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Small and medium-sized enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined by the European Commission as having less than 250 employees. SMEs are the backbone of Europe's economy. They represent 99% of all businesses in the EU. In the past five years, they have created around 85% of new jobs and provided two-thirds of the total private sector employment in the EU. The European Commission considers SMEs and entrepreneurship as key to ensuring economic growth, innovation, job creation, and social integration in the EU. The European Commission policy in relation to SMEs supports start-ups and scale-ups in particular. Internationalisation beyond the EU increases SMEs' performance, enhances competitiveness, and reinforces sustainable growth.
Trova i contenuti più recenti su questo tema qui di seguito.
SME digitalisation in the EU: Trends, policies and impacts
This report discusses the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union, highlighting its importance for their competitiveness and the EU’s economy. The report explores the degree of digitalisation in SMEs in the EU, including the adoption of digital technologies, e-commerce and e-business practices.Pratiche aziendali per affrontare la carenza di manodopera
Questo rapporto si concentra sulle misure di reclutamento e fidelizzazione che le organizzazioni hanno adottato per affrontare la carenza di manodopera, basandosi su 17 casi di studio in diversi settori e in 13 Stati membri. Il rapporto include un aggiornamento alle precedenti ricerche di Eurofound sulle tendenze della carenza di manodopera e lo slack nel mercato del lavoro.Company practices to tackle labour shortages
This report provides updated evidence on the persistence of labour shortages amid declining levels of labour market slack in the EU and at Member State level. This serves as a background to the main focus of the report, which is on organisational policies aimed at attracting workers to occupations in which shortages are common. Case studies were conducted across sectors and Member States to gain an insight into how organisations deal with recruitment and retention challenges in a tight labour market. The report offers lessons on steps employers can take to fill vacancies, whether acting alone or in partnership with other organisations. It builds on previous Eurofound research that developed a taxonomy of actions employers adopt aimed at addressing labour shortages.
Questa è una selezione delle pubblicazioni più importanti su questo tema.
12 September 2022
Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine
9 December 2021
Business not as usual: How EU companies adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic
This report aims to support European businesses in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is on workplace practices and features that have helped establishments across the EU to develop operational resilience while keeping employees and customers safe. The report investigates how EU establishments initially reacted to the external shock brought about by the outbreak of the pandemic and how they subsequently adapted their workplaces. It also explores the impact of the pandemic on the health and well-being of workers and how the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent disruptions affected business operations and work organisation.
30 June 2021
Innovation in EU companies: Do workplace practices matter?
The EU has long supported innovation in business and in workplaces. The challenges facing Europe as it emerges from the COVID-19 crisis make the need for innovation more urgent. The NextGenerationEU recovery package requires a reorientation of business activities towards innovation for resilience. Looking to the longer term, policies such as the European Industrial Strategy aim to support the transition to a green and digital economy.
Against this background, this policy brief investigates the workplace practices of innovative companies and examines the evidence linking them with innovation. These practices aim to encourage employees to work and problem-solve independently, to develop their skills, to include them in organisational decision-making, to motivate them to surpass their job description and to reward them for doing so. Analysis of these workplace practices can improve understanding of how they contribute to increasing the innovation potential of companies. It also provides an evidence base to support the work of policymakers and practitioners.
5 November 2020
Working conditions in sectors
Megatrends, such as digitalisation, globalisation, demographic change and climate change, are transforming the world of work, with knock-on effects for working conditions and job quality. Against this background, this report examines working conditions and job quality from a sectoral perspective, using data from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). The report first outlines the sectoral characteristics underpinning employment – economic structure, demographics, occupational level and employment status. It then goes on to focus on four main topics: changing tasks, skills, training and employability; non-standard employment and employment security; health, well-being and flexible work organisation; and employee representation and voice. Differences in working conditions arising from age, gender, occupation and education level are taken into account. According to the analysis, developing measures to address relevant issues such as skills development, job security and work intensity should be a priority for policy. The data also show that the presence of employee representation and voice is key to improving the situation of employees.
15 June 2020
Social dialogue and HR practices in European global companies
This study examines the interaction between social dialogue practices and human resources management (HRM) policies in European multinational companies (MNCs). It looks at the changing role of HRM and its interaction with European Works Councils (EWCs), which can act as a link between different levels of social dialogue. Both HRM functions and social dialogue are under pressure from a variety of trends and dynamics – not least, ongoing technological change. Sharing practices related to the involvement of EWCs in corporate decisions has made a valuable contribution to company operation and culture across the EU. The positive interaction between HRM policies and worker representation structures should help companies and sectors restructure and adapt accordingly, including dealing with the risk of increasing wage inequality and polarisation in working conditions.
22 January 2020
Game-changing technologies: Transforming production and employment in Europe
Innovation and technological advancement are natural features of developed economies, and they are necessary to maintain and improve sustainable competitiveness in an era of globalisation. However, while most innovation tends to be incremental, some has a disruptive effect on production and service provision, the labour market and social dialogue. This report discusses a selection of eight so-called ‘game-changing technologies’ (advanced robotics, additive manufacturing, the Internet of Things, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, industrial biotechnologies, blockchain and virtual and augmented reality). Each of these has the potential to substantially change business activities, work and employment in Europe. Looking at both the manufacturing and services sectors, this report gives an indication of how these technologies might be adopted and how they are expected to affect the labour market.
I ricercatori di Eurofound forniscono approfondimenti esperti e possono essere contattati per domande o richieste dei media.
Franz Ferdinand Eiffe
Research managerFranz Eiffe è un dirigente di ricerca presso l'unità Working Life di Eurofound. È coinvolto in progetti sul lavoro sostenibile, analisi quantitative e convergenza verso l'alto nell'UE, nonché nella preparazione della quarta European Company Survey. Prima di entrare a far parte di Eurofound nel 2016, è stato capo dell'unità "Analisi" presso Statistics Austria a Vienna e responsabile del progetto "How is Austria? Misurare la ricchezza e il progresso oltre il PIL". Ha conseguito un dottorato di ricerca in Economia presso l'Università di Economia di Vienna (WU), dove ha lavorato anche come ricercatore associato dal 2005 al 2009 e docente fino al 2016.
Gijs van Houten
Senior research managerGijs van Houten è un alto dirigente di ricerca presso l'unità per l'occupazione di Eurofound. Ha competenze specifiche nella metodologia di indagine transnazionale e nell'analisi delle pratiche di lavoro e delle strategie organizzative. È a capo della task force di Eurofound per la raccolta dei dati ed è responsabile della progettazione e della metodologia dell'indagine europea sulle condizioni di lavoro 2024, che rappresenterà un passo fondamentale per rendere le indagini di Eurofound adeguate alle esigenze future. Prima di entrare a far parte di Eurofound nel 2010, ha lavorato presso l'Istituto olandese per la ricerca sociale (SCP). Gijs ha trascorso un anno lontano nel 2016, lavorando presso il Pew Research Center di Washington, DC. Ha conseguito un Master in Sociologia presso la Radboud University di Nijmegen e un dottorato di ricerca in Scienze Sociali presso l'Università di Utrecht.
Stavroula Demetriades
Senior research managerStavroula Demetriades è senior research manager presso l'unità Occupazione di Eurofound. È responsabile della ricerca nei settori della transizione verde e giusta, del dialogo sociale, delle pratiche di gestione, dell'innovazione e del lavoro ibrido. Ha conseguito un dottorato di ricerca in Sociologia presso l'Università di Aalborg, in Danimarca. Ha inoltre conseguito un Master in Politiche Economiche presso il Trinity College di Dublino e un Master in Sviluppo Regionale presso l'Università di Atene. Prima di entrare a far parte di Eurofound nel 1999, ha lavorato in istituti di ricerca, in diverse posizioni nel settore pubblico e privato, e ha condotto studi organizzativi e socioeconomici. I suoi principali interessi di ricerca includono la transizione verde e giusta, la gestione delle risorse umane, i sistemi del lavoro, l'innovazione, l'occupazione e il dialogo sociale. È anche professore a contratto presso la Business School dell'University College di Dublino.
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