You know you are working in Sweden when…
- … your coffee consumption grow exponentially every week.
- … you attend meetings to plan other meetings.
- … you count time in weeks instead of days and months.
- … your employer is asking you to go on holiday.
- … holiday plans is the hottest conversation topic during your fika breaks.
- … your social life consists of an AW once every six weeks.
- … you lose it if someone wants to discuss anything work-related after 2 pm on a Friday.
- … your lunch comes in a plastic box.
- … you stare into space when walking past a colleague.
- … everything is “kanon“, “fantastiskt“, “super” and “toppen“.
- … you celebrate the 25th every month.
- … at least one of your colleagues is on VAB today.
- … there are at least four different types of milk in the work fridge.
- … you are looking forward to getting some of your tax money back just before summer.
- … you don’t answer your work phone during weekends.
- … you find it perfectly reasonable to leave early if it’s sunny.
- … you got your job through a personal contact although you don’t have the right qualifications.
- … you have to complete all your time-sheets and travel reports on your own.
- … at least one of your colleagues is feeling kränkt.
- … you can’t expect any significant raise although you have performed better than ever this year.
- … you are expected to understand Norwegian.
- … you own a pair of shoes dedicated to wear only indoors.
- … you find grey an interesting colour.
- … you say yes when you mean no.
- …
- …
- … [anything else — please comment]
The book Working in Sweden helps you to navigate Swedish work culture.
