The Netherlands made it into the top ten of most attractive countries to work in, but most impressive was how it faired for employee satisfaction. The country ranked first in the category, with 76 per cent of workers saying they were satisfied or very satisfied in their role. The factors contributing most to these contented workers were their salaries, good relationships with their colleagues, a healthy balance between work and family lives, and the ability to work from home (the Netherlands was shown to be the most flexible place to work, with 20 per cent of workers operating from home and a third enjoying flexible hours).
Workers also ranked the Netherlands highly when it came to optimism, which, as the report suggests, is likely to do with the fact that the Netherlands has a strong economic outlook.
It appears that happiness is something which comes naturally in the Netherlands, and there are plenty more statistics to back this up. For instance, the newly released World Happiness Report 2017 has once again shed favourable light on the country. The annual report looks at how countries rank in terms of citizens’ happiness rather than the strength of its economy, stating that happiness should be “the proper measure of social progress and the goal of public policy”. The Netherlands came in at an impressive sixth place, rising one place from the previous year.
What’s more, back in 2013, a Unicef report found that, overall, Dutch children are the happiest in the world, suggesting it may be the perfect place to raise a family.
With so many positives going for it, it’s no wonder the Netherlands has many expats now calling it home.
However, ranking so highly in certain areas comes with an inevitable downside; the Netherlands can be a very expensive place to live. But a financial adviser can help. Smart management of finances so that you make the most of your money is enough to boost anyone’s happiness, and an expat financial adviser from Blacktower can help you with this.
While Blacktower won’t necessarily help you to find satisfaction in your job, we can give you expert guidance on how best to manage your money. When you’re moving around the world – whether it be for work, leisure, or, as seems to be the case in the Netherlands, both – Blacktower can help get your finances in check wherever you end up.
Contact our expat financial advisers in the Netherlands can give you all the guidance you need.
This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
Time may be running out for British retirees to move to Portugal in order to take advantage of its valuable Non-Habitual Resident tax programme. Currently, talk abounds that the scheme will come to an end in 2018 and be replaced with a 10% net expat tax regime from the first day of the New Year. Luckily, for those who feel they may be tempted by a move to Portugal, any move before this cut-off date will ensure that they are able to enjoy the benefits of NHR status as they currently stand.
The minutes have been published for October’s Financial Conduct Authority board meeting* in which the organisation discussed, among other regulatory matters, pension losses and the kinds of situations that might arise in the event of a future economic instability.