The contribution of Eurofound The contribution of Eurofound to working conditions and to working conditions and health and and safety safety surveys surveys health Agnè ès Parent s Parent- -Thirion, Thirion, Agn ETUI, 18 March 2009 ETUI, 18 March 2009 26/03/2009 1
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 2 nd round results this month 26/03/2009 2
Monitoring working and living conditions : Monitoring working and living conditions : the observatories observatories the 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 3
Surveys – – obs obs Complementary Complementary tools tools Surveys � 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 4
Complementarity between Complementarity 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 5
Complementarity between Complementarity 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 � 2 nd EES and 5th EWCS some complementarity � The collective voice from an individual perspective � Participation � Some issues on qwe 26/03/2009 6
Complementarity between between eurofound eurofound surveys surveys Complementarity 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 7
Complementarity between between eurofound eurofound Complementarity 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 8
Linking with with other other data, data, registers registers etc etc Linking � 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 9
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 10
Challenges of cross- -cultural, multi cultural, multi- - Challenges of cross 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 11
Shortcomings of the traditional survey Shortcomings of the traditional survey Qualitative method at its best Qualitative method at its best � Measures phenomena (averages) � Capable of discovering new � Fails to discover new � Recognises differences information � Recognises meanings � Focuses on averages � Fails to see the importance of � Can see individuals within their meanings group � Detaches individual from their � Possibility for studying processes groups � Fails to see the processive nature � Considers the subjects’ activities of phenomena and experiences � Treats the interviewee as an object (Lehto 1996 and 2002) 26/03/2009 12
CAREER AND JOB SECURITY • Status • Income • Social protection • Workers rights HEALTH AND WELL- COMPETENCE BEING DEVELOPMENT • Health and safety • Skills outcomes QWE •Training and education • Exposure to risks •Career development • Occupational Health •Learning organisation and Safety prevention framework COMBINING WORKING AND NON- WORKING LIFE • Organisation of time • Social infrastructures and provisions 26/03/2009 13
The repetition repetition of a survey over time of a survey over time The � 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 14
The repetition repetition of a survey over time of a survey over time The � 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 15
Some of the of the current current challenges challenges Some Ongoing challenge: gender mainstreaming � � Women s work, HH, work outside paid work, men outside 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 16
Some of the of the current current challenges challenges Some � « 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 17
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