Embrace the Danish practice of hygge, incorporating warm sweaters and cozy coffee sessions, to propel your business productivity to new heights.
In the modern workplace, the CEO of Jotform is striving to create an environment where employees feel engaged and can perform their best work. One unexpected approach to achieving this goal is by incorporating the Danish practice of hygge into the workplace.
Hygge, pronounced "hooga," is a significant part of Danish happiness and can be found in various places, including parks, rivers, and offices. The Happiness Museum, curated by the Happiness Research Institute, showcases the concept and its benefits.
Hygge emphasizes comfort, genuine human connection, and taking intentional breaks to relax. It encourages time away from business pressures to simply be together and enjoy moments. This practice, when applied to the workplace, can lead to increased employee happiness and well-being, reduced stress, and enhanced productivity.
One of the key unexpected benefits of hygge is increased employee happiness and well-being. When employees feel happier outside work, it translates into greater contentment and reduced stress during work hours. Hygge promotes physical and emotional health, reducing absenteeism and promoting less depression, anxiety, increased optimism, lowered stress, and a greater sense of mindfulness.
Another benefit is reduced cortisol and mental overload. Introducing cozy, decluttered, and comforting elements (such as soft textiles, warm lighting, or communal coffee breaks) lowers stress hormones like cortisol and prevents overstimulation, making the workplace more relaxing and productive.
Hygge also fosters stronger social connections. It encourages genuine human connection and communal well-being through shared experiences, which can flatten hierarchies, encourage open communication, and improve teamwork.
Embracing hygge supports a culture where working fewer hours and taking guilt-free time off are normalized, leading to better work-life balance and creativity. This aligns with broader Danish cultural values of trust and security, which relieve individual pressure and enable employees to be more present and focused at work.
Incorporating hygge into downtime helps ensure that one is truly slowing down. Sharing experiences or interests with colleagues during downtime can boost morale. Disconnecting for a short period refreshes the mind and morale.
Cultivating hygge at the workplace can supercharge productivity, according to Dan Rogers, CEO of Peakon. A nice working environment has a huge impact on employee well-being and on an employee's desire to be in the office. Taking a moment to appreciate pleasant details at work, such as a soothing candle or a Monstera plant, can refresh the mind and boost motivation and focus.
The Danish tourism board states that hygge can be applied anywhere. The Happiness Museum, located in a late 18th-century building in Copenhagen's Old Town, is a testament to this. Employees who felt care from colleagues had less emotional exhaustion, less absenteeism, better teamwork, and higher satisfaction.
In conclusion, adopting hygge in the workplace goes beyond ergonomic comfort by creating an emotionally supportive, relaxed, and connected work culture that leads to greater employee satisfaction and creativity, while reducing burnout and stress levels. It's a practice that can be easily incorporated into any workplace, transforming it into a haven of comfort, connection, and productivity.
- The CEO of Jotform is working to create a workplace where employees experience engagement and perform their best work, introducing the Danish practice of hygge as an unconventional method.
- Hygge, pronounced "hooga," is a Danish cultural practice found in various settings, promoting comfort, human connection, and intentional breaks for relaxation.
- Incorporating hygge into the workplace can lead to increased employee happiness and well-being, resulting in reduced stress and boosted productivity.
- Hygge boosts physical and emotional health, lowering stress, depression, anxiety, and increasing optimism, mindfulness, and employees' sense of well-being.
- Hygge also reduces cortisol and mental overload by creating cozy, decluttered, and comforting environments in the workplace.
- Hygge promotes stronger social connections, fostering genuine human interaction, flattening hierarchies, and enhancing teamwork.
- A hygge-centric work environment supports a culture that values work-life balance, creativity, trust, and security, enabling employees to be more present and focused.
- Integrating hygge into downtime can boost morale, refresh the mind, and supercharge productivity, making the workplace a haven of comfort, connection, and creativity.
