Series of large-scale, cross-national studies carried out by Eurofound on working conditions in Europe to:
- assess and quantify working conditions of both employees and the self-employed across Europe on a harmonised basis;
- analyse relationships between different aspects of working conditions;
- identify groups at risk and issues of concern as well as of progress;
- monitor trends by providing homogeneous indicators on these issues;
- contribute to European policy development on quality of work and employment.
Comment
- Themes covered by the EWCS include employment status, working time duration and organisation, work organisation, learning and training, physical and psychosocial risk factors, health and safety, work-life balance, worker participation, earnings and financial security, as well as work and health;
- following the European enlargements and interest from the EFTA countries the geographic coverage of the survey has expanded:
- 2021 extraordinary edition: telephone survey in 36 countries, including the EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia;
- 2020: 37 countries, including the EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey;
- 2015: 35 countries, including the EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey;
- 2010: 34 countries, including the EU Member States, Norway, Croatia, North Macedonia, Turkey, Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo;
- 2005: 31 countries, including the EU Member States, Norway, Croatia, Turkey and Switzerland;
- 2000-2002: a first phase covered 16 countries, including the EU Member States and Norway, with the survey being extended to cover the 12 'new' Member States in 2001, and Turkey in 2002 in a second phase;
- 1990-1996: EU Member States.
Source
Eurofound, 2021c.