Sixth European Working Conditions Survey – Overview report

The sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) builds on the lessons learned from the previous five surveys to paint a wide-ranging picture of Europe at work across countries, occupations, sectors and age groups. EU employment policy priorities aim to boost employment levels, prolong working life, increase the participation of women, develop productivity and innovation and adapt to the digital challenge. The success of these policies depends not just on changes in the external labour market but also on developing good working conditions and job quality. The findings from the EWCS draw attention to the range and scope of actions that policy actors could develop to address the challenges facing Europe today. The analysis explores the findings using seven indices of job quality – physical environment, work intensity, working time quality, social environment, skills and discretion, prospects and earnings – and categorises workers into five typical job quality profiles. Based on face-to-face interviews with 43,850 workers in 35 European countries, the sixth EWCS attempts to capture the multi-faceted dimensions of work in Europe today.