Swedish Midsummer

Midsummer is an important holiday for Swedes.

It is always on the first Friday closest to the summer solstice, the timing a legacy of pagan rituals which continue to permeate in modern Swedish culture.

As a friend of mine said ‘Modern Swedish culture is basically secular with Christian baseline and pagan vibes’.

Swedish Midsummer is meant to be taken outdoors and away from the cities.

Check out this video on what it’s all about

Work Life / Balance

“Work / Life balance is unambiguously clear in Swedish office culture – life comes first, especially if it involves family!

Staying late is unexpected and unrewarded, and is more likely to be considered a failure to prioritise rather than any commitment to the work or the employer. Overtime is also expected to be paid for, not voluntarily donated. Suffice it to say, weekend work and ‘always on’ culture is not present in Sweden.

Minimum is 25 days paid holiday a year, with 11 public holidays. You can of course have a contract giving you more”

Productivity

“I find absenteeism can be a problem in Sweden.

We Swedes have a lot of flexibility to come to work and leave when we need to, but people can leave very early to pick up kids, and or stay home to take care of sick kids. Of course family is priority but it can be hard to plan ahead as a result of these values being common.

People also do not go the extra mile to come early for an event or to have “”all hands on deck”” for an important team effort – the 40-hour (or less) workweek is sacred, so it can be impossible to accomplish something on a short deadline with everyone staying late”

Education

“Many excellent Swedish candidates have sparse CVs and even sparser LinkedIn profiles because Swedish recruiters and employers know what specific degrees, schools, and certifications are a signal of talent.

Some Swedish employers will only want to see candidates who have gone to certain schools, worked at certain companies (and not others), and have specific certifications. Whereas in the US a English or political science major with top grades might be recruited by an investment banking firm, Swedish employers are reluctant to look at candidates who have changed careers, have followed unconventional paths, or have educational training from unrecognized places. Self-taught individuals have a challenge finding work.”

Personal Branding

“There is some sense that the consensual, egalitarian and  “jantelag” meaning you can’t brag or aim publicly for success. There seems to be a taboo about standing out too much (“”ta för mycket plats”” – take up too much space) in the workplace. Colleagues may not appreciate ambition, out of the box ideas, working extra, etc. It is the norm to try to fit in, not make too many waves, not stand out too much, do a good job, and not take individual credit for accomplishments. Social expectation is to the collective endeavour and so this may inhibit personal branding efforts. This represents a potential handicap in an increasingly networked and globalised economy”

Employment Law

“Lagen om AnställningsSkydd”  translates as “The law of employment protection”. The law is set out to protect the employee, not the employer. Employment contracts usually have a 6 month trial period, during which either employer or employee can terminate the contract for no reason. After 6 months it automatically becomes permanent and it will be difficult for the employer to fire the employee, even if they are poor performers.  Labour unions are very strong in Sweden and have a lot of influence”

FIKA

“Literally ‘coffee and cake break’, Fika is an important feature of Swedish culture, specifically the idea of taking a pause, and socialising with your teammates. It is important for foreigners to participate fully in this!”

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