Are you preparing for a cooperation with a Swedish company? Many things during this adventure might surprise you! The working culture in Sweden is very different from the Polish one and also significantly differs from the work patterns known to us from for example the USA. Work-life balance, avoiding competition… How do they do it? What is worth knowing about the Swedish working culture?
More than a coffee break
In Sweden fika, the coffee break, is very important. However, this is more than just using a coffee machine. Fika is important because we take our eyes off the computer, stretch our legs, rest a while, and talk to colleagues – exchange industry news, and maybe even help each other in current projects. In Sweden, it is believed that fika plays a significant role in the functioning of a company, because it increases employee productivity. This is actually confirmed by studies that enourage the need to take a break every 90 minutes.
Lagom idea
What is the idea behind “lagom”? This word can be translated to “just the right amount”. The Swedes apply it to every aspect of life, but when related to work, lagom is of particular importance. We are familiar with the working mode focused on multitasking, because such multitasking will allow you to complete more tasks in a short period of time. In Swedish business on the other hand, it is believed that actually the opposite is right thing to do. Employees will focus on the task which is the most important at the moment and not get distracted by doing several things at once. An excess of tasks can ruin the balance and result in reduced productivity at work.
The idea of lagom also refers to the fact that being a good enough employee is… enough. And although work is a very important element of life for Swedes, they are guided by the principle that they work to live and not live to work. In their opinion, the constant pursuit of perfectionism and being the best employee of the company is disastrous and basically completely unnecessary. Stress arising in such situations and deterioration of health that follows is not worth it, and surely does not affect positively the employee performance.
Forget about overtime work
In many cultures, including Polish, working overtime is appraised. According to many employers, this means loyalty and commitment to the company, as well as commitment to the duties entrusted. In Sweden, on the other hand, overtime is seen as a sign of inefficiency. You have a certain number of hours of work each day and since you must stay after hours, you simply haven’t planned your tasks correctly.
Longer decision making
In Sweden, companies are generally less hierarchical than in other countries. In practice, this means that every manager is more accessible to his employees. It also means that due to the flat organization, sometimes it is necessary to wait a bit longer for the Swedes to make a decision. It will not be taken immediately by only one, particular manager. Why? A typical Swede doesn’t feel the need to stand out from the crowd and make decisions on behalf of the entire company. He or she believes in compromises, agreements and joint discussions on a given problem. It is worth preparing therefore that sometimes, taking a decision may take a while.
Forget about competition
Swedes frown at the word “competition” and most companies do not apply the hierarchical organization. Although teams are led by a manager, the communication is much more transparent than in many companies operating through a hierarchical structure. Each decision must be accepted by each team member. Everyone has also the opportunity to present their ideas. The Swedes assume that the whole group is responsible for successes, not independent units. That is why in Swedish companies there is a spirit of cooperation and not competition between employees. After all, everyone works for the good and success of the same company.
Take time off
The Swedes take their holidays and days off, very seriously. There is not one employee who will not take long summer vacation in order to get a proper rest. And nobody will even think about work during that time – vacation is aimed to fully focus on resting. A rested employee is an efficient and productive employee.
Working culture in Sweden differs from the patterns we might know. Therefore, when preparing for cooperation with a Swedish company, it is worth knowing what to expect.