SICK WORKERS

Denmark already has some of the most generous work and holiday arrangements in the world. The working week is 37 hours, and is rigidly enforced (in the sense that overtime is either very expensive for an employer, or people get time off in lieu). And most people get 30 days holiday a year in addition to public holidays.

However, holidays are not the only time when an employer doesn't see his or her employees, that also happens when they are sick. Which happens quite a lot. The average private sector employee had almost 7 full days off through sickness in 2011; in the public sector it was just over 12. In "caring" functions, such as hospitals and old people's homes, it is even higher, at more than 15 days. Put that all together, and an old people's home can expect its staff to be completely away for almost three months of the year on average, or a quarter of the time.

Such loss of time puts a huge premium on efficiency; which in turn relies a lot on education and training. In the past, that has been Denmark's great strength, and the challenge for the future will be in maintaining a highly qualified workforce. Unfortunately, looking at the next generation, I am not convinced that they have what it takes to continue a high wage, high welfare society. That rigid 37-hour week is going to come under pressure, in my view.

Walter Blotscher