Psychosocial risks
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Real growth in minimum wages in 2026, amid both progress and pullback on Member States’ ambitionss
Most EU Member States changed the level of their national minimum wage from 1 January 2026 and, as in the previous year, the general picture is one of substantial increases – significantly exceeding price increases.Minimum wages have a significant effect on negotiated and actual wages
In recent years, national minimum wages have risen sharply across EU countries, making their influence on collective wage bargaining and general wage developments increasingly relevant. The findings show that national minimum wages have a positive impact on raising negotiated wage levels. However, careful policy design is required to avoid the crowding-out of collective bargaining, especially in low-paid sectors. Minimum wages also play a key role in improving wage levels among the lowest-paid employees, although spillover effects occur across the wider wage distribution.Psychosocial risks to workers' well-being: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
Psychosocial risks represent a major challenge to the health and well-being of workers in the EU. While the COVID-19 pandemic intensified some of these risks, it also increased awareness of them among policymakers. Using data from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021 and building on a theoretical model that differentiates between job stressors and job resources, this report examines key psychosocial risks in the workplace and their impact on health. It also assesses job characteristics that could help to protect workers’ health and well-being in post-pandemic workplaces. While the prevalence of psychosocial risks varies across the Member States, work–life interference and work intensity are the most widespread risks in the EU, and the prevalence of the latter increased during the pandemic. Job stressors such as adverse social behaviour and job insecurity continue to be experienced by a significant proportion of workers in the EU. Although resources are available to combat some risks, these may not be sufficient, and preventive policies need to be implemented to prevent risks from arising in the first place.
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Oscar Vargas Llave
Research managerTina Weber
Research managerThis section provides access to all content that has been published on the topic.
