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Europeans prioritise work-life balance whilst Asia focuses on career - study

Commuters on the way to work in Berlin
Commuters on the way to work in Berlin Copyright Donogh McCabe
Copyright Donogh McCabe
By Liv Stroud
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A recent study highlights different attitudes towards work for EU countries and the Global South. The study chairperson is urging European leaders to start tackling serious issues sooner rather than later.

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People in the Global South are more satisfied with work-life balance than countries in the EU, according to a recent study.

The study, carried out by Amrop, a leading global leadership and executive search consultancy, conducted The Meaning of Work study with 8,000 participants across Germany, France, Poland, the UK, the USA, China, India, and Brazil.

The term Global South, which is used by Amrop in the study, loosely refers to developing economies such as the last three nations surveyed as part of the research.

The study saw German, French, and Polish participants report satisfaction below 50 per cent, whilst India reported a 73.3 per cent satisfaction and the USA 59.9 per cent, despite lower social and labour regulatory standards.

Global Chair of Amrop, Annika Farin, told Euronews Next that what surprised her the most from the study is Europe's "non-willingness to step up and have the wish to go into a responsible role, be it in business or be it in politics".

She said she sees it as a wake-up call for European leaders.

"We should take that seriously and do something about it jointly," Farin added.

With the development of AI and shifting demographics, such as the Baby Boomer generation retiring and Gen Z entering the workforce, societies are going to have to embrace changes all around.

"I think we cannot underestimate what's coming. If we look at the demographics, we see what's coming. We'll have to have more people that we bring into our countries," Farin said, urging more innovation regarding migration.

"What I liked in the study and was surprised to see, in a positive sense, was that it seems that a country like Germany remains attractive for other geographies and nearby countries," she said.

Germany most attractive choice in Europe for working conditions

According to the study, the USA (33 per cent) is the top global choice when it comes to attractive working conditions, thanks to its strong job market, high salaries, and diverse industries. Germany follows with 22 per cent, ahead of Canada and the UK, each with 21 per cent of global worker preferences.

"We should see that as an opportunity. Because that can also go away," Farin said.

The study also shows that countries and age groups are united in their motivation to work for a good salary and in interesting jobs.

Pensions are regarded as a hot topic amongst European countries, and have sparked major protests across France and fuelled political debate in Germany.

"One of the topics we really have to talk about, and I know that's not always popular, is that people might have to work longer in some countries, in certain countries at least, particularly in European markets".

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Farin suggests creating initiatives, such as lower taxation for pensioners that work for longer, and using entrepreneurial role models in the media and society to bridge the gap between older and younger people.

The study also shows that countries in the Global South show a stronger interest in leadership roles.

Some 76 per cent of Indian respondents and 66 per cent of Brazilians aim for leadership or entrepreneurial roles. Comparatively, only 36 per cent in Germany and 37 per cent in France share this ambition.

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