Before we officially started off the Scandinavia trip, I was able to spend the weekend before in Oslo, Norway with our fellow adventurers, Emma and Leia! In doing so, I was able to look into the work life balance of Norwegians by observing what they tend to do on the weekends. While walking through the streets of downtown Oslo on Saturday, we noticed that several groups of families were walking about, spending time together in the local park and grassy areas. Children often played in the fountains and adults would picnic together or soak up the sun. Friends were catching up in cafes and the roads were a bit emptier than earlier in the day.
Something that stood out to me most was how everything shut down extremely early in the evening. Most places were closed at 6 p.m. at the latest. The only stores that stayed open after that time were emergency convenience stores and grocery stores, all of which also closed around 8 or 9 p.m. It seems that Norwegians value quality time and family time on the weekends, prioritizing healthy habits such as socializing with friends, exercising throughout the day, going to the theater, and spending time outside rather than at home. It also seems that they emphasize shorter work days as a way to keep their work-life balance. On Sunday, as observed by myself and also stated by Emma (who has lived in Norway growing up), most shops are closed, the streets are empty, and no one is out walking about in the morning. Those who are spotted here and there are either headed to church, coming from church, or are just taking a stroll. It was implied that Sunday is a complete rest day, or a day for worship. I had a chance to see several people wearing their Bunads! Seems like such a wonderful way to unwind, relax, and recover from the work week (which, by the way, is only 8 hours a day!).
Now let’s talk about our first official day on the trip. On our first full day in Gothenburg, Sweden, we arrived at our first business visit at Volvo Trucks. We were given a tour on the company’s train that drove us into the facility. Inside, we saw the manufacturing of the trucks and witnessed the entire process from start to finish. The two of us were fascinated by the manufacturing process, but were more interested in asking about our blog topic. Once we finished the tour, we asked our tour guide about work-life balance for the employees at the manufacturing center. During the year, the employees get the entire month of July off and production comes to a halt for the summer. The employees also can choose when they take their time off during other parts of the year, and the choice is flexible for all employees. Many coworkers work well with their teammates and plan vacations based on their other coworkers schedule.
Another feature that we loved about the Volvo Trucks manufacturing plant was the “jungle” area. The area is made up of trees and a fish pond, surrounded by tables for employees to eat lunch or take a break and soak up some nature. This provides employees with a nice place to escape from work and take a break. Volvo Trucks does this to keep their employees motivated and makes them stand out above competitors who do not provide similar features for employees. Volvo Trucks is the first example of a Scandinavian company that allows employees to implement a better work-life balance into their daily routines as well as vacations throughout the year.
We look forward to visiting more businesses and learning more about the work culture of different companies in Scandinavia!
