French workers also report traditional and regular working hours, with almost three quarters (71.4%) usually working the same five days per week. According to the report, the average commuting time in France is below the European average, 37 minutes versus 42 minutes per day.
French workers also report high satisfactions levels with their ‘work-life balance’, working hours that fit with family and social commitments (80.9% against the EU27 average of 79.4%). Indeed, more workers in France are content with their work-life balance than in Spain (75.4%) but fewer than in Belgium (83.1%) or Germany (85.5%).
‘The results of this survey outline the challenges ahead in reaching the Lisbon objectives,’ says Willy Buschak, Eurofound’s Deputy Director presenting the findings to an audience of government, social partners and civil society representatives in Paris today. ‘Our research shows that the use of technology and access to training at work is still limited in France. On a positive note, however, more French workers enjoy good work-life balance with regular and foreseeable working times than elsewhere in Europe.’
Information and communication between workers and management in the companies and organisations in France does not seem to be a high priority, according to the findings of the report. Less than seven out of ten workers (68.9%) consider themselves well-informed about health and safety risks at work, below the European average of 83.1%. Also, fewer workers in France are consulted about changes in work organisation than in the rest of Europe (42.8% versus the EU27 average of 47.1%). Similarly, few workers are subject to regular formal assessment of performance in France than compared to the rest of Europe (27.5% against 40%).
Also in France, fewer workers practice telework from home than on average in the European Union (7.0% versus 8.3%), despite the fact that more French workers (53.3% versus 45.5%) frequently use computers for work.
