European survey on working time and work-life balance (ESWT)

The first company survey was carried out in 2004-2005 and focused on working time and work-life balance policies in establishments in the former EU15 Member States and six of the new: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.

Survey results

An overview report and a number of research reports on selected topics were published in 2006-2007.

Objectives of the survey

• The survey aimed to complement existing Eurofound data and research on working time which is based primarily on surveys of individual workers and on literature reviews and case studies.
• It was designed to find out whether, why and how companies make use of the broad variety of working time arrangements (e.g. full- and part-time work, overtime, flexi-time, shift work, phased and early retirement and childcare leave arrangements).
• It included all companies with 10 or more employees across all sectors of activity, including the public sector.

Survey methodology

Survey design - Phase 1

• Telephone interviews were carried out in more than 16,000 workplaces in the EU15 Member States
• Both personnel managers and – where available – employee representatives were interviewed. The survey is representative for all establishments with 10 or more employees, and covers both the private and public sector
• The establishments interviewed were randomly selected
• Fieldwork started in the second half of September 2004 and was coordinated by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung.

Survey design - Phase 2

After completion of the first phase, the survey was extended to six of the new EU Member States: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.

• Telephone interviews were carried out in more than 4,000 workplaces
• Phase 2 fieldwork, coordinated by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung, started in May 2005
• Interviews were conducted by the following national institutes: