Eurofound analysis of the gender employment gap in the EU shows that its cost - when considering foregone earnings and missed welfare contributions of individuals to society, as well as the public finance cost - was estimated to be over €390 billion in 2023, corresponding to 2.3% of the EU’s GDP.
A new episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast series looks at data from the Living and working in the EU e-survey showing a decline in the number of respondents engaged in remote work, with the percentage of people working entirely from the workplace increasing from 36% in 2023, to 41% in 2024.
In this episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Deputy Director Maria Jepsen, and Barry Colfer, Director of Research at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), about European social change over the past 50 years, Eurofound’s role in these changes, how Ireland itself has developed and changed, and the challenges currently on the horizon.
The 22 EU Member States with a national minimum wage have announced their decisions on increases for 2025, except for Spain. Developments bring good news for workers on the minimum wage, who will see their wages increase substantially, beyond current inflation in most countries.
Respondents that participated in Eurofound’s 2024 e-survey were less optimistic about their future than those that took part in 2023, with the degree of optimism across all age groups falling considerably since 2020. The sharpest drop in optimism occurred among respondents in the 35–49 and 50–64 age groups, who reported the lowest levels of optimism in 2024.
Despite expectations that remote work or hybrid work would become a long-term norm following the pandemic, findings from Eurofound’s 2024 e-survey indicate a decline in remote work since 2023.
30% of respondents to Eurofound’s 2024 Living and working in the EU survey reported difficulties making ends meet, ranging from 17% in Luxembourg to 55% in Greece. 10% of respondents missed rent or mortgage payments, and 15% reported arrears in utility bills – both figures reflecting increases from the previous year.
Improving the lives of people in Europe, strengthening social dialogue, and embracing the principle that economic competitiveness and social progress are complementary objectives are the very essence of Eurofound as an organisation. And have been for five decades, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Agency.
In a new episode of Eurofound Talks, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Senior Research Manager Sara Riso about what constitutes cyberbullying, how widespread the issue of cyberbullying at work is, and whether there is sufficient legislation and workplace rules to address it effectively.
Providing evidenced-based research to the media on living and working in Europe is a central part of Eurofound's communications strategy. We need your help to do this. Please give us your feedback in our User Feedback Survey 2024 before Friday 13 December.
Today, 15 November 2024, marks the deadline for the transposition of the EU Adequate Minimum Wage Directive into national legislation across the EU. The Directive seeks to establish a framework to improve the adequacy of minimum wages and to increase the access of workers to minimum wage protection.
In a new episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Senior Research Manager Hans Dubois about the latest developments in housing and housing policy in Europe. This, the second episode of the series looking specifically at housing, discusses the role of the incoming Commission, what Eurofound’s research can bring to the table, and the different policy tools required.
Eurofound (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions) is a tripartite EU body, whose mission is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies.
