Work-life balance: how Europeans find a balance between work and personal life

What should learn from the Europeans, is the ability to relax. It's not about entertainment, but about the ability to clearly separate work and personal life. This is not a national feature, as well thought-out policy of the company and the state. Heroine gathered a few examples of how Europeans manage to relax as much work, without prejudice to the career and economics.

A clearly limited time

Work-life balance: how Europeans find a balance between work and personal life

To come to the office first and the last to leave, we considered a sign of diligence. In the majority of European companies such behavior is unacceptable. Sometimes employees take extra work home, but stay in the office after 17 hours - a taboo. Often parents leave to work up to 16 hours to meet the children from school.

In some of the Danish company employee, who for days did not get out of the office, it can cause to the manager and ask if he had any problems with the delegation.

In France, the employee can choose the 39-hour work week instead of 35 hours plus and get two weeks to put five weeks annual leave. In addition, last year there came into force a law allowing not respond to work e-mail after hours. Now, French companies are required to give employees the right not to deal with operational issues in the evenings and on weekends.

Flexible working hours

Many European companies, especially in the Scandinavian countries, allow employees to adjust the schedule to fit your needs. If you can work remotely, then there is no point to be in the office. Respecting the privacy of employees, the company's management to protect its own profits.

out of the office Lunch

Work-life balance: how Europeans find a balance between work and personal life

Quickly chew food on the computer or on the office kitchen - a bad meal and digestion, and mental states. Europeans like no one believed in the sanctity of a full lunch break. During the meal most often go to a nearby restaurant - a walk, the ability to switch and gain strength.

Coffee

Another European tradition - a coffee break. Make a few short breaks for coffee during the day - no sloppiness, and is quite common.

In Sweden, the coffee break is called "fika". This pause lasts 15 minutes and is arranged every two or three hours. This is not only a way to relax - during coffee breaks employees can communicate in an informal setting, to turn to a colleague with a personal matter, or share ideas.

Offline on holiday

Work-life balance: how Europeans find a balance between work and personal life

"I am going away on vacation, but if anything, I'm in touch" - is rarely hear from Europeans. They do not check mail while lying under the palm trees, do not give advice to colleagues who remain in office. Call the employee and to yank on business issues while on vacation is not very polite. Here is another reason why the Europeans easier to leave work at the office and enjoy your vacation.

Parental leave

What we call the maternity leave, in Denmark called "parental leave". A woman may take 4 weeks before the birth and 14 after. The father can take two weeks' leave with pay during the first 14 weeks of baby's life. Parents have the opportunity to engage with the newborn, rather than shifting the entire burden on women, who are already not just after childbirth.

After 14 weeks, parents receive an additional 32 weeks of leave, which can be divided between them as they wish.

The work did not occupy a large part of our lives, we need major changes in the Russian legislation, but something you can do yourself. Often overtime, calls on weekends, lack of normal leave are becoming the norm, with the tacit consent of the employee. So before you complain about the hard boss, make sure that the balance between personal and work in your priority list.

Is it important to separate work and personal life for you and how do you do it?