1. Quality of work in Europe: 2010 and beyond
Introduction
As the nature of work has changed profoundly over the last 30 years, the structures for
analysing work need also to change in order to meet the needs of workers and companies.
The industrial world of the 1970s had certain characteristics which determined work and
working conditions. In a relatively stable economic environment, jobs and careers were quite
secure as well. People’s lives were split between a period of knowledge acquisition
(education) and a period of exploiting this knowledge (career). There were few opportunities
for the majority of workers to develop new areas of competence. The main challenges for the
working population in terms of health and safety at work related to industrial accidents and
occupational diseases – for which a preventive approach based on simply analysing causes
was adequate.
After 30 years of economic, social and societal change, this model is now being challenged
on several levels. Just as frontiers of all kinds (between countries, as well as technologies,
sectors, etc.) are being eroded, so businesses need to develop their ability to evolve rapidly if
they are to remain economically viable. At the same time, the reduction in costs resulting
from the pervasive use of computers has given rise to a shift in work towards added value.
Work is now based around activities which can only be achieved with a significant degree of
psycho-cognitive application: whether it is facing up to risks, taking part in the design of new
products or services, or managing relations with clients (even within the industry).
Furthermore, the increasing insecurity of employment has meant that career paths have
become more complex, and life-long learning is becoming a challenge for both employees
and employers.
Eurofound and ANACT are engaged in efforts to renew the framework for analysing working
conditions. In order to pave the way for improving the quality of life at work for the next
decade, it may be necessary to reconsider certain questions – at all levels, from design to
actual implementation within the company.
In order to deal with the new challenges associated with quality of life at work, it is important
to establish links between aspects usually segmented into fields such as health and safety,
HR, workers–management. This is a key issue for all players: companies, social partners,
and the state. Career and personal life are continuous and inter-dependent for everybody.
There are multiple dimensions involved at the same time, and fragmenting between various
disciplines does not allow for an overall view, to understand the logic or even to respond to
the needs expressed. One of the aims of this conference is to forge a path towards more
sustainable models of economic and social performance, by opening up the structures for
analysis and action.
October 2nd
Rémi Descosse
Rémi Descosse is Chairman of the Administrative Board of the French National Agency for the
Improvement of Working Conditions (ANACT).
He is the Senior Executive VP, Industrial operations for the SEB Group. Previously, he has
been President of Food Division and Chairman and CEO of Tefal.
From 1973 to 1994, he held several positions w ithin the Group MERLIN-GERIN/SCHNEIDER
including executive VP-Italy, Managing Director-S.E. Asia (based in Singapore) and
Manufacturing Engineer.
He has a Master in Engineering from INSA Lyon and in Business from ICG.

2. Jorma Karppinen
Jorma Karppinen, Director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and
Working Conditions, was born in 1948 in Finland, and has an academic background in
engineering and technical physics, including a doctorate in technology in 1979. His career
spans positions in scientific research, marketing and development, and senior management
with Nokia Electronics, Afora Ltd and Fortum Engineering Ltd. Until most recently, he was
Director of Business Development at Metso Automation Ltd in Helsinki, Finland, a global
automation systems manufacturing company, where he previously held the posts of
President of Energy Automation and then President of Process Automation Systems.
Through his extensive experience in business development and management over the past
20 years, Jorma Karppinen has developed a comprehensive understanding of the industrial
changes facing Europe today.
Jorma Karppinen has first-hand experience of implementing industrial restructuring projects,
taking part in labour union negotiations, and participating in European works council
meetings. Throughout his working life, Mr Karppinen has travelled widely and has developed
a global view of the living and working conditions of many different countries.
Jean-François Chanlat
Jean-François Chanlat is a graduate of HEC Montreal and has a Masters and a Doctorate in
sociology from the University of Montreal. After holding a professorship at HEC Montreal for
over 20 years, in 2001 he joined Paris Dauphine University. Universities Professor at the
latter institution, he leads its DRM-CREPA (Management and Organisations Research
Centre) Laboratory and the Executive MBA Programme.
He has published a number of works and book chapters and also many papers in the area of
his main teaching and research interests. These include: organisation theory, anthropology
of organisations, sociology of enterprises and management, stress at work and intercultural
management. He is a member of several national and international scientific associations in
the field of management and sociology. Notably, from 1994 to 2006 he chaired the ‘sociology
of organisations’ research committee of the International Sociology Association. He plays an
active part in connection with several scientific journals, in particular Management
International, of which he is assistant editor-in-chief and is regularly invited to take part in
assignments abroad.
Dominique Méda
An analysis of French and European data shows that the French have a singular attitude to
work. The French say, even more than other Europeans, that work plays a very important
role in their life, but that they, more than the others, would like work to take up less space in
their life. This presentation is intended to help us understand the many different ways in
which work is perceived in Europe and to put forward interpretations that would allow
progress to be made in resolving this paradox.
Dominique Méda, former student at the ENS and ENA, a graduate in sociology and
philosophy, General Inspector of Social Affairs (IGAS) is director of the TIPE (Employment
paths, institutions and policies) unit at the Centre d’études de l’emploi (Employment Studies
Centre), France. Her research areas are employment relationships, equality between men
and women, work-life balance, and European-level comparisons, particularly om the subject
of the social model. She is the author of many published works, including ‘Le temps des
femmes, pour un nouveau partage des rôles’ (Paris: Flammarion, revised edition 2008).

3. Greet Vermeylen
Greet Vermeylen is a Belgian research manager in the monitoring and survey unit of
Eurofound (the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions)
in Dublin. After her studies at the Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven, the ULB in Brussels and
the European University Institute in Florence, she worked for a number of years in the
European Commission (DG EMPL) and in a task force on social protection for the Belgian
Presidency of the European Union. She is currently working on the European Company
Survey as well as on the European Working Conditions Survey. She is also working on the
European Working Conditions Observatory. She has been involved in numerous other
research projects of Eurofound, such as projects on working poor, on flexicurity and on case
study guidelines.
Serge Vo Dinh, General Secretary, Adecco
October 3 rd
Joël Blondel, Ministry of Work, Social Relations, Family and Solidarity
Xavier Lacoste, Altédia
João Medeiros
João Medeiros (PhD) is an economist in the 'Employment, Lisbon Strategy, and
International Affairs' unit of DG Employment, European Commission. He is part of the
drafting team of the Employment in Europe (EiE) annual report. He has produced work for
EiE on the assessment of the European employment strategy, active labour market policies,
flexicurity, job quality and the 'skills for new jobs' initiative. He has previously worked in DG
ECFIN and at the Portuguese Central Bank.
Jean-Baptiste Obéniche, Director of Anact
(See bio in the French participant file)