European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS): Cognitive Pretest

Abstract

This report contains the results of the post test of the 6th EWCS, carried out by GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (Germany). The aim is to deliver insights for the interpretation of the re-sults of the 6th EWCS, and to deliver input for the development and revision of the 7th EWCS. Two major research questions are addressed. The first is to establish differences in comprehension of questions between employed and self-employed respondents. Secondly, it examines potential measurement issues related to the concept of employment and the main paid job criterion for workers in atypical working situations. For the post test a mixed-mode design was used. A cognitive online pretest in the UK, Germany, and Poland was carried out with a total of 365 employed and self-employed respondents. Face-to-face interviews with 32 respondents in Germany and Poland delivered insights on atypical working situa-tions, such as multi-activity or precarious employment.