Findings in this G8 Study May Surprise You

One in five American companies allow pets in the workplace? Russia is the country most likely to have women in executive positions? See some of the interesting findings about workplace satisfaction in G8 countries in this article from The Guardian:

Canadian workers are the happiest in the G8, Japan has the oldest workforce and Russian companies are the most likely to employ women in senior management, according to data collected to mark the summit of rich nations beginning today.

The human resources body, CIPD, says its roundup of workplace statistics from around the G8 and the emerging BRICS economies highlight the stark contrasts in work and working lives around the world.

The UK is close behind Canada in the contentment rankings, followed by Germany, Italy and the US. In Canada 91% of those in work report being satisfied with life. At 81%, France was the lowest ranked in the G8 and India was bottom, at 39%, once the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are included. Unsurprisingly, the CIPD found a strong correlation between average pay and satisfaction with life, in its analysis of data from a variety of sources including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and International Labour Organisation.

Among the more wacky facts about workplaces around the world, it found that nearly one in five American companies allow pets in the workplace. In France, the average lunch break is now 22 minutes, compared with 90 minutes 20 years ago. In the UK, the average worker spends 29 minutes on lunch, with people in Birmingham and Coventry taking the shortest break, at 25 minutes.

The group also highlighted signs of growing pressures – both financial and physical – on UK workers.

One third of UK employers say they have seen more people coming into work sick in the past year. The proportion of the UK workforce who are "underemployed" – not getting as many hours of work as they wish – has risen to 9.9% in 2012 from 6.2% in 2008.

Against a backdrop of high unemployment and falling wages in many member states, CIPD is urging G8 leaders meeting in Northern Ireland to look at workers and ways to nurture talent alongside their talks on tax, trade and transparency.

CIPD chief executive Peter Cheese commented: "As we compete in an increasingly globalised economy, it's more important now than ever that we open our eyes to the enormous differences in the ways the world works. We need to see what we can learn from other countries, and think carefully about what we can productively contribute to a global economy."

He added: "Employers are increasingly seeing a mismatch between the skills available to them locally and the skills they need from a workforce: what skills do we need to be developing in our workforce to ensure that we're able to do productive work in the modern world?"

The analysis found that Russia topped the rankings for the percentage of senior management positions held by women at 46%. Italy was second with 36%, followed by South Africa, Brazil and Canada. The UK was 8th out of the 12 countries and the US was 9th.

These Pets are Living the High Life

I found out something today about pet pampering that has my tongue wagging (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

It seems that the tokens of affection I present to my pets – extra comfy beds, entertaining toys, trips to the groomer and tasty treats – pale in comparison to the way others dote on their animals.

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), U.S. pet owners will spend an estimated $50.84 billion in 2011. What in the world are people spending so much money on?

Food expenses top the list at $19.53 billion. Medical care also ranks high. But, pet owners also are dishing out dollars for luxuries such as massages, manicures, designer duds, travel gear and spa days. Hey, I’ve never had a spa day! Not unless you count the time I had my eyebrows arched and for one terrifying moment thought half of one was missing.

Don’t fret, my pet (just bear with me), it’s not all give and take. The APPA cites several health benefits of pet ownership. Among them:

  • Pets help to lower blood pressure. A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that people with hypertension who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than those who did not own a pet.
  • Pets help to prevent heart disease. Because pets provide people with faithful companionship, research shows they may also provide their owners with greater psychological stability, thus a measure of protection from heart disease.
  • Pets help to fight depression. Pets help fight depression and loneliness, promoting an interest in life. When seniors face adversity or trauma, affection from pets takes on great meaning. Their bonding behavior can foster a sense of security.

Learn more