Highly-developed countries with very happy citizens are mostly affected by the problem of a declining population. While some countries have tried to increase the benefits for future parents, others have tried a different approach. For example, a local official from a Swedish town wants to give employees paid sex breaks as a way to promote baby-making.
In the town of Övertorneå, a local councilman by the name of Per-Erick Muskos has recently announced his plan to give the 550 workers employed by the municipality paid breaks in which they can have sex to nurture their relationship with their significant other.
In support of his plan, Muskos cites different studies showcasing the benefits of sex in terms of each individual’s health as well as that of the health of their relationship. He hopes that paid sex breaks will eventually lead to an increase in the town’s declining fertility rate, which mirrors that of the overall country.
According to World Bank Data, back in 1960, Sweden had an average fertility rate of 2.2 children per woman, which is slightly above the replacement rate of the population. However, by 2014, the rate was declined to 1.9 children per woman. This declining rate has had a drastic effect on the population of the Muskos’ town, whose population dropped from over 5,200 people in 2005 to 4,711 in 2015.
The councilman’s plan for paid sex breaks is only meant to amend a current work break, which gives employees a paid one hour off each week in order to exercise and engage in fitness related activities. Muskos states that since sex is also a form of exercise, they should be allowed to go home and enjoy the intimacy of their relationship.
However, paid sex breaks could be easily abused as workers can just use it avoid work for one hour without actually being intimate with their partners. Furthermore, having such a scheduled period for sex does not seem very romantic, making it seem more like an automated task than something enjoyable.
This plan seem to be one of the latest ways Sweden is trying to innovate the workplace and increase the happiness of employees.
What do you think about Swedish councilman’s proposal? How would you spend such a break?
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