The contribution of Eurofound The contribution of Eurofound to - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 26/03/2009

The contribution of Eurofound The contribution of Eurofound to working conditions and to working conditions and health health and and safety safety surveys surveys

Agn Agnè ès Parent s Parent-

• Thirion,

Thirion, ETUI, 18 March 2009 ETUI, 18 March 2009

26/03/2009 2

Monitoring working and living conditions : Monitoring working and living conditions : the surveys the surveys

The European working conditions survey ( EWCS)

Fifth EWCS to take place in 2010

The European company survey

Fieldwork of the second one taking place now, next

edition foresseen in 2012

The European quality of life survey

Launch of 2nd round results this month

26/03/2009 3

Monitoring working and living conditions : Monitoring working and living conditions : the the observatories

• bservatories
• NEO : Network of European Observatories
• EIRO : european observatory of industrial relations (11 years)

( IR developments, key data on actors, processes, outcomes monitored regularly)

• EWCO: European working conditions observatory (6 years)

(research findings on working conditions and quality of work and employment)

• EMCC with the ERM and the EET (8 years)

(data and analysis on company restructuring and change in the labour market)

• Overall:

Regular information - Information Updates, Restructuring Fact Sheets; Structural and contextual information - survey data reports, IR profiles; Comparative analysis; Periodic reviews and trend data

26/03/2009 4

Surveys Surveys – – obs

• bs Complementary

Complementary tools tools

Various functions

Preparation CAR on terminology, CAR on ER Validation : some ewco CARs on stress, working parents Contextualisation eg CAR on parental leaves In depth : CAR on qwe Survey data reports Information updates, annual updates

The rest of eurofound work is dealing with good practices

analysis as well as in depth analysis of relevant subjects

26/03/2009 5

Complementarity Complementarity between between Eurofound surveys ? Eurofound surveys ?

• Common characteristics : relevant to (european) policy

making, to eurofound stakeholders, not covered by another European survey, multi purpose, relevant to research and based on sound research, « universal » but not simplistic.. In a cost effective way

• Surveys not official statistics; relationships are v important
• Technically

Harmonisation of good practices (methodologies,

project management, key variables, quality and auditing) ongoing but a slow process

• Surveys remain distinct : universes, aims, research and

policy relevance, history different

26/03/2009 6

Complementarity Complementarity between between Eurofound surveys ? Eurofound surveys ?

Short description ,

Working time and work life balance issues between the

ESWT and the 4th EWCS : quite strong complementarity but no linking, no micro data analyses possible

Work life balance between the EQLS and the EWCS to some

extent

2nd EES and 5th EWCS some complementarity

The collective voice from an individual perspective Participation Some issues on qwe

26/03/2009 7

Complementarity Complementarity between between eurofound eurofound surveys surveys and national surveys and national surveys

Inspiration : certainly for Eurofound, questionnaires,

methodology etc but evidence also that some of « our » questions are used in other surveys

Collect information on surveys, questionnaires

Validation: do we observe the same phenomena ? Similar

evolution ? Is this in line with national findings ? Are our indicators moving in the same direction ? If not, why …

Collect information on findings, some datasets

Network of data producers : doesn t exist as a network but

there are some exchange more for the ewcs than the EES and the EQLS

Involve in questionnnaire dvt etc

26/03/2009 8

Complementarity Complementarity between between eurofound eurofound surveys and national surveys surveys and national surveys

Contribution to national seminars

The position of one country vis-à-vis europe In depth analysis at national level Policy answers, contextualisation

A new possibility for the 5th EWCS : topping up

national surveys, possibly short national ad-hoc modules

The global working conditions survey with the ILO The South Korean working conditions survey

26/03/2009 9

Linking Linking with with other

• ther data,

data, registers registers etc etc

At country / sectoral level, data from the LFS, EU

SILC, EODS-ESAW.

More in the future

At groups levels,

Not done yet. Maybe some possibilities.

At individual level, not possible in Europe although

done in some countries

26/03/2009 10

Adding to survey data : the example of the Adding to survey data : the example of the post test of the 4th EWCS post test of the 4th EWCS

A combination of different objectives:

Quality control measure from content point of view

Translation, technical capacity of questions of measuring what

they measure, etc

Tool for interpretation of the results

How do people understand the questions/answers

Assess role of national infrastructure / cultural context / gender / etc in

shaping the answers to the EWCS

Find room/inspiration for new questions Gather more information on one topic

Could be done as a follow up to eurofound surveys

To explore certain situations of interest eg companies that have

negotiated on a certain issues, workers in certain situations

To gather information which cannot be gathered by the “normal”

survey eg work history and life events

.. Etc for networking, debates

26/03/2009 11

Challenges of cross Challenges of cross-

• cultural, multi

cultural, multi-

• linguistic research

linguistic research

• questions should not only be valid, they should have comparable cross-

cultural validity

• Possible biases: concept bias, method bias, item bias (Van de Vijver)
• Translations deserve that time and resources are invested
• Involve researchers from different countries and languages from the very first

beginning

• Level of language is important
• Attention to quality of translation (double translation plus back translation)
• EIRO/EWCO validation exrcise
• More is better : findings should be cross-validated by other national findings

from other surveys

• Solid documentation of all stages

26/03/2009 12

Shortcomings of the traditional survey Shortcomings of the traditional survey Qualitative method at its best Qualitative method at its best

Measures phenomena (averages) Fails to discover new

information

Focuses on averages Fails to see the importance of

meanings

Detaches individual from their

groups

Fails to see the processive nature

• f phenomena

Treats the interviewee as an

• bject

Capable of discovering new Recognises differences Recognises meanings Can see individuals within their

group

Possibility for studying processes Considers the subjects’ activities

and experiences (Lehto 1996 and 2002)

26/03/2009 13

COMBINING WORKING AND NON- WORKING LIFE

• Organisation of time
• Social infrastructures and provisions

CAREER AND JOB SECURITY

• Status
• Income
• Social protection
• Workers rights

HEALTH AND WELL- BEING

• Health and safety
• utcomes
• Exposure to risks
• Occupational Health

and Safety prevention framework

QWE

COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

• Skills
• Training and education
• Career development
• Learning organisation

26/03/2009 14

The The repetition repetition of a survey over time

• f a survey over time

No longitudinal data Balance between trend building and new issues, N of issues

and in-depth limited N of issues

So far, the ewcs has expanded at its edition

Complex jigsaw

Some historical compromises to be re-examined at each time

Subjective objective / measurement of facts, subjective concepts, opinions Knowledge of workers

26/03/2009 15

The The repetition repetition of a survey over time

• f a survey over time

Sampling : random route the default option Variables versus answers to the same question: one

exception bullying ?

From industrial work to service work .. KS etc

26/03/2009 16

Some Some of the

• f the current

current challenges challenges

• Ongoing challenge: gender mainstreaming

Women s work, HH, work outside paid work, men

• utside work to be dvpd, groups of men/women, gender

equality at the workplace+ gender effects in answering ? + gender sensitive analysis

• Lifecourse perspective: realistic to integrate ?

Work history, life events, health events

• Different groups of citizens are under scrutiny

Migrant (def?), ethnic (def?), disabled workers etc

26/03/2009 17

Some Some of the

• f the current

current challenges challenges

« flexibilisation » or the end of the fordist model

Working time, non permanent contracts From homeworking to place of work ( but homeworking

remains a valid issue)

Blurring fronteers Project work , control by the customers Professional identity or new/changing identities Lifelong learning to employability Etc Not loosing direction .. Oriented towards some possible action

26/03/2009 18

Some Some of the

• f the current

current challenges challenges

Subjectivité

Not only opinion, but also empathy, hiding emotions, dealing

with angry clients, ethical conflicts, role clarification

Changes : Rythm and N of changes, … continuous adaptation Objectivation The role of the countries

Legal norms, economic factors (hh structure, women’s

participation, gdp etc), societal preferences, social infrastructures

19 26/03/2009

Merci, Merci,

26/03/2009 20

Measuring Measuring working conditions working conditions

Working conditions result from the interactions

between work characteristics and workers characteristics in a special social context

Therefore we need to measure

(Relevant) Job characteristics (relevant) workers characteristics The result of their interactions

( Gollac, 2004)

26/03/2009 21

Self Self reported reported working conditions working conditions

They directly measure working conditions eg the

result of the interaction between the work and the worker

Not very expensive Allow a wide set of measures But they are not that expensive They depend on the design of the questions, the

surveyor, the respondent mood, psychocial factors (satisfaction, violence) etc

26/03/2009 22

A brief history of the survey: main findings A brief history of the survey: main findings and research outcomes and research outcomes

The discovery phase The consolidation phase The extension /

enlargement phase

Physical risks still high

Review of the org of preventive

services

Stress, qwe of precarious employment

Dealing with stress Relation between precariousness

and health

Flexibility in companies, New MS,

QWE indicators, gender equality plans at the workplace, violence

26/03/2009 23

The EWCS : 4 surveys The EWCS : 4 surveys

90/91 95/96 2000 + 1 +2 2005 EU 12 EU15 EU 15 + NO +10CC + TK EU 25 + 2AC + 2 CC +NO+ CH 12,819 15,986 21,703+12,077 29,758 Physical exposures high, low control/ high demands Stress Precariousness Gender Time : flexibility Work organisation, a beginning Violence TAW and temporary employment NMS more work

• rganisation

Some HR More job satisfaction or psychosocial

26/03/2009 24

Main themes of the 4EWCS: a wide range Main themes of the 4EWCS: a wide range

• f topics to capture
• f topics to capture ‘

‘working conditions working conditions’ ’

Demographics, structure of workforce Working time Physical and psychosocial work factors Place of work /work organisation Work-life balance Job content and training Information and consultation Outcomes (health, job satisfaction, earnings) Earnings

26/03/2009 25

Why Why survey on working conditions ? survey on working conditions ?

To measure a proportion of a phenomenon (and

changes over time), and to analyse it at a certain level of details :

Sample size Issues included Analyses to be performed etc.

To look at relationship between issues To contribute to policy making

26/03/2009 26

Some Some job job characteristics characteristics which which influence influence working conditions working conditions

Working time : how long ? when ? Time pressure Autonomy Cooperation and social support Technology

Etc.

26/03/2009 27

A few issues around measurement A few issues around measurement

‘objective’ measures of working conditions

and self reported working conditions

Objective measures

Ready made data ( accidents, fatalities, occupational diseases)

…

Cheap But address only some important but partial issues and are

dependent of the activity of the government (regulation, results of litigations etc)

They are not sufficient then to measure working

conditions

26/03/2009 28

Some Some worker worker’ ’s s characteristics characteristics

Age Gender and household characteristics Education and training Working experience and seniority in general and in

the post

26/03/2009 29

EWCS EWCS

Does your job involve carrying or moving heavy

loads ?

All the time Almost all of the time Around ¾ of the time Around half of the time Around ¼ of the time Almost never never

26/03/2009 30

A few issues around measurement (2) A few issues around measurement (2)

Especially designed data

Weight of loads Temperature Exposure to chemical products

Advantages : depend only on scientific choices But they are v expensive, they are partial and they don t

integrate workers characteristics

They therefore provide an accurate measurement of some job

characteristics but not a global view of working conditions

Eg measuring ‘heavy loads’: weight, shape, strong/weak,

position / time to handle etc

26/03/2009 31

Self Self-

• reported

reported data : how to data : how to improve improve them them? ?

• Design of the questions

Must be tested Little change over time As comparable as possible

• Conditions of the interview

Interview mode, number of people in the room

• Interviewers : trained and experienced on survey

as well as the content

26/03/2009 32

Women Women’ ’s s ( (work)ing work)ing conditions conditions

• The value of women s work
• Making visible unpaid work
• Gender differences : labour market segregation and/or gender relations
• Documenting work of jobs with a high(er than average) proportions of women :

26% of jobs are mixed (ewcs)

• Documenting household characteristics, care responsabilities
• The health of women : the apparent paradox less exposed to risks however

higher reporting of heqlth problems

• The unpaid work ?
• Looking at specific women’s risks : miscarriage etc
• Work organisation and health (ef, 2003) the ‘flexible’ women
• The voluntary part-time

26/03/2009 33

Objectivation Objectivation

« This is part of the job, it s normal « Eg dust for cleaning ladies, number of hours

worked by teachers, weights of loads carried by ‘caissières’

26/03/2009 34

The overall research cycle The overall research cycle

.

Policy, practice and scholarship Type 1 Exploratory case studies Developm ent of concepts/ hypo- theses/ indicators Quantitative research Developm ent

• f research

questions Type 2 Explanatory case studies Developm ent

• f quality

criteria Type 3 Exem plary case studies

26/03/2009 35

Questions from the survey Questions from the survey

• A wide range of questions were ‘tested’
• Job autonomy
• Job content:
• Complex/monotonous tasks/learning new things
• Problem solving
• Intellectual/emotional demanding
• Useful work/do what you do best
• Social support
• Work intensity
• High speed / tight deadlines /enough time
• Teamwork
• Skills improvement
• Training
• Discussions of problems with boss / regular assessment
• Work-life balance
• Job satisfaction
• General aspects of the job
• Job security (might loose my job) /
• well paid for job I do/
• pportunities for career advancement

+ Some more open questions about development opportunities in the job