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Eurofound Talks Job Quality
The COVID-19 pandemic had profound implications on the labour market and job quality in Europe, creating both new challenges and exacerbating existing trends. Eurofound’s analysis of the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) indicates that around 30% of EU workers are in strained, poor-quality jobs, where the negative aspects of work outweigh the positive.
The new episode of Eurofound Talks looks at the issue of job quality in the modern workplace. Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Head of Unit for Working Life Barbara Gerstenberger about what the EWCTS reveals about job quality, the implications of poor-quality jobs on well-being and broader society, and what policymakers can do to improve the working lives of people in Europe.
This episode draws upon Eurofound’s extensive experience in monitoring working conditions and job quality in Europe. Eurofound has been closely monitoring working conditions in Europe for over 30 years via the European Working Conditions Survey; in 2021, the Agency conducted the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), interviewing over 70,000 people in 36 countries, providing a detailed picture of the working lives of Europeans at an exceptional time.
The survey points to a range of long-standing challenges that persist for the EU’s workforce and require policy attention. These include the lack of decent and predictable earnings from work for vulnerable groups, widespread health problems, long working hours and work–life conflicts.
The survey also confirms persistent gender segregation in sectors, occupations and workplaces, which indicates that we are a long way from the goals of equal opportunities for women and men at work and equal access to key decision-making positions in the workplace.
Listen to the episode on the Eurofound website, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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