Delovni čas se nanaša na vsak čas, v katerem delavec dela, je na razpolago delodajalcu in opravlja svoje naloge ali dolžnosti v skladu z nacionalno zakonodajo in/ali prakso. Delovni čas je za delavce v različnih poklicih ali življenjskih obdobjih različen, pri ugotavljanju teh razlik pa je zlasti pomemben spol.
Delovni čas je ključni element poklicnega življenja, njegovo zakonsko urejanje pa je v središču političnih, gospodarskih in družbenih razprav na ravni EU in nacionalni ravni. Za varovanje zdravja in varnosti delavcev direktiva EU o delovnem času določa, da morajo vse države članice zagotoviti minimalne standarde glede delovnega časa za vse delavce v EU. To vključuje standarde glede najdaljšega tedenskega delovnega časa (ki je določen na 48 ur), minimalnega časa počitka in odmorov, letnega dopusta, nočnega dela in izmenskega dela.
Eurofound že več let zbira informacije o različnih vidikih delovnega časa in njihovih posledicah za delovne pogoje ter kakovost življenja moških in žensk v EU. Cilj Eurofoundovih študij o delovnem času je izboljšati razumevanje njegove organizacije in vpliva na zaposlovanje, produktivnost, dobro počutje ter ravnovesje med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem. Podatki o delovnem času po kolektivnih pogodbah in vlogi socialnih partnerjev se redno objavljajo in so bili nedavno analizirani tudi z dolgoročne perspektive. Raziskave o delovnem času moških v primerjavi z delovnim časom žensk kažejo, da je pri moških veliko večja verjetnost, da bodo delali več ur, pri ženskah pa je bolj verjetno, da bodo več časa namenile neplačanemu gospodinjskemu delu.
Zakonsko urejanje delovnega časa ima pomembno vlogo pri povečevanju ravnovesja med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem ter tudi udeležbe na trgu dela. V hitro spreminjajočih se gospodarskih razmerah potrebujejo podjetja in delavci prožnost. Eurofound je proučil razmerje med delovnim časom ter ravnovesjem med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem z vidika različnih življenjskih obdobij.
V raziskavah so bili proučeni različni vidiki organizacije delovnega časa ter posledice za produktivnost in delovne razmere. Ker se organizacija delovnega časa spreminja, je Eurofound skupaj z Mednarodno organizacijo dela nedavno proučil vplive dela na daljavo ter mobilnega dela v okviru informacijske in komunikacijske tehnologije na delovni čas tistih, za katere veljajo take ureditve dela.
Ob upoštevanju dolgoročne perspektive delovnega časa je bil v nedavni študiji proučen razvoj vidikov delovnega časa po kolektivnih pogodbah v EU v začetku 21. stoletja. Študija se osredotoča zlasti na pet sektorjev: kemikalije, obdelavo kovin, bančništvo, maloprodajo in javno upravo. V poročilu so opisani institucionalni sistemi ureditve ter ocenjene spremembe dogovorjenega in običajnega števila delovnih ur med letoma 1999 in 2014.
Tri obsežne raziskave Eurofounda zagotavljajo podatke o vprašanjih, povezanih z delovnim časom.
V evropski raziskavi o delovnih razmerah (EWCS) je delovni čas proučen z različnih vidikov. V šesti raziskavi EWCS iz leta 2015 je bila kakovost delovnega časa eden od sedmih indeksov kakovosti delovnih mest. Uporabljena je bila za ocenjevanje pogostosti dolgih delavnikov, možnosti za odmor, neobičajnega delovnega časa, ureditev delovnega časa in prožnosti ter njihovega vpliva na zdravje in dobro počutje delavcev. Glede na ugotovitve ima 43 % delavcev zelo reden delovni urnik.
Eurofound je z uporabo podatkov iz šeste evropske raziskave o delovnih razmerah proučil vzorce delovnega časa za trajnostno delo. V analizi so proučene povezave med vzorci delovnega časa, ravnovesjem med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem ter preferencami glede delovnega časa, pa tudi zdravjem in dobrim počutjem delavcev. Ocenjena je tudi vzdržnost sedanjih delovnih razmer in vzorcev delovnega časa za prihodnost.
V evropski raziskavi o kakovosti življenja (EQLS) so proučene ureditve delovnega časa za plačano in neplačano delo ter njihov vpliv na zadovoljstvo z ravnovesjem med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem.
Ureditve delovnega časa lahko znatno vplivajo na učinkovitost, produktivnost in konkurenčnost podjetij, pa tudi na zdravje, dobro počutje in motivacijo njihovih zaposlenih. Eurofound je v okviru evropske raziskave podjetij (ECS) izvedel tudi celovito raziskavo delovnega časa ter ravnovesja med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem. Proučil je razširjenost prožnih ureditev delovnega časa in „shranjevanja delovnega časa“, delo s krajšim delovnim časom, nadure in nestandardni delovni čas; starševski dopust in druge vrste dolgotrajnega dopusta; postopno in predčasno upokojevanje, pa tudi posebne politike za podpiranje usklajevanja poklicnega in zasebnega življenja v podjetjih.
23. september 2016 – Države članice EU sprejemajo zakone za ureditev delovnega časa trgovin in podjetij ob nedeljah. V nekaterih državah članicah nova zakonodaja omejuje delovni čas. Po podatkih iz evropske raziskave o delovnih razmerah se je delež delavcev, ki poročajo o tem, da delajo ob nedeljah, v obdobju 2010–2015 povečal, kar potrjuje prepričanje, da trgovine vse pogosteje obratujejo ob nedeljah.
What's happening with Sunday work in Europe (Kaj se dogaja z nedeljskim delom v Evropi)
For many years now, Eurofound has collected information on various aspects of working time and their implications for working conditions and quality of life of men and women in the EU. Eurofound’s studies on working time aim to improve understanding of how long workers work and how their time is organised and the implications of working time patterns for employment, productivity, well-being and the balance between work and private life. Data on collectively agreed working time and the role of the social partners have been published regularly, and have also been analysed from a long-term perspective. Research on men’s working time versus women’s shows that men are much more likely to work longer hours and women are more likely to spend more time doing unpaid domestic work. While most individuals, regardless of their sex, seem to be satisfied with their current working time, the majority of those expressing a preference to change their working time say they would like to reduce their hours.
Regulating working time has a role to play in increasing work–life balance and also labour market participation. In a fast-changing economic climate, companies and workers need flexibility. Eurofound has explored the relationship between working time and work–life balance in a life course perspective.
Research has looked at the various aspects of the organisation of working time and the implications for productivity and working conditions. As the organisation of working time is changing, Eurofound together with the International Labour Organization examined the effects of telework and ICT-mobile work on the working time of those engaged in such work arrangements.
Taking a long-term perspective on working time, Eurofound has examined the evolution of aspects of collectively agreed working time in the EU at the beginning of the 21st century. The research focused in particular on five sectors: chemicals, metalworking, banking, retail and public administration. It described the institutional regimes of working time regulation and assesses changes in agreed working hours and usual working hours between 1999 and 2014.
Eurofound has also looked at the national approaches on how and when breaks from work should be taken. The research compares different approaches among Member States, gives examples of judicial rulings, highlights some types of work that attract special consideration and looks into causal relationships between breaks, health and performance at work.
Research on new ways of working fostered by digitalisation like teleworking and platform work have highlighted the increasing trend towards flexible working with far-reaching implications for the duration and organisation of working time. These aspects are also part of the regulatory debate at EU and national level, for instance wtih the adoption of legislation on the right to disconnect.
Eurofound’s three major surveys provide data on issues related to working time.
The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) covers working time from various angles. In the 2021 European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), working time arrangements was one of six dimensions of job quality analysed. This dimension includes unsocial work schedules (as a job demand) and working time flexibility (as a job resource). The EWCTS captured four types of working time that are generally regarded as unsocial: regularly working in one’s free time, regularly working at night, working long hours and regularly being required to work at short notice. Flexibility in working hours is positively related to worker’s well-being and supports a healthy balance between their personal and working lives. The EWCTS highlighted the ease with which an individual can take an hour or two off during working hours to attend to a personal matter as an indicator of such flexibility.
Using EWCS 2015 data, Eurofound has examined working time patterns for sustainable work. The analysis looks at the links between working time patterns, work–life balance and working time preferences, as well as workers’ health and well-being. It also assesses how sustainable the current working conditions and working time patterns are into the future.
The European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) looks at working time arrangements, both paid and unpaid, and their impact on satisfaction with work–life balance.
Working time arrangements can have a significant bearing on the efficiency, productivity and competitiveness of companies, not to mention the health, well-being and motivation of their employees. Through its European Company Survey (ECS), Eurofound has also carried out comprehensive research on working time and work–life balance. It has looked at the prevalence of flexible working time arrangements and working time accounts, part-time work, overtime and non-standard working hours; parental and other long-term leave; phased and early retirement; as well as specific policies to support work–life balance in companies.
