient society, the so-called green and digital transitions have dominated EU policy discussions. And as Eurofound made preparations for the 2022 Foundation Forum – a unique occasion for high-level debate on the

11 Marzo 2022
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The advent of AI has far more consequences for how work is organised, performed and valued than any previous technological revolution. In order to make the most of this digital transformation we need inclusive and nuanced policy debates on its employment effects and how to future-proof policies: we

8 Diciembre 2021
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The massive and rapid adoption of telework in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed gaps in the legislation governing telework arrangements across the EU Member States. In some cases, there was no regulation in place; in others, it was too restrictive. Governments scrambled to put

31 Mayo 2021
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While 2020 may come to be seen as the year platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream – thanks in large part to COVID-19 containment measures sparking an increase in food and grocery delivery – 2021 could be the year that regulation of platform work is set in motion. The well-known

24 Febrero 2021
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The COVID-19 pandemic compelled governments to take exceptional measures to monitor and control the spread of the Coronavirus. Among them was the introduction in most EU Member States of tracking apps to gather data on citizens who have contracted the virus and to trace their contacts, a measure

13 Enero 2021
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​​​​​​​With remote working becoming the new normal for many workers, it is surely the case that many employers are anxious to ensure that their employees are putting in full working days. Companies are likely to be investing in and deploying digital technologies for tracking employee performance

9 Diciembre 2020

Upcoming publications results (4)

This report reviews the quality of the national social partners’ involvement in the implementation of the reforms and investments shaping the digital and green transition in the context of national policymaking. These reforms and investments stem mainly from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

March 2025

Over the last decade, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have changed the way employees work and communicate with each other. Despite the many benefits of digitalisation of work, the widespread access to digital devices in working life provides an alternative medium for new forms of a

September 2024

This report investigates regional employment dynamics in Europe before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the subsequent recovery from the crisis. Almost 90% of regions across the EU had exceeded their pre-pandemic employment levels by 2022. However, significant regional disparities in emp

August 2024

The interaction between workers and robots is expected to increase in modern workplaces due to rapid advancements in robotic technologies. Advanced robots often leverage progress in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor technologies to achieve a higher level of sophistication and

July 2024
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Data results (1)
24 Octubre 2023
Reference period:

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