Working conditions and sustainable work

Working conditions and sustainable work is one of Eurofound's main operational activities for its 2025–2028 programme. Building on the past 50 years of research, Eurofound continues to operate as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing developments in this area arising from the opportunities and challenges from four mega-drivers: demographic change, climate change, technological change and re-globalisation.

Drawing on its latest survey data, Eurofound provides comparative data and unique insights into trends in the development of working conditions and job quality across the EU Member States, aiming to promote sustainability of work over the life course in a labour market characterised by transformative changes.

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About Working conditions and sustainable work

Learn more about this topic and its relevance for EU policy making.

Highlights for Working conditions and sustainable work

This is a selection of the most important outputs for this topic.

6 January 2025

Work programme

Eurofound work programme 2025: Supporting better policies for a strong social Europe

This programming document outlines Eurofound's planned activities for the programming period 2025–2028. It provides the policy and institutional context for the programme, outlines the multiannual programme for the four-year period and sets out the work programme for 2025.

Amid evolving EU policies, the European Parliament elections in 2024, the election of a new European Commission and an uncertain global economic and social climate, Eurofound adopts a flexible and systemic approach to its research. Drawing on its core expertise in the areas of working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions, Eurofound will address the opportunities and challenges posed by four mega-drivers: climate change, demographic change, technological change, and re-globalisation and geopolitical reconfiguration. Eurofound will continue to support its stakeholders by providing evidence to support their policy action.

6 January 2025

Work programme

Multiannual research programme 2025–2028: Responding to Europe’s new opportunities and challenges

Eurofound's multiannual work programme for 2025–2028 addresses the opportunities and challenges arising from four key mega-drivers: climate change, demographic change, technological change and re-globalisation and geopolitical reconfiguration. These drivers reflect the uncertainty surrounding their impact on the EU as well as the unpredictability of the context and climate of polycrisis. To adapt to the evolving global context, Eurofound is continuing to incorporate greater flexibility into its work programme to adapt to the evolving global context, a changing policy agenda, as well as a new financial reality. Eurofound will focus on its core policy areas – working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions – to continue to support its stakeholders by providing evidence to support their policy actions.

2 May 2024

Annual report

Living and working in Europe 2023

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to light evidence on the key issues shaping the daily lives and work of Europeans. This 2023 yearbook provides a snapshot of that work, summarising the Agency’s findings on a wide range of topics, including rising labour shortages and initiatives to address them, the impact of workplace stressors on health and well-being, the challenges of securing affordable housing, and developments in minimum wages across the Member States. Eurofound’s research on working and living conditions in Europe provides a bedrock of evidence for social policymaking and achieving the Agency’s vision ‘to be Europe’s leading knowledge source for better life and work’.

All content for Working conditions and sustainable work

This section provides access to all content that has been published on the topic.

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European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies