The study considered factors such as average amount of hours worked, maternity and paternal leave, sick pay, and happiness level.
According to a recent study by price comparison website Compare The Market, Luxembourg—one of the smallest countries in Europe, both in physical size and population—has been rated the best country for work-life balance.
Finland ranked second for work-life balance considerations, while Norway followed closely for third place. Four out of the top six countries were Nordic, with Iceland and Sweden ranking at fourth and sixth, respectively.
In determining rank, the study scored countries based on the average number of hours worked, maternity and paternal leave, sick pay, and workers’ happiness. Each country was then given a combined total score.
Luxembourg topped the list with its citizens working an average of 1,382 hours per year and an average happiness score of 7.404. For fathers looking to spend more time with their newborns, Luxembourg is an extremely attractive country, offering 28 weeks of paid paternal leave.
Germans worked the least number of yearly hours: 1,349. On the other end of the spectrum, Mexicans worked the most: 2,128. The countries where individuals work less hours tended to also have higher happiness scores, with Denmark, at 1,363 yearly work hours, being the happiest.
Finland, Norway, Iceland, and fifth-place Netherlands all offer six weeks or more of paid sick leave and have extremely high rates of maternity leave. Finland ranked first with 161 weeks—more than three years—of maternity leave, with 30 days of paid leave a year.
The study noted that some countries, like the United States, have no statutory obligations to provide sick pay or maternal/paternal leave and, as such, did not make any of the top rankings.
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The 2022 Clean Index study, recently released by CloroxPro™, revealed that cleaning professionals are feeling pressured to disinfect better, while consumers doubt that they can.
According to the study, which surveyed more than 500 cleaning professionals and nearly 1,200 consumers, 80% of professional cleaners feel more pressure to clean and disinfect public places. Meanwhile, less than half (48%) of consumers believe in the industry’s ability to protect the public from germs.
The study also revealed a disconnect between what areas cleaning professionals believe are clean versus the public’s consensus. In most cases, the surveyed cleaning professionals, which included building service contractors, facility managers, health care environmental service workers, and infection preventionists, were more likely to rank spaces as clean than the general population. For example, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing a space that was very clean and germ free, 84% of cleaning professionals ranked hospitals at least a 4, while only 69% of the general population felt the same way.
However, it appears that the cleaning industry has many consumers as allies who are willing to do their part. When it comes to keeping public spaces clean, 70% of the consumers surveyed think they share a responsibility in doing so. Furthermore, 65% have taken the time to disinfect an office, conference room, desk, or other publicly used item at work.
When cleaning was outside of their own control, consumers felt most secure when they could see that an area was clean. More than half (61%) said they pay more attention now to visual cues related to cleaning than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even more (75%) said that the availability of disinfectant wipes makes them feel safe.
Eco-consciousness was another trend identified by the study. One in three consumer participants wanted to see eco-conscious cleaners be used in all public spaces. Restaurants and schools were named as the top two places that consumers and professional cleaners alike wanted to see green cleaners used. Cleaning professionals, however, want to first make sure those cleaners are effective. Two in three said that eco-conscious cleaners must disinfect as well as traditional products.
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