Coming into my internship within Copenhagen, I was familiar with the generic and mass-communicated aspects of Danish work culture. I read articles, did prior research work into the workplace culture, and believed to have a general understanding of professional dynamics. And overall, I viewed Danish work culture as a perfected logic and system.
This, however, does not replace the learning and understanding that comes with physically engaging with that culture. At first it was shocking; how easy it was to take time off, the benefits provided to all employees regardless of rank or education, and the general empathy that colleagues have for one another in valuing their personal time.
For it being such a healthy and world-class work culture, I still faced frustrations. Often a task would need to be done at the end of the workday, yet it was always put off till the next day. In my perspective, it makes more sense to finish that task the day of , and then come into the next workday with a fresh task list. Some tasks would only take 15 to 30 minutes to complete past working hours, and I initially thought that this was the better way of working.
Over time, I began to ask why they prioritize leaving exactly at the end of a workday. And soon enough, I understood. Life is taken slower and more intentionally in Denmark. People leave work at 4:00, so they can pick up their children from school, spend time outside before the sun sets, and have ample time for play, cooking, cleaning, and relax each night. My perspective was that these are not dire needs. The Danish perspective is that work is not a dire priority.
I learned that missing one report or filing one night was not going to collapse a business. That an email or a report can be sent the next day, and no one would be upset. However, missing nights of unwinding, which is taking care of personal life, can lead to repeated and consistent stress in all areas of life.
Opening to every aspect of a culture is vital. It feels extremely constrictive, sometimes awkward, to conform to a certain standard opposite to your own. In that process, in that experience, you will reveal aspects of your individual opinions that you never realized were there. They just needed the correct space and environment to challenge.