Since its launch in 2020, Eurofound's unique Living and Working in the EU e-survey has provided an overview of the ever-changing developments in living and working since the onset of the pandemic, through the recovery measures and during a time of constant change.
Living and working in the EU and neighbouring countries e-survey 2023
The sixth round of Eurofound’s e-survey explored the experiences of individuals living and working in the EU and neighbouring countries in the post-pandemic period of spring 2023. In addition to collecting core data from the previous e-survey, there was a specific focus on young people.
Continuing its emphasis on housing, living and financial conditions and work–life balance, including the division of labour at home, this e-survey also looked at the impact of the pandemic on young people in terms of traineeships and apprenticeships, skills and access to training, and their hopes and plans for the future.
Round 6: This round of the e-survey maintained its focus on investigating how life has changed in Europe following the aftermath of the pandemic, with a particular emphasis on the experience of young people.
Launched in May until June 2023
23,376 respondents aged 18+ in the EU27 Member States and 17 additional countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine**, Serbia, Tunisia, Ukraine
E-survey among panellists and advertised on social media
Questionnaire comprised 191 questions, available in 33 languages
To display this data, use the filters below to select a question. Refine the results by selecting a country (or group of countries), apply additional filters (which vary throughout the surveys) or change the visualisation by selecting a preferred chart type.
Dashboard
Most young people are looking for opportunities for training or further education. Experience of a traineeship is common in the EU. However, inequalities – for example, gender disparities – have been found to affect traineeship quality.
Housing difficulties are among the main obstacles to young people becoming independent. Young people who are less financially well off are less likely to be able to move out of the parental home, which in turn may put financial strain on the household. As a result, young people living with their parents are most likely to have difficulty making ends meet.
Mismatches between young people’s aspirations and their concrete plans are particularly common when it comes to housing. Increasingly, young people would like to buy a home but find themselves stuck renting.
Young people reported unusually low levels of mental well-being during the pandemic. By 2023, youth mental well-being had improved. However, this improvement was weaker than it was among people over 30. Furthermore, the research found that a mismatch between aspirations and concrete plans, when it comes to getting a job, is associated with higher risk of depression among young people.
Among young respondents across the EU, 40% would move abroad in the next three years if they could, and nearly a quarter have plans to do so. However, there are large differences between countries.
15 June 2023
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
** This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual position of the Member States on this issue.
This section provides further information targeted in particular at researchers.
21 May 2024
During the pandemic, many young people had to change their plans for the future. While at the end of 2023 young people’s labour market situation was more favourable than it had been in recent years, many obstacles remained on their route to independence, such as the rising cost of living and inability to move out of the parental home. This report explores young people’s wishes and plans for the future – and the well-being outcomes related to these plans – in the context of the current labour market and housing situation and progress on the implementation of the EU’s reinforced Youth Guarantee.
Methodology
The e-survey methodology is similar for all rounds of the survey.
Eurofound experts
You can contact the following experts for questions on the survey.
Eszter Sándor
Senior research managerEszter Sandor je višja vodja raziskav v enoti za socialne politike pri Eurofoundu. Ima strokovno znanje na področju metodologije anketiranja in statistične analize, sodelovala je pri pripravi in vodenju evropske raziskave o kakovosti življenja in nazadnje e-ankete o življenju, delu in covidu-19 ter je odgovorna za kakovost naborov podatkov. Njena raziskovalna področja so dobro počutje mladih in kakovost življenja v gospodinjstvih in družinah, vključno s subjektivnim počutjem, usklajevanjem poklicnega in zasebnega življenja ter življenjskimi pogoji. Pred tem je delala kot ekonomska svetovalka na Škotskem, kjer se je osredotočala na ocene gospodarskega učinka, vrednotenja in analize vhodnih in izhodnih rezultatov. Magistrirala je iz ekonomije in mednarodnih odnosov na Univerzi Corvinus v Budimpešti.
Daphne Ahrendt
Senior research managerDaphne Ahrendt je višja vodja raziskav v enoti za socialno politiko pri Eurofoundu. Odkar se je leta 2013 pridružila Eurofoundu, je njeno delo zajemalo širok razpon področij socialne politike. Trenutno usklajuje Eurofoundove dejavnosti v zvezi z upravljanjem in razvojem raziskav ter vodi pripravo in analizo e-raziskav o covidu-19. Daphne ima več kot 20 let izkušenj kot raziskovalka pri mednarodnih raziskavah, pred tem pa je delala v enoti Eurobarometra pri Evropski komisiji in v Nacionalnem centru za družbene raziskave v Londonu, kjer je sodelovala pri mednarodnem programu družbenih raziskav. Daphne je magistrirala iz politike kazenskega pravosodja na London School of Economics in diplomirala iz političnih znanosti na državni univerzi v San Franciscu.
