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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Europe is showing visible signs of progress; in most countries, labour markets are healthier than they have been in a decade, with more people active and in work than ever before, while social exclusion is declining. However, it is also a continent in transition, where an imbalance in opportunities for prosperity and quality of life directly determines to what extent you have felt this recovery.
The number of people active in the labour market is at an all-time high, ratings for key public services are increasing and there is a marked recovery in trust in national institutions in many Member States, these developments are detailed in Eurofound’s latest Living and working in Europe yearbook for 2017.
In this blog, originally posted in Social Europe, Massimiliano Mascherini looks at the enduring issue of long-term unemployment among young people. Despite considerable improvement in the labour market participation of youth in recent years, the legacy of the crisis is still visible in the substantial increase in the cohort of long-term unemployed young people.
The Heads of the EU Agencies have pledged to communicate to their staff that harassment in the workplace is not acceptable, to ensure respect for existing laws and the staff regulation, to promote diversity at work, and to provide a trusted environment in the workplace.
Die führende Stellung Deutschlands in Europa in den letzten Jahren war weitgehend auf die Position als Wirtschaftsmacht zurückzuführen. Deutschlands Platz in den kommenden Jahren kann auch durch seine Fähigkeit definiert werden, ein Kraftpaket für sozialen Zusammenhalt und Integration zu werden
Germany’s commanding position in Europe in recent years has largely been due to its reputation as an economic powerhouse. Its place in Europe in years to come may well be defined by its ability to also become a powerhouse for social cohesion and integration.
Eurofound and the European Economic and Social Committee, under the banner of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, bring together representatives of the social partners, EU institutions, national and regional representatives, practitioners, civil society and academics to debate on access and quality of public services in EU28, as highlighted in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March we invite you to explore the issue of gender equality in depth, to read about the different areas in which gender equality is most urgently needed. Eurofound assists in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies for all EU citizens and those that call Europe home.
The European Quality of Life Survey explores a variety of aspects related to living standards, health, family and work–life balance, as well as people's happiness levels, and their perceptions regarding the quality of their society. The latest survey results for Finland paint a generally positive picture of the country in 2016, just a year before the 100th anniversary of its independence.
People in the lowest income quartile in the EU are going without fresh fruit and vegetables to save, and a higher proportion are buying cheaper cuts of meat or buying less meat because of money concerns. This practice is occurring throughout Europe, but there are vast differences between Member States.
People surveyed about their optimism for the future in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) were more optimistic about their own future in 2016 than they had been about the future in general in 2011. This growth in optimism can partly be attributed to the improved economic situation in Europe since 2011.
On 8 March 2018, Eurofound and the European Economic and Social Committee, under the banner of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, will bring together up to 80 representatives of the social partners, EU institutions, national and regional representatives, civil society, and academics in Brussels to debate the key themes highlighted in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey 2016.
Nearly 37,000 people in 33 European countries were interviewed in the last quarter of 2016 for the fourth wave of the European Quality of Life Survey. The overview report presents the findings for the EU Member States. The survey revealed interesting findings in relation to life satisfaction, employment status, education, income, and household type.
