Benchmarking Working Europe, the annual stock-take of European economic, labour market and social affairs has just been published today by the European Trade Union Institute.

This year’s report calls for action to stimulate investment, as well as reforms to fiscal rules to allow policy to play a more active role in stabilising economies and securing sustainable growth. Above all, inequality and insecurity must be tackled through reversing deregulation and reviving collective bargaining. Benchmarking also flags up the longer term challenges of the four ‘megatrends’ of climate and demographic change, digitalisation and globalisation.

Of particular relevance in the current political cycle is the question of democracy at work and its impact on other spheres of democracy at large, economy and company performance. Chapter 4 of the Benchmarking report brings together interesting data from various areas to show that workplace democracy is linked with increased participation in democractic life, more equal societies, higher wages and better work-life balance, to name only a few.

Published annually since 2001, Benchmarking Working Europe puts worker’s concerns firmly at the centre of its analysis and policy proposals. The four chapters analyse the areas of economic growth, labour market changes, wage developments and worker’s participation.

We also present an infographic summarising some findings on the impacts (advantages) of democracy at workplace (© ETUI, R. Jagodzinski) as well as an infographic presenting various forms of democracy at work.

For even more information on the contents and the impact and advantages of democracy at work you can view a Prezi presentation (based on Chapter 4 of the Benchmarking Working Eurpe 2019) .

Full Benchmarking Working Europe report may be downloaded for free at www.etui.org/Publications2/Books/Benchmarking-Working-Europe-2019