« Back All about Economics

Which Baltic country has the hardest working businesspeople?

By Anatol Steven. 28.05.2013

print | e-mail

KPMG: Latvian businesspeople work longer than those in Estonia or Lithuania

Latvian businesspeople work longer hours than those in neighboring Baltic states Estonia and Lithuania, a new survey by KPMG Baltics says.

Most members of the Baltic business community work between nine and eleven hours a day, the Pulse of the Economy 2013 survey writes. In Latvia, 73% of businesspeople work between nine and eleven hours a day, higher than the figures for Lithuania (69%) and Estonia (65%).

At the same time, 22% of Latvian and 25% each of Lithuanian and Estonian businesspeople work just seven or eight hours a day.

Physical exericise is a little less important for businesspeople in Latvia than for those in Estonia, while Lithuanian colleagues appear to be the least active.

Gym visits are the most popular physical activity for business leaders in Latvian. Those in Estonia prefer cross-country skiing, while Lithuanians perfer swimming.

But whatever the method, physical activities are important for staying fit in business and everyday life. Around 68% of Estonian managers do some kind of sports at least three to four hours a week. The corresponding figure in Latvia is just 44% and in Lithuania 41%.

The number of people not exercising at all is highest in Lithuania (21%), compared to 13% in Latvia and just 2% in Estonia.

The most popular activities in Latvia are gym and fitness, followed by cycling and general exercising; in Estonia, they are cross-country skiing, cycling and running; and in Lithuania they are swimming, tennis and running.

[photo by Valts Kleins / TAVA / Latvia Tourism]