EUBusiness: Scandinavians happy at work, Belgians, Dutch miserable, European survey shows

EUbusinessScandinavians happy at work, Belgians miserable, European survey shows

Scandinavians are the happiest workers in Europe, while Belgians are mired in misery, a survey reveals. French workers are also happy with their lot, but the Dutch are down in the dumps behind their desks, Kelly Services' nine-month survey of 14,000 workers in 12 European countries also showed. Some 68 percent of Swedes, Norwegians and Danes said they were content in their jobs, with 61 percent of French workers rating themselves either happy or very happy. But the picture is grim in the low countries, with 45 percent of Dutch people enjoying their professional lives and just 35 percent in next-door Belgium. Elsewhere, 53 percent of Italians and Swiss were content, Russians and Germans were split 50-50, while 47 percent of Britons and 46 percent of Spaniards were whistling while they worked. The low satisfaction levels in some countries could be due to company malpractice, according to Bernard Tommasini, regional general manager for Kelly Services, a global recruitment agency.