Working life research

Barbara Gerstenberger

​Head of Unit

Barbara Gerstenberger hija l-Kap tal-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. F'dan ir-rwol, hija tikkoordina t-timijiet ta' riċerka li jinvestigaw il-kwalità tal-impjiegi fl-Ewropa abbażi tal-Istħarriġ Ewropew dwar il-Kundizzjonijiet tax-Xogħol u għandha r-responsabbiltà ġenerali għall-Osservatorju Ewropew tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol u r-riċerka dwar ir-relazzjonijiet industrijali fl-UE. Hija ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound fl-2001 bħala maniġer tar-riċerka fiċ-Ċentru Ewropew għall-Monitoraġġ tal-Bidla (EMCC) li dak iż-żmien kien għadu kif ġie stabbilit. Fl-2007, hija marret fl-unità tal-Informazzjoni u l-Komunikazzjoni tal-Eurofound bħala Kap tal-Prodotti tal-Komunikazzjoni, qabel ma nħatret Koordinatur fid-Direttorat fl-2011. Preċedentement, hija ħadmet bħala uffiċjal anzjan tar-riċerka fil-Federazzjoni Ewropea tal-Ħaddiema tal-Metall fi Brussell. A graduate in political science from Hamburg University, she completed a Master's degree in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Suġġetti ta' għarfien espert

Barbara huwa espert fis-suġġetti li ġejjin.

Riżultati tar-riċerka

Barbara huwa l-awtur tal-pubblikazzjonijiet li ġejjin.

Avvenimenti, kummentarju u analiżi

Barbara ikkontribwixxa għall-avvenimenti, l-analiżi tal-blog u l-episodji tal-podcasts li ġejjin.

5 September 2025

Avveniment online

Watch the webinar - AskTheExpert: Beyond the data - Uncovering persistent inequalities in European working conditions

Eurofound is organising an interactive webinar looking at the first findings of its European Working Conditions Survey 2024, with a live Q&A. Date: 24 September 2025. Time: 15:00 – 16: 00 Irish time (16:00 - 17:00 Central European Time).

30 June 2025

Episodju tal-podcast

L-evoluzzjoni tal-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol fl-Ewropa

Dan l-episodju jeżamina x-xenarju li qed jevolvi tal-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol Ewropej, li jinsabu fir-rabta ta' trasformazzjoni teknoloġika profonda. Mary McCaughey titkellem ma' Barbara Gerstenberger, il-Kap tal-Unità għall-Ħajja tax-Xogħol tal-Eurofound, li tisfrutta għarfien mill-istorja ta' 35 sena tal-Istħarriġ Ewropew dwar il-Kundizzjonijiet tax-Xogħol (EWCS). Din is-serje ta' stħarriġ toffri perspettiva granulari dwar il-bidliet lonġitudinali fix-xogħol Ewropew. Id-diskussjoni tivvaluta kif l-intelliġenza artifiċjali u d-diġitalizzazzjoni qed ifasslu mill-ġdid l-impjiegi, billi jiġbdu paralleli ma' bidliet industrijali storiċi, filwaqt li jirrikonoxxu l-kapaċità ta' adattament kontinwu tad-dinja tax-xogħol.

14 January 2025

Avveniment personali

Foundation Forum 2025: Europe’s social model – the key to competitive growth

On 19–20 November 2025, Eurofound organised its 8th Foundation Forum at IMMA Venues. It is the agency’s quadrennial high-level flagship event which has been running for the past 20 years and is organised in cooperation with the Irish Government.

4 March 2024

Episodju tal-podcast

Tackling the gender pay and employment gaps

In this special episode of Eurofound Talks for International Women's Day 2024, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound researchers Carlos Vacas and Barbara Gerstenberger about the gender pay and employment gaps in Europe.Despite gender equality being a core principle of the EU, women are less likely to be in employment than men in all EU Member States and are paid less than men in almost every Member State, with the pay gap larger in higher paying jobs. Mary, Carlos, and Barbara discuss what progress has been made on these issues in recent years, the broader consequences of gender inequalities in the world of work, and the challenges that must be addressed if Europe is to meet gender equality targets.

8 February 2023

Episodju tal-podcast

Job quality

The COVID-19 pandemic had profound implications on the labour market and job quality in Europe, with some workers, particularly those providing frontline services, continuing to work from the workplace under heavy restrictions, while others worked from home also in radically different environments from which they were accustomed. Eurofound has been closely monitoring working conditions in Europe for over 30 years via the European Working Conditions Survey; in 2021, the Agency conducted the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), providing a detailed picture of the working lives of Europeans at an exceptional time. In this episode of Eurofound Talks, Eurofound Head of Unit for Working Life Barbara Gerstenberger discusses what the EWCTS reveals about job quality, the implications of poor-quality jobs on well-being and broader society, and what policymakers can do to improve the working lives of people in Europe.

17 January 2023

Analiżi tal-blog

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 on different jobs and on certain work environments and the stresses associated with different forms of work. The pandemic has made us reassess so many aspects of our working lives. But has it changed the way we think about job quality – its role in ensuring a good working life and, indeed, a good life in general? The European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), a representative survey of Europe’s workers conducted by Eurofound in 2021, provides some answers.

9 May 2022

Episodju tal-podcast

Living and working in Europe: Past, present and future

This podcast focuses on our annual update on the state of ‘Living and working in Europe’. It highlights trends and changes – both positive and negative – in the way citizens across the EU work today, and serves as a guide to policymakers at EU and Member State level. Our experts detail these with useful examples and insights which might also help face into the challenges raised by the most recent results from Eurofound’s unique pan-European Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey.

1 December 2021

Episodju tal-podcast

Sustainable work

Never before have we had so much discussion about the way we work, the future of work and how this will impact our lives and those of the next generation. COVID-19 turned everything upside down as we have seen from the results of our unique pan-European Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey and we are still striving to make sense of the new hybrid, blended work experience. Will this in fact mean we can finally work longer and better while still maintaining a good quality of life? This podcast takes a deep dive into the opportunities and challenges associated with what we call ‘sustainable work’.

Other members of the Working life research unit

Find more staff members of the Working life research unit below.

Felix Appler

Research support officer
Working life research

Felix Appler huwa uffiċjal ta' appoġġ għar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Ix-xogħol tiegħu jiffoka fuq ir-relazzjonijiet industrijali, il-pagi minimi u l-bini ta' databases assoċjati ma' dawn is-suġġetti. Preċedentement, huwa ħadem fl-Uffiċċju Federali tal-Istatistika tal-Ġermanja (Destatis) u l-Bank Dinji fl-Afrika tal-Lvant biex iwettaq stħarriġ tal-familji u riċerka dwar is-swieq tax-xogħol u l-faqar. Felix għandu Master's degree fl-Ekonomija mill-Università ta' Bonn.

Angelina Atanasova

Research support officer
Working life research

Angelina Atanasova hija uffiċjal ta' appoġġ għar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Is-suġġetti attwali tar-riċerka tagħha jinkludu d-djalogu soċjali u r-relazzjonijiet industrijali, kif ukoll id-drittijiet tad-diżabilità. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound fl-2024, hija ħadmet bħala analista anzjana tal-politika fil-Fond għar-Riċerka u l-Komunikazzjoni Applikata, riċerkatriċi fl-Osservatorju Soċjali Ewropew, assoċjata fir-riċerka f'KU Leuven, u konsulent tal-politika fl-Istitut tal-Politika Ewropea tas-Soċjetà Miftuħa. Hija għandha PhD fil-Liġi tal-UE mill-KU Leuven u MA fil-Politika Pubblika mill-Università tal-Ewropa Ċentrali. L-oqsma ewlenin ta' interess tar-riċerka tagħha jinkludu d-drittijiet tad-diżabilità, l-ugwaljanza bejn is-sessi u l-inklużjoni soċjali.

Christine Aumayr-Pintar

Senior research manager
Working life research

Christine Aumayr-Pintar hija maniġer anzjan tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Hija tikkoordina r-riċerka tal-Eurofound dwar id-djalogu soċjali u r-relazzjonijiet industrijali u tissorvelja n-Netwerk tal-Korrispondenti tal-Eurofound (NEC). L-għarfien espert primarju tagħha fir-riċerka – avviċinat minn perspettiva komparattiva madwar l-UE – jiffoka fuq il-pagi minimi, il-paga nnegozjata b'mod kollettiv u t-trasparenza tal-pagi bejn is-sessi. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound fl-2009, hija kienet riċerkatriċi tas-swieq tax-xogħol u tal-ekonomija reġjonali f'Joanneum Research fl-Awstrija. Hija kisbet Master's degree fl-Ekonomija u PhD fix-Xjenza Soċjali/Ekonomija wara li studjat l-ekonomija fi Graz, Vjenna u Jönköping.

Elena Biaggi

Temporary research support officer
Working life research

Elena Biaggi is a temporary research support officer in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. Having completed a traineeship at Eurofound working on digitalisation in SMEs, her current role focuses on working time reduction. Her main research interests include digitalisation and work, how the world of work is changing and how this change impacts working conditions and job quality. Elena has a Master’s degree in Global Politics and Society from the University of Milan.

Jorge Cabrita

Senior research manager
Working life research

Jorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the dissemination of findings in the areas of working conditions and industrial relations. His main research areas of interest include working conditions and job quality, working time and work–life balance, workers’ health and well-being, gender equality and the socioeconomic impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy. He is currently leading research on working time developments and on social dialogue and collective bargaining during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, he worked as a researcher at the Centre for Studies for Social Intervention and at the Research Centre on the Portuguese Economy of the Lisbon School of Economics, and as a trainer and consultant in the areas of strategic management, organisational communication, leadership and team building. He holds a BSc in Economics and an MSc in Socio-Organisational Systems of Economic Activity from the Lisbon School of Economics.

Daphné Chédorge-Farnier

Temporary research support officer
Working life research

Daphné Chédorge-Farnier is a temporary research support officer in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She contributes to the preparation of the follow-up survey to the European Working Conditions Survey 2024 and is involved in research on working time reduction. Prior to this, she worked as a survey trainee in the Social Policies unit. Before joining Eurofound, Daphné worked as a research officer specialising in working conditions and social policy at the Direction générale de l'administration de la fonction publique (DGAFP) in Paris. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Sorbonne University.

Victoria Cojocariu

Research officer
Working life research

Victoria Cojocariu hija uffiċjal tar-riċerka għall-istudji tar-rappreżentanza fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Hija responsabbli għall-ġestjoni tal-kontribut tar-riċerka mill-korrispondenti nazzjonali tal-Eurofound, il-kontroll tal-kwalità, kif ukoll għall-kontribut għat-tfassil ta' rapporti ta' ħarsa ġenerali għall-istudji dwar ir-rappreżentanza settorjali u l-bini tad-dejta għall-Bażi tad-Data tal-Imsieħba Soċjali Ewropej. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound fl-2019, Victoria ħadmet bħala koordinatur tal-programm għall-Fondazzjoni tas-Soċjetà Miftuħa fir-Rumanija u bħala riċerkatriċi għaċ-Ċentru għall-Innovazzjoni Pubblika f'Bukarest, u kkontribwixxiet għal proġetti ta' riċerka nazzjonali u internazzjonali fil-qasam tal-migrazzjoni, l-edukazzjoni, l-aċċess għas-suq tax-xogħol ta' ċittadini ta' pajjiżi terzi, kif ukoll id-drittijiet tal-bniedem. Hija għandha lawrji BA u MA fis-Soċjoloġija.

Franz Ferdinand Eiffe

Research manager
Working life research

Franz Eiffe huwa maniġer tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Huwa involut fi proġetti dwar ix-xogħol sostenibbli, l-analiżi kwantitattiva u l-konverġenza 'l fuq fl-UE, kif ukoll fit-tħejjija tar-raba' Stħarriġ Ewropew dwar il-Kumpaniji. Qabel ma ngħaqad mal-Eurofound fl-2016, kien Kap tal-Unità 'Analiżi' fl-Istatistika tal-Awstrija fi Vjenna u mexxej tal-proġett ta' "Kif inhi l-Awstrija? Il-kejl tal-ġid u l-progress lil hinn mill-PDG". Huwa għandu PhD fl-Ekonomija mill-Università tal-Ekonomija ta' Vjenna (WU), fejn ħadem ukoll bħala riċerkatur assoċjat mill-2005 sal-2009 u lettur sal-2016.

Manuel Gómez Martín

Administrative assistant
Working life research

Manuel Gómez Martín huwa assistent amministrattiv fit-taqsima tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol. Huwa prinċipalment involut fil-qasam tar-relazzjonijiet industrijali, u speċifikament jorganizza l-akkwist u l-laqgħat fi ħdan proġetti relatati. Preċedentement ħadem mad-DĠ JRC fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea u għal kumpaniji privati f'Londra u Spanja.

Peter Kerckhofs

Senior research manager
Working life research

Peter Kerckhofs huwa maniġer anzjan tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Ix-xogħol tiegħu jiffoka fuq ir-rwol tal-imsieħba soċjali fis-Semestru Ewropew u wkoll fuq ir-rappurtar nazzjonali dwar l-iżviluppi fir-relazzjonijiet industrijali. Peter għandu għarfien espert wiesa' fl-iżvilupp tal-metodoloġija għall-istudji tar-rappreżentanza, l-applikazzjoni ta' kriterji ta' rappreżentanza Ewropej u nazzjonali fil-kuntest speċifiku ta' setturi differenti, filwaqt li akkumula wkoll għarfien fil-fond tax-xenarju tar-relazzjonijiet industrijali f'diversi setturi. Peter ħadem ukoll fuq proġetti relatati mal-Kunsilli tax-Xogħlijiet Ewropej u d-Djalogu Soċjali Settorjali Ewropew. Qabel ma ngħaqad mal-Eurofound, huwa ħadem bħala riċerkatur għall-ETUI u l-UCL, bħala segretarju politiku għall-EMCEF u kien koordinatur xjentifiku tal-Iskola tal-PhD tal-fakultà tax-xjenzi soċjali tal-KU Leuven. Huwa għandu grad ta 'Baċellerat fil-Ħidma Soċjali u grad ta' Masters fix-Xjenza Politika minn KU Leuven u wieħed fir-Relazzjonijiet Internazzjonali mill-UCL, u għandu PhD fir-Relazzjonijiet Industrijali mill-Università ta 'Manchester.

Sophia MacGoris

Surveys officer
Working life research

Sophia MacGoris hija uffiċjal tal-istħarriġ ibbażat fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Hija taħdem fuq it-tliet stħarriġ tal-Eurofound. Wara li ilha involuta fi stħarriġ transnazzjonali għal bosta snin, hija tuża l-esperjenza tagħha u r-rwol trasversali tagħha biex tiżgura kontinwità tat-tagħlim u l-assigurazzjoni tal-kwalità sal-ogħla livell matul il-proċess kollu tal-istħarriġ. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound fl-1996, hija ħadmet għal bosta snin fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea fi Brussell fil-qasam tax-xjenza, ir-riċerka u l-iżvilupp. Hija għandha BSc (Hons) fix-Xjenza Soċjali li tispeċjalizza fil-Politika Soċjali.

Inès Maillart

Research support officer
Working life research

Inès Maillart hija uffiċjal ta' appoġġ għar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound minn Awwissu 2025, wara li qabel ħadmet fl-Uffiċċju ta' Kollegament ta' Brussell.

Pietro Malacalza

Research assistant
Working life research

Pietro Malacalza huwa assistent tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound, wara li qabel ħadem f'appoġġ operazzjonali. Ix-xogħol tiegħu jinvolvi appoġġ għan-Netwerk tal-Korrispondenti tal-Eurofound inkluż il-kontroll tal-kwalità, is-sommarju tal-kontribuzzjonijiet nazzjonali għar-rapporti ta' riċerka u l-bażijiet tad-dejta, il-monitoraġġ tar-riżultati individwali u l-kodifikazzjoni tal-informazzjoni f'softwer ta' riċerka kwalitattiva. Qabel ma ngħaqad mal-Eurofound, huwa ħadem bħala konsulent tal-ġestjoni tal-proġetti għaċ-Ċentru Konġunt tar-Riċerka tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea (JRC), u ħadem ukoll f'diversi rwoli fl-industriji tal-IT, aerospazjali u tal-ikel. Huwa għandu lawrja fix-Xjenza Politika mill-Università ta' Milan u ċertifikazzjoni ta' Project Management Professional (PMP).

Agnès Parent-Thirion

Senior research manager
Working life research

Agnès Parent-Thirion hija maniġer anzjan tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound, inkarigata mill-ippjanar, l-iżvilupp u l-implimentazzjoni ta' proġetti ta' riċerka dwar il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol, b'mod partikolari l-Istħarriġ Ewropew dwar il-Kundizzjonijiet tax-Xogħol (EWCS) u l-analiżi tiegħu. Hija responsabbli għall-edizzjoni straordinarja tal-EWCS 2021 u għat-tħejjija tal-kwestjonarju għall-EWCS 2024. L-interessi tar-riċerka tagħha jinkludu l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol, il-kwalità tax-xogħol, il-monitoraġġ tal-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol, l-organizzazzjoni tax-xogħol, is-sess, il-futur tax-xogħol u l-ħin. Hija ilha taħdem fil-qasam tal-istħarriġ komparattiv Ewropew għal aktar minn għaxar snin, fl-aspetti kollha inklużi d-disinn, l-iżvilupp tal-kwestjonarju, ix-xogħol fuq il-post, il-kontroll tal-kwalità u l-analiżi. Hija gradwata fl-ekonomija u l-ġestjoni mill-universitajiet Paris IX Dauphine u Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne u għandha Diploma Postgraduate fl-Istatistika mit-Trinity College Dublin. Dan l-aħħar temmet korsijiet onlajn dwar l-intelliġenza artifiċjali: tmexxija mmexxija mill-inkjesta mal-MIT Sloan Executive Education u 'Les grand enjeux de la transition: re-ouvrir l'orizzont, comprendre pour agir' mal-Campus de la Transition. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound, hija ħadmet għal numru ta' snin fil-Kummissjoni Ewropea.

Sara Riso

Senior research manager
Working life research

Sara Riso joined Eurofound in 2006 and is currently a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. She is engaged in research projects focusing on digitalisation and working conditions. Before joining Eurofound, Sara managed research projects for large Brussels-based European associations and networks. Her academic background is in psychology, communication and languages. Her main research interest lies in exploring new workplace stressors arising from increased digitalisation of work, evolving organisational practices, and change management strategies to address the challenges posed by digitalisation in modern working environments.

Mária Sedláková

Research officer
Working life research

Mária Sedláková hija uffiċjal tar-riċerka fl-unità tal-Ħajja tax-Xogħol fil-Eurofound. Hija responsabbli għall-abbozzar ta' rapporti ġenerali għall-istudji tar-rappreżentanza settorjali, il-ġestjoni u l-kontroll tal-kwalità tar-rappurtar nazzjonali dwar ir-relazzjonijiet industrijali, id-djalogu soċjali u l-ħajja tax-xogħol, u l-iżvilupp ta' proġett dwar in-negozjar kollettiv lil hinn mill-paga. Qabel ma ngħaqdet mal-Eurofound, hija ħadmet bħala uffiċjal tar-riċerka teknika fi ħdan id-Dipartiment tal-Governanza u t-Tripartiżmu fl-Organizzazzjoni Internazzjonali tax-Xogħol f'Ġinevra fuq ir-Rapport Ewlieni tad-Djalogu Soċjali 2022. Hija ħadmet ukoll bħala riċerkatriċi fl-Istitut tal-Istudji tax-Xogħol tal-Ewropa Ċentrali fi Bratislava (2013–2020), fejn tiffoka fuq id-djalogu soċjali, in-negozjar kollettiv, il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol u s-soċjoloġija tax-xogħol. Maria għandha MA fix-Xjenza Politika bi speċjalizzazzjoni fil-Politika Ewropea Komparattiva mill-Università tal-Ewropa Ċentrali.

Oscar Vargas Llave

Senior research manager
Working life research

Oscar Vargas Llave is a senior 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 policies: organisation of working time, remote work, the right to disconnect, health and well-being and ageing. Before joining Eurofound in December 2009, he worked as project coordinator in the field of health and safety and was responsible for the Professional Card Scheme for the Construction Sector in Spain at the non-profit Fundación Laboral de la Construcción in Madrid. He has a background in industrial sociology (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca), and also holds a Diploma in Social Science Research Methods from the University of Cardiff and a Master’s degree in Health and Safety from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Tina Weber

Senior research manager
Working life research

Tina Weber is a senior research manager in Eurofound’s Working Life unit. Her work has focused on labour shortages, the impact of hybrid work and an ‘always on’ culture and the right to disconnect, working conditions and social protection measures for self-employed workers and the impact of the twin transitions on employment, working conditions and industrial relations. She is responsible for studies assessing the representativeness of European social partner organisations. She has also carried out research on European Works Councils and the evolution of industrial relations and social dialogue in the European Union. Prior to joining Eurofound in 2019, she worked for a private research institute primarily carrying out impact assessments and evaluations of EU labour law and labour market policies. Tina holds a PhD in Political Sciences from the University of Edinburgh which focussed on the role of national trade unions and employers’ organisations in the European social dialogue.

Documents

The following documents are available for download.

CV and DOI

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European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies