It has been two years since the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit Europe and many of the response measures necessary to deal with the pandemic, from working from home to social distancing, are now part of our everyday lives. Almost every aspect of our working and family lives has changed and, likewise, all of Eurofound’s research areas have been marked by COVID-19. Not only did we roll out five rounds of the now landmark Living, working and COVID-19 online survey to analyse the rapid change that is ongoing, but the analyses in our existing surveys and flagship reports have specifically looked at the impacts of the pandemic across the board.
The wide-ranging impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of people across Europe is increasingly apparent and enduring. The fifth round of Eurofound’s e-survey ran from 29 March until 2 May 2022 and analysis is currently underway. It will chart the latest developments, looking at how life has changed in Europe over the past two years, and providing the most up-to-date picture for policymakers as they respond to the challenges of Living, working and COVID-19.
Unfortunately, findings to date paint a bleak picture. In spring 2021, mental well-being reached its lowest level across all age groups since the onset of the pandemic and young people were particularly affected, trust in institutions plummeted and across Europe citizens felt the divisive social and economic fallouts with a dwindling number viewing crisis support measures as fair and efficient. However, Eurofound’s role is not to simply establish what has taken place, but to also provide evidence-based analysis that can assist with policy formulation. We have highlighted that COVID-19 could be a catalyst for fundamental change that will define the future of Europe, and that rather than ‘recovering’ from a crisis like we did a decade ago, we can instead reset our expectations for our lives and reshape our understanding of what we can achieve in cooperation.
The long-term impacts of the pandemic on life and the world of work will be explored in our upcoming research, with an immediate focus on how the lockdowns have changed the labour market, how digitisation has changed the workplace, how COVID-19 has impacted business continuity and how crises impact equality and cohesion in Europe. The outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe may be moving gradually into history, but the long-term impacts of the pandemic on our work and lives is just beginning.
Read the latest report, infographic andcommentary on how COVID-19 is impacting the EU, and tune in to our new podcast series on topics linked with the impact of the pandemic:
See the most recent blogs from our researchers, defining the labour market, quality of life and working conditions trends that we are currently researching, as well as the possible policy pathways for the future.
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12 juli 2024
Publication
Research report
EU context
The impact of the COVID-19 crisis, and particularly the response measures taken by national governments, have already profoundly affected the regular life and work of people in the EU. National and EU authorities have launched a range of support measures, not least to relieve the immediate pressure experienced by specific sectors, many self-employed people and SMEs.
While the EU does not have direct legislative power over health matters (this being the responsibility of individual Member States), the response of the EU – and particularly the European Commission – has focused on stabilising the EU economy, putting in place border control measures, reinforcing our public health sectors and now securing the production of vaccines for citizens.
The Commission’s response to the Coronavirus consists of three main pillars. The first pillar covers the medical field, working on prevention and procurement and relief measures and foresight. The second covers mobility, from transportation to travel advice, including Schengen-related queries. The third covers the economy, looking in-depth at various business sectors – such as tourism or transport, and trade, as well as value chains and macro-economy.
On 10 February 2021, the Commission welcomed the European Parliament’s approval of the €672.5 billion Recovery and Resilience Facility available to EU Member States to support reforms and investments under NextGenerationEU, the temporary instrument designed to boost recovery and help Europe emerge stronger from the crisis. The Facility is closed linked with the Commission priorities for a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe.
The European Central Bank initiated a €750 billion Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) in March 2020 to counter the serious risks to the monetary policy transmission mechanism, increasing the initial amount by €600 billion on 4 June 2020 and by €500 billion on 10 December 2020, for a new total of €1,850 billion.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is the EU Agency providing an overview of the COVID-19 situation, as well as current risk assessments on their website.
Drawing on its Network of Eurofound Correspondents, while also adapting the focus of its in-house resources, Eurofound has begun to monitor the critical changes the crisis has brought to the labour market, working conditions and quality of life across the EU in the short term and aims to map how different Member States have responded to the challenges that have emerged.
Eurofound has taken a multi-pronged response in terms of data collection. This includes:
an online survey on Living, working and COVID-19, launched in April 2020
a database of national-level policy responses, EU PolicyWatch, for which a mapping report is available
These projects complement a range of ongoing or new research on the implications for quality of life, employment and working life, as outlined above.
E-survey
Infographic 2021
Eurofound’s unique e-survey, Living, working and COVID-19, provides a snapshot of the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives across the EU and beyond, with the aim of helping policymakers to bring about an equal recovery from the crisis. Five rounds of this large-scale online survey have been carried out to date. This allows for comparison between the first round launched on 9 April 2020, when most Member States were in lockdown, and the second round in July 2020, when society and economies were slowly reopening. A third round in March 2021 coincided with another critical period as countries dealt again with various levels of lockdown to curb the spread of new virus strains, while vaccination programmes were also being rolled out. A fourth round in October-November 2021, recontacting panel respondents only, makes it possible to track developments since the start of the pandemic.
A fifth round, which ran from 29 March to 2 May 2022, will chart the latest developments, looking at how life has changed in Europe over the past two years and providing the most up-to-date picture for policymakers as they respond to the challenges around recovering from the pandemic.
An overview report for the first two rounds is available, as well as a factsheet for the third round, along with a range of accompanying data pages.
Data from the fourth round, which was a panel-only survey, will be used in forthcoming reports on investigating the gender divide and trust and discontent during COVID-19. Sign up to receive a notification when these reports are published in 2022.
The report provides an analysis of the key issues raised by the results in the first and second rounds of the survey. It highlights the key pressure points caused by the crisis and details the impact on different groups while also exploring the evolution of these changes over the three-month period. The survey examines quality of life and quality of society during COVID-19, including life satisfaction, happiness and optimism, health and levels of trust in institutions. It covers people’s work situation, their work–life balance and use of teleworking during this crisis. The second round also examines job quality, health and safety at work, online schooling, use of online services, and the extent to which respondents had requested and availed of government support schemes.
The third round of the e-survey sheds light on the social and economic situation of people after nearly a full year of living with COVID-19 restrictions, with a focus on those groups hardest hit. It includes additional questions on attitudes and willingness to be vaccinated. As well as presenting an overview of the main findings, it tracks the developments across the 27 EU Member States since the survey was first launched in April 2020.
Drawing on the unique results of this pan-European survey and building on previous research, Eurofound aims to provide critical support to policymakers as they face the challenges ahead.
EU PolicyWatch
Working life in EU Member States has faced enormous pressure due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, several lockdown situations and the precautionary measures taken by governments.Based on research from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, Eurofound has been looking at the reactions of European institutions and responses by EU social partners to those challenges.
Eurofound’s database EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the crisis. It also gathers examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts of COVID-19. A mapping report is now available.
In reaction to COVID-19, many countries have introduced measures such as the deferral of debt and mortgage repayments. Eurofound could explore moving beyond its recent research into household over-indebtedness, to provide an overview of such measures and whether these were applied to the general population or only to certain groups.
Restructuring events database: impact of COVID-19 on the employment effects of large-scale restructuring events in Europe
European Jobs Monitor: the changing employment structure in Europe in view of the crisis
EU PolicyWatch: database on the responses of government and social partners to the crisis, based on research from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents
Restructuring support instruments - EU PolicyWatch: recording measures which support companies that are restructuring, as well as the employees affected, highlighting when a case is relevant to COVID-19
10% of respondents who had been employed before the pandemic were unemployed in spring 2021.
Two-thirds of those employees who have teleworked partially or exclusively during COVID-19 would prefer a regular hybrid working arrangement if there are no restrictions in place.
Eurofound lanserade undersökningen Leva, arbeta och covid-19 för första gången i början av 2020. Undersökningen syftar till att identifiera pandemins omfattande inverkan på EU-medborgarnas arbetsliv och deras liv i allmänhet...
Den femte omgången av Eurofounds e-undersökning, som genomfördes mellan den 25 mars och den 2 maj 2022, belyser den sociala och ekonomiska situationen för människor i Europa två år efter...
Denna rapport behandlar covid-19-pandemins påverkan på livskvaliteten hos de äldre, bland annat vilken inverkan den haft på deras välbefinnande, ekonomi, sysselsättning och sociala delaktighet. I rapporten undersöks effekterna på utnyttjandet...
Eurofounds tredje elektroniska enkätrunda, från februari och mars 2021, belyser den sociala och ekonomiska situationen för människor runt om i Europa efter nästan ett helt år med covid-19-restriktioner. I denna...
This report presents the findings of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey, carried out by Eurofound to capture the far-reaching implications of the pandemic for the way people live and...
Disclaimer: Please note that this report was updated with revised data (specifically for Bulgaria) on 23 March 2021.Syftet med denna rapport är att bedöma covid-19-krisens inledande effekter på sysselsättningen i...
11 mars 2021
Publication
Research report
Current and ongoing research
In light of COVID-19, Eurofound has adjusted its research to:
monitor the evolving situation and collect dataregarding the impact of this unprecedented situation on the lives of Europeans via an online survey, as well as measures taken by policy actors to combat the effects of the pandemic on employment, working conditions and living conditions
provide an analysisof specific topics , such as employment effects, effects on specific sectors, effectiveness of specific measures (for example, short-time work schemes).
Initially, more in-depth analysis in the form of an ad hoc report focuses on evaluating employment effects and looking at measures implemented with a view to limiting the negative effects.
In the medium to longer term, Eurofound is already actively exploring other areas where it could possibly adjust its current and future work to respond effectively to the situation.
Labour market
Over the years, Eurofound has established itself as a key resource on employment and labour markets. Previous and ongoing research includes the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM), which monitors the employment impact of large-scale restructuring events in Europe. Eurofound will build on the work it currently carries out in the area of labour market monitoring and analysis. The ERM will adjust its focus to include monitoring of the impact of COVID-19 on the employment effects of large-scale restructuring events in Europe.
Efforts will also be made to adapt elements of the existing European Jobs Monitor (EJM) to further understand the changing employment structure in Europe in view of the crisis.
Platform workhas been an important topic over the past few years and has gained in importance during the present crisis. Most recently, Eurofound published an article highlighting the sick pay void for platform workers due to the Coronavirus, which draws information from Eurofound’s Platform economy repository. This database is continuously updated with information on how the crises impacts platform work and platform workers. A 2019 policy brief addressed the employment and working conditions of selected types of platform work.
Eurofound will be looking to analyse new developments, such as the increased demand for some types of platform work and associated health risks for workers, as well as the decrease in demand for other types of platform work and associated earnings and protection gap.
Both the EU and national governments have introduced a variety of support measures aimed at averting a new recession. Eurofound will continuously update the ERM support instruments database and add a specific focus on COVID-19 measures.
The fact sheets in the ERM events database are updated on a weekly basis to show redundancies and the database is now searchable for input related to COVID-19.
Ongoing work on examining the social partners’ involvement in the elaboration and implementation of support measures will expand to include the extraordinary policies and measures introduced to combat the impact of COVID-19. An assessment of their effectiveness will be carried out using the Network of Eurofound Correspondents.
Workplace issues and working life
One of the most radical changes for many people during COVID-19 has been the switch to teleworking, due to the introduction of quarantine and safety measures. The subject of teleworking is covered in Eurofound’s COVID-19 e-survey and the findings show that teleworking has taken off in all EU countries with over a third of those in employment starting to work remotely as a result of the pandemic, with obvious consequences for work–life balance. Future research will look at the effects of the rise in teleworking and ICT-based mobile work and implications for work–life balance, as well as the right to disconnect.
With increasing calls for the introduction of a minimum income or the use of other tools as a stabiliser for future crises, Eurofound proposes taking steps to analyse this in greater detail.
In light of the launch of the fourth European Company Survey in autumn 2020, follow-up interviews will be carried out to map challenges reported by companies and the measures introduced.
Societal impact, quality of life and public services
Eurofound has carried out a range of research on youth and specifically on young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs), who emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups following the Great Recession. Considering the current crisis, Eurofound will examine the impact on young people as part of its ongoing study on NEETs, as well as examining the implications of the unprecedented increase in digital solutions (e-learning, e-healthcare, e-entertainment/leisure). Eurofound’s COVID-19 e-survey already shows the serious impact yet again on young people, as they cope with the lowest levels of mental well-being and high levels of loneliness. Young men also appear most affected by job loss in the current crisis.
It will also expand its work on societal change and trust in institutions – in particular, trust in national governments – in light of the impact of COVID-19. Eurofound’s COVID-19 e-survey covers trust in institutions and findings show that trust in the EU has recovered since the low levels recorded at the outset of the pandemic, while trust in governments has declined in most countries. Highest trust levels lie with healthcare systems in combating the COVID-19 crisis.
Existing work carried out in the area of social protection could also be extended to address how new provisions complement existing social protection cover and the costs and benefits of such initiatives.
Research continues in this topic on a variety of themes, which are outlined below with links to forthcoming titles.
Eszter Sandor is a senior research manager in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. She has expertise in survey methodology and statistical analysis, has worked on the preparation...
Daphne Ahrendt is a senior research manager in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. Since joining Eurofound in 2013, her work has covered a broad range of social policy areas. At...
Historiskt sett har den politiska debatten om konvergens i EU tagit fart i efterdyningarna av olika kriser. Syftet med denna rapport är att i covid-19-pandemins kölvatten utvärdera konvergenstrender under de senaste två decennierna. Studien inleds med en empirisk undersökning av ekonomisk, social
Covid-19-pandemin fick olika konsekvenser för olika samhällsgrupper, beroende på befintliga skillnader i förutsättningar, och det har allmänt ansetts att den ledde till att ojämlikheten ökade på olika områden i livet. Med hjälp av indikatorer från EU:s ram för övervakning av flerdimensionella
I denna rapport presenteras Eurofounds forskning om distansarbete under covid-19-pandemin 2020 och 2021. I rapporten undersöks förändringar i omfattningen av distansarbete, arbetsvillkoren för anställda som arbetar hemifrån och ändringar av bestämmelser som tar itu med frågor som rör denna
Eurofound lanserade undersökningen Leva, arbeta och covid-19 för första gången i början av 2020. Undersökningen syftar till att identifiera pandemins omfattande inverkan på EU-medborgarnas arbetsliv och deras liv i allmänhet. Den femte omgången av Eurofounds undersökning, som genomfördes våren 2022
I denna rapport analyseras den roll som social dialog och kollektiva förhandlingar har för att ta itu med de utmaningar som sektorn för civil luftfart ställdes inför under covid-19-pandemin. Arbetsmarknadsparternas deltagande i de åtgärder som införts för att mildra pandemins negativa effekter
I denna rapport analyseras den roll som social dialog och kollektiva förhandlingar spelade i hanteringen av de utmaningar som covid-19-pandemin medförde eller förvärrade inom sjukhussektorn. Rapporten undersöker också om den befintliga sociala dialogen och de befintliga kollektiva
I rapporten undersöks hur medborgarnas förtroende för institutioner – inbegripet nationella regeringar, EU, vetenskapliga institutioner och medier – utvecklades i relation till covid-19-pandemin under 2020 och 2021. Mediers roll under krisen analyseras med betoning på förhållandet mellan
The EU Presidency of Czechia organised a high-level conference in October 2022 on ‘Tackling energy poverty: EU approach & sharing best practices’. The event aimed to bring different actors together in order to strengthen the dialogue on possible solutions on how to further tackle energy poverty in
De europeiska arbetsmarknaderna har återhämtat sig starkt efter covid-19. I slutet av 2021, lite drygt 18 månader efter pandemins början, låg sysselsättningsgraden i EU nästan på samma nivå som före krisen. I denna rapport sammanfattas utvecklingen på arbetsmarknaden under 2020 och 2021 med hjälp av
Covid-19-pandemin har förstärkt ojämlikheten i samhället i Europa, bland annat genom bristande jämställdhet mellan kvinnor och män på flera viktiga områden. Denna rapport ger en överblick över jämställdhetsbristerna före covid-19-krisen och beskriver hur pandemin har påverkat könsklyftorna. I
Since 2011, the Restructuring support instruments database of the EU PolicyWatch has been collecting information on measures that assist companies and workers to anticipate and manage restructuring. This article looks at measures in the database aimed at supporting employees and employers during the
Eurofound presentation to the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Ivailo Kalfin, Executive Director, Eurofound, 24 January 2023.
The rise in cost of living and energy poverty: Social impact and policy responses. 14 October 2022, Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers (EPSCO). Presentation by Ivailo Kalfin, Executive Director, Eurofound.
Throughout 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, specific occupational health and safety rules were reintroduced due to increases in infection rates. Mandatory face masks, physical distancing and hygiene measures were enforced, and the recommendation to telework was largely re-instated in
Two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, social dialogue continues to make a significant contribution to helping economies recover. Managing the crisis led many governments to rely on tripartite social dialogue to develop the policies that would mitigate the negative impact of the
In the second pandemic year 2021, access to one’s place of work was increasingly dependent on providing proof of either having been tested, vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in several countries. Specific professional groups – such as essential workers and workers in critical infrastructure –
This podcast, launched on International Women’s Day this year in conjunction with the European Institute for Gender Equality, debates issues related to closing the gender gaps across pay, employment and caring, and explores innovative options to promote change.
New day, new data highlighting the devastating impact of COVID-19 on young people across the European Union – most recently Eurofound’s unique pan-European Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey. We know this has taken an unprecedented toll on young people particularly – their mental well-being, thei
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a surge in telework, with dramatic increases in the number of employees working from home (teleworking) in many European countries. What for many employees started out as a mandatory move seems to have transformed into a preference among the majority for part-time or
The dawn of 2022 brought muted optimism to a Europe beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the progress of vaccination programmes worldwide brought hope. Government and EU support during the pandemic had kept unemployment at bay, averting the widescale collapse of businesses. In step wi
Lower levels of health, increasing financial pressure and a significant degree of unmet healthcare: these are the findings of the fifth round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey: Living in a new era of uncertainty – a report that presents an overview of responses from over 200,000 people ac
Rising energy prices are putting more people under increased financial pressure and at greater risk of energy poverty. In this data story, we take a closer look at the data from the fifth round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey to explore the extent of the issue and the threat of energy
Trust in national institutions has declined across the EU over the past two years. Driven by increasingly difficult economic circumstances and unreliable news sources, even people who previously expressed higher trust levels – such as those in financially secure positions – have become less trusting
Today is Europe Day, and one hundred young people from Ireland and Ukraine will be marking the event at Eurofound, in peaceful south Dublin. Europe Day has traditionally been seen as a celebration of peace and unity in Europe, but, unfortunately, it must be marked differently this year. Europe Day 2
When it comes to Europe’s COVID-19 recovery and its aspiration to build back a more resilient society, the so-called green and digital transitions have dominated EU policy discussions. And as Eurofound made preparations for the 2022 Foundation Forum – a unique occasion for high-level debate on the s
We need to study and understand the blow Europe’s youth have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to adjust recovery and resilience measures to their needs: without prioritising young people in the present, we have little hope for the future.
Following the declines in employment rates and working hours across Europe in 2020, economies began to show signs of recovery during the first quarter of 2021. The gradual rekindling of economic activity has led to a surge in demand for workers and reawakened concerns over labour shortages. Difficul
Vaccine acceptance is key to the success of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns worldwide. Worryingly, over a quarter of people living in Europe are hesitant about taking a COVID-19 vaccine, and the level of hesitancy is especially high among heavy users of social media. The spread of misinformation on s
COVID-19 has shown that some things can hit us out of the blue. The pandemic sent a shockwave through businesses all over the world and has brought massive changes to work organisation, internal communication and day-to-day operations for many companies. Doubtless, the depth of the pandemic’s impact
