As stressed as a Pole
The joke, which always produces a sad grin, goes: "Don't steal. The tax office hates competition." And although the literal meaning could be far from true (Poland has a 19 percent enterprise tax, one of the lowest in the EU) the essence remains unchanged. According to a new survey, conducted by advisory firm Grant Thornton, unclear regulations and constantly changing tax levels are a cause of stress for 73 percent of entrepreneurs in Poland against a European average of 40 percent. This won the country a dishonorable first place in this category.
Having no time for family and friends is the second issue. Some 47 percent say work sucks up all of their attention. This result puts Poland on the podium yet again, but this time behind our Mediterranean neighbors, Turkey and Greece.
To add some sugar into this bitter mixture, business relations here won't result in stressful, sleepless nights. Entrepreneurs don't mind employing family members in the company. They also remain on good terms with their associates and partners, with just 18 percent identifying this as a problem area. Overwhelming amounts of e-mail stress us (seven percent) less than Europeans (17 percent) and much less than in the U.S. (27 percent).
That does not change the general picture, however, that Poland is one of the most stressed nations, placing well above the EU average in all categories. So if you receive a lot of spam, hear every little sound your co-workers make and start sweating in front of the monitor-beware. You have just become as stressed as a Pole.
B.K.
Having no time for family and friends is the second issue. Some 47 percent say work sucks up all of their attention. This result puts Poland on the podium yet again, but this time behind our Mediterranean neighbors, Turkey and Greece.
To add some sugar into this bitter mixture, business relations here won't result in stressful, sleepless nights. Entrepreneurs don't mind employing family members in the company. They also remain on good terms with their associates and partners, with just 18 percent identifying this as a problem area. Overwhelming amounts of e-mail stress us (seven percent) less than Europeans (17 percent) and much less than in the U.S. (27 percent).
That does not change the general picture, however, that Poland is one of the most stressed nations, placing well above the EU average in all categories. So if you receive a lot of spam, hear every little sound your co-workers make and start sweating in front of the monitor-beware. You have just become as stressed as a Pole.
B.K.
