Transeuroworks project
TransEuroWorkS brings together knowledge from several disciplines such as economics, political science, social psychology, and sociology, including sub-disciplines in social policy, political economy, and comparative welfare states. Thus, we are able to provide a multi-disciplinary approach that is essential to understanding the full impacts of the new forms of non-standard work and labour market changes on workers, institutions, work relations, and policymaking.
What do we do?
Global challenges such as digitalisation, green-transition, and international mobility of workers have substantial effects on the functioning of European labour markets. Some sectors grow as a consequence of these phenomena, while in others the demand for labour is decreasing. This has important implications for regulation and for welfare states in particular. In this Horizon Europe project, a team of researchers from Leiden University, together with an international consortium (including researchers from TU Delft, the University of Barcelona, the University of Geneva, the Kings College London, the University of Copenhagen, University College Dublin, the Centre for European Policy Studies, and the Central European Labour Studies Institute), will investigate how welfare states can help mitigate the potential negative effects of these large transformations for workers, families, and businesses.
Within our broad team, researchers focus on specific aspects:
Green transition, technological change, and social policy recalibration
We look at how the green transition and digitalisation interact to reshape Europe’s labour markets and drive changes in key economic sectors. We analyse the broader economic and social effects of these shifts — such as job creation, changing skill requirements, and new inequalities — and explore how welfare policies can be recalibrated to support workers, families, and businesses.
Flexible work and well-being
We study how digitalisation and flexible working arrangements are reshaping work patterns in Europe, focusing on their effects on workers’ well-being. We examine who has access to flexible work, whether there is stigma attached to it, and how social protection can help ensure positive outcomes for everyone.
Work-life balance and gender equality
We examine how work-life balance policies adapt to evolving vulnerabilities and changing gender roles in Europe, particularly in the context of digitalisation. We explore how EU directives on work-life balance and pay transparency influence national policies, and we map out local initiatives to address gender-based digital exclusion.
New forms of work and social dialogue
We investigate how digitalisation, the green transition, and globalisation drive new forms of contractual flexibility in European labour markets. It examines the impact on workers’ access to social protection and identifies vulnerable groups. By mapping emerging trends and conducting case studies, we explore how social dialogue—through negotiations between employers, unions, and policymakers—can help address the risks of flexible contracts.
Inequalities of social protection
We evaluate how well Europe’s social protection systems adapt to atypical work arrangements—like fixed-term or part-time contracts—and explores the political factors shaping these policies. By building a new database and examining real-world reforms, it identifies ways to ensure inclusive, sustainable social protection for a rapidly changing labour market
Reskilling workers in the digital age
We examine how retraining programs in high-demand digital skills can enhance job opportunities, foster better well-being, and influence individuals’ political attitudes. By collaborating with service providers and drawing on real-world evidence, we propose ways to refine existing retraining programs and build policy recommendations that help workers adapt to digitalisation and automation
Future of social policy in European countries and at the EU-level
We investigate how Europe can better coordinate social policies to address inequalities, promote sustainability, and support worker mobility. It evaluates the capacity of EU-wide initiatives—like the European Pillar of Social Rights—to accommodate new forms of work and shifting labour markets. By analysing budgetary, environmental, and political dimensions, and by co-designing survey experiments with stakeholders, we develop recommendations on how EU-level coordination can ensure inclusive, sustainable social protection for workers and households.
To answer these questions, we are collecting a lot of information. We are using micro-level data from Eurostat on workers, their households, the labour-force, and earnings. We are also putting together two datasets, one that tracks social policy making at the EU level, and another that looks at eligibility criteria and generosity of unemployment benefits. Plus, we are running a survey in 15 European countries to get a sense of how people feel about these challenges and what they think their countries and Europe should do about them.