Changes in the Intensity and Hardships of Hospital Work in France (1998-2013)

This paper looks at the evolution of working conditions in France’s hospital sector over the fifteen years to 2013. The issue is important in view of the extensive reforms undertaken in the sector since the early 1990s, which have led to profound reorganizations. We start by reviewing the state of knowledge and data of working conditions in hospitals. In the light of the last three editions of France’s Working Conditions survey (enquete Conditions de travail), we then look at the changes in the pace of work and in the different forms of hardship at work that occurred in French hospitals between 1998 and 2013. We then compare these with observations for other sectors. Finally, we analyze, ceteris paribus, the current specificities of the hospital sector in terms of exposure to work pace, staggered schedules, physical hardships and a worsening working environment. We observe that there was an acceleration in work pace faced by hospital staff in the period studied. This was accompanied by a slight alleviation of physical hardships. However, working conditions in hospitals remain particularly stressful.