Publications

The most relevant changes in working time regulation in Europe in 2019 and 2020 addressed challenges arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most focused on short-time working schemes, on approaches to teleworking for those able to work from home and on regulations to ensure the safe provision of essential services. In 2020, the average collectively agreed working week in the EU stood at 37.8 hours. Across the sectors analysed in the report, the collectively agreed normal working week was shortest in public administration (38 hours) and longest in transport (39.2 hours).

Challenges for sustainable work
07 October 2021,  High-level conference on 'Quality Work for a Quality Life' - Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Presentation by Barbara Gerstenberger, Head of Unit for Working Life, Eurofound

The economic and labour market contribution of international businesses is well recognised, but policymakers could do more to help such enterprises to develop their activities. This policy brief explores the workplace practices in export-oriented establishments that may contribute to their success. It also identifies aspects of their workplace practices that can result in ‘win–win’ outcomes, ones that are mutually beneficial for employers and employees.

The impact of COVID-19 has moved public health up the EU social policy agenda. As the EU directs its efforts towards establishing a European Health Union to guard against future health crises, this policy brief examines the extent to which the EU achieved upward convergence in terms of health and healthcare outcomes, as well as health expenditures and delivery, prior to the pandemic. It also examines convergence patterns in infections and deaths from COVID-19 and in the mitigating measures adopted by the EU and national governments.

A incerteza quanto ao futuro tem vindo a aumentar na maioria dos países da UE há mais de dez anos. Muitas pessoas acreditam que a sociedade está em declínio, o que deu origem a um sentimento geral de pessimismo. Existe uma ligação entre o aumento da popularidade dos partidos antissistema e o crescente pessimismo? Estes sentimentos negativos poderão afetar negativamente o clima político dentro dos Estados-Membros, bem como comprometer a legitimidade do projeto europeu.

As tecnologias digitais permitiram que muitos dos trabalhadores desempenhassem o seu trabalho em qualquer altura e lugar, o que trouxe vantagens e desvantagens. Os dados da Eurofound revelam que os teletrabalhadores têm duas vezes mais probabilidades de ultrapassar o limite de trabalho de 48 horas, ter períodos de repouso insuficientes e trabalhar no tempo livre, o que tem repercussões na sua saúde física e mental. Para dar resposta a este problema, surgiram apelos a um «direito a desligar».

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a surge in telework, with dramatic increases in the number of employees working from home (teleworking) in many European countries. What for many employees started out as a mandatory move seems to have transformed into a preference among the majority for part-time or full-time telework.

Following the declines in employment rates and working hours across Europe in 2020, economies began to show signs of recovery during the first quarter of 2021. The gradual rekindling of economic activity has led to a surge in demand for workers and reawakened concerns over labour shortages. Difficulty filling vacancies was thought to be among the key factors holding back growth, competitiveness and service delivery in a number of sectors prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite a temporary weakening in demand for labour during the pandemic, this was not the case in all sectors, with some seeing pre-existing shortages worsen.

While unemployment is still a huge challenge in Europe, some countries, sectors and occupations are experiencing labour shortages. This report explores various approaches to identifying labour shortages and maps national policy debates around the issue. It documents public and social partner interventions to tackle labour shortages, such as measures fostering geographical or occupational mobility, addressing skills shortages and underinvestment in skills, improving working and employment conditions, and providing better matching procedures.

Over the last decade, the EU has made slow progress towards gender equality. As achievements in gender equality vary considerably by Member State, it is important to understand the evolution of disparities between the Member States and the implications this has for upward economic and social convergence in the EU. Crucially, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis not only threatens to undo past achievements but may well result in increasing disparities between Member States.