Skip to content

Social Europe

  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • eBooks
  • Newsletter
  • Membership

Avatar photoEnrique Fernández-Macías

Enrique Fernández-Macías is a Researcher working in the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in Sevilla. He holds a PhD in Economic Sociology by the University of Salamanca, and his main research interests are job quality, technology & occupational change and the division of labour. Before joining the JRC, he worked in the University of Salamanca and Eurofound (Dublin).

The Algorithmic Workplace: How Platformisation Is Reshaping Work in Europe

Enrique Fernández-Macías, Sally Wright and Davide Villani

New evidence reveals that data-driven management now shapes how millions work across Europe—with profound implications for autonomy and well-being.

The Real Digital Revolution At Work: Why Platformisation Matters More Than Robots

Enrique Fernández-Macías and Laura Nurski

The digital transformation of work isn't destroying jobs through automation—it's fundamentally reshaping how work is organised, managed and controlled.

Why Haven’t Full-Time Workers Cut Hours Since the 1980s?

Enrique Fernández-Macías

Full-time workers in Europe still clock the same hours as in the 1980s.

Robots, jobs and the future of work

Enrique Fernández-Macías, David Klenert and José-Ignacio Antón

Apocalyptic visions of robots stealing workers’ jobs are not only misguided but have diverted attention from more significant trends.

Are Blue-Collar Jobs Turning White?

Martina Bisello and Enrique Fernández-Macías

Manual jobs in European manufacturing are being transformed as blue-collar workers take on more intellectual tasks. This is a consequence of the increasing use of

Europe’s Shrinking Middle Class

Carlos Vacas-Soriano and Enrique Fernández-Macías

The Great Recession depressed real income levels across European countries. But the impact was very unequal across countries and income groups. Countries in the European

EU Income Inequality And The Great Recession

Carlos Vacas-Soriano and Enrique Fernández-Macías

EU-wide income inequality declined notably prior to 2008, driven by a strong process of income convergence between European countries. The Great Recession broke this trend.

Fewer Routine Jobs But More Routine Work

Martina Bisello and Enrique Fernández-Macías

In the digital age, there are fewer routine jobs because of a higher risk of automation. But a great paradox of this age is this:

Job Polarisation In Europe: Are Mid-Skilled Jobs Disappearing?

Enrique Fernández-Macías

If we look at what kinds of jobs have expanded most in recent years, we can split European countries into two: those that experienced job

An EU Perspective On Wage Inequality

Enrique Fernández-Macías

In the years before the financial crisis of 2008, there was a significant reduction in overall EU wage inequality, driven by economic convergence between rich

Eurofound advertisement

Mental Health
Eurofound Talks: Europe's productivity paradox

This episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast looks at why Europe has experienced a more profound slowdown in growth compared to other developed regions, and why greater labour input and higher human capital has not translated into higher output per worker. Mary McCaughey and John Hurley also discuss whether Europe can, and should, look to compete with countries such as the United States and China in the race to harness artificial intelligence.
LISTEN HERE

Foundation for European Progressive Studies Advertisement

Progressive Post Issues

The Autumn-Winter issue of The Progressive Post is out!”

Among this issue’s highlights, we debate war and defence, underlining the urgent necessity of peace. We look at the European Commission's budget proposal, particularly the fate of the cohesion funds, and at the EU's international partnerships and ask whether the EU can pursue its strategic interests while simultaneously promoting its partners' genuine development. Finally, we address COP30 and the issue of fossil fuels, which was intentionally ignored during the negotiations held in Brazil.

READ NOW

Hans Böckler Stiftung Advertisement

WSI Report

WSI Minimum Wage Report 2025

The trend towards significant nominal minimum wage increases is continuing this year. In view of falling inflation rates, this translates into a sizeable increase in purchasing power for minimum wage earners in most European countries. Most EU countries are now following the reference values for adequate minimum wages enshrined in the European Minimum Wage Directive, which are 60% of the median wage or 50% of the average wage.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

S&D Group in the European Parliament advertisement

Cohesion Policy

S&D Position Paper on Cohesion Policy post-2027: a resilient future for European territorial equity

Cohesion Policy seeks to foster balanced development and reduce economic, social, and territorial disparities, focusing on rural areas, regions in industrial transition, and those with severe or permanent natural or demographic disadvantages, including outermost, sparsely populated, island, cross-border, and mountain regions.

READ THE PAPER HERE

S&D Group in the European Parliament advertisement

Health

🇪🇺 Building a Resilient, Equitable EU Health Union: The S&D Blueprint


From securing pharmaceutical autonomy and guaranteeing universal access to care (the European Health Guarantee) to combatting non-communicable diseases and closing the Gender Health Gap. Read the S&D Group in the European Parliament Position Paper demanding that health becomes a priority across all EU policies.

READ THE POSITION PAPER

ETUI advertisement

HESA Magazine Cover

Revisiting worker representation on boards

Board-level employee representation (BLER) has repeatedly resurfaced in times of crisis — from the 2008 financial crash to the Covid-19 pandemic — as a response to mismanagement and democratic erosion. Yet codetermination remains unevenly spread across the EU and underdeveloped within EU industrial relations. This ETUI volume revisits worker representation on company boards by shifting the focus beyond the usual German-centred lens and exploring debates, practices and social partners’ positions in ten often-overlooked EU Member States, to assess the prospects for such an institution to thrive in national social policy.

READ HERE

Our Mission

People

Article Submission

Advertisements

Membership

Politics Archive

Economy Archive

Society Archive

RSS Feed

Legal Disclosure

Privacy Policy

Copyright

Social Europe ISSN 2628-7641

Copyright Social Europe Publishing & Consulting GmbH 2026
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • eBooks
  • Newsletter
  • Membership