What is Denmark’s secret to a happy work-life balance?

Mr. Viking is another Dane who recalls the notion that bosses trust their employees to do the right thing. He takes the example of the staff at the Tivoli Gardens theme park in Copenhagen, where they follow the three-metre rule.

The idea is that you are the CEO of everything within a three meter radius. “If you see litter within a three-metre radius, you pick it up, and if you see a guest looking for something, you stop and ask them if you can help them,” says Mr Wiking.

She adds that when employees have their own space, it can help them feel empowered and appreciated, which goes a long way toward contributing to a healthy sense of place about their workplace.

Janine Leschke, a professor at Copenhagen Business School’s department of management, society and communication, says that Denmark is definitely not “a work culture where you have to be ready all day and all evening to show up. he always works hard.”

Instead, he says, flexibility during the workday gives employees the time they need to pick up their children from school or daycare, for example. “The day doesn’t have to officially end at five or six, and that appeals to many Danes with children.”

Mr. Hoges has found that some employers in the United States expect their employees to respond to unusual emails or messages on weekends. This kind of overtime doesn’t fit his vision of a positive work-life balance.

“If I was expected to take calls on the weekend, that would be a huge red flag for me and I would probably change jobs,” he says. “But this has never happened to me or anyone I know.”