Scandinavian countries were the first to implement a four-day business week (*), resulting in a massive productivity boost across multiple industries. Today, many countries worldwide, particularly in the EU, are discussing implementing similar policies. Learn more about Scandinavian work-life balance: How it influences employee productivity.
Of course, on a governmental level, it may take a while before such regulations become common — if they ever will be because authorities still have a lot of reservations regarding the four-day workweek. On a private level, however, the shift is absolutely possible — besides, it has already been largely facilitated by remote work during the Covid-19 crisis.
On the other hand, one should remember that a four-day workweek is only the tip of the iceberg in the Scandinavian work-life balance. It does have plenty of benefits for today’s competitive marketplace — especially for boosting employee productivity and ensuring they stay motivated and loyal to the company. It is possible to maintain this balance in most countries and industries. Still, one should not forget that top Scandinavian enterprises, in Sweden in particular, have been experimenting with this model since the 1970s. Below are the top highlights of work-life balance practices that Scandinavian countries have been perfecting over the last fifty years.
Emphasis on flexible, remote office hours
This is the primary factor that increases employee productivity and minimizes the chance of occupational burnout. Of course, the system is not without its risks — for the flexible remote work schedule, all team members must be responsible enough to focus on the results and have good time-management skills. On the downside, the result-oriented approach can lead to increased stress and, as a result, productivity loss — at least, in theory.
The Scandinavian practice, however, has already proven the opposite — especially in professions that empathize creativity and human communication. Think about it — the role of HR manager, for example, does not really imply a nine-to-five workweek. On the contrary, human resources is the area that can turn into a 24/7 occupation, especially in international companies with their diverse hours and cultures. So, it is absolutely vital to offer HR professionals some room for freedom and creativity to ensure they can cope with their primary responsibilities stress-free.
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Sustainable business & workplace environment
Sustainable business practices are essential — and not just for the youngest generations of consumers and workforce. Environmentally friendly business practices and regular sustainability reports are a part of Scandinavian work culture, and there are plenty of factual examples to prove that — from retail brands like H&M to industrial manufacturers like Scania.
What does it have to do with work-life balance? Simple — it emphasizes a consistent eco-friendly approach across different spheres of life and eliminates the imbalance between personal and professional areas. It does not blur any lines, of course. But, promoting a sustainable corporate culture is another crucial factor that strengthens employee motivation and loyalty to the brand they represent.
Workplace equality between men and women
The tradition of gender equality in Scandinavian culture is allegedly many centuries old. Still, Viking Age aside, Finland was the first country to establish equal voting rights for women back in 1906. The tradition of equality has continued in the workplace for over a century, emphasizing healthy collaboration without destructive competition. While not directly influencing the work-life balance, this Nordic tradition creates a highly functional, productive, and safe work environment for everyone — something many other countries worldwide are still striving to accomplish.
Extended parental leave for women and men
Perhaps one of the top factors that strengthens equality in the workplace is extended parental leave for both parents. In Sweden, for example, parents are allowed 480 days of parental leave, which can be (and often is) equally divided between two parents. This is one of the primary factors that results in a satisfactory personal and professional life balance, allowing both parents to spend enough time with their children. It also means that neither parent is at a disadvantage when building career and nurturing family relationships — something that eventually translates into healthy, careful balance between personal and professional lives.
People-oriented social welfare systems
This factor may not be so easy to achieve in a different country because, similar to parental leave policies, a lot depends on the state regulations. But on the whole, Scandinavian countries do an excellent job of nurturing their workforce with generous healthcare and vacation policies. Once again, this may not seem like a direct aspect influencing work-life balance. Still, when employees do not need to worry about money and sick leaves, they can lead more relaxed, stress-free lives — both personally and professionally.
Another important factor influencing employee wellbeing in Nordic culture is a strong emphasis on emotional and psychological health. Or rather, the trick is not to subdivide these two because any mental problems resulting from stress or family circumstances are as understandable as occasional flu. No mental health issues are considered shameful, which creates a safe, welcoming environment for everyone.
Overall positivity in the work culture
All of the above strategies go down to a positive, safe environment in the workplace. Even with remote and flexible hours, Scandinavian employees still work as part of the team and are in constant contact with each other. In the US, there has been quite a lot of discussion lately on how to motivate remote workers, but clearly, Nordic cultures figured this out a long time ago. There are regular team-building activities and other offline events where different team members can socialize and get to know each other.
Most importantly, it is a standard part of corporate policy to emphasize personal and professional growth while making sure all employees enjoy enough time to spend with their friends and families or take care of their health and wellbeing. As a result, employees have enough time to rest and socialize outside their professional circle, which usually results in less stress, increased motivation, and boosted productivity levels.
Diversity and integration policies for everyone
Even though most Scandinavian countries remain relatively egalitarian communities, the 2020s focus on cultural diversity and integration for everyone has already become common in the workplace. Of course, Nordic countries may still have something to learn in this area — the tradition is not as long or well-practiced in Scandinavia — yet, at least. A series of anti-discrimination laws are already in full swing, focusing on aspects such as age, gender, sexual orientation, and race. In fact, any Swedish company with over 25 employees is legally obliged to keep promotions and other workplace records to eliminate all instances of discrimination.
As you can now see, the Scandinavian work-life balance is not just about working four days instead of five or spending only part of the total work hours in the office. It is a complex system that advocates health, equality, safety, and flexibility — for everyone. Keeping a balance between work and personal life is not always easy — especially in top managerial positions. Still, there is even more reason to schedule off-work time for highly demanding positions to avoid productivity loss and emotional burnout. And it is certainly easy to achieve this in cultures where most companies understand how to balance work and personal life.
Scandinavian Work-Life Balance: How It Influences Employee Productivity, written for Daily Scandinavian by Dewey Grant. Dewey is an expert in human resources technology and recruitment strategies. He is an employee of SignalHire.com. His extensive knowledge and dynamic leadership have made him a trusted resource for companies seeking top talent and cutting-edge HR solutions. In his spare time, he is raising two daughters.
(*) Editor’s note on four-day business week in Scandinaviia:
In Sweden, a four-day working week with full pay was tested in 2015 with mixed results.
However, 6-hour workday in Sweden boost productivity, energy, and happiness.
Iceland (not a part of Scandinavia, but the Nordic region) trialed a four-day working week and it was an ‘overwhelming success’.
Finland (not a part of Scandinavia, but the Nordic region) did not introduce a four-day workweek, despite widespread claims.
Neither Denmark or Norway have tested a four-day working week.
Belgium became the first country in Europe to legislate for a four-day week. In February 2022, Belgian employees won the right to perform a full workweek in four days instead of the usual five without loss of salary.
Feature image (on top): © Malte Helmhold/Unsplash