Enrique Fernández-Macías

I'm a researcher at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in Seville. My work sits between economics and sociology, trying to understand how technology, institutions and economic structures shape the world of work — and what European policy can do about it.

Over the last few years, my research has focused on three ways digital technologies affect work: through automation (replacing human tasks with machines), digitisation (changing how work is done), and platformisation (new forms of algorithmic management and control). More on this below and on the research page.

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Enrique Fernández-Macías
Research Questions

What I've been working on

Some of the questions that have been driving my research over the past few years — with links to the relevant work.

Automation

Do robots really destroy jobs?

The short answer: not in Europe, at least not so far. The evidence points to a more nuanced story where automation reshapes work rather than eliminating it.

Platformisation

What happens when algorithms manage workers?

We surveyed 70,000+ workers across all EU countries to understand how digital monitoring and algorithmic management affect working conditions. The results are mixed — and depend a lot on context.

Telework

Who can work from home — and who can't?

During the pandemic, telework exposed a new fault line in labour markets. Only about 37% of EU jobs can be done remotely, and the divide maps onto existing inequalities.

Employment Structure

Is Europe polarising or upgrading?

The job polarisation thesis has dominated the debate, but the European evidence tells a more complex story of overall upgrading with lots of variation across countries.

Inequality

What happened to EU convergence?

Before 2008, wages and incomes were converging across EU countries, reducing overall inequality. The crisis broke that trend. Where do we stand now?

Job Quality

Can we measure what makes a good job?

Job quality matters beyond wages — security, autonomy, skills, social environment, physical conditions. We've been developing tools to measure and compare it across Europe.

The platformisation of work in the EU — types and prevalence
The platformisation of work in the EU: types and prevalence. From González-Vázquez et al. (2025), "Digital Monitoring, Algorithmic Management and the Platformisation of Work in Europe."
Recent Work

Latest publications

2026 With Villani, D., González-Vázquez, I. and Oshafi, V. The grey shades of green jobs: Unpacking the occupational approach to green employment. Ecological Economics, 240.
2025 With González-Vázquez, I., Wright, S., and Villani, D. Digital Monitoring, Algorithmic Management and the Platformisation of Work in Europe. JRC Report.
2025 With González-Vázquez, I., Torrejón, S., and Nurski, L. Work in the Digital Era: How Technology is Transforming Work and Occupations. JRC Report.
2025 With Torrejón Pérez, S. and Hurley, J. (eds). Global trends in job polarisation and upgrading. Palgrave Macmillan.
2025 With Orfao, G. and Malo, M. Á. Occupational dynamics and wage inequality in Europe. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 74.

All publications →