Topics: Social issues

  • Wage and task profiles of employment in Europe in 2030

    Structural change is expected to move much faster in the Member States who joined the Union after 2004, and we forecast big changes in the occupational wage and task structure in these countries in the run up to 2030.

  • Trust in Europe bounces back with economic recovery

    Overall trust in institutions such as national governments, the legal system, the EU, and the media has rebounded in Europe following the recent economic recovery. However, in a number of the Member States most adversely impacted by the crisis, trust in national institutions has still not returned to pre-crisis levels.

  • Quality of life improving in Ireland but challenges remain

    Quality of life is improving in Ireland, particularly in relation to social cohesion, with the country recording some of the highest levels optimism in the EU and lowest reported levels of tension between racial and ethnic groups. However, a number of challenges remain, notably in public transport, childcare services, and social housing – all of which are rated below EU averages.

  • Some improvements in the lives of people with disabilities but disadvantage remains

    ​There has been an overall improvement in the employment and social situation of people with disabilities in the EU, with more people with disabilities in employment and actively participating in society in 2016 than 2011. However, disabled people are still significantly less likely to be in employment than people without disabilities, and they remain among the most disadvantaged groups in Europe.

  • Social cohesion and well-being in Europe: A home run for team EU?

    Eurofound's latest report from the Quality of Life​ Survey looks at five key aspects of social cohesion including perceived social exclusion, perceived social tensions, interpersonal trust, participation in society and a sense of community. Collectively, these aspects have an important bearing on the well-being of citizens.

  • Platform work – Breaking barriers or breaking bad?

    Platform work is neither good nor bad – it just is. We need to adapt to this reality by finding ways to capitalise on the positive while at the same time counteracting the negative. This needs to be done in a differentiated way, taking account of the great variety in platform work. One-size solutions simply will not fit all.

  • Pay is just one aspect of disadvantage for women on the labour market

    ​The equal treatment of women and men has been a fundamental principle of the European Union since its inception, but women in Europe still earn on average 16.2% less than men. Tomorrow, Saturday 3 November, marks the moment in the year when women symbolically stop getting paid compared to their male colleagues.

  • Progress in paternity and parental leave for fathers – Are baby steps enough?

    Few events challenge the equilibrium between work and life like the arrival of a child. As gender roles continue to change in Europe, supporting the uptake of paternity and parental leave among fathers is fundamental, not just to close the ‘caring gap’ between men and women, but also to provide the best possible outlook for coming generations.

  • Feelings of insecurity widespread in Europe

    Feelings of insecurity in several dimensions of life are widespread in the EU, even among those who are materially well-off. Only 1% of the EU population enjoys the highest level of security in the combined areas of personal security and security in housing, healthcare, employment and old-age income.

  • Big differences in female share of employment and management in Europe

    ​On average, women make up 36% of all managers in Europe. Some of the newer Member States lead the way in terms of the equal representation of men and women both in labour markets and in management. This graph shows the female share of management in each of the Member States.

  • Equality still far from reach for women in management

    Management is still mostly a man's game. The limited presence of women in management roles in European workplaces, despite years of gender equality policy, illustrates the magnitude of the challenge in achieving gender equality at work and highlights the need for more concerted effort and comprehensive long-term strategies to drive change.

  • Upcoming policy brief: Women in management

    Eurofound's forthcoming policy brief focuses on women who have overcome the barriers and advanced into management. It aims to assess whether women, once they have reached a managerial role, continue to encounter obstacles that their male counterparts do not face.

  • Forthcoming research: Burnout in Europe

    In September Eurofound will release a new report on Burnout in Europe, examining what causes burnout, the effects of burnout, and mapping where in Europe it is considered an occupational disease.

  • The quest for convergence

    As the European Union recoups the losses of the crisis and seeks a sounder footing for future growth, the concept of convergence has taken centre stage in the policy discourse. But what do we mean by ‘convergence’ in the European context?

  • Social mobility: Going up? Or down?

    It seems that social structures are hardening. As the modernisation of economies subsides, fewer new jobs are being created at the higher occupational levels, and this is curtailing upward mobility.

  • Platform work and employment conditions

    @JuanMenendezEF presents #eurofound latest research findings on #platform #work and employment conditions at the informal #EPSCO #eu2018at today 19 July 2018

  • Sharing caring

    ​It is well known that women take more responsibility for the care of their children than men. According to the 2016 EQLS, 88% of mothers compared to 64% of fathers in the EU care for their children every day. These fathers estimate they give 21 hours a week to the care of their children, while the mothers dedicate 39 hours per week.

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