Eurofound’s research points to the difficulty in defining exactly what constitutes a good quality job. Employers’ expectations such as worker commitment and adaptability can be considered key elements of job quality, alongside more traditional dimensions such as pay, health and job security.
Four out of five workers in the EU are satisfied with working conditions generally, according to Eurofound’s survey. But satisfaction with specific aspects of work, such as pay or possibilities for career advancement, tends to be significantly lower. It is also the case that health and safety risks at work remain an important concern, especially among workers from newer Member States. So, too, is the finding that levels of access to training have not increased in Europe over the last 10 years.
The Foundation’s European Working Conditions Surveys, conducted every five years since 1990, provide a valuable insight into quality-of-work issues. The fourth survey presents the views of workers on a wide range of issues including work organisation, working time, equal opportunities, training, health and well-being, and job satisfaction. The interviews were carried out in late 2005 with nearly 30,000 workers in 31 countries (the EU25, the then acceding countries, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as Croatia, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey).
