Research methodologies Agns ParentThirion head of unit Surveys

Research methodologies Agnès Parent-Thirion, head of unit Surveys and Trends unit

Research in eurofound 4 Mission: generate policy-relevant research and findings which contribute to improving the quality of work and life in Europe, through: - European-wide comparative research and analysis of developments affecting living and working conditions - Monitoring of trends in the working environment - Methodologies: A combination of quantative and qualitative research methods Usually combined -> research cycle adapted to the research questions and best way to answer All research is policy-relevant and comparative/European-wide Quality assurance mechanisms Surveys, network of national observatories and other research (case study projects), …

Monitoring activities : Our surveys and observatories (NEO) European Working Conditions survey (EWCS) 1991, 95, 2000/01, 2005, 2010 European Quality of Life survey (EQLS) 2003, 2007, 2011 European Company Survey (ECS) 2004/05 / 2009 / 2012 Monitoring living and working conditions in EU European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)/ EMCC European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO)

The research cycle

Different kinds of case studies in Eurofound with different aims/outcomes: a typology • exploratory case studies 4 • explanatory case studies 4 • purpose: to investigate new phenomena and identify indicators and research questions for future study purpose: scientific investigation of ‘how? ’ and ‘why? ’ research questions not readily amenable to other forms of research example case studies 4 purpose: to illustrate actual practice (good and maybe not-so-good) in order to disseminate lessons that can be learned to stakeholders

European Company Survey (ECS) • European-wide survey : 2 waves: 2004 and 2009 • Unit of enquiry : 4 establishments 10+ without agriculture, fishing and private households • Phone (CATI) interviews in 27, 160 establishments • Two interviews (where possible) in each establishment Management interview : the most senior person at the establishments level responsible for HR management 27, 160 interviews of 20 minutes 4 Employee representative : interview after that of the management, pref. the chair person, secretary or spoke person of the relevant structure representing the interests of the workers 6, 569 interviews of 15 minutes 4 • 38 language versions

European Company Survey • First survey in 2004/2005: EU 15 (2004) and 6 NMS (2005) : called also ESWT 4 4 Focus: working time and work life balance Questions around a number of WTA and consequences: - Flexible working time arrangements and working time accounts - Part-time work - Overtime and non-standard working hours - Parental and other long-term leave - Phased and early retirement - Specific policies to support work-life balance - Social dialogue around this Outcomes (performance, HR bottlenecks) • Second survey : in 2009, 30 countries (EU 27 + 3 ACC): called ECS 4 Focus : flexibility practises and social dialogue in European companies 4 Complemented with a wider range of flexibility practic some issues deepened, others more shallow - Working time flexibility practices From flexi-time to working time accounts Overtime Working at unusual hours Part time work - Organisational practices (autonomous team work, training) - Contractual flexibility & recruitment strategies - Variable pay and financial participation (profit sharing and share ownership schemes) - Social dialogue at work-place level in-depth - Outcomes (performance, HR bottlenecks)

European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) • European wide survey – 5 waves already: 1991, 1995, 2000 (+01/02), 2005 and 2010 • 1 questionnaire / translated in all the languages 4 • • 2010: 25 languages and 16 variants Country coverage: EU + neighbour countries 4 5 th EWCS (2010): 34 countries covered : EU 27 + NO + ACC 3 + IPA 3 4 43000 interviews in total (1000/4000 interview per country) Workers survey: employees and self-employed (15+) (LFS def) 4 face to face interviews • Covers many different aspects of the conditions of work and employment of European workers (more than 100 questions) 4 Demographics, structure of workforce, job characteristics, household info (incl work at home) 4 Working time : duration, organisation 4 Physical and psychosocial work factors 4 Nature of work / place of work / work organisation 4 Job content and training 4 Work-life balance 4 Information and consultation 4 Outcomes : health, job satisfaction 4 Earnings • Gender mainstreaming : central in reflection on questionnaire

Qualitative post-test (4 th EWCS) • Objectives: to assess the measurement problems and assess measurement errors (due to questionnaire and interviewer), 4 to develop an understanding on how men and women answer to the questionnaires, as well as linguistic/cultural differences 4 to improve questionnaire in future editions of the survey 4 • Qualitative follow-up interviews 4 • In-depth semi-structured interviews, analysis at national level and consolidated level Limited nr of countries and interviews 4 Helps to understand better the survey results and helps to improve the survey

European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) • Representative household survey of people 18+, face to face interviews • Three waves so far: 2003, 2007, 2011 (fieldwork in Autumn) + Eurobarometer (limited nr of questions) in 2009 • Covers all 27 EU Member States, plus Candidate Countries (Turkey, FYROM, Croatia) and Norway • Sample size: 1000 -2000 per country • Topic: quality of life = overall level of well-being of individuals Assessed in terms of outcomes and experiences (objective), but also how people feel about their lives (subjective) 4 Core focus on domains of employment, economic resources, family, housing, community and health – and specifically on the inter-relationships between domains (e. g. work and family, health and economic situation) 4 Addresses the quality of society – in terms of quality of services and environment, social capital and societal relations. 4

Quality control for surveys: some key principles • Planning : 4 • Learning : 4 • making the process open both internally and externally Documentation : 4 • experts and users of the survey participate in the development of the questionnaire, concepts and methodology Transparency : 4 • from other research projects, the former survey, analysis, case studies, EWCO/EIRO cars Consultation : 4 • using a systematic Quality Control framework developed specifically for the survey keeping track of everything, making sure that errors can be traced back Assessment of the quality : Quality assessment report

Thank you