Labour Cost Survey 2016 in Sweden LAMAS-meeting Luxemburg, 10-11 October 2018 Veronica Andersson Statistics Sweden

Labour Cost Survey (LCS) Purpose: To measure the level and structure of labour cost - within/between countries - between branches - within/between regions Conducted every fourth year 1997, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 is the present reference year The total economy – private and public sector for NACE B-S excluding O. (O is optional and not included in LCS in Sweden) 10 and more employees (1-9 employees is optional and not included in LCS in Sweden)

LCS2016 – Preparing and Sample Process Implementation document from Eurostat Preparing for the survey - Make the questionnaires - Write guidelines - Prepare the production system for the survey Set up the frame and draw a sample (March 2016) Send out pre information to respondent (April 2016) - Information that they need to save data for 2016 - Get information about over-coverage etc, - Get information about contact persons Newsletter to payroll software companies

Sample Two independent samples: Stratified samples by - Private sector (and county councils and some state authorities) (Enterprise) - Public sector (municipalities and state authorities) (Local units) Stratified samples by - Size class and - NACE-division All big enterprises/local units are included (>500) Small sample -> Very important with high response rate (no empty strata)

Sample size in the private sector and county councils 2016   Size class of enterprise (number of employees) Number of enterprises in the sample (n) in universe (N) Sample fraction 10-19 583 22 628 2,6% 20-49 663 13 080 5,1% 50-99 487 3 947 12,3% 100-199 538 2 136 25,2% 200-499 347 598 58,0% 500- 602 100,0% All 3 220 42 991 7,5% N = Number in the frame (March 2016) n = Number in the sample (March 2016)

Sample size in the public sector 2016 (municipalities and governmental authorities)   Size class of local unites Number of local unites Sample fraction (number of employees) in the sample (n) in universe (N) 1-4 135 4 262 3,2% 5-9 132 5 795 2,3% 10-19 138 6 570 2,1% 20-49 150 5 042 3,0% 50-99 105 2 549 4,1% 100-199 87 1 068 8,1% 200-499 42 147 28,6% 500- 76 100,0% All 865 25 509 3,4% N = Number in the frame (March 2016) n = Number in the sample (March 2016)

LCS2016 – Collecting Process Send out ‘questionnaires’ (password and userid) (15 March 2017) Respondent entering data on a web questionnaire (logical controls and possibility to give comments) Deadline, Response-rate (approx. 30%) (20 April 2017) Reminder were sent out (April and May 2017 ) Telephone reminder (May-June) Special requests was sent out to big non-responding companies (August) Telephone reminder 2 focus on strata with low response rate. (Sep -Oct.) On-going process studying, approving questionnaires and re-calling respondents with possible errors (March - December) The collecting process was stoped in the end of 2017 (response-rate was 90,9%, incl. over-coverage 92,9%)

Response-rate

Response, non-response and over-coverage 2016  2016 Private sample Public sample Total Units Rate Response 2 920 90.7 793 91.2 3 713 90.9 Non-response 262 8.1 26 3.0 288 7.1 Over-coverage 38 1.2 46 5.3 84 2.1 Sample size 3 220 100 865 100  4 085

Response-rate and over coverage over time Year Response rate incl. over coverage (%) Over coverage (%) 2000 86.8 3.4 2004 87.5 2.9 2008 90.2 2.8 2012 89.5 2.5 2016 90.9 2.1

Argumentation list / reasons for high response rate It is only done every 4 years, will not have to answer next years. Have time for preparation, by sending pre-information. The survey is mandatory, the companies have obligations to respond by law – may need to pay a fine if they don’t. Contact payroll system provider - they may be able to help and may have built-up report Some companies have experience since they answered the questionnaire in previous LCS Reminders

Time to answer LCS2016

LCS2016 – Result Process Data were controlled on micro and macro level (January–April 2018) Results were calculated (April–May 2018) Results were sent to Eurostat (June 2018) Quality Report will be written (July–December 2018) Quality Report will be sent to Eurostat (latest December 2018) When Eurostat have published final results, results will also be published at Statistics Sweden

Users of LCS EU-Commision, Eurostat, European central bank (ECB), other European institutions. Ministries Mediation office Scientists Press, journalists Privet companies

Average labour cost per hour by NACE (sek)

New in LCS2016 Respondents ’correct’ data in larger extent in the web-questionnaire They receive logical controls when they entering figures and can correct data and give comments and explanations to the reported figures in larger extent than before. New production system The previous one was old and had to be replaced Improved model assumption D11111(Direct remuneration, bonuses and allowances paid in each period) and D1113 (Payments for days not worked) is collected aggregated. The model to split the aggregate has been improved. (Using information about vacation days in SES-survey that we now got information about yearly) Newsletter to payroll software companies To inform about LCS and that enterprises (their clients) will be asked to report LCS to Statistics Sweden. Discussions about taxes vs social contributions What should be considered as tax vs social contributions in LCS and NA

Simplification/improving of LCS Merge of size classes (Variable Size class) Regions (Variable Country) Program for secondary confidentiality flags (Variable Flag) Less aggregates Apprentice Implementation document Local unit or Enterprise Quality report LCS-updates/levels

Some questions to consider: What have you found complicated by LCS in your countries? Could the LCS in your country be improved? If yes, what is your ideas about improvement?

Thank you! Veronica Andersson veronica.andersson@scb.se Statistics Sweden