Wages and wage increases may be higher in some other countries. But Danish job quality is the best in Europe. These are the findings of a survey conducted by ELNEP (European Labour Network for Economic Policy), which indexed job quality by measuring a range of parameters, writes Berlingske Business.

Denmark ranked third in the previous study in 2000. Now Denmark has surpassed Sweden and the Netherlands to claim the top spot.

The parameters used by ELNEP to determine job quality are:

• Trend of wages and salaries and number of working poor
• Forced part-time
• Working hours and possibility of combining work and private life
• Physical and psychical working environments, including stress
• Supplementary training and career opportunities
• Unionisation

Since 2000, things have not changed much among the 15 ‘old’ EU countries of western Europe. However, there are indications that job quality has declined in southern Europe and increased in northern Europe.

Given that job quality from the outset rated better in northern Europe, it appears that disparities between individual EU member countries have increased.