Gender inequality in Europe.Gender inequality in Europe. Findings from the 5Findings from the 5thth European Working European Working
Conditions SurveyConditions Survey
Agnes Parent-Thirion – Eurofound
Brussels, 9 May 2012
Setting the scene: Setting the scene: Employment trends and the situation in 2010 Employment trends and the situation in 2010
(LFS)(LFS)
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Women Men
5th European Working Conditions Survey• 5 waves: 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010• Covering EU and neighbouring countries
5th EWCS (2010): 34 countries: EU27 + NO + ACC3 + IPA3 43,816 interviews (1000-4000 interviews per country)
• Cross sectional survey• Surveying workers
employees and self-employed (15+; LFS definition)
• ‘Face to face’ interviews at peoples’ homes Average duration 40 minutes
• Same questionnaire translated in all languages 2010: 25 languages and 16 language variants
Occupational gender segregation, by gender (EU27) Occupational gender segregation, by gender (EU27)
EWCS, 2010
Level of job segregation at the workplaceLevel of job segregation at the workplaceby gender, 2010, EU27 (%)by gender, 2010, EU27 (%)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Men Women All
Mostly men
Mostly women
More or less equal number ofmen and women
Gender segregation
Proportion of women in supervisory positions, Proportion of women in supervisory positions, EC12, EU15 and EU27, 1991 - 2010 (%)EC12, EU15 and EU27, 1991 - 2010 (%)
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
1991 1995 2000 2005 2010
EC12
EU15
EU27
Gender segregation
Working hours of the householdWorking hours of the household
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Czech
Rep
ublic
Slova
kia
Slove
nia
Lith
uani
a
Cypru
s
Finlan
d
Bulga
ria
Denm
ark
Franc
e
Hunga
ry
Portu
gal
Eston
ia
Polan
d
Latv
ia
Sweden
Spain EU
Italy
Gre
ece
Belgiu
m
Luxe
mbo
urg
Roman
ia
Ger
man
y
Austri
a
Unite
d Kin
gdom
Irelan
dM
alta
Nethe
rland
s
both partners w ork fulltime male breadw inner female breadw inner
modif ied male breadw inner modif ied female breadw inner both partners w ork parttime
Working time durationWorking time duration
• Working time is decreasing on average From 40.5 hrs/week in 1991 (EC12) to 37.5 hrs/week in EU27 (2010)
- On average men work 7 hrs more than women in paid empl
- However: paid + unpaid work: women work more
Time segregation:- Women work more shorter hours
- Men work more longer hours
Number of hours spent on paid and unpaid work per Number of hours spent on paid and unpaid work per week, by gender and working time (EU27)week, by gender and working time (EU27)
EWCS, 2010
Working time preferencesWorking time preferences
Fit between working time and social Fit between working time and social commitments, by gender and age (EU27)commitments, by gender and age (EU27)
EWCS, 2010
Fit between working hours and private commitments Fit between working hours and private commitments
Which elements contribute? Which elements contribute? • Individual and household characteristics
Having children makes a difference
• Working time features Likely to have balance: part-time work, flexibility in working time
arrangements, working the same hours every day, having fixed starting and finishing times, not difficult to take time off during working hours
Not likely to have balance: working long hours, night work, evening work and weekend work
Exposure to physical risks, at least a quarter of the Exposure to physical risks, at least a quarter of the time, by gender (EU27)time, by gender (EU27)
EWCS, 2010
Safe working environmentSafe working environment
EWCS, 2010
Poor general health (fair, bad, very bad)
Mental health at risk (WHO 5)
Absenteeism (>5 days)
men women men women men womenExposure to posture and movement-related risks low 16% 17% 15% 19% 20% 23%
high 25% 30% 20% 26% 25% 26%Exposure to biological and chemical risks low 17% 20% 15% 20% 19% 22%
high 25% 28% 21% 26% 26% 28%Exposure to ambient risks low 16% 18% 14% 18% 19% 23%
high 24% 30% 20% 28% 25% 26%
Psychosocial risksPsychosocial risks
In the report six psychosocial risk factors are distinguished:
1. high demands and work intensity
2. emotional demands
3. lack of autonomy
4. ethical conflicts
5. poor social relationships
6. job and work insecurity
Work-related stress: Work-related stress: Work intensity and job autonomyWork intensity and job autonomy
EWCS, 2010
Emotional demands: Hiding ones feelings, always or Emotional demands: Hiding ones feelings, always or
most of the time, by sector and gender, EU27, 2010most of the time, by sector and gender, EU27, 2010
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%
Hea
lth
Edu
catio
n
Pub
licad
min
istr
atio
nan
d de
fenc
e
Fin
anci
alse
rvic
es
Who
lesa
le,
reta
il, fo
od a
ndac
com
mod
atio
n
Oth
er s
ervi
ces
Tra
nspo
rt
Con
stru
ctio
n
Indu
stry
Agr
icul
ture
Men Women
Emotional involvement in one’s work, Emotional involvement in one’s work, by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27 (%)by sector (NACE), 2010, EU27 (%)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Agriculture
Industry
Construction
Wholesale, retail, food and accomodation
Transport
Financial services
Public administration and defence
Education
Health
Other services
All sectors
Always
Most of the time
Knowing what is expected in the job, and Knowing what is expected in the job, and feeling of doing useful work, always or most feeling of doing useful work, always or most
of the time, by sectorof the time, by sector
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
Hea
lth
Edu
catio
n
Con
stru
ctio
n
Indu
stry
Agr
icul
ture
Oth
er s
ervi
ces
Pub
licad
min
istr
atio
n
Fin
anci
alse
rvic
es
Who
lesa
le,
reta
il, f
ood
and
Tra
nspo
rt
Know what is expected
Feeling of job well done
Job and employment (in)security and career prospects, Job and employment (in)security and career prospects, by gender and age (EU27)by gender and age (EU27)
EWCS, 2010
Gender-based harassment and Gender-based harassment and discrimination, by gender and sectordiscrimination, by gender and sector
EWCS, 2010
Job fulfilment, 2010, EU27 (%)Job fulfilment, 2010, EU27 (%)
Men Women
Does your job require that you hide your feelings? 23.00% 28.50%
Do you get emotionally involved in your work? 39.30% 46.20%
Do you feel you are doing useful work? 83.90% 83.60%
Does your job give you a feeling of work well done? 83.10% 84.10%
You have the feeling of doing useful work You have the feeling of doing useful work
Trusting social environmentTrusting social environment
EWCS, 2010
Poor general health (fair, bad, very bad)
Mental health at risk (WHO 5)
Absenteeism (>5 days)
men women men women men womenWas subjected to bullying or harassment no 19% 21% 16% 20% 21% 23%
yes 29% 30% 27% 32% 33% 32%Participation in workplace changes low 18% 20%14% 17% 21% 24%
high 23% 25%22% 26% 27% 27%Having a good manager no 22% 24%20% 24% 28% 28%
yes 15% 16%11% 14% 22% 24%
Income categories, by gender and ageIncome categories, by gender and age(EU27, full time workers only)(EU27, full time workers only)
EWCS, 2010
Poor general health (fair, bad, very bad)
Mental health at risk (WHO 5)
Absenteeism (>5 days)
men women men women men womenReceived training paid for by employer no 23% 24% 19% 23% 22% 23%
yes 16% 19% 16% 21% 24% 27%Job gives feeling of work well done no 30% 37% 35% 45% 32% 30%
yes 20% 22% 17% 21% 22% 24%Scope for applying own ideas at work no 25% 27% 24% 29% 29% 29%
yes 19% 21% 16% 20% 21% 23%
Well-being, skills development and intrinsic satisfaction
PresenteismPresenteism
presenteism by nace empl
0.00%5.00%
10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%45.00%50.00%
Edu
catio
n
Hea
lth
Fin
anci
alse
rvic
es
Oth
er s
ervi
ces
Pub
licad
min
istr
atio
nan
d de
fenc
e
EU
27
Who
lesa
le,
reta
il, f
ood
and
acco
mm
odat
ion
Tra
nspo
rt
Indu
stry
Agr
icul
ture
Con
stru
ctio
n
Mqle
Female
Mental Heath at risk by sector of industry Mental Heath at risk by sector of industry
Skills and duties match by sectorSkills and duties match by sector
EWCS, 2010
Job sustainability and Job sustainability and working conditions working conditions
Male Female Male Female
Autonomy Low 48 46 Posture
related index
Low 77 69
High 72 67 High 39 35
Work intensity
Low 64 61 Job offers possibilities for career development
Low 49 49
High 51 50 High 66 64
Worker participation
Low 46 47 Work life balance
Poor 47 42
High 70 65 Good 62 62
Work well done
Rarely/ Never
43 44
Learning new things
Low 49 49
Usually/Always
63 60 High 63 60
EWCS, 2010
Gender inequality still very much an issueGender inequality still very much an issue
• Occupational gender segregation and the gender pay gap require on-going attention.
• Solutions require looking at the situation at the workplace as well as at home. Women still bear much of the burden of care activities, which needs to be tackled by addressing both the facilities for care and the attitudes toward care responsibilities.
• Discrimination and harassment strongly impact wellbeing. Company policies aimed at prevention might not be easy to implement but need not be costly.
Reports and data
• Changes over time – First findings from the fifth European Working Conditions Survey
• Overview Report of the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey
• Secondary analysis on work and gender report to be published in 2013
• Survey mapping tool on Eurofound website• Dataset available to researchers UK Data archive
Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!
www.eurofound.europa.eu
5th EWCS overview report
Working long hours …Working long hours …
Working less than 48h Working 48 h or more
Problems with work life balance
16% 38%
Work affects my health negatively
23% 37%
Work intensity
(high speed > ½ time)
44% 54%
Consulted for your work targets
22% 29%
I feel at home at work 22 % 33 %
job quality : which level(s) to considerjob quality : which level(s) to consider
Level of analysis Examples of topics
The worker Matching, preferences
The job Objective or subjective
The labour market Unemployment and participation rates, transitions etc
The legal framework Instruments limiting externalities , promoting good practice
The welfare state Safety net, developing capacities