Eurofound surveys

Eurofound surveys are regular pan-European studies that gather comparative data on living and working conditions across the European Union.

European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS)

Since its launch in 1990, the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) has provided an overview of working conditions in Europe.

Rounds available

Survey objectives

The main objectives of the survey are to:

Assess and quantify working conditions of both employees and the self-employed across Europe on a harmonised basis.

Analyse relationships between different aspects of working conditions.

Identify groups at risk and issues of concern as well as of progress.

Monitor trends by providing homogeneous indicators on these issues.

Contribute to European policy development on quality of work and employment issues.

The scope of the survey questionnaire has widened substantially since the first edition, aiming to provide a comprehensive picture of the everyday reality of men and women at work. Gender mainstreaming has been an important concern for recent reviews of the questionnaire.

Themes covered include employment status, working time duration and organisation, work organisation, learning and training, physical and psychosocial risk factors, health and safety, work-life balance, worker participation, earnings and financial security, as well as work and health.

In each wave a random sample of workers (employees and self-employed) has been interviewed face to face. Following the European enlargements and interest from the EFTA countries the geographical coverage of the survey has expanded.

EWCS 2024

Survey round

EWCS 2024

Eurofound’s carried out the latest round of its European Working Conditions Survey in 2024. First findings are available. The survey aims to ensure comparability over time in job quality and quality of working life. It also focuses on issues around the future of work, including the impact of COVID-19, digitalisation and decarbonisation at work.

EWCTS 2021

Survey round

EWCTS 2021

Eurofound carried out the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) in 2021 and aimed to capture emerging challenges and policy issues around the working lives of Europeans in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines variation in job quality, implications for work organisation, and the interaction between work and private life.

EWCS 2015

Survey round

EWCS 2015

Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) offers a broad view of working life across Europe’s countries, sectors, and age groups. Its findings guide policy responses to current challenges. The sixth survey, conducted in 2015, interviewed nearly 44,000 workers in 35 countries, covering topics like physical and psychosocial risks, work organisation, work–life balance, and health and well-being.

EWCS 2010

Survey round

EWCS 2010

The fifth edition of Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) was carried out in 2010. It explores topics as diverse as physical risks, working time, gender segregation, work–life balance, employee representation, work organisation, stress at work, skills development and pay, as well as health and well-being.

EWCS 2005

Survey round

EWCS 2005

Eurofound’s fourth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS), carried out in 2005, explores a wide range of issues including work organisation, working time, equal opportunities, training, health & safety and job satisfaction.

Eurofound experts

You can contact the following experts for questions on the survey.

Agnès Parent-Thirion

Senior research manager

Working life research

Agnès Parent-Thirion on Eurofoundin työelämäyksikön vanhempi tutkimuspäällikkö, jonka tehtävänä on suunnitella, kehittää ja toteuttaa työoloja koskevia tutkimushankkeita, erityisesti Euroopan työolotutkimusta (EWCS) ja sen analyysejä. Hän vastaa vuoden 2021 eurooppalaisesta työsopimusta koskevasta erityispainoksesta ja vuoden 2024 työsopimusta koskevan kyselylomakkeen valmistelusta. Hänen tutkimusintressejään ovat työolot, työn laatu, työolojen seuranta, työn organisointi, sukupuoli, työn tulevaisuus ja aika. Hän on työskennellyt eurooppalaisten vertailevien tutkimusten parissa yli vuosikymmenen ajan kaikilla osa-alueilla, mukaan lukien suunnittelu, kyselylomakkeiden kehittäminen, kenttätyö, laadunvalvonta ja analysointi. Hän on valmistunut taloustieteestä ja johtamisesta Pariisin IX Dauphinen ja Pariisin I Panthéon Sorbonnen yliopistoista ja hänellä on tilastotieteen jatkotutkinto Dublinin Trinity Collegesta. Hän on äskettäin suorittanut tekoälyn verkkokursseja: tutkimuslähtöinen johtajuus MIT Sloan Executive Educationin kanssa ja "Les grand enjeux de la transition: re-ouvrir l'horizon, comprendre pour agir" Campus de la Transitionin kanssa. Ennen Eurofoundille tuloaan hän työskenteli useita vuosia Euroopan komissiossa.

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Sophia MacGoris

Surveys officer

Working life research

Sophia MacGoris on Eurofoundin työelämäyksikön maanmittausvastaava. Hän työskentelee kaikkien kolmen Eurofoundin tutkimuksen parissa. Hän on ollut mukana kansainvälisissä tutkimuksissa useiden vuosien ajan, ja hän käyttää kokemustaan ja monialaista rooliaan varmistaakseen oppimisen jatkuvuuden ja laadunvarmistuksen korkeimmalla tasolla koko tutkimusprosessin ajan. Ennen siirtymistään Eurofoundiin vuonna 1996 hän työskenteli useita vuosia Euroopan komissiossa Brysselissä tieteen, tutkimuksen ja kehittämisen parissa. Hänellä on yhteiskuntatieteiden kandidaatin tutkinto (Hons) erikoistuen sosiaalipolitiikkaan.

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