Glossary:Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS)
The Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS) are national surveys examining how much time people spend on various activities, including paid work, household chores and family care, personal care, voluntary work, social life, travel and leisure. They give a picture of time-use patterns in about half the countries of the European Union (EU) and 3 non-EU countries (Norway, Serbia and Turkey). Data are collected on the basis of a gentleman's agreement between participating countries and Eurostat.
The survey data are published by 3 main indicators:
- Time spent: mean time spent on the activities by all individuals
- Participation time: mean time spent on the activities by those individuals who took part in the activity
- Participation rate: the proportion of individuals per day who spent some time on the activities.
The 3 indicators are compiled by sex and age group; household composition; highest level of education attained; self-declared labour status, according to information on labour status as perceived by the respondent; professional status; day of the week and month of the year. The basic unit of data collection is the household. However, as many participating countries are unable or unwilling to collect data from all individuals in a household, Eurostat's dissemination activities for HETUS focus on individual respondents.
The main classification system used in HETUS is the activity coding list (ACL). This assigns a 3-digit code to the primary activities ('what were you doing?') and the secondary activities ('what else were you doing?') in which respondents are engaged during their day. For that purpose, the 24 hours of the day are split into 144 time slots of 10 minutes each. The activities are described by the respondents themselves and subsequently coded by professional coders, using an activity classification system with over 100 3-digit categories.
Information on primary and secondary activities is complemented by other classifications describing the location (where time is spent, including modes of transport) and describing 'with whom' time is spent. From round 3 of HETUS (2020) on, participating countries will be offered an additional category of activity for the diary, 'ICT use'. This involves deciding, for each 10-minute time slot, whether the main or secondary activity involves using a computer, a smart device, the internet, an online tool or similar devices.
In round 2 of HETUS, 15 EU countries and 3 non-EU countries collected and transmitted data to Eurostat. 13 EU countries did not conduct a time-use survey during round 2. Many countries have not yet decided whether they will carry out a time-use survey during round 3.
Further information
- Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS): 2018 Guidelines
- Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS): 2008 Guidelines
- Harmonised European Time Use Surveys (HETUS): 2000 Guidelines