European Restructuring Monitor

Eurofound’s European Restructuring Monitor database reveals the impact of the energy crisis on employment in the EU. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, energy prices have hit record highs. The European Commission imposed sanctions and limitations on the import of oil and gas from Russia, which has reacted by reneging on supply commitments to many Member States. Compared to other countries, market disruption has been especially acute in the EU, given the bloc’s overdependence on Russian energy supply.

Vähittäispankkisektori on hedelmällinen kohde sen tutkimiseen, miten digitalisaatio vaikuttaa työhön ja työllisyyteen. Rahoituspalveluja tarjotaan yhä enemmän verkossa ilman, että henkilökohtaisille asiakastapaamisille on tarvetta. Monet pankit ovat joutuneet maailmanlaajuisen finanssikriisin jälkeen toistuvien rakenneuudistusten kohteiksi, ja se onkin yksi harvoista palvelualoista, joilla työllistävyyden kehitys on pysähtynyt tai kääntynyt laskusuuntaan.

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, including in several EU Member States.

Raportti on kaksiosainen. Ensiksi siinä arvioidaan Euroopan unionissa viime aikoina toteutettuja rakenneuudistustoimia koronaviruskriisin (covid-19) ensimmäisiin vaikutuksiin asti. Toisessa osassa esitetään analyysi ylikansallisista rakenneuudistustapauksista eli sellaisista, jotka vaikuttavat työntekijöihin useammassa kuin yhdessä maassa. Molempien analyysien päälähteenä on Euroopan rakenneuudistuksen seurantavälineen tapahtumatietokanta, johon on kerätty tietoja yli 25 000 laajamittaisesta rakenneuudistuksesta sen jälkeen, kun se perustettiin vuonna 2002.

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.

Eurofound’s European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) is a unique EU-wide dataset on larger-scale restructuring events, which monitors the announced employment effects of restructuring in the EU28 and Norway. Using reports from selected media titles, the ERM is updated on a daily basis. This report gives an overview of key trends in restructuring in 2018, detailing the companies and sectors and European regions that experienced the greatest job losses and job gains.

Company restructuring may hit the headlines less in good times, but it remains a central experience in the working life of many. According to the most recent European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) data, just under one in three (30%) employees in the EU reported that restructuring had taken place at their workplace in the preceding three years. A similar proportion reported working in downsized workplaces. Large scale restructuring involving job loss is usually well-documented, and there is rightly a focus on what options there are for those who have lost their jobs. But what impact does all this have on those that are left behind?

Lloyds Banking Group is investing £3 billion (€3.35 billion) in technology and staff to improve its digital services. As a result, the Group has announced that it is cutting over 6,000 existing positions while creating 8,000 new jobs oriented towards digital technologies. The move reflects the growing shift towards digital service provision by the world’s biggest banking firms, with the amount of transactions in high-street banks falling and those online increasing.

Using data from the sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), carried out in 2015, the ERM report 2018 examines how workplace factors may influence the relationship between restructuring (with job losses) and the outcomes for employees. It also reviews policy and academic research on good practice in restructuring.

The next few months will determine the future of Alitalia and its 12,000 employees. The Italian flag carrier entered into bankruptcy proceedings in May after workers rejected a deal brokered by unions and management that would have seen job and pay cuts. Alitalia is currently losing up to €100 million per month and is continuing to operate thanks to an Italian government bridging loan. Meanwhile, administrators are accepting bids to take over the business from around 20 airlines, including from low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, whose emergence has presented such a challenge to national airlines.