What is the share of employees who can organize and perform their work independently?
The proportion of employees who are able to schedule and carry out their work independently is determined by three questions: How often do the respondents have the opportunity to determine the order of their tasks, the method and the speed or rate of work themselves.
The information is based on the self-assessment of the interviewees as part of a Europe-wide telephone survey on working conditions.
An important aspect of work motivation is a persons’ identification with the job performed. Ideally, employees consider their job as important and meaningful and can also contribute ideas of their own.
High degree of self-determination in the task fulfillment
If the individual indicators of self-determination are considered, it becomes apparent that the work offers opportunities for self-determined work in most cases. For example, the speed of work was often or always independently selectable for 63% of those surveyed and the procedure for 62% of those surveyed. The order in which tasks are processed offers only slightly fewer design options. Here, 58% of those surveyed stated that they were usually able to choose the order of their tasks themselves.
Detailed analyzes show that the degree of self-determination differs greatly depending on the activity. In sectors and occupational groups that are primarily concerned with machinery or crafts, the degree of self-determination was lower than in office occupations.
Information on the Indicator
Description or definition
Percentage of employees (aged 15 or over) who can organise and perform their work often in a selfdetermined way in all employees (aged 15 or over) with valid information on self-determination at work.
Self-determination is defined as:
- self-determination of the order of tasks
- self-determination in the method of work
- free choice of work speed and rate
Self-determination occurs when respondents state that they can always or often determine the order, method or speed of work themselves.
Source
European Working Conditions Survey (EWCTS 2021).
Information for interpretation
Results are based on the self-assessment of respondents in the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCTS 2021).
For more information on the European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS) and the comparability with results from previous surveys please refer to the website of Eurofound