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Psychosocial risks

Psychosocial risks are aspects of the design and management of work, and its social and organisational contexts, that have the potential for causing psychological or physical harm. Work-related stress is one of the health risks most frequently identified by workers in Europe. The factors that can cause stress for workers and influence their health and well-being can be related to the following: job content; work intensity and job autonomy; working time arrangements and work–life balance; social environment, including interpersonal relationships at work and social support; job insecurity and career development. 

Topic

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From January to June 2024, Eurofound supports the work of Belgium's presidency of the Council of the EU, providing valuable research results on specific topics linked with the presidency priorities.

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Spanish presidency 2023: Eurofound's contribution

From July to December 2023, Eurofound supported the work of Spain's presidency of the Council of the EU, providing valuable research results on specific topics linked with the presidency priorities.

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Definitions

European Industrial Relations Dictionary 

Eurofound expert(s)

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Sara Riso

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
Oscar Vargas Llave

Oscar Vargas Llave

Oscar Vargas Llave is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and manages projects on changes in the world of work and the impact on working conditions and related...

Research manager,
Working life research unit
Publications results (22)

Risques psychosociaux pour le bien-être des salariés: enseignements tirés de la pandémie de COVID-19

Using data from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021 and building on a theoretical model that differentiates between job stressors and job resources, this report examines key psychosocial risks in the workplace and their impact on health.

23 November 2023
Publication
Research report
Psychosocial risks
Les conditions de travail et le travail durable
Health and well-being at work
Télétravail
COVID-19
Temps de travail
Discrimination at work
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Vivre, travailler et COVID-19 dans l’Union européenne et dans 10 pays voisins de l’UE

L’enquête «Vivre, travailler et COVID-19», lancée pour la première fois par Eurofound au début de l’année 2020, vise à rendre compte de l’incidence considérable de la pandémie sur le travail et la vie des citoyens de l’Union. Le cinquième cycle de l’enquête d’Eurofound, qui a été mis en œuvre au

07 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Living and working in Europe
Skills and training
Social policies
Social inclusion
Psychosocial risks
Jeunesse
Working conditions
Télétravail
Subjective well-being
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
COVID-19
Conditions et qualité de vie
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Cinquième cycle de l’enquête en ligne intitulée «Vivre, travailler et COVID 19: vivre dans une nouvelle ère d’incertitude»

La cinquième série de l’enquête en ligne d’Eurofound, menée du 25 mars au 2 mai 2022, met en lumière la situation sociale et économique des habitants de toute l’Europe deux ans après la détection du premier cas de COVID 19 sur le continent européen. Elle porte également sur la réalité de la vie dans

07 July 2022
Publication
Research report
Stand with Ukraine
Psychosocial risks
Jeunesse
Télétravail
Subjective well-being
Trust
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
Unemployment
Health and well-being at work
COVID-19
Living conditions
Conditions et qualité de vie
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Les personnes handicapées et la pandémie de COVID-19: Conclusions de l’enquête en ligne Vivre, travailler et COVID-19

Une nouvelle stratégie européenne en faveur des personnes handicapées a été lancée en 2021 dans le but d’intensifier les progrès en vue de garantir la pleine participation des personnes handicapées à la société. Il est opportun de mettre davantage l’accent sur les personnes handicapées dans les

21 March 2022
Publication
Policy brief
Services publics
Psychosocial risks
Subjective well-being
Trust
Health and well-being at work
COVID-19
Disability and chronic disease
Conditions et qualité de vie
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Incidence de la COVID-19 sur les jeunes dans l’UE

Après une longue période de reprise au sortir de la crise économique (2007-2013), les jeunes de l’UE se sont révélés plus vulnérables aux effets des restrictions mises en place pour ralentir la propagation de la pandémie de COVID-19. Les jeunes étaient plus susceptibles que les groupes plus âgés de

09 November 2021
Publication
Research report
Social inclusion
Quality of society
Psychosocial risks
Jeunesse
Subjective well-being
Trust
NEET
European Pillar of Social Rights
COVID-19
Conditions et qualité de vie
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Vivre, travailler et COVID-19 (mise à jour avril 2021): la santé mentale et la confiance se dégradent dans l’ensemble de l’UE tandis que la pandémie entame sa deuxième année d’existence

La troisième série de l’enquête électronique d’Eurofound, menée en février et mars 2021, met en lumière la situation sociale et économique des habitants de toute l’Europe, dont l’existence est soumise depuis près d’un an aux restrictions liées à la COVID-19. Le présent rapport analyse les

10 May 2021
Publication
Research report
Living and working in Europe
Psychosocial risks
Jeunesse
Télétravail
Trust
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
Health and well-being at work
COVID-19
Living conditions
Inequality
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Conditions de travail et travail durable: analyse fondée sur le cadre de la qualité de l’emploi

Ce rapport phare résume les principales conclusions des recherches d’Eurofound sur les conditions de travail menées au cours de la période de programmation 2017-2020. Il recense les progrès accomplis depuis 2000 dans l’amélioration des conditions de travail et examine si tous les travailleurs ont

26 February 2021
Publication
Flagship report
Psychosocial risks
Temps de travail
Les conditions de travail et le travail durable
Working conditions
Sustainable work
Undeclared work
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
Work organisation
Employment relationship
Health and well-being at work
Égalité entre les femmes et les hommes
COVID-19
Qualité de l’emploi
Vieillissement de la main-d’œuvre
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Vivre, travailler et COVID-19

This report presents the findings of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey, carried out by Eurofound to capture the far-reaching implications of the pandemic for the way people live and work across Europe. The survey was fielded online, among respondents who were reached via Eurofound’s

28 September 2020
Publication
Research report
Rémunération et revenu
Psychosocial risks
Jeunesse
Temps de travail
Les conditions de travail et le travail durable
Working conditions
Télétravail
Subjective well-being
Trust
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
Unemployment
COVID-19
Living conditions
Conditions et qualité de vie
Qualité de l’emploi

Vivre, travailler et COVID-19: premières conclusions – avril 2020

En quelques semaines seulement, la pandémie de COVID-19 causée par le nouveau coronavirus a radicalement transformé la vie de la population dans le monde entier. Outre les conséquences sanitaires dévastatrices sur les personnes directement touchées par le virus, la pandémie a eu des répercussions

06 May 2020
Publication
Research report
COVID-19
Trust
Conditions et qualité de vie
Rémunération et revenu
Psychosocial risks
Temps de travail
Subjective well-being
Unemployment
Working conditions
Équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée
Living conditions
Télétravail
Les conditions de travail et le travail durable

Burnout in the workplace: A review of data and policy responses in the EU

This report looks at the extent of burnout experienced by workers in the EU, based on national research. As a starting point, the report sets out to consider whether burnout is viewed as a medical or occupational disease. It then examines the work determinants associated with burnout and looks at

10 September 2018
Publication
Research report
Disability and chronic disease
Health and well-being at work
Psychosocial risks
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working time
Online resources results (233)

Stress and burnout prevalent in the workplace

In 2007, data from the Slovenian Government Statistical Office (in Slovenian [1]) showed that stress and depression were the second most frequent work-related problems, just behind back pain. [1] http://www.stat.si/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=1532

29 mai 2014
Article
Health and well-being at work
Psychosocial risks
Living conditions and quality of life
Work-life balance

Almost half of all workers subject to work-related health risks

The National Institute of Statistics (INS [1]) has published the results of an inquiry, ‘Accidents at work and work-related health problems’. The survey is a complementary module to the INS Household Labour Force Survey (AMIGO) and the data were collected during the second quarter of 2013. [1] http

4 mai 2014
Article
Health and well-being at work
Psychosocial risks

Better ‘workability’ means longer careers

Every three years, the Foundation for Innovation and Labour [1], part of the Flemish Social-Economic Council (SERV [2]), carries out a survey of attitudes towards work in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The results are used to assess the ‘workability’ of jobs in the region. The survey was first

10 avril 2014
Article
Ageing workforce
Job quality
Psychosocial risks
Living conditions and quality of life
Skills and training
Work-life balance

Improving the psychosocial work environment for state church employees

The Danish state church is unique as a workplace. For many employees, the decision to take a job working for the church is based purely on faith and values. The primary task of the church – to preach Christianity – is also one of faith and values.

3 avril 2014
Article
Psychosocial risks

Law on work-related stress in need of updating

Stress-related illnesses associated with work and working conditions are increasing in Sweden. A report by the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU [1]), The importance of working environment for symptoms of depression and chronic fatigue syndrome (in Swedish) [2], says the number of

25 mars 2014
Article
Psychosocial risks

Risk of burn-out among medical staff

A study has looked at the risk of ‘burn-out’ among medical staff in Belgian hospitals. The research was commissioned by the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue [1] and the Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment [2]. The study, which

9 mars 2014
Article
Psychosocial risks
Working time
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

How a lack of workplace ‘fairness’ can cause depression

A new Danish study has investigated the effects of low levels of organisational justice at the workplace on the risk of depression (Grynderup, Mors, Hansen et al, 2013). A total of 4,237 public employees from 378 work units in Denmark were enrolled at baseline in 2007 from the Danish PRISME project

5 mars 2014
Article
Psychosocial risks

Personal relations at work no. 1 cause of stress

A survey on work-related stress was carried out in the Czech Republic in June 2013 by market research agency GfK [1]. A representative sample of 800 interviewees aged 18–65 was interviewed using the computer assisted web interviewing (CAWI) method. The survey focused on the incidence of work-related

2 mars 2014
Article
Psychosocial risks

Managers thrive on good working conditions

Managers play an important role in the workplace, influencing attitudes, working conditions and productivity. Managers are often responsible for the working environment of their subordinates, but it can sometimes be unclear who takes responsibility for the working environment of the managers.

19 janvier 2014
Article
Skills and training
Psychosocial risks

Structural change creates more low-skilled jobs and worker dissatisfaction

A new report published by Italy’s National Institute for Statistics (Istat [1]) in cooperation with Italy’s tripartite National Economics and Labour Council (Cnel [2]) looks at the health and well-being of workers in Italy. The 2013 Equitable and sustainable well-being report (BES) [3] attempts to

19 décembre 2013
Article
Psychosocial risks
Blogs results (5)
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No one left behind? Gender segregation in the workplace sees women losing out

'Women belong in all the places where decisions are made', to borrow from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. These decisions are made everywhere and at every level: in the home and at the workplace; in the boardroom and on the shop floor. Which is why it is of such serious concern to see the ongoing deep

8 mars 2023
Mary McCaughey
Blog
Psychosocial risks
Health and well-being at work
Gender equality
Employment and labour markets
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Violence in the workplace: Women and frontline workers face higher risks

Women and frontline workers are most exposed to the risks of adverse social behaviour at work, such as burnout, exhaustion, anxiety and depression. This is according to the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021 (EWCTS). In this data story, we dive into EWCTS data (EU27) to examine the

27 février 2023
Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė
Blog
Psychosocial risks
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Subjective well-being
Health and well-being at work
A worker sitting on the floor

Job quality is pivotal in addressing today’s workplace and societal challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live and work. With the lifting of restrictions across the globe, we are now able to examine the many repercussions on the world of work. In particular, the unique demands of the last few years have shone a harsh spotlight on the pressures brought to bear

17 janvier 2023
Barbara Gerstenberger
Blog
Pay and income
Psychosocial risks
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Subjective well-being
Health and well-being at work
Job quality
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High risk of depression persists following COVID-19 pandemic: Data behind the mental health crisis

Lower levels of health, increasing financial pressure and a significant degree of unmet healthcare: these are the findings of the fifth round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey: Living in a new era of uncertainty – a report that presents an overview of responses from over 200,000 people

6 octobre 2022
Eurofound
Blog
Living and working in Europe
Psychosocial risks
Health and well-being at work
COVID-19
Living conditions and quality of life
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COVID-19 fallout takes a higher toll on women, economically and domestically

​​​​​​​While women appear to be more resilient than men to COVID-19 in terms of health outcomes, that is not the case when it comes to the economic and social fallout. Measures taken by governments to control the spread of the virus are exacerbating gender divides in unemployment, domestic labour

3 juin 2020
Massimiliano Mascherini
Blog
COVID-19
Psychosocial risks
Living conditions and quality of life
Unemployment
Work-life balance
Gender equality
Teleworking
Upcoming publications results (1)

ICT-based asocial behaviours at work: a review of research findings, policies and legislation

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
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Digitalisation
Health and well-being at work
Psychosocial risks
Working conditions and sustainable work

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