Gender inequalities in working conditions in the EU

The report was based upon data collected by the fourth European working conditions survey carried out across 31 countries, including the 27 EU Member States.

Three main issues examined by the publication Working conditions in the European Union: the gender perspective, relate to:

 the impact of work intensity on health according to full time and part time work,
 gender difference in working conditions,
 discrepancies between white-collar and blue-collar workers

Figures provide evidence that significant changes in terms of a gender gap in working hours and employment security are occurring in new Member States.

The report confirms that working longer hours increases the risk of exposure to damaging environmental factors. Women employed full time have the longest total working week due to the workload of unpaid domestic work.

It is of concern that women are being disproportionately affected by this intensification of work that has such strong links to poor health and well-being.

Trends also suggest that women are more likely to be employed part time, especially in southern and new Member States, increasing the risk of underemployment and reducing their opportunities for career advancement.

A vicious circle of gender discrimination is also fed by the fact that senior positions are often linked to the ability to work long or unsocial hours, which segregates women into lower-paid jobs.

To conclude, the report shows that gender segregation of employment is a factual issue in the 27 EU member states that needs to be tackled by adequate legislation developing the quality of part time work and reducing the under-representation of women at senior grades. Moreover, it highlights that European policy debates should promote gender equality in unpaid domestic workloads.