Housing policy has emerged as a critical factor in shaping household prosperity in a new report from Eurofound which confirms persistent wealth inequality across the EU. Based on data from 2010 to 2021, the fresh analysis reveals that wealth distribution is more unevenly distributed than income, highlighting the disproportionate control of assets by a small portion of the population.
Europe’s workers value safety, trust, and well-being above pay, according to the first findings of the flagship 2024 pan-European Working Conditions Survey. New findings reveal an overall upward trend in job quality but also expose a workforce grappling with new and persistent health challenges and divergent attitudes to the technological change.
In the latest episode of Eurofound Talks, published today for World Suicide Prevention Day, Mary McCaughey speaks with Senior Research Manager Hans Dubois about concerning trends highlighted in Eurofound’s new report, Mental health: Risk groups, trends, services and policies.
Results from Eurofound’s pan-European flagship survey reveal significant improvements in job quality over the past decade but highlight stark inequalities between women and men, as well as radically different situations for workers in different parts of Europe.
Problematical social media use affects a quarter of young girls in Ireland, economic pressures impact the mental health of 32% of the population, and 17% of those in rural areas report a lack of services mental health.
The long-term decline in suicide death rates across the EU has stalled, marking an alarming reflection of poor mental health in Europe. Suicide accounted for 18.9% of deaths among 15–29-year-olds in 2021, ahead of traffic collisions (16.5%). Eurofound analysis also reveals that in 2021, poor mental health resulted in 11.1 million years of life lost or lived with disability.
Despite upwards wage trends, minimum wage earners face significant financial pressure from housing costs. Eurofound analysis shows that minimum wage earners spend an average of 34.8% of their disposable income on housing, compared to 26.2% for higher earners.
A new Eurofound report reveals encouraging progress in reducing child poverty and boosting early childhood education and care (ECEC) participation across Europe. However, the report strongly emphasises that the sustained well-being of children hinges on urgent improvements to the working conditions and training of the professionals delivering these essential services.
45% of the population are now engaged in unpaid care across the EU with one in ten managing multiple caregiving roles. This vital, often unrecognised, informal care — predominantly provided by women and individuals aged 35-44 within families — is set to soar over the next two decades.
Eurofound has launched a public procurement procedure for the establishment of a new Network of Eurofound Correspondents. This network serves as a crucial mechanism for gathering timely and relevant national-level information and analysis.
Eurofound's new report, 'Narrowing the digital divide: Economic and social convergence in Europe’s digital transformation', warns that while Europe is making significant digital strides, vulnerable groups risk being left behind if inequalities in terms of resources and access are not addressed.
The latest Eurofound Talks podcast episode delves into the evolution of working conditions over the past three decades, as Europe stands at the precipice of an AI-driven revolution in its labour markets.
New research shows that national minimum wage increases are effectively boosting the pay of low-paid workers while preserving the crucial role of collective bargaining processes.
Today Eurofound hosted its annual Open Day, an event when the agency opens its doors to the public, engages with citizens, connects with Irish-based partners, and celebrates its long-standing place in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area.
In this episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast series, host Mary McCaughey sits down with Eurofound expert Carlos Vacas Soriano to explore how minimum wages have changed in Europe over the past year, as well as the implications of these shifts.
How can Europe adapt to an ageing workforce? What impediments do older workers face at the workplace? How are changing technologies and job quality influencing the retention of older workers on the labour market? A new episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast series sets out to answer these questions in the context of changing demographics in Europe and the need to make work more sustainable.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Training Foundation (ETF), and Eurofound are joining forces on 3 April in Tirana for a high-level event focused on promoting effective social dialogue and collaboration in the Western Balkans.
With Europe’s old-age dependency ratio projected to increase to 52% in 2050, supporting older workers to stay in the workforce for longer is now an economic necessity, according to new research from the EU’s social and employment agency.
Michael Healy-Rae TD, Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, planted signature native Irish tree species at Eurofound today to mark the Agency’s 50th anniversary, as well as continue efforts from National Tree Week to highlight the vital role of Ireland’s trees, forests, and woodlands in building a greener, more sustainable future.
Eurofound, in partnership with the European Institute for Gender Equality, has published a special episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast for International Women’s Day. The episode looks at women’s progress in the labour market and society over the past five decades, as well as sticking points on the path to gender equality in Europe, particularly related to the gender employment and pay gaps.
