Latest news with #BusinessDevelopment
Local Norway
4 days ago
- Business
- Local Norway
'People work so little': Is Norway's famous work-life balance myth or reality?
A father pushes a stroller with a sleepy baby through Oslo's Frogner Park, taking patient sips of his takeaway coffee while listening to a Roman Empire podcast. It's 10 am, and he has already done the laundry, picked up a package at the post office, and is now heading to Deichman Bjørvika for playtime with his 9-month-old daughter. This is a common scene in Oslo during spring—but one that feels slightly unfamiliar to many foreigners. In Norway, parental leave can last up to 12 months , with the option to extend it by another year as unpaid leave. This includes the mother's leave before and after birth, as well as a period that can be divided between both parents. Parents can choose between 49 weeks with 100 percent pay or 59 weeks with 80 percent pay. READ ALSO: Which Scandinavian country has the most generous parental leave system? In practice, this means fathers get time with their babies—handling diapers, vaccine appointments, and park walks—while mothers return to work. Even after the kids start attending barnehage (kindergarten) at age one, or later when they begin school, parents have the right to stay home on sick days or attend school meetings—without office bureaucracy. 'I prioritise my family, especially the kids. Fortunately, I can work flexibly in terms of time and location, so I manage it well," says Lu Liu, a 42 year-old mother of two working in Business Development in Oslo. Photo credit: Lu Liu. "I also prioritise my physical and mental well-being by going to the gym, meeting friends, and attending activities,' she says. Originally from China, Lu moved to Norway in 2008 and is one of many international workers who have embraced the country's work-life norms. Advertisement Vidhi Kumar, aged 40, who moved to Asker from India eight years ago, says: 'there really is work-life balance here!' READ ALSO: Five Norwegian lifestyle habits to adopt in 2025 (and one to avoid) 'Many countries say this, but Norway lives it. What I mean is that an employee is not a corporate slave working all the time and burning the candle at both ends," she say. "Every employee is valued as a person—with passion for work, but also for life outside of work. This is deeply rooted in the culture. From barnehage onward, you're taught that you are your own person and must be independent.' Photo credit :Vidhi Kumar Vidhi has always worked in fast-paced environments like startups, and in 2023, she co-founded the fintech company Cardboard. She believes Norway is a great place to take up hobbies after work for a healthier lifestyle - but she also warns about an unexpected twist. 'People spend way too much time talking about their after-work activities at work—skiing, running, and so on. So if you're not into any hobby or activity, you can feel quite shut out of these conversations. Advertisement "Given the cultural and language differences already, this becomes another alienating factor for people from abroad who are more work-oriented.' says Vidhi. The full advantages of Norway's work-life balance aren't always immediately apparent—and they depend on the industry. READ ALSO: The Norwegian work culture foreigners should be aware of Sagar Sen, aged 43, moved to Norway in 2012 and started working in a research lab, where many of his colleagues were young, highly dedicated, and often from abroad. The work culture reflected that intensity. Some weren't focused on starting families, and the nature of research meant long hours. 'At first, it seemed that while researchers had to put significant effort into securing grants, the administrative staff had more regular and predictable work schedules Photo credit: Sagar Sen "That contrast stood out to me. But later, as I began securing my own funding and gaining more autonomy—while also starting a family—I came to appreciate the Norwegian model on a much deeper level,' he said. An avid skier and rower, Sagar has generally appreciated the shorter, more structured workdays in Norway compared to other countries. However, he notes that the social aspect of work-life balance can feel limited. 'Informal moments to connect with colleagues—like extended lunch breaks or spontaneous gatherings—are often brief or need to be carefully planned in advance," he says. Advertisement "For example, lunch typically lasts about 20 minutes, which is quite different from countries like France, where longer lunches create room for rich, unstructured conversations. Similarly, meeting up with colleagues or friends outside work usually requires advance planning, which can sometimes feel a bit rigid.' 'While I understand and respect the value Norwegians place on efficiency and personal time, I sometimes miss the spontaneity and slower rhythm of social life I've experienced elsewhere. The overall pace of life, while calm, can also feel fast because everything is so streamlined and organised," he says. Less is more? "Independence" is a word that comes up frequently in conversations about work-life balance in Norway. Employers trust you to do your job and manage your time responsibly. 'At my first job here, I was honestly surprised that working so little was even possible," says 30-year old Ksenia Karpova. "I couldn't believe how people just came and went without checking in with a manager. "They trusted you to get the job done. Where I'm from, the culture is completely different—people stay late at the office to show they're serious about their job,' says Russian national Ksenia, who has lived in Oslo for five years. Photo credit: Ksenia Karpova In Norway, a normal full-time workweek is 37.5 hours, divided into 7.5-hour workdays, excluding lunch. Core time is usually between 9 am and 3 pm, and the flexible time system is generally built on trust. 'That said, as a foreigner, I've definitely felt that I'm expected to deliver more and be more accountable," says Ksenia. "I feel we have slightly less flexibility and often end up taking on more tasks than our Norwegian colleagues. We know we're lucky to have the job—and we work hard to keep it," she says. Still, she agrees with the popular perception of Norway's work-life balance. 'It's much better than back home. Being able to go to the gym or even the beach at 4 pm? That's something I really appreciate.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GlobalData announce the Global Automotive Outlook Conference 2025
To help you keep ahead, GlobalData are excited to announce the Global Automotive Outlook Conference, to be held at the historic Gem Theatre, Detroit, Michigan, on October 21, 2025. At the event, held in one Detroit's most beautiful and dramatic locations, you can join industry experts from GlobalData and discover invaluable insights on key areas such as the economy, vehicle sales, production forecasts, and electrification trends. Interested? Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details on registration and agenda. Don't miss this opportunity to network with industry leaders, gain strategic insights, and position yourself for success in the ever-changing automotive landscape. We look forward to welcoming you on October 21, 2025. Kind Regards, Amber HerrickVice President, Americas Business Development at GlobalData Our conferences are exclusive events for GlobalData customers, but we don't want you to miss out. and quote the conference title to find out how you can grab your place. "GlobalData announce the Global Automotive Outlook Conference 2025" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tahawul Tech
17-06-2025
- Tahawul Tech
Toshiba outlines how best to revitalise your hard drive for a long lifespan
Rainer W. Kaese, Senior Manager Business Development Storage Products Toshiba Electronics Europe, outlines optimal operating conditions for hard drives and the best practices to help avoid device failure. Modern enterprise hard drives are highly reliable and may generally be used beyond their warranty period without any issues and no significant increase in failure rates. However, this is dependent on the drives being well-maintained and operated under optimal conditions. If not, the likelihood of failure rises considerably. But what constitutes optimal operating conditions, and what should companies be mindful of if they wish to maximise the lifespan of their hard drives? Firstly, hard drives require a stable and consistent operation, as they contain moving parts that can be damaged by movements or shocks. Systems equipped with hard drives are therefore best housed securely in a rack. Tower-format devices, which cannot be accommodated in a rack, should be placed in a location where they are not at risk of being accidentally knocked or kicked, and certainly not on a desk, where the tabletop can act as a sounding board, transmitting any vibrations directly to the devices. Furthermore, the hard drives must be securely fastened within the device. Merely placing them inside the casing can lead to minor movements of the drive due to the rapidly spinning disks inside, which may cause damage. Particularly in more affordable systems, manufacturers often use plastic clamps or bays that allow for some 'give' in the hard drives or are themselves not completely secure within the casing. In such cases, it is advisable to properly secure the hard drives and bays, for example, with small rubber pieces or use additional screws, if possible. High Temperatures Shorten Lifespan Enterprise hard drives are designed to operate at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C. However, this only means that they will function correctly within this range – at higher temperatures, the electronic and mechanical components, such as the spindle bearings, wear out more quickly. Operating at the upper end of the specified range is not ideal either, as it can lead to a higher probability of failure. The Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) listed in the datasheets refers to an average operating temperature of no more than 40°C. For most enterprise hard drives, this is 2.5 million hours, corresponding to an Annualised Failure Rate (AFR) of 0.35%. This means that out of 1,000 drives, three to four are expected to fail over the course of a year. At temperatures above 40°C, the failure rate increases – typically by about 30% for every 5°C rise in temperature. Therefore, continuous operation of hard drives at 55°C can raise the average failure rate (AFR) to 0.76%, leading to the expected failure of seven to eight drives within a year. Overloading Increases Wear and Tear Furthermore, usage also affects the lifespan of hard drives, as they are designed for a specific operational duration and workload. In the case of desktop drives, this is typically 16 hours per day and 55 TB per year – these models are unsuitable for network-attached storage (NAS) systems and servers, where they run 24/7 and are subjected to higher workloads. On the other hand, NAS and enterprise hard drives can handle round-the-clock operation and manage 180 TB and 550 TB, respectively. It doesn't matter whether the data is being written or read. Suppose companies want to maximise the lifespan of their hard drives. In that case, they should ensure not to exceed the specified workloads, protect the drives from shocks and vibrations, and operate them consistently at no more than 40°C on average over their lifetime. Then, using them beyond the warranty period is usually not an issue – however, regular data backup becomes even more important. Image Credit: Toshiba
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New memory care unit opens in Elgin, fills a growing need
ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) — A new memory support unit just opened in Central Texas. This comes as the Alzheimer's Association said the disease is a growing public health crisis across the state. The Elgin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center now has its new unit for those needing that specialized care. 'If we build it, they'll come because there's just no, there's no availability.' Seth Ferguson, Regional Director of Sales and Business Development Regional Director of Sales and Business Development Seth Ferguson said available beds in Central Texas can be hard to come by. 'The company that I work for, which is Wellsential Health, we in the Austin area have four other facilities with units, or what we call an Alzheimer's or locked unit, and they're completely full,' Ferguson said. With more people moving east towards Bastrop County, Ferguson said they decided to expand part of their building. He said they already have a dozen people on their waitlist to move in. He hopes to have them in there within the next month or so. Ferguson said they're looking forward to helping more families. 'We sell peace of mind, and that's what we want them to know,' Ferguson said. 'When they bring their loved one here, and we were able to care for them, that they know when they leave, that we're going to take care of their loved one.' With more available beds comes the need for more health care workers. Through the nonprofit health care training program, Dwyer Workforce Development, Ferguson said they train Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) at the center. He said they currently have 12 CNAs in their class. After getting their license, Ferguson said they'll get to work for the company. Combatting Alzheimer's is also top-of-mind for state officials. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made it his fifth priority this legislative session. It involves creating the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas. In a press release from last November, he wrote 'this investment will draw leading researchers and companies to Texas and require them to be based in Texas, leading to their further investment in our state.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
