Communication and working culture

The informal tone at work

In Denmark, the social conventions at the workplace are very informal. It is quite natural that you express your opinion. Of course, this informal tone does not mean that everything is permitted. It is common practice that people speak politely to each other and avoid creating personal conflicts when they disagree. Almost everyone addresses each other with the informal "du", both to colleagues and managers.

Obviously, it is important to know who can make certain decisions, who the manager is, and who the employees are. But you will probably experience that messages or instructions are rarely formulated directly as orders. They will usually be formulated in a more friendly manner. Instead of saying, "Get this done by Tuesday", a Danish manager may say, for example, "Could you have this finished by Tuesday?" This means the same thing, however. It can therefore be difficult to decode what a Danish manager actually means if you are not used to this way of communicating with a manager. A piece of good advice is to ask if you are in doubt.

It is expected that employees come to meetings and arrive at work on time.

Managers and employees

Many workplaces provide good opportunities for working across departments in the organisation or for going directly to managers with a proposal. It is appreciated when you take initiatives. For example, you should not wait for orders if you encounter a problem; you should instead take initiative to solve it, either alone or together with your colleagues. Of course, this requires that you can work independently and have a good sense of what is feasible.

Even though the tone is informal and managers and employees can discuss many things, it is important to know that the manager is always the person with the ultimate responsibility and the one who takes the final decisions.

Openness and unity

Danes are relatively open when you show an interest in their life, and they can speak about personal matters in a very direct tone. When people know each other, it is easier to show consideration and understanding when necessary and it increases the sense of unity at the workplace.

It is completely natural at nearly all workplaces that employees work together to solve their tasks. This cooperation entails openness, a willingness to share knowledge with colleagues and assisting each other in all ways possible. You help your colleagues, and they help you in return.

Job satisfaction and continuing education

Danes are very devoted to their work, and job satisfaction is a part of the Danish working culture. The philosophy of nearly all workplaces is that employees should feel comfortable at work and avoid stress. For example, you must have sufficient challenges and responsibility, and you should feel that you are valued as part of the community at the workplace. Many companies offer extensive continuing education options.