For the site Fast Companytwo American journalists met with business, university and government leaders in Finland and Denmark to understand their methods for achieving greater happiness, particularly at work. The key, or rather the two keys, would be transparency and a climate of trust, two qualities that seem to be cruelly lacking in American organizations, which has caused the United States to fall below the bar of the top 20 happiest countries in the world in the World Happiness Report, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, for the first time since its creation in 2012.
But how do the Scandinavians do it? In Finland, “Transparency starts at the highest levels of government. When a Finnish president is sworn in, he resigns from his political party to represent the entire country.”. Note, however: Finland has tumbled in the expat satisfaction rankings, according to the magazine. Fortuneparticularly because of the difficulty of the language and the cost of living.
In Denmark, “Perception of corruption in the public sector is the lowest in the world”Investments in public services and policies for youth employment in Finland and for preserving the dignity of older people in Denmark promote trust and prosperity throughout society.
The American site emphasizes that this logic is not limited to the public sector and also prevails within companies. At Lego, for example, employees benefit from numerous measures in favor of health and well-being and can take “up to 30 weeks of paid leave in case of illness”.
Communication is also essential and is not limited to an agreed exchange of banalities, for fear of harming one’s career. “If you ask a Finn how his day is going, be prepared to listen. For Danes, happiness is about atmosphere, experience and the ability to not be on guard.” In both countries, companies encourage this and have put in place arrangements to ensure that this openness is compatible with psychological safety.
[…] - Courrier international
