Good afternoon from Avenue Louise. It's Katie Westwood holding the pen on Belgium in Brief today.
Where are you reading this newsletter? If the answer is perched at your desk – sandwich in one hand, phone in the other – then perhaps you might wish to join my new club, the WBNMA (Workplace Billy No Mates Anonymous).
Regular contributor Kristina Chetcuti has written a health and wellbeing column today that resonated with this grumpy 40-something. Kristina explores a phenomenon that has become quite common post-Covid: office workers eating alone at lunchtime.
Culture has always played a part in this. When I worked in the UK at the start of my career, it was pretty normal to keep oneself to oneself at lunchtime and wolf down a soggy sandwich alone.
But one of the things I really liked about moving to Belgium in the 2010s was the sociable lunch culture. In the last office I worked in, we would all down tools at 12:30 and go as a group to the canteen. It was a great way to get to know colleagues and even make friends.
Now those habits seem to have dropped off – and there’s a clear generational divide. According to a recent poll, just 12% of French workers over the age of 49 regularly lunched alone, but for employees under 25, that number shot up to 29%.
Kristina looks at the issue from both sides, explaining why Gen Z colleagues are pushing back against societal expectations, but also setting out the benefits of a good chinwag over lunch.
Staying with the workplace, reporter Raphaël Jucobin looks at how salaries in Belgium compare with other OECD countries. As Raphaël explains, while gross average salaries here are relatively high, it might not always feel that way for many workers given the country’s high rates of tax. Read the full story here.
Elsewhere, News Editor Ugo Realfonzo reports on the controversial renovation of an important part of Brussels’ architectural history. The Atlas Brewery in Anderlecht, which sits in a historical industrial complex, is set to be partially demolished to make way for a housing and office development.
The site has been left in a state of decay for decades, but opponents of the project are campaigning to maintain the integrity of the building, arguing that a partial demolition would “forever jeopardise the potential it holds”. Read the full story here.
Following the publication of a report by Belgian child protection agency Child Focus, Health and Social Affairs Reporter Rita Alves looks at alarming recent data on child abuse in Belgium. Last year, a record number of children in this country were victims of grooming and online sexual exploitation and Child Focus is calling for urgent action to protect vulnerable children.
Finally, reporter Anas El Baye gives us the latest updates on the party organised by the US Embassy in Belgium to celebrate 250 years of American independence. Access to parts of Cinquantenaire Park could be restricted for over a week to accommodate the event.
I’m just heading off now to bully my Gen Z colleagues into eating with me. They WILL enjoy it.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at k.westwood@brusselstimes.com.
Bye for now!
Katie
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. How do Belgian salaries compare with other countries?
Belgium saw an increase in its gross average salary last year, but saw its figure grow at a slower rate than in other countries. Read more.
2. Dear Kristina: ‘Is office lunch still a thing in Brussels?’
Up until 10 years ago, lunchtime for office workers was a communal affair. Around 13:00, someone would push their chair back and say, “Fancy lunch?”. Read more.
3. Iconic piece of Brussels brewing heritage is under threat
Local campaigners have sounded the alarm over a renovation project involving an emblematic old Brussels brewery on the canal. Read more.
4. ‘Grim record’: Sharp rise in child grooming cases in Belgium as agency calls for action
A record number of children in Belgium were victims of grooming and online sexual exploitation last year. Read more.
5. US embassy’s July 4th party may shut off parts of Cinquantenaire Park for days
Brussels authorities say they are trying to minimise disruption for joggers, walkers and daily park users. Read more.
6. Migrant return hubs are ‘sore point’ within Belgian Government
Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, said 80% of rejected asylum seekers remain in Belgium, calling this situation "unacceptable". Read more.
7. New Belgian chocolate guide ranks 19 companies
"Belgian consumers have significant influence, provided they have access to reliable and clear information." Read more.
