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Digitalisation

Digitalisation is the ongoing integration of digital technologies and digitised data across the economy and society. The twin green and digital transitions accelerate the pace of change affecting all aspects of our lives and will have many consequences for the future of work. Innovations and developments in advanced technologies are having significant effects in almost all areas of the economy and for society at large. Work, its content, its organisation and design, its regulation and protection, are all undergoing change. The continuous automation and digitalisation of services, and the growing introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, continues to change the nature of work, skills needs, and how tasks are allocated, performed and assessed. This also often brings a blurring of boundaries between work and non-work activity.

Topic

Recent updates

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Human–robot interaction: What changes in the workplace?

Explore our digital report summary. Understanding how workers and robots interact and the implications for work organisation and working conditions is crucial for robots’ successful integration into the workplace.

Data story

Eurofound research

Eurofound research on anticipating and managing the impact of change explores the impact of digitalisation on working life, as well as the links with the transition to a climate-neutral economy. This covers employment levels, working conditionssocial protection and employment relations. In the context of restructuring and digitalisation, analysing the role of industrial relations and social dialogue in implementing such change is also important, as is the impact on society and citizens. 

The research provides evidence on structural changes, driven largely by these megatrends, but also recent crises, that can inform policy in ensuring just transitions which promote employment, good working conditions, social protection and workers’ rights, while also improving labour productivity, competitiveness and prosperity.

Digitalisation in the workplace

Research looks at the effects of digitalisation at company level on employment and working conditions, including social protection. Research on automation and digitisation continues to build on previous research on game-changing technologies, the nature of work in digitised workplaces, employee monitoring and privacy at the workplace, as well as on data from Eurofound's surveys. Eurofound analyses the impact of digitalisation on working life, looking at the human and ethical implications of digitalisation at the workplace, as well as exploring the characteristics and effects of human–robot interaction related to advanced robotics. 

Since 2017, Eurofound has been exploring these topics in a body of work structured around three vectors of change in digitalisation – automation, digitisation and platforms – that are affecting employment and working conditions and social dialogue. It examines the emerging aspects and challenges arising from rapid technological advancements, particularly in the areas of AI and algorithmic management. 

 

The research aims to provide policymakers, employers, workers and their representatives with insights on how digitalisation is reshaping employment and work.

As regards platform work, Eurofound’s platform economy repository continues to monitor the evolution of this form of employment and business model. Based on this, specific research explores initiatives tackling issues around employment and working conditions. 

 

Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) carried out in 2021 provides updated data analysis on the impact of telework and ICT-based mobile work on various elements of working conditions and regulations.

Restructuring linked to megatrends in the economy

The European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) events database also captures where restructuring is specifically linked to digitalisation. Similarly, the ERM support instruments and legal databases have expanded to cover restructuring-relevant information related to digitalisation and the transition to a climate-neutral economy. Drawing on 2023 updates linked with anticipating and managing change, two recent articles explore the issues of employee monitoring and algorithmic management.

 

Informing the policy debate

Research on the twin transition related to digitalisation and climate change could provide relevant information for policymakers seeking solutions to make markets work better for consumers, business, workers and society, for the sustainable development of cities and urban areas, and to support regions to improve their infrastructure and access to services.

Key outputs

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Interaction between workers and robots is expected to increase in modern workplaces due to rapid advancements in robotic technologies. This report explores the opportunities and challenges that come with closer...

22 Iulie 2024
Publication
Research report
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Automation and digitisation technologies, including artificial intelligence, are rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly powerful and pervasive. The full range of their effects in the workplace is yet to be seen...

12 Septembrie 2023
Publication
Research report
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The retail banking sector is fertile ground for studying the impacts of digitalisation on work and employment. Financial services are increasingly provided online, without the intermediary of customer-facing institutions. Many...

26 Septembrie 2022
Publication
Research report
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Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns...

30 Mai 2022
Publication
Research report
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Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of...

25 Octombrie 2021
Publication
Research report
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Digital technologies have made it possible for many workers to carry out their work at any time and anywhere, with consequent advantages and disadvantages. Eurofound data show that teleworkers are...

9 Septembrie 2021
Publication
Research report

EU context

Responding to the way digital technology is changing the lives of EU citizens, a priority for the European Commission is to create a Europe fit for the digital age, leading the transition to a healthy planet and a new digital world through its European Digital Strategy 2020–2025. Launched in February 2020, the Strategy aims to empower people with a new generation of technologies, helping to support the ‘just transition’ to a climate-neutral Europe via the European Green Deal. 

As part of its Digital Services Act package, published on 15 December 2020, the Commission proposed two legislative initiatives to upgrade rules governing digital services in the EU: the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These initiatives will change the way companies offer and use digital services. 

On 9 March 2021, the Commission issued its Communication setting out the vision for Europe’s digital decade, outlining a clear compass towards a successful digital transformation by 2030 in areas such as connectivity, skills and digital public services.

In December 2023, the European Parliament and Council reached agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), which marks a significant step towards regulating AI in the EU. The AI Act entered into force on 1 August 2024. This is the first-ever comprehensive regulation on AI worldwide with a staggered implementation process to ensure a smooth transition for businesses and institutions. Among the high-risk AI systems identified under the Act are those used in recruitment and work management, which are particularly relevant to Eurofound's research.

In response to the rapid development of platform work in the EU, the Commission put forward a proposal to protect people working through digital platforms. In April 2024, the Parliament adopted the platform work directive, which aims to improve working conditions and regulate the use of algorithms by digital labour platforms.

In 2020, the European social partners approved an autonomous framework agreement on digitalisation. 

 

Eurofound’s work on digitalisation links in with the Commission’s 2019–2024 priority on a Europe fit for the digital age. 

 

Eurofound expert(s)

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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
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Dragoș Adăscăliței is a research officer in the Employment unit at Eurofound. His current research focuses on topics related to the future of work, including the impact of...

Research officer,
Employment research unit
Publications results (48)

Over the last decade, information and communication technologies have changed the way employees work and communicate with each other. While the digitalisation of work offers many benefits, widespread access to digital devices in working life has created new forms of antisocial behaviour.

25 September 2024

Since the early 2000s, the EU has faced persistent challenges in integrating young people into the labour market. The Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted youth employment prospects. This background paper explores youth labour market integration within the framework

23 September 2024

The fast and steady recovery in employment following the COVID-19 pandemic in the EU benefited from proactive policy responses to the crisis and from resilient labour markets. Almost 90% of regions across the EU had exceeded their pre-pandemic employment levels by 2022; however, significant regional

03 September 2024

Interaction between workers and robots is expected to increase in modern workplaces due to rapid advancements in robotic technologies. This report explores the opportunities and challenges that come with closer human–robot interaction.

22 July 2024

Employment levels in the EU27 recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021 much faster than they did after the global financial crisis in 2008–2010. This was despite the immediate job loss effects of the two crises being of comparable scale. Demographic change is affecting labour

28 March 2024

Automation and digitisation technologies, including artificial intelligence, are rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly powerful and pervasive. The full range of their effects in the workplace is yet to be seen. It is, however, important not only to explore the ethical implications of digital te

12 September 2023

Acest raport abordează impactul crizei provocate de pandemia de COVID-19 asupra serviciilor sociale din UE. Deși pandemia a avut un efect negativ asupra serviciilor sociale, a oferit însă lecții cu privire la modul de adaptare a acestor servicii ca răspuns la noi provocări și riscuri sociale. De

16 August 2023

The rise of the platform economy during the last decade is one of the main disrupting forces for European labour markets. While standard employment remains the norm, platforms are expanding their reach and diversifying into novel business models. In doing so, they are also attracting an increasing n

16 May 2023

On request by the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Eurofound prepared a background paper as a basis for the discussion at the informal Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meeting on 3-4 May 2023. The paper outlines some of the key challenges

04 May 2023

Pe măsură ce economiile încep să se redreseze după pandemia de COVID-19, deficitul de forță de muncă este din ce în ce mai evident, în pofida impactului războiului din Ucraina asupra prețurilor la energie și la mărfuri. Este vorba mai ales de deficitul exacerbat de criză în anumite sectoare și

28 March 2023

Online resources results (28)

Human–robot interaction: What changes in the workplace?

Explore our digital report summary. Understanding how workers and robots interact and the implications for work organisation and working conditions is crucial for robots’ successful integration into the workplace.

Employee monitoring: A moving target for regulation

This article explores the emerging risks from advanced monitoring technologies and how national jurisdictions are adapting to the challenges of digitally enabled workplace monitoring.

Regulatory responses to algorithmic management in the EU

Since 2013, Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legislation has been documenting regulatory developments in the Member States of the European Union and Norway. The most recent update to the database captures new legislation concerning the use of algorithmic management in the employment

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Bank restructuring: disruptors versus incumbents

While high-street banks reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by accelerating the push to digitalisation and cutting jobs, some digital-only banks are recruiting new staff to meet growing demand. An example is the ‘disruptor’ bank Revolut which has recently announced the creation of 1,000 jobs worldwide,

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Twin transition and pandemic challenge Eurofound to increase expertise, strengthen partnerships, expand reach, says new Director

Eurofound welcomed Ivailo Kalfin to his new role as Executive Director on 1 June. After one month in the job, he reflects on the challenges facing the EU, how they will impact on the work of Eurofound and his priorities for shaping the Agency over the next five years.

Telework, ICT-based mobile work in Europe: Trends, challenges and the right to disconnect 11 March 2021 - EMCO virtual meeting hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union Presentation by Oscar Vargas Llave, Research Manager, Eurofound

16 Martie 2021

Working remotely: An overview of trends, opportunities, challenges and risks 9 March 2021 Presentation by Irene Mandl, Head of unit - Employment, Eurofound

9 Martie 2021

Connecting and disconnecting and work-life balance 9 March 2021 Presentation by Tina Weber, Research manager - Employment unit, Eurofound

9 Martie 2021

Blogs results (23)
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The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising. Yet, in

27 Septembrie 2022
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Telework has become a permanent feature of working life in Europe. While we’ve seen the benefits of more flexible ways of working – particularly during the pandemic – the problems that arise from an increasingly connected life are also becoming clearer. Unfortunately, legislation alone may not be en

13 Iulie 2022
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The answer is yes – potentially. Assessing the environmental benefits of telework is a complex task, because any move to work from home involves a series of changes in individuals’ daily lives and activities, as well as company-level decisions, that may positively or negatively influence the level o

23 Iunie 2022
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Whether it is couch surfing, baby-sitting, pizza delivery or getting Ikea furniture assembled by somebody who can do it better, platforms can mediate all kinds of voluntary or professional services. Platform work is at the heart of the ‘sharing economy’. But while this may sound like a new form of

31 Martie 2022
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When it comes to Europe’s COVID-19 recovery and its aspiration to build back a more resilient society, the so-called green and digital transitions have dominated EU policy discussions. And as Eurofound made preparations for the 2022 Foundation Forum – a unique occasion for high-level debate on the s

11 Martie 2022
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The advent of AI has far more consequences for how work is organised, performed and valued than any previous technological revolution. In order to make the most of this digital transformation we need inclusive and nuanced policy debates on its employment effects and how to future-proof policies: we

8 Decembrie 2021
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The massive and rapid adoption of telework in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed gaps in the legislation governing telework arrangements across the EU Member States. In some cases, there was no regulation in place; in others, it was too restrictive. Governments scrambled to put tempo

31 Mai 2021
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While 2020 may come to be seen as the year platform work gathered pace and started to go mainstream – thanks in large part to COVID-19 containment measures sparking an increase in food and grocery delivery – 2021 could be the year that regulation of platform work is set in motion. The well-known tax

24 Februarie 2021
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The COVID-19 pandemic compelled governments to take exceptional measures to monitor and control the spread of the Coronavirus. Among them was the introduction in most EU Member States of tracking apps to gather data on citizens who have contracted the virus and to trace their contacts, a measure tha

13 Ianuarie 2021
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​​​​​​​With remote working becoming the new normal for many workers, it is surely the case that many employers are anxious to ensure that their employees are putting in full working days. Companies are likely to be investing in and deploying digital technologies for tracking employee performance muc

9 Decembrie 2020

Upcoming publications results (2)

This report reviews the quality of the national social partners’ involvement in the implementation of the reforms and investments shaping the digital and green transition in the context of national policymaking. These reforms and investments stem mainly from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

March 2025

This policy brief examines the EU’s position within the G20 with respect to various dimensions of development over the past two decades. By analysing trends in human development, labour market participation, digital adoption and environmental sustainability, it assesses the EU's relative standing

November 2024
Data results (8)
24 Octombrie 2023
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