Europe’s workforce has continued to grow despite demographic challenges, while new survey findings show gaps in workplace representation, gender balance and job quality across different groups of workers.
The European Working Conditions Survey 2024 is based on 36,644 face-to-face interviews across 35 countries, with each interview lasting about 45 minutes, the European Commission reported on Tuesday.
Four fifths of workers in the EU reported being in good or very good health, while 18% said they had health problems that limit their ability to do normal activities.
Only 23% of workers said they work in a gender-balanced workplace, despite roughly half of the workforce being female.
Progress towards gender balance at management level has been limited over the past 25 years.
One in five employees in the EU — 21% — said they have neither formal representation nor workplace meetings where they can express their views.
Training, work intensity and what employees want
Around 30% of workers reported being overskilled for their job, while 13% said they need more training to do their job well, according to the Commission.
Most workers — 56% — said they would like to work the same number of hours they currently do, but the share preferring fewer hours rose to 33% in 2024 from 27% in 2015.
Job quality has improved over the past 15 years in all areas measured except “social environment” and “work intensity.”
The social environment index fell for women, while work intensity deteriorated for women but improved for men.
The survey found a general improvement in the physical working environment linked to reduced exposure to many physical risks, but reported exposure to high temperatures, chemicals and infectious materials has increased.
In workplace safety and health, 14% of workers said they were not very well informed about risks at work, while 29% said they were unaware of measures to prevent work-related stress.
More than 80% of workers said they find their work useful and feel a sense of work well done, while 85% of employees said they feel fairly treated.
Two thirds said they receive the recognition they deserve.
