The bragging thing has a flip side - you can talk about a personal succes if you emphasize your own FEELING of accomplishment instead of the task - that way, others don't feel like you're bragging but rather that you're happy about accomplishing something that you personally found difficult!
As a Dane, let me tell you; don’t ever start getting offended of a Dane asks you “why?”…..a Dane asking you “why?” Is not questioning your authority or intelligence, it’s more like the opposite; where a Dane sees you as the person who’s knowledgeable and understands what’s going on. If however you are holding a team meeting or doing a presentation and no one asks questions or says anything; then it can be a very bad sign, especially if they sit any look at each other without saying anything….because that can be a sign that they have no faith or trust in you and even see you are completely incompetent.
I have worked in both America and Ireland, and let me tell you, I quickly lost all my faith in management because they could never answer “why?” and got uncomfortable quickly and basically started acting like little crybabies every time! Apparently in other countries managers are just robot puppets who only know how to look at spreadsheets (something an 8 year old could do). Also micromanagement is considered harassment in Denmark
a lack of questions can also be a sign that your presentation wasn't understood and took so long that people started to fall asleep, and thus didn't pay enough attention to ask anything. I've been to a lot of meetings like that, where at the end you've forgotten what the presenter was talking about. This is especially true for the "this could have been an email" type meetings
Danish/Scandinavian work places can be awkward for outsiders, much like Denmark, in general The flat leadership is odd for non-Euros, but it grows on you and makes you feel empowered, in your own abilities...questions are just to help the understanding and the how-to to assist in a project p.s. your pronunciation is getting really good, guys 😃 hello from Hundested 🌸🌱
It’s definitely an adjustment, but nothing that can’t be adapted to with the help of a good leader and supportive team. Thanks for watching as always 😃🇩🇰😃🇩🇰
@@williamjones4716 Your write, at first, raised my hackles, then after rereading it a few times (because it didn't make sense) I got it right, true, even swedes don't always understand why we ask why
Always looking forward to these, they are so spot on, very good observations. On the question of worklife, maybe not invite the entire workplace to a BBQ, but if you click with someone, do approach them and ask/tell them you would like to socialize and ask if they would like to visit or go out for something. I would think standing out in you dresscode, is all about your attitude, if the thinking is that "Dress for the job you want", you are in big trouble, if you dress in a tie everyday because you like it, depending on what you do of cause, I doubt anyone would care really.
@@williamjones4716 I guess that depends on how many Danes you have seen :), I can still do it, but I don't think it will be pretty, its been ages since I have tied a tie.
@@williamjones4716 You mean self strangulation isn't a Danish thing? ;) And it's about the same in Sweden. Most men have a tie, they might have trouble finding it though, the last time they wore it was most likely a very long time ago. :)
Mange tak for en igen sjov og spændene video De Herrer 🙂 t's fun to hear what others think about us here in Denmark. Have always thought that we in Denmark are not that much different from other places around 🙂
Thank you so much for your videos. I am waiting for my Visa so that I can move to Denmark and am watching most of your videos so that I can get the inside scoop.
Great content you´re creating across your videos. It quite funny how precise you´re pointing things out. From my point of view you´re spot on 99% of the time. Im working in an american company in Denmark, with many nationalities, that is fantastic. I had both a German and french team manager, even inside EU the managing style is very different. You and other content creators from us (like living young) seems to have a overwhelming positive impression, despite some crazy behaviour. Thats make me happy and proud.
I had a colleague who always wore a red tie on Fridays (red Friday he called it). Speaking of culture, this was a suite-and-tie company so him choosing a red tie was standing out. But he was doing it for fun and his own enjoyment to break free a little bit and the rest of the office partially adopted Red Friday. It became a fun talking point. “Yeah my red shirt was in the dryer, no this pink shirt was as close as I could get, do red earrings count?” I never thought about it before this video but the way he stood out ended up being for the benefit of the team spirit and so it worked really well!
On the whole sent thing, in Denmark there is also a lot of focus on, none sented shower products and landry detergent. And the sented ones are quite mild, so we might not be used to as strong sents as other countries might be.
in recent years we've also gotten more focus on how strong scents can be problematic for people with asthma. It is also very distracting when you work in a small office and there's a strong scent coming from the one corner. That's also part of the reason you don't eat where you work; the smell can be obnoxious
I watch quite a lot of air travel videos and one of the key safety aspects is for pilot teams to question each other. If the first officer feels intimidated by the captain he may fail to point out missed tasks. incorrect settings etc. Perhaps in most office settings this does not have the same life or death implications but questions can still help to avoid misunderstandings and project failures.
I am danish living in the UK and I have not been home for a long time and really enjoy watching your channel to remind myself how danish are 🤣 love your videos
No, thank you both 😊 keep up the good work 👍 It made me understand myself abit more, because I always question things in work. Now I know why I do that, because I am danish hehe
The way you said Rasmus was impressive. I've heard it said in so many ways and yours is by far the best from any foreigner that didn't move here as a child. (That I've heard spoken at least)
@@RobeTrotting Your welcome. I understand the shyness, when you don't feel strong in a specific language. It is so nice hearing an outside perspective on Denmark, because it gives room for thought on where we can improve.
I really love Danish culture and I am fond of their way of asking questions without being afraid of asking why and I reckon that is why they have been thaugh to do so while at school and it should be something that should be teached also in other countries as it is pivotal to ask the reasons why a thing is the way it is so as to be able to fully understand it. Greeting from Italy
First point is actually very interesting. In Sweden my boss saw us few Danes on the team as "problem children" because every time there was a new process we always asked why...especially if we couldn't see a benefit to the way we work by making those changes. I'm not saying all Swedish bosses don't understand that we don't mean to be difficult but it did surprise me that a country so close to our own wasn't used to people asking questions
It is quite different in Norway when it comes to lunch. Some places have lunch together, while other jobs allow you to eat by your desk. Maybe it's so because lunch in Norway is only 30min. We also have this 'matpakke' culture that doesn't exist in Sweden and Denmark. Many bring with them their own food for lunch instead of paying for food at lunch. Interesting video.
Madpakker is completely normal in Denmark. Firstly most public servants bring their own. Secondly a LOT of companies do not offer lunch, so it's not a Norwegien thing in particular.
@@MichalBergseth-AmitopiaTV Yeah it was only after 7 years in the school system I got to a school where it was an option to buy food instead of bringing my own food, and even then most people still brought food from home.
It definitely exists in Sweden! There are lots of people who bring leftovers to work, and especially university for lunch. That's why there's always a few microwave ovens at least. Or a whole wall in university lunch rooms.
It also goes the other way with regards to workplace do's and dont's - I am Danish, but I have worked in the US, Ireland, and Singapore - Especially SIngapore was a struggle for me to begin with.
@@chengifoo7603 It was a lot more conservative than what I was used to, not just professionally, but also culurally. I got used to it though, and eventually really enjoyed my time there.
@@GrinddalCPH thanks, I'm Singaporean but living and working in Denmark now so was kinda of surprised to hear your remarks as I have met a lot of non-Singaporean friends in Singapore and none has ever mentioned that to me.
@@chengifoo7603 Maybe it felt more intense to me, as I was working in a very flat organisation in Denmark, and the office in Singapore was very hierarchical.
While I agree with some of your statments I also think it depends on where in Denmark you live. I think there’s a big difference between working in Copenhagen (or sjælland in general) and working in Jytland. Over here in Jytland we find the people in Copenhagen are a bit stuck-up and difficult to get close too.
In some companies you are told not to speak about the job when you eat. If you do that they don't want to speak with you. Lunchtime are workfree. It realy have to be a problem if you want to speak about at lunchtime.
About the "Lone Wolf"-mentality, I think the reason why it doesn't work very well in Denmark is because of Janteloven (I.E "you are not better than the rest of us")
Lunch. I am an introvert and use my lunch time to recharge... I often do a couple of errands and have lunch alone reading my book on my phone. How would that work in Denmark? Your video makes it seem like I should expect to spend it with colleagues, and that feels to me like a "working lunch." I have those occasionally, but usually planned well in advance and paid for by the company.
If there's one thing Danes are especially good at, it's respecting other peoples' boundaries and need for alone-time/privacy. :D Just grab a corner table or something in the lunch room, lean back and enjoy your book. You'll have your peace and quiet, and still qualify for participating in lunch time.
Take a page out of the Danish playbook, and just tell it as it is. It might not seem that way, but Danish culture has a lot of respect for introvert values/virtues.
The scent issue actually ties into the “don’t stand out too much” , and the “you are trying too hard”… we are here to work, not to be distracted by scent-attacks.. Also.. many people don’t seem to know about scent-allergies.. example.: I will literally get sick from the scent of lilacs, so my mum had to sacrifice her tree, “for the common good”.. This is also applicable at a work place, where strong scents are discouraged because we all have to thrive there ☺️
About strong scents: In the 1850es, there was a drive for improved worker health under the slogan: "Soap, Sunlight and Steady Habits" or some such (There was a similar slogan for child-rearing going "Calm, Cleanliness and Predictability") . It's been attributed to partly cause the later Danish minimalism to some extent, and seems to have stuck to this day: Most Danes consider strong scents an attempt at masking poor hygiene, just like a cluttered room will make a lot of us think "😳How on Earth are you going to keep this place CLEAN?!"
We have a saying that there is no stupid question...but ask me what time it is...hear the answer...and then ask the same again and once again...now after the first time that is a stupid question 😆
I'm a Swede and I have been in awkward situations since I have come off as more enthusiastic, having more opinions, and being more ambitious than others. And that style of being honest, doesn't fit well with the Scandinavian culture. The Swedish way of collaborating is by agreeing with people and do your part of it. And yes, we are all supposed to be equals. Ironically, in some settings it is more about how we move forwards rather than what is the problem.
Regarding #2, it depends. In large media agencies, and other stressful industries I would assume, it's not at all uncommon for people to take lunch from the cantine back to their table to work through lunch. Though 90% of people still sit together eating, obviously. Just saying it is something that definitely happens :)
I laver altid god video håber i bliver her i Denmark i er så meget velkommen her👍🏻😊 You always make good videos, I hope you stay here in Denmark, you are very welcome here👍🏻😊 hilsen Michael from glad Jylland.
that is true love the way you guys see things that many of us dont see becoures it is normal for us, thank you for being awesome ( det er så sandt, elsker at I ser tingende på den måde, som mange af os ikke ser, fordi det er normalt for us, tak for at være komplet vidunderlige )
jeg elsker så maget hjeres vidoer for 1 grund . i rammer 99% af gangne lige på kornet ... og mange gange . når i siger noget om danmark og dansker og man tænker efter .. kommer der tidt et gud . det er sku da rekti det har jeg enlig aldrig tænkt over . så man bliver bevist om sider af sig selv .. som man nok ikke har tænkt over før i isene setter det :) og tak for det :)
Strong perfume/cologne/etc, is a problem for asthmatics, and can in fact be dangerous. Many are also allergic to it, and in extreme cases, in can cause anaphylatic shock, which again can be fatal. Here in Norway, if you are wearing too much of such, expect comments about it the very first day at work.
I can't talk about office happenings, BUT, as a blue collar worker (scaffolder), you will NEVER tell me how to build a scaffold, that is if you want it to be safe, you will say something like "I think we need to do it so and so, BECAUSE it is for this and that use". I might ask why, as you state it is to verify that I get what you want accomplished, and I might even suggest doing it another way. Anyway, som sædvanligt lærer jeg nyt om danskere hver gang jeg ser en af jeres videoer. Fortsæt jeres gode videoer
The places I've liked the most have been the places where the "boss" wasn't too sophisticated to blend with the teams he was trying to control. We all knew that he had to answer calls, but when he's willing to participate in pun-battles or singstar... You get to know that there's just a regular person in there. Ask yourself, would I perform something out of the ordinary better if it's a friend in need or because I'm told to?
I'm highly sensitive, supposedly had to do with me because Autistic, to scents and they are overwhelming in the US. I'm happy that's not the case in Denmark.
I had no idea that the Danes (kind of like us Poles) may perceive some suggestions (on how to improve their work) rather negatively. In my company we often note how something can be done more efficiently and save time as well as money, but we have been given a cold shoulder by Danes a lot in regards to these discussions and I have always wondered why that is. Is it actually that big of a deal? If so, can someone please explain to me why that is?
Ask questions yes. And I would say ask more than one the same question. But not so the other hear it ;-) Because you might get another answer. Then ask one more ;-)
Don't skip lunch. That's a good start. Whether you are in an office or laying bricks, if you just hint a challenge you'll drown in good advice from people who have been in your situation. And, that's not a bad thing, we're a team. Edit: As an apprentice, I used to sit with other apprentices, but that was right next to the engineers who loved small single-task challenges. So, what could have taken 15 hours to solve, took just 15 minutes, and they had time enough to tell why it worked.
@@williamjones4716 that's why we don't start difficult tasks before noon 😆 just kidding of course. There are jobs you just can't leave for 30 minutes on schedule. But often people have 3-5 tasks in the pipeline, and they'll try to schedule them so that lunchtime comes convenient. No need to waste work time for an unattended windows install or watching concrete get solid. Anyway, if a task is too important we just skip that one lunch and leave early or show up late tomorrow instead. The boss will always approve that strategy. But in many jobs where the brain is constantly the main tool, it's a good idea to let it be for a little while and go have lunch, talk about your difficulties with others and perhaps get some advice.
Also do not break the line of command even when participating in an audit were you are asked to speak out. At my second job I remebered we were discussing issues with a fortcoming software release. Participants was our development team, my team leader, his boss as well as the owner. We were asked about any risks that could postpone that release. After a breif of silence I raised my hand. "Our comboboxes are not function at all" I said. It was to some degree thrue but I didn't inform my teamleader about it, I didn't even inform our developer about it so I put them all in a bad spot. Back that time I thought only of the importance of me looking cool not thinking about the team. Sure I got the boot.
Vidensdeling. Knowlege sharing is a thing. Danes like to share knowlege about things on the job. In order to finish the job best way possible they like to share knowlege about problems and solutions regarding the job.
my experience as a dane is that it matters most at the job interview rather than after you got the job. but it might be different at the different workplaces? 🙂
Regarding the part of danes dont like to be told how to do ones job: personally for me, it has to do with the fact that if I know what I am supposed to do, I am trusting that my manager trust me to do my job, and that I take my responcebillity serious, that I get the job done, dont skirt my responcebillity, dont slack off etc. I would not like someone watching me over my shoulder, that would mean they did not trust me to my job. It depends on the intent behind it. I you frase it like can I show you better way to work your assigment, with the intent of helping you, thats something all together different. In Denmark we have a saying: " frihed under ansvar" -translated to you have freedom to act as you want to, but with the understanding that you have to take responcebillity for the consequences of your action. In Denmark our society is mostly based on trust. Trust in your fellow human beeing, your politicians, police etc. Not that there dont happens mistakes, crimes or injustice, but generally we believe and trust that other people will act with the best intentions. We tend to have a more collective/ team- work mindset than individual mindset. Most danish people believe that as citizens in a society you have a obligations to other members of your society. Thats why danish wellfare is so strong and build upon the notion that we take care of our own. Especially the most vulnerable, who cant take care of themselves.
I think the smell thing might go a bit deeper did you think see I think this quite recent directions to me to be honest partially because the the natural eco organic movement has had a lot of success and I think possibly even though this attitude existed before it was strengthened bye why a strong awareness other things like perfume allergies
I don't know why, but your observations are incredibly interesting somehow, like seeing myself through a different lens than what I'm used to. I wonder if you find that peoples' expectations of Americans are somewhat odd? I keep arguing with colleagues about US policies and politics, because they keep applying Danish standards to whatever is going on.. like the US is basically just one step removed from us - when in reality, I feel like the US is vastly different culture wise and we shouldn't necessarily be applying our sense of logic and reason to whatever might be going on with gun control, abortion legislation or presidential elections for that matter. People keep implying that I'm overdramatizing the differences, but your video series do seem to lend some credence to my point of view. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it a lot here - and I hope our legislation gets worked out so that we aren't so harsh to expats like yourselves.. we all know where the problems are, its just apparently incredibly difficult to actually put it in to law in the intended fashion.
An expat from Illinois said on her channel that the Lunch on Friday is a potluck deal called “Friday Bread”. Everybody is expected to bring something. Strange new foods and a change of location like that make my innards a little ancy. For example, I went to the Bahamas in 2004. I farted all over the cruise ship and throughout my visit on land. Is it rude to fart in Denmark? Also, if I let one or a hundred at the meal described above, could that be considered “bringing something“ to Friday. Bread?
Never heard of friday bread but I have had “team breakfasts” on Friday’s where people will bring bread, cheese, etc to share with their small team. Not sure how old her video is, but post-Covid there’s a lot more working from home on Fridays so a lot of that is done on Thursday, but some may have a Friday social event after work once per month or something.
@@RobeTrotting Thank You, RobeTrotting. The lady whom I got this info from, her channel is MyNewDanishLife. I don’t know which video that she discussed Friday Bread on but perhaps someone on the audience here does. I have a big nose fetish and I stare at hers in all of her videos but when she called the potluck what she did, that really reset my attention. It was probably for the best. 😂 Anyway, she’s a very nice lady, just like You 2 guys are very nice. Hope I’m not too much in fantasyland here but maybe You, your partner and her can friend each other. Both channels are loved here.
The infamous "Jantelov" is from the book "En flygtning krydser sit spor" by the Norwegian-Danish author Aksel Sandemose. It is a fictionalised autobiography written about his childhood in the fictive township "Jante" (Nykøbing Mors I think). But I believe that law was invented in a small provincesional society when the world was tiny. It's hardly valid nowadays.
Of course the jantelaw applies today, that's why Mette Frederiksen emphasises her makrelmadder, shopping and laundry, so we can all se, that she's no better than us and doesn't think highly of herself, etc, etc.
@@hassegreiner9675 It's also the reason why people like Frederik more than they like Joachim. One of them acts like an everyday man who happened to receive a huge responsibility, and one of them acts like a princeling who thinks he's better by birth.
And they usually forget to tell you that the author Aksel Sandemose owed just about everyone money and usually ended up quarreling with almost everybody, who crossed his path - few people liked him, so he sort of had to invent this BEEEP Jantelaw to look better in his own eyes instead of looking at his own bad and hostile behaviour, which had caused these negative reactions to this self conscious "genious" in the first place. I believe he ended up in poor Norway 😂
Very interesting, thank you 😊 We really don't mean to be mean or unfriendly to our poor foreigners, but we don't always know how to deal with people, who don't understand our norms and social rules etc. - and who often expect them to be different and more like what they are used to. When people in DK ask you why, it's not to express disagreement with your decisions, but more to make sure that they are 100 % sure what you mean, or to ask you if you have thought about this or that problem or any negative consequences. It's all a great culture clash and very confusing to all parties. Every work place in DK, who employs a partially foreign work force, should do more to integrate these people better and explain these "weird" norms and "rules" to them - as well as making social clubs, where the employees could meet and get to know each others better in a more relaxed way.
@bjowolf Like when Lidl quitter Norway i guess. Had trouble being understood Duh they were bullied end defrauded out and taxes out. Scandinavia..you full of yourself while non performance (ever produced any product? Sold anything? Systrene grene what a garage sale, dollar store of the ..mundanest balance sheet engineered type that is totally useless). Stop having an ego i tell you this as a nwighbour country that can read ghetto law when its stated.
@@rheijm9201 What on earth are you talking about? 😂 Of course we produce a lot of stuff here - also for export - , so please stop being so embarrasingly ignorant and arrogant, ok? We have already seen this respectless behaviour from you shameless people far too many times, so please don't get me started, ok? 🙄 Unlike what you seem to have been told by your often incompetent, indifferent and ignorant German journalists from the embarrassed Lidl management with all their pathetic excuses, the REAL reason, why Aldi was never really successful here in Denmark and is now FINALLY (!) closing down and why most of the Aldi stores by far are being sold to the very well run (!) and successful Norwegian chain Rema 1000 ( you even got that bit mixed up as well 😂), is that they have largely failed to adapt to the demands and expectations of the Danish consumers for many years ( even after having been told so numerous times (!), but never really listening! ) and keeping on year after year (!) with almost solely German products, often of rather poor quality even, which no-one here really wanted ( for instance "long-term durable" milk ) and with those poorly designed and stupid German style "cash registers" with very little space for the purchased goods at the end, where you were then supposed to lift them over to a packing table before putting them into your bags - as opposed to the much cleverer and wider "Danish" cash registers, where there are lots of space for goods and two lines available for the costumers, so that you have time for bagging all your goods there straight away in good order. The "newcomer" Lidl, which is also German (!), have on the other hand been quite succesful here in Denmark with good looking, clean and well lit stores, proper space between the rows of shelves and a good quality for your money typically - as opposed to Lidl's often very messy, dark and rather dirty looking stores with (often poor quality) German products "only" and those foolish costumer hostile cash registers etc. And yet the incompetent fools at Aldi's management are probably still wondering "what on Earth went wrong in Denmark?!?" Spending 30+ years by never really listening to the Danish costumers, while desperately trying to force lots of poor quality products on them that they never wanted - and even doing so in dark, messy, shabby and dirty looking stores with poorly designed German style cash registers should perhaps have given them some important clues after all. This is a really scary lesson in how you will end up losing billions upon billions in a new country, because you just never really bothered studying the consumer culture of the market that you were naively "planning" to enter and never really bothered learning some very important things from all your bad experiences and grave mistakes.
Bjowolf.. actually i wasn t aware of your (won)fight with Germanic stores. Kinda interesting. Anyway As long as you avoid saying we do not know how to deal with , and the social rule thing. If it s not whining, it gets very close. Dear readers of Durk and Fredo or who ever, if you cant follow the thread its because some comments of mine get deleted, so he s sorta saying non sense ! into the void ..
@@rheijm9201 Nonsense - not whining at all, just the plain truth as people from different cultures misunderstand the intentions and words of each others and don't really know how to react etc. Well, you brought up Aldi etc., not I - so I assumed that you had heard about these recent developments. No, we are NOT anti-German ( NB not the same as Germanic! ), as the positive case of German Lidl's recent successes on the Danish market clearly shows. But we don't care much for respectless and arrogant Germans ( we know that type far to well from recent and earlier history, you see ) and their big companies, who don't really take their Danish costumers seriously, just expect them to behave exactly as Germans in every respect, and who then never listen to lots of "friendly" pieces advice for decades. That huge mistake has cost Aldi's "poor" owners billions upon billions of € over the past 3 - 4 decades in Denmark.
@@rheijm9201 I bet that even in your country (?), there are unwritten cultural rules and social norms, as to how you are supposed to behave towards your boss / staff and what not to do, say and ask etc., which can be unknown and very confusing to foreign employees - as well as the tone among colleagues and the respect for women and their decisions as managers ( this can especially be a big problem for male employees from certain cultures, where men have been brought up and used to the completely opposite situation, so that no woman can order them what to do in a work place ).
Please when you wear perfume/cologne, ONE SPRAY is enough!! Not only could someone find the smell, bad, but there is people like me who is allergic to perfume.. I never have problems with people who just have a little on, but if you drag the stink around with you i would not be able to sit in the same room. Its honestly just thinking of others when ever you put on a perfume, and you smell just as good with only one spary ;)
About work and cake. There was an office, at one of the jobs I freelanced at, with 7-8 single girls and 2 singe gay guys working. They had a rule that if you had had sex you would bring cake the next day. Trick was that sometimes they smuggled cake in, so that nobody knew who had been lucky. And sometimes there was a lot of cake, sometimes none...
Ive had a workplace where my bosses though i wanted an all polish workforce, Wonder why i dont work there Any more, i Think knowing 3 languages is enough.
My boss does not like input and questions I skip lunch I hate julefrokost I dont act to fit in. I hate everyone equally The bragging thing is so true The aftershave is also true - hate the stink I must be half American.... Keep up your great videos :)
I think your boss will love me as I hate having to give input and ask questions and I try skipping lunch many times but keep getting reminders to come and join them. The fitting in part?? Ignorance is pure bliss sometimes🙂 I think my colleagues love me somehow cos I never brag ( don't know how honestly!) and always use "we" as in my team whenever I do presentations :-) I must be a half-baked imported Dane :-)
forgot to add... I don't like julefrokost....very hard to say no. Any tricks you can give to help a poor human lessen the suffering. I have nothing against my colleagues all very nice people but just not the party type person or drinking person.
Even the mere _mention_ of #7 made me cringe. If you're at a job you _hate_ and are trying to get fired, telling others how to do things is 100% guaranteed to do the trick.
“Don’t like you, says fuck so much, have enough heat and power this winter, one star review” All somewhat “negative vibes” I get from these latest titels
Yeesh ... was feeling very sorry for Danish autistic people until 6 and 7! Speaking personally, I would be horrified at the prospect of 'having' to socialise during lunch because that is normally when I find a quiet corner or take a walk and decompress on my own so I'm more energised for the afternoon (socialising would definitely sap my energy). I guess there are swings and roundabouts in any culture. I think I'd do well in Finland :)
Actually there are companies in Denmark that specifically hire autistic people if they have some of those special skills like complete focus on boring tasks or special affinity for numbers and so on. These companies know about the issues of autistic people and take care to help them fit in. There was a documentary series a while back on Danish television following some of these autistic people and showing how they really blossomed when they had success in a real job. So while socializing during lunch is the norm, there is certainly room for the opposite, "just" a question of finding the right place.
yeah it's not as set in stone as they make it sound like... i'm a dane and very introverted... i'm never with my colleagues at lunch... actually i never eat lunch at work. .. okay, it may seem a bit strange to my colleagues to start a new job, but they accept it quite quickly as I am a weirdo but work quite hard... that said, I have never had an office job so the culture is maybe different from manual labor jobs...
I do not give 2 fucks : 1 put perfume on me , everyday other outfit , I do not take lunch , i am staying in the brake alone , I do not speak with the people outside my job. For me is just a job . I do not like Julefrokost and all this craziness with the Christmas so on. I am a happy miserable lonely person. 😉😊
Work-life balance is under heavy bombardement when it comes to office jobs... The thing is that most professionals would not mind if they can answer a quick question in 15 secs. Problem comes when 30 people ask small questions. And there's when task management comes in. Pool it all into one bucket and go through it once you have time... Danes try, but we're not good at it. On the plus side, by answering the small questions, we can continue our vacations.. but the unions go crazy.
Also we don't have that think about "rank" as hard we know its there but just becease someone is higher rank than you don't mean you can't have a better way to something. that micro mange is' t big here. here to top and buttom have to talk to make it work better. Sure we know in they end the top got the last call.
Do not worry, it is not only at work Danes do not like you. If you take the last "anyhing" and there is no staff to refill it, you do it and you do it right away. Danes also expect you to bring homemade cake on your anual cake day and expect you to not brag about it.
Typical video of people that are academican and not of the working class. I am a craftman, and have no problem with people from other countries. But in the video the always shown, that all people work in a office. There is a BIG difference in the mind set of office people, and craftman! And i find it offended, that people that work in a office. Think that we all think the same way, as them! So Mike and Derek, get some friends that work as a craftman. ;-)
In Denmark it is very hard to get a job if you do not know any employed there already, especially in the public sector. Also, if you have criticized the municipality or state you will rarely get a job there. I work as private case manager and have never lost a case against a public entity for my client - yet I have never been able to get hired at the jobs I apply, though it seems I'm better at reading the law than the ones who are employed to do it. Regarding working in Denmark - we are not corrupt we are just very nepotistic, and because we all know each other and are one big family we do not consider it as a problem - but it is infact a huge problem!.
Bragging is indeed almost a taboo in Denmark, though i usually just look at the people who brags and just raises an eyebrow and once they are done, i usually say something like. ''Ya ya thats fine and good for you, but at the end of the day, you sit down when you take a shit just like the rest us animals, unless you have some weird gross fetish standing up when you take a shit?'' And that usually humbles the person who is bragging or at least makes them stay silent.
@@aprd It may sound like that to an outsider, but it helps keeping everyone at a ground level no matter how rich, or succesful, or famous you get, you are still only human, just like the rest of us.
@@Vakaria-plays I know your rude tribal small world ways by now. But what you described there is just literally toilet talk. I don't think your fellow countrymen would appreciate.
@@aprd LMAO talk about rude, tribal small world? How rascist and intolerant can you get troll? You clearly dont get the culture at all, what i described there is a humor attitude that is typically used for someone who is bragging about every success and having a rich perfect life. (kind of like what you see in those awful reality shows) and that person talking down to someone, but it can also be a friendly battle talk between two friends, we are not easily insulted by such comments such as the one i described.
sounds like you have been working at some bad places 😅 All those bad things you have mentioned, is not common in all work places. I think it would be great if you mentioned what type of company you are working in. Sounds like you are working in very conservative places 😅
It’s all generalizations, so nothing is universal - but we have worked for Danish and international companies as well as start-ups and larger corporations. It would be great to hear your experiences (not sure if you’ve ever made content), but I don’t think we mean to say places are that conservative.
I have some questions for you guys. Please forgive me if they appear to be awfully naive. 1) Isn't there a class system over there in Denmark? (Surely there must be some people who are what we Americans would call "elitist".) 2) Aren't there people, over there, who thinks their #2 doesn't stink? Does everyone really think that all people are 100% equal? Would one see Queen Margrethe grocery shopping where you go to buy your food? 3) I have not seen a lot of Black People in your videos. Seems to me that there aren't that many of them over there. I hope my perception is wrong. Are there any Black people where you live and work? 4) Hang on, Danes think that eating lunch at your desk to be unhygienic? Please explain why this is so. Are their desks that filthy-dirty? 5) What do Danes think of Americans thinking that its their coworkers who should bring treats to work on THEIR birthdays? I think it is rather strange that Danes bring cakes to work on their own birthdays.
Answering from Sweden here but it's pretty much exactly the same. 1. No. The CEO of the big companies hang around with the workers without any problems. They eat at the same table during lunch. If you go to a random party, you could expect to find rich lawyers and plumbers at the same table. And it depends on what you call "elitist", of course we have doctors and lawyers who are payed well, but that doesn't mean they see themselves as above the rest. 2. When it comes to the royals it could be different though, they live a bit in a different reality. But there aren't even a handful of them. The swedish crown princess, our next queen, she married a gym owner. Not quite a royal. And the king is quite fun, he is a huge sports fan and every time he gets to meet a star athlete, it's quite obvious who he thinks is the bigger man. :) 3. Not many blacks in Denmark. Why should it be? They never imported black slaves or forces their will on many african nations. I hope you didn't hope they had a lot of black slaves back in the days... 4. That sounded weird to me too. 5. Simply cultural differences. Nothing strange about that.
For your second point about the royals: while the royals don't necessarily frequent the local grocery store, there was recently a docu-series about the queen's jewelry collection, as it was part of a museum exhibition. It of course included the usual crown jewels and valuable heirlooms. Our lovely queen also featured more personal pieces, however, one of which was a plastic piece she picked up in a local drugstore on an official engagement.
@@catrine982 Interesting to know. I was just curious about the REAL degree to which Danes think that they are all 100% equal to one another. I was also thinking that there must be SOME classicism and elitism everywhere, as well. That's all. 🙂
@@jonashansson2320 My question about the prevalence of Black People in Denmark was just that. I was curious to know if there are any of them over there, and also what percentage of the population they occupy. I never have seen any Black people in videos about Denmark, and by that I mean ANYONE'S videos about Denmark, at least here on TH-cam. NO, I was not wishing that slavery had happened in Denmark. Cultural Differences abound everywhere, between people of different cultures, of course. I just thought it was rather odd that people have to bring cakes for themselves on THEIR OWN birthdays, when in America, if anyone knows it is your birthday, they will bring a cake or gifts for you.
We Danes don't necessarily have anything against socializing with people from work but in such cases, the general rule is not to discuss work. We do like to keep your professional work life and private life separated, but it does not mean we never have friends from work etc.
The bragging thing has a flip side - you can talk about a personal succes if you emphasize your own FEELING of accomplishment instead of the task - that way, others don't feel like you're bragging but rather that you're happy about accomplishing something that you personally found difficult!
As a Dane, let me tell you; don’t ever start getting offended of a Dane asks you “why?”…..a Dane asking you “why?” Is not questioning your authority or intelligence, it’s more like the opposite; where a Dane sees you as the person who’s knowledgeable and understands what’s going on.
If however you are holding a team meeting or doing a presentation and no one asks questions or says anything; then it can be a very bad sign, especially if they sit any look at each other without saying anything….because that can be a sign that they have no faith or trust in you and even see you are completely incompetent.
Yes, more like seeing the people they question as being Founts of Knowledge and great informational resources.
I have worked in both America and Ireland, and let me tell you, I quickly lost all my faith in management because they could never answer “why?” and got uncomfortable quickly and basically started acting like little crybabies every time!
Apparently in other countries managers are just robot puppets who only know how to look at spreadsheets (something an 8 year old could do).
Also micromanagement is considered harassment in Denmark
@@socialghost4400
YOU: "Also micromanagement is considered harassment in Denmark."
ME: Really? Is THAT right? Wow!😲😯
a lack of questions can also be a sign that your presentation wasn't understood and took so long that people started to fall asleep, and thus didn't pay enough attention to ask anything. I've been to a lot of meetings like that, where at the end you've forgotten what the presenter was talking about. This is especially true for the "this could have been an email" type meetings
Danish/Scandinavian work places can be awkward for outsiders, much like Denmark, in general
The flat leadership is odd for non-Euros, but it grows on you and makes you feel empowered, in your own abilities...questions are just to help the understanding and the how-to to assist in a project
p.s. your pronunciation is getting really good, guys 😃
hello from Hundested 🌸🌱
It’s definitely an adjustment, but nothing that can’t be adapted to with the help of a good leader and supportive team. Thanks for watching as always 😃🇩🇰😃🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting When a Dane compliments you on your pronunciation of Danish that REALLLY means something, doesn't it? Well-done, Guys!
@@williamjones4716 Your write, at first, raised my hackles, then after rereading it a few times (because it didn't make sense) I got it right, true, even swedes don't always understand why we ask why
When you ask questions, We see it as you taking an active part in what is happening.
Always looking forward to these, they are so spot on, very good observations. On the question of worklife, maybe not invite the entire workplace to a BBQ, but if you click with someone, do approach them and ask/tell them you would like to socialize and ask if they would like to visit or go out for something.
I would think standing out in you dresscode, is all about your attitude, if the thinking is that "Dress for the job you want", you are in big trouble, if you dress in a tie everyday because you like it, depending on what you do of cause, I doubt anyone would care really.
@@williamjones4716 I guess that depends on how many Danes you have seen :), I can still do it, but I don't think it will be pretty, its been ages since I have tied a tie.
@@williamjones4716 You mean self strangulation isn't a Danish thing? ;) And it's about the same in Sweden. Most men have a tie, they might have trouble finding it though, the last time they wore it was most likely a very long time ago. :)
For some reason this made me think of Danes as the Borg from Star Trek...
"We are the Danes. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated" 😂
we could also be cybermen from doctor who...
and it means that the swedes must be the daleks then...
@@GarmrsBarking 🤣
We are a small contry...we must adapt 😉
Great points
Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching and your kind words! 😊🇩🇰
Mange tak for en igen sjov og spændene video De Herrer 🙂
t's fun to hear what others think about us here in Denmark.
Have always thought that we in Denmark are not that much different from other places around 🙂
@WhatsApp±𝟷𝟹6𝟶𝟾𝟸𝟸𝟽2𝟸𝟶 nahh scammer 👻👻
I find this hard to believe.. Danes think ..the world even knows you exist is hard enough..let alone be thesame
Thank you so much for your videos. I am waiting for my Visa so that I can move to Denmark and am watching most of your videos so that I can get the inside scoop.
Welcome to Denmark- we will be happy to have you living in our country 😀😃🙂
Great content you´re creating across your videos. It quite funny how precise you´re pointing things out. From my point of view you´re spot on 99% of the time. Im working in an american company in Denmark, with many nationalities, that is fantastic. I had both a German and french team manager, even inside EU the managing style is very different.
You and other content creators from us (like living young) seems to have a overwhelming positive impression, despite some crazy behaviour. Thats make me happy and proud.
I had a colleague who always wore a red tie on Fridays (red Friday he called it). Speaking of culture, this was a suite-and-tie company so him choosing a red tie was standing out. But he was doing it for fun and his own enjoyment to break free a little bit and the rest of the office partially adopted Red Friday. It became a fun talking point. “Yeah my red shirt was in the dryer, no this pink shirt was as close as I could get, do red earrings count?” I never thought about it before this video but the way he stood out ended up being for the benefit of the team spirit and so it worked really well!
That sounds really cool, it’s great when someone starts a little team building effort in an organic way like that 😃
On the whole sent thing, in Denmark there is also a lot of focus on, none sented shower products and landry detergent. And the sented ones are quite mild, so we might not be used to as strong sents as other countries might be.
in recent years we've also gotten more focus on how strong scents can be problematic for people with asthma. It is also very distracting when you work in a small office and there's a strong scent coming from the one corner. That's also part of the reason you don't eat where you work; the smell can be obnoxious
nice honest guidance and also some good context. well done chaps.
This was very spot on
Espeselly the part about questioning
I watch quite a lot of air travel videos and one of the key safety aspects is for pilot teams to question each other. If the first officer feels intimidated by the captain he may fail to point out missed tasks. incorrect settings etc. Perhaps in most office settings this does not have the same life or death implications but questions can still help to avoid misunderstandings and project failures.
"Desk Lunch" was totally acceptable, actually mandatory, during the pandemic. Not everyone was able to work from home.
I am danish living in the UK and I have not been home for a long time and really enjoy watching your channel to remind myself how danish are 🤣 love your videos
That’s so awesome! Glad you can relate and feel a bit Danish. Thank you for watching Rasmus.
No, thank you both 😊 keep up the good work 👍
It made me understand myself abit more, because I always question things in work. Now I know why I do that, because I am danish hehe
The way you said Rasmus was impressive. I've heard it said in so many ways and yours is by far the best from any foreigner that didn't move here as a child. (That I've heard spoken at least)
Wow, thank you so much. We are both a bit too shy to speak much Danish on TH-cam (we do a little on TikTok because it's short spurts haha).
@@RobeTrotting Your welcome. I understand the shyness, when you don't feel strong in a specific language. It is so nice hearing an outside perspective on Denmark, because it gives room for thought on where we can improve.
I really love Danish culture and I am fond of their way of asking questions without being afraid of asking why and I reckon that is why they have been thaugh to do so while at school and it should be something that should be teached also in other countries as it is pivotal to ask the reasons why a thing is the way it is so as to be able to fully understand it.
Greeting from Italy
Congratulations on the 20.000 subscribers! I love your videos, they are really informative, also for a dane like me.
I wish you guys the best!
if we danes don´t have something to complain about, we are miserable. that is why we alway talk about the weather, it is bad all the time 😅
There were rumors of sunshine in July.
But there are only rumors, there were no eyewitnesses🤣🤣
@@littlepeeper9223 We did have a hot summer this year... great weekend :)
I can relate here in Minnesota, U.S.
First point is actually very interesting. In Sweden my boss saw us few Danes on the team as "problem children" because every time there was a new process we always asked why...especially if we couldn't see a benefit to the way we work by making those changes. I'm not saying all Swedish bosses don't understand that we don't mean to be difficult but it did surprise me that a country so close to our own wasn't used to people asking questions
It is quite different in Norway when it comes to lunch. Some places have lunch together, while other jobs allow you to eat by your desk. Maybe it's so because lunch in Norway is only 30min. We also have this 'matpakke' culture that doesn't exist in Sweden and Denmark. Many bring with them their own food for lunch instead of paying for food at lunch. Interesting video.
Madpakker is completely normal in Denmark.
Firstly most public servants bring their own.
Secondly a LOT of companies do not offer lunch, so it's not a Norwegien thing in particular.
@@louiseerbslisbjerg7854 do you have matpakke at school? when walking trips in the forest?
@@MichalBergseth-AmitopiaTV Yes. We do.
@@MichalBergseth-AmitopiaTV Yeah it was only after 7 years in the school system I got to a school where it was an option to buy food instead of bringing my own food, and even then most people still brought food from home.
It definitely exists in Sweden! There are lots of people who bring leftovers to work, and especially university for lunch. That's why there's always a few microwave ovens at least. Or a whole wall in university lunch rooms.
It also goes the other way with regards to workplace do's and dont's - I am Danish, but I have worked in the US, Ireland, and Singapore - Especially SIngapore was a struggle for me to begin with.
Why was it a struggle for you in Singapore??
@@chengifoo7603 It was a lot more conservative than what I was used to, not just professionally, but also culurally. I got used to it though, and eventually really enjoyed my time there.
@@GrinddalCPH thanks, I'm Singaporean but living and working in Denmark now so was kinda of surprised to hear your remarks as I have met a lot of non-Singaporean friends in Singapore and none has ever mentioned that to me.
@@chengifoo7603 Maybe it felt more intense to me, as I was working in a very flat organisation in Denmark, and the office in Singapore was very hierarchical.
While I agree with some of your statments I also think it depends on where in Denmark you live. I think there’s a big difference between working in Copenhagen (or sjælland in general) and working in Jytland. Over here in Jytland we find the people in Copenhagen are a bit stuck-up and difficult to get close too.
You should hear what they think of you 😳
@@RobeTrotting oh I already know😂
In some companies you are told not to speak about the job when you eat. If you do that they don't want to speak with you. Lunchtime are workfree. It realy have to be a problem if you want to speak about at lunchtime.
Even though I'm Danish, you tell me about the social life in Denmark, which I didn't even know about.
Great video as always! :D
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching 😊🇩🇰
About the "Lone Wolf"-mentality, I think the reason why it doesn't work very well in Denmark is because of Janteloven (I.E "you are not better than the rest of us")
But also because "teamwork" / cooperation is expected from us.
Danish culture is so nice... Thanks, awsome video
I have worked in Sweden for 10 years and I completely agree on almost everything even for Sweden. I love working in Scandinavia!
Lunch. I am an introvert and use my lunch time to recharge... I often do a couple of errands and have lunch alone reading my book on my phone. How would that work in Denmark? Your video makes it seem like I should expect to spend it with colleagues, and that feels to me like a "working lunch." I have those occasionally, but usually planned well in advance and paid for by the company.
If there's one thing Danes are especially good at, it's respecting other peoples' boundaries and need for alone-time/privacy. :D
Just grab a corner table or something in the lunch room, lean back and enjoy your book. You'll have your peace and quiet, and still qualify for participating in lunch time.
Take a page out of the Danish playbook, and just tell it as it is. It might not seem that way, but Danish culture has a lot of respect for introvert values/virtues.
As a Dane I can say that spending lunch time without being social is as simple as looking on my phone. People don't bother me if I don't engage them.
How did it go for you? For me it set me up for failure as a lone wolf.
The scent issue actually ties into the “don’t stand out too much” , and the “you are trying too hard”… we are here to work, not to be distracted by scent-attacks..
Also.. many people don’t seem to know about scent-allergies.. example.: I will literally get sick from the scent of lilacs, so my mum had to sacrifice her tree, “for the common good”.. This is also applicable at a work place, where strong scents are discouraged because we all have to thrive there ☺️
About strong scents: In the 1850es, there was a drive for improved worker health under the slogan: "Soap, Sunlight and Steady Habits" or some such (There was a similar slogan for child-rearing going "Calm, Cleanliness and Predictability") . It's been attributed to partly cause the later Danish minimalism to some extent, and seems to have stuck to this day: Most Danes consider strong scents an attempt at masking poor hygiene, just like a cluttered room will make a lot of us think "😳How on Earth are you going to keep this place CLEAN?!"
Very good video, guys!
We have a saying that there is no stupid question...but ask me what time it is...hear the answer...and then ask the same again and once again...now after the first time that is a stupid question 😆
I'm a Swede and I have been in awkward situations since I have come off as more enthusiastic, having more opinions, and being more ambitious than others. And that style of being honest, doesn't fit well with the Scandinavian culture. The Swedish way of collaborating is by agreeing with people and do your part of it. And yes, we are all supposed to be equals. Ironically, in some settings it is more about how we move forwards rather than what is the problem.
i see 20K subscriptions . WELL DONE GUYS!!!
Regarding #2, it depends. In large media agencies, and other stressful industries I would assume, it's not at all uncommon for people to take lunch from the cantine back to their table to work through lunch.
Though 90% of people still sit together eating, obviously. Just saying it is something that definitely happens :)
I laver altid god video håber i bliver her i Denmark i er så meget velkommen her👍🏻😊 You always make good videos, I hope you stay here in Denmark, you are very welcome here👍🏻😊 hilsen Michael from glad Jylland.
Wait a minute! I am a boss here in America... so my staff is eating lunch to talk trash about me?? Dammit!! 🤣
that is true love the way you guys see things that many of us dont see becoures it is normal for us, thank you for being awesome ( det er så sandt, elsker at I ser tingende på den måde, som mange af os ikke ser, fordi det er normalt for us, tak for at være komplet vidunderlige )
jeg elsker så maget hjeres vidoer for 1 grund . i rammer 99% af gangne lige på kornet ... og mange gange . når i siger noget om danmark og dansker og man tænker efter .. kommer der tidt et gud . det er sku da rekti det har jeg enlig aldrig tænkt over . så man bliver bevist om sider af sig selv .. som man nok ikke har tænkt over før i isene setter det :) og tak for det :)
Strong perfume/cologne/etc, is a problem for asthmatics, and can in fact be dangerous. Many are also allergic to it, and in extreme cases, in can cause anaphylatic shock, which again can be fatal. Here in Norway, if you are wearing too much of such, expect comments about it the very first day at work.
Skipping lunch!!!! That is definitely a "no fly zone" in Denmark.... 😂😂😂
Nice job, but remember there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers, if you ask about something it's usually because you don't know the answer.
You guys are too polite!
We try to keep it positive 😎
I can't talk about office happenings, BUT, as a blue collar worker (scaffolder), you will NEVER tell me how to build a scaffold, that is if you want it to be safe, you will say something like "I think we need to do it so and so, BECAUSE it is for this and that use". I might ask why, as you state it is to verify that I get what you want accomplished, and I might even suggest doing it another way.
Anyway, som sædvanligt lærer jeg nyt om danskere hver gang jeg ser en af jeres videoer. Fortsæt jeres gode videoer
The places I've liked the most have been the places where the "boss" wasn't too sophisticated to blend with the teams he was trying to control. We all knew that he had to answer calls, but when he's willing to participate in pun-battles or singstar... You get to know that there's just a regular person in there.
Ask yourself, would I perform something out of the ordinary better if it's a friend in need or because I'm told to?
Spot on
I'm highly sensitive, supposedly had to do with me because Autistic, to scents and they are overwhelming in the US.
I'm happy that's not the case in Denmark.
Danes aren't the" just do as I tell you to" people. It's good.
I had no idea that the Danes (kind of like us Poles) may perceive some suggestions (on how to improve their work) rather negatively. In my company we often note how something can be done more efficiently and save time as well as money, but we have been given a cold shoulder by Danes a lot in regards to these discussions and I have always wondered why that is. Is it actually that big of a deal? If so, can someone please explain to me why that is?
Ask questions yes. And I would say ask more than one the same question. But not so the other hear it ;-) Because you might get another answer. Then ask one more ;-)
Don't skip lunch. That's a good start.
Whether you are in an office or laying bricks, if you just hint a challenge you'll drown in good advice from people who have been in your situation. And, that's not a bad thing, we're a team.
Edit: As an apprentice, I used to sit with other apprentices, but that was right next to the engineers who loved small single-task challenges. So, what could have taken 15 hours to solve, took just 15 minutes, and they had time enough to tell why it worked.
@@williamjones4716 that's why we don't start difficult tasks before noon 😆 just kidding of course.
There are jobs you just can't leave for 30 minutes on schedule. But often people have 3-5 tasks in the pipeline, and they'll try to schedule them so that lunchtime comes convenient. No need to waste work time for an unattended windows install or watching concrete get solid.
Anyway, if a task is too important we just skip that one lunch and leave early or show up late tomorrow instead. The boss will always approve that strategy.
But in many jobs where the brain is constantly the main tool, it's a good idea to let it be for a little while and go have lunch, talk about your difficulties with others and perhaps get some advice.
Also do not break the line of command even when participating in an audit were you are asked to speak out.
At my second job I remebered we were discussing issues with a fortcoming software release.
Participants was our development team, my team leader, his boss as well as the owner.
We were asked about any risks that could postpone that release.
After a breif of silence I raised my hand.
"Our comboboxes are not function at all" I said.
It was to some degree thrue but I didn't inform my teamleader about it, I didn't even inform our developer about it so I put them all in a bad spot.
Back that time I thought only of the importance of me looking cool not thinking about the team. Sure I got the boot.
Vidensdeling. Knowlege sharing is a thing. Danes like to share knowlege about things on the job. In order to finish the job best way possible they like to share knowlege about problems and solutions regarding the job.
my experience as a dane is that it matters most at the job interview rather than after you got the job. but it might be different at the different workplaces? 🙂
Tak for endnu en god video
Regarding the part of danes dont like to be told how to do ones job: personally for me, it has to do with the fact that if I know what I am supposed to do, I am trusting that my manager trust me to do my job, and that I take my responcebillity serious, that I get the job done, dont skirt my responcebillity, dont slack off etc. I would not like someone watching me over my shoulder, that would mean they did not trust me to my job. It depends on the intent behind it. I you frase it like can I show you better way to work your assigment, with the intent of helping you, thats something all together different. In Denmark we have a saying: " frihed under ansvar" -translated to you have freedom to act as you want to, but with the understanding that you have to take responcebillity for the consequences of your action. In Denmark our society is mostly based on trust. Trust in your fellow human beeing, your politicians, police etc. Not that there dont happens mistakes, crimes or injustice, but generally we believe and trust that other people will act with the best intentions. We tend to have a more collective/ team- work mindset than individual mindset. Most danish people believe that as citizens in a society you have a obligations to other members of your society. Thats why danish wellfare is so strong and build upon the notion that we take care of our own. Especially the most vulnerable, who cant take care of themselves.
I think the smell thing might go a bit deeper did you think see I think this quite recent directions to me to be honest partially because the the natural eco organic movement has had a lot of success and I think possibly even though this attitude existed before it was strengthened bye why a strong awareness other things like perfume allergies
I don't know why, but your observations are incredibly interesting somehow, like seeing myself through a different lens than what I'm used to.
I wonder if you find that peoples' expectations of Americans are somewhat odd? I keep arguing with colleagues about US policies and politics, because they keep applying Danish standards to whatever is going on.. like the US is basically just one step removed from us - when in reality, I feel like the US is vastly different culture wise and we shouldn't necessarily be applying our sense of logic and reason to whatever might be going on with gun control, abortion legislation or presidential elections for that matter. People keep implying that I'm overdramatizing the differences, but your video series do seem to lend some credence to my point of view.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it a lot here - and I hope our legislation gets worked out so that we aren't so harsh to expats like yourselves.. we all know where the problems are, its just apparently incredibly difficult to actually put it in to law in the intended fashion.
Have you been following the election? I’m curious to know how you view the political climate/discussion in Denmark compared to the US.
An expat from Illinois said on her channel that the Lunch on Friday is a potluck deal called “Friday Bread”. Everybody is expected to bring something. Strange new foods and a change of location like that make my innards a little ancy. For example, I went to the Bahamas in 2004. I farted all over the cruise ship and throughout my visit on land.
Is it rude to fart in Denmark?
Also, if I let one or a hundred at the meal described above, could that be considered “bringing something“ to Friday. Bread?
Never heard of friday bread but I have had “team breakfasts” on Friday’s where people will bring bread, cheese, etc to share with their small team. Not sure how old her video is, but post-Covid there’s a lot more working from home on Fridays so a lot of that is done on Thursday, but some may have a Friday social event after work once per month or something.
@@RobeTrotting Thank You, RobeTrotting. The lady whom I got this info from, her channel is MyNewDanishLife. I don’t know which video that she discussed Friday Bread on but perhaps someone on the audience here does. I have a big nose fetish and I stare at hers in all of her videos but when she called the potluck what she did, that really reset my attention. It was probably for the best. 😂
Anyway, she’s a very nice lady, just like You 2 guys are very nice. Hope I’m not too much in fantasyland here but maybe You, your partner and her can friend each other. Both channels are loved here.
The reason why Danish children learn to ask >>why?
It's very similar to what we have in Germany
The infamous "Jantelov" is from the book "En flygtning krydser sit spor" by the Norwegian-Danish author Aksel Sandemose. It is a fictionalised autobiography written about his childhood in the fictive township "Jante" (Nykøbing Mors I think). But I believe that law was invented in a small provincesional society when the world was tiny. It's hardly valid nowadays.
Of course the jantelaw applies today, that's why Mette Frederiksen emphasises her makrelmadder, shopping and laundry, so we can all se, that she's no better than us and doesn't think highly of herself, etc, etc.
@@hassegreiner9675 It's also the reason why people like Frederik more than they like Joachim. One of them acts like an everyday man who happened to receive a huge responsibility, and one of them acts like a princeling who thinks he's better by birth.
@@hassegreiner9675 It never goes away.. it creeps up on you here there and everywhere 🙂
@@williamjones4716 not really since that revelation tanked their ratings.
And they usually forget to tell you that the author Aksel Sandemose owed just about everyone money and usually ended up quarreling with almost everybody, who crossed his path - few people liked him, so he sort of had to invent this BEEEP Jantelaw to look better in his own eyes instead of looking at his own bad and hostile behaviour, which had caused these negative reactions to this self conscious "genious" in the first place.
I believe he ended up in poor Norway 😂
Very interesting, thank you 😊
We really don't mean to be mean or unfriendly to our poor foreigners, but we don't always know how to deal with people, who don't understand our norms and social rules etc. - and who often expect them to be different and more like what they are used to.
When people in DK ask you why, it's not to express disagreement with your decisions, but more to make sure that they are 100 % sure what you mean, or to ask you if you have thought about this or that problem or any negative consequences.
It's all a great culture clash and very confusing to all parties.
Every work place in DK, who employs a partially foreign work force, should do more to integrate these people better and explain these "weird" norms and "rules" to them - as well as making social clubs, where the employees could meet and get to know each others better in a more relaxed way.
@bjowolf Like when Lidl quitter Norway i guess. Had trouble being understood Duh they were bullied end defrauded out and taxes out. Scandinavia..you full of yourself while non performance (ever produced any product? Sold anything? Systrene grene what a garage sale, dollar store of the ..mundanest balance sheet engineered type that is totally useless). Stop having an ego i tell you this as a nwighbour country that can read ghetto law when its stated.
@@rheijm9201 What on earth are you talking about? 😂
Of course we produce a lot of stuff here - also for export - , so please stop being so embarrasingly ignorant and arrogant, ok?
We have already seen this respectless behaviour from you shameless people far too many times, so please don't get me started, ok? 🙄
Unlike what you seem to have been told by your often incompetent, indifferent and ignorant German journalists from the embarrassed Lidl management with all their pathetic excuses,
the REAL reason, why Aldi was never really successful here in Denmark and is now FINALLY (!) closing down and why most of the Aldi stores by far are being sold to the very well run (!) and successful Norwegian chain Rema 1000 ( you even got that bit mixed up as well 😂), is that they have largely failed to adapt to the demands and expectations of the Danish consumers for many years ( even after having been told so numerous times (!), but never really listening! ) and keeping on year after year (!) with almost solely German products, often of rather poor quality even, which no-one here really wanted ( for instance "long-term durable" milk ) and with those poorly designed and stupid German style "cash registers" with very little space for the purchased goods at the end, where you were then supposed to lift them over to a packing table before putting them into your bags - as opposed to the much cleverer and wider "Danish" cash registers, where there are lots of space for goods and two lines available for the costumers, so that you have time for bagging all your goods there straight away in good order.
The "newcomer" Lidl, which is also German (!), have on the other hand been quite succesful here in Denmark with good looking, clean and well lit stores, proper space between the rows of shelves and a good quality for your money typically - as opposed to Lidl's often very messy, dark and rather dirty looking stores with (often poor quality) German products "only" and those foolish costumer hostile cash registers etc.
And yet the incompetent fools at Aldi's management are probably still wondering "what on Earth went wrong in Denmark?!?"
Spending 30+ years by never really listening to the Danish costumers, while desperately trying to force lots of poor quality products on them that they never wanted - and even doing so in dark, messy, shabby and dirty looking stores with poorly designed German style cash registers should perhaps have given them some important clues after all.
This is a really scary lesson in how you will end up losing billions upon billions in a new country, because you just never really bothered studying the consumer culture of the market that you were naively "planning" to enter and never really bothered learning some very important things from all your bad experiences and grave mistakes.
Bjowolf.. actually i wasn t aware of your (won)fight with Germanic stores. Kinda interesting. Anyway As long as you avoid saying we do not know how to deal with , and the social rule thing. If it s not whining, it gets very close.
Dear readers of Durk and Fredo or who ever, if you cant follow the thread its because some comments of mine get deleted, so he s sorta saying non sense ! into the void ..
@@rheijm9201 Nonsense - not whining at all, just the plain truth as people from different cultures misunderstand the intentions and words of each others and don't really know how to react etc.
Well, you brought up Aldi etc., not I - so I assumed that you had heard about these recent developments.
No, we are NOT anti-German ( NB not the same as Germanic! ), as the positive case of German Lidl's recent successes on the Danish market clearly shows.
But we don't care much for respectless and arrogant Germans ( we know that type far to well from recent and earlier history, you see ) and their big companies, who don't really take their Danish costumers seriously, just expect them to behave exactly as Germans in every respect, and who then never listen to lots of "friendly" pieces advice for decades.
That huge mistake has cost Aldi's "poor" owners billions upon billions of € over the past 3 - 4 decades in Denmark.
@@rheijm9201 I bet that even in your country (?), there are unwritten cultural rules and social norms, as to how you are supposed to behave towards your boss / staff and what not to do, say and ask etc., which can be unknown and very confusing to foreign employees - as well as the tone among colleagues and the respect for women and their decisions as managers ( this can especially be a big problem for male employees from certain cultures, where men have been brought up and used to the completely opposite situation, so that no woman can order them what to do in a work place ).
Please when you wear perfume/cologne, ONE SPRAY is enough!!
Not only could someone find the smell, bad, but there is people like me who is allergic to perfume.. I never have problems with people who just have a little on, but if you drag the stink around with you i would not be able to sit in the same room. Its honestly just thinking of others when ever you put on a perfume, and you smell just as good with only one spary ;)
About work and cake. There was an office, at one of the jobs I freelanced at, with 7-8 single girls and 2 singe gay guys working. They had a rule that if you had had sex you would bring cake the next day. Trick was that sometimes they smuggled cake in, so that nobody knew who had been lucky. And sometimes there was a lot of cake, sometimes none...
And before anyone asks - yeah we'e talking the hospitality industry, what did you expect?
Ive had a workplace where my bosses though i wanted an all polish workforce, Wonder why i dont work there Any more, i Think knowing 3 languages is enough.
And, What do you do for a living? Ok, and why? ;-).
You know a bout the workers.
8 hous of work, 8 hours drinking, 8 hours off. :;)
My boss does not like input and questions
I skip lunch
I hate julefrokost
I dont act to fit in. I hate everyone equally
The bragging thing is so true
The aftershave is also true - hate the stink
I must be half American....
Keep up your great videos :)
Haha, maybe you are - but thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts too 🇩🇰😊
You must be fun at parties... Uh oh no... 😝
I think your boss will love me as I hate having to give input and ask questions and I try skipping lunch many times but keep getting reminders to come and join them. The fitting in part?? Ignorance is pure bliss sometimes🙂 I think my colleagues love me somehow cos I never brag ( don't know how honestly!) and always use "we" as in my team whenever I do presentations :-) I must be a half-baked imported Dane :-)
forgot to add... I don't like julefrokost....very hard to say no. Any tricks you can give to help a poor human lessen the suffering. I have nothing against my colleagues all very nice people but just not the party type person or drinking person.
@@chengifoo7603 i usually just say no because i don't celebrate xmas... which is true... no one really has a problem with that...
Even the mere _mention_ of #7 made me cringe. If you're at a job you _hate_ and are trying to get fired, telling others how to do things is 100% guaranteed to do the trick.
is not like we dont wont to skip launch... they just dont want to pay the overwork xD
“Don’t like you, says fuck so much, have enough heat and power this winter, one star review”
All somewhat “negative vibes” I get from these latest titels
Also from this comment 😂
Yeesh ... was feeling very sorry for Danish autistic people until 6 and 7! Speaking personally, I would be horrified at the prospect of 'having' to socialise during lunch because that is normally when I find a quiet corner or take a walk and decompress on my own so I'm more energised for the afternoon (socialising would definitely sap my energy). I guess there are swings and roundabouts in any culture. I think I'd do well in Finland :)
Actually there are companies in Denmark that specifically hire autistic people if they have some of those special skills like complete focus on boring tasks or special affinity for numbers and so on. These companies know about the issues of autistic people and take care to help them fit in. There was a documentary series a while back on Danish television following some of these autistic people and showing how they really blossomed when they had success in a real job. So while socializing during lunch is the norm, there is certainly room for the opposite, "just" a question of finding the right place.
yeah it's not as set in stone as they make it sound like... i'm a dane and very introverted... i'm never with my colleagues at lunch... actually i never eat lunch at work. .. okay, it may seem a bit strange to my colleagues to start a new job, but they accept it quite quickly as I am a weirdo but work quite hard... that said, I have never had an office job so the culture is maybe different from manual labor jobs...
I do not give 2 fucks : 1 put perfume on me , everyday other outfit , I do not take lunch , i am staying in the brake alone , I do not speak with the people outside my job. For me is just a job . I do not like Julefrokost and all this craziness with the Christmas so on. I am a happy miserable lonely person. 😉😊
Work-life balance is under heavy bombardement when it comes to office jobs...
The thing is that most professionals would not mind if they can answer a quick question in 15 secs. Problem comes when 30 people ask small questions.
And there's when task management comes in. Pool it all into one bucket and go through it once you have time... Danes try, but we're not good at it.
On the plus side, by answering the small questions, we can continue our vacations.. but the unions go crazy.
there is no "i" in "team" ...
its just the way danes think...
Also we don't have that think about "rank" as hard we know its there but just becease someone is higher rank than you don't mean you can't have a better way to something. that micro mange is' t big here. here to top and buttom have to talk to make it work better. Sure we know in they end the top got the last call.
Do not worry, it is not only at work Danes do not like you.
If you take the last "anyhing" and there is no staff to refill it, you do it and you do it right away.
Danes also expect you to bring homemade cake on your anual cake day and expect you to not brag about it.
yes... DO NOT BRAG! VERY important...
Typical video of people that are academican and not of the working class. I am a craftman, and have no problem with people from other countries. But in the video the always shown, that all people work in a office. There is a BIG difference in the mind set of office people, and craftman! And i find it offended, that people that work in a office. Think that we all think the same way, as them! So Mike and Derek, get some friends that work as a craftman. ;-)
In Denmark it is very hard to get a job if you do not know any employed there already, especially in the public sector. Also, if you have criticized the municipality or state you will rarely get a job there. I work as private case manager and have never lost a case against a public entity for my client - yet I have never been able to get hired at the jobs I apply, though it seems I'm better at reading the law than the ones who are employed to do it.
Regarding working in Denmark - we are not corrupt we are just very nepotistic, and because we all know each other and are one big family we do not consider it as a problem - but it is infact a huge problem!.
Bragging is indeed almost a taboo in Denmark, though i usually just look at the people who brags and just raises an eyebrow and once they are done, i usually say something like. ''Ya ya thats fine and good for you, but at the end of the day, you sit down when you take a shit just like the rest us animals, unless you have some weird gross fetish standing up when you take a shit?'' And that usually humbles the person who is bragging or at least makes them stay silent.
That is extremely cringe
@@aprd It may sound like that to an outsider, but it helps keeping everyone at a ground level no matter how rich, or succesful, or famous you get, you are still only human, just like the rest of us.
@@Vakaria-plays I know your rude tribal small world ways by now. But what you described there is just literally toilet talk. I don't think your fellow countrymen would appreciate.
@@aprd LMAO talk about rude, tribal small world? How rascist and intolerant can you get troll? You clearly dont get the culture at all, what i described there is a humor attitude that is typically used for someone who is bragging about every success and having a rich perfect life. (kind of like what you see in those awful reality shows) and that person talking down to someone, but it can also be a friendly battle talk between two friends, we are not easily insulted by such comments such as the one i described.
sounds like you have been working at some bad places 😅 All those bad things you have mentioned, is not common in all work places. I think it would be great if you mentioned what type of company you are working in. Sounds like you are working in very conservative places 😅
It’s all generalizations, so nothing is universal - but we have worked for Danish and international companies as well as start-ups and larger corporations. It would be great to hear your experiences (not sure if you’ve ever made content), but I don’t think we mean to say places are that conservative.
I have some questions for you guys. Please forgive me if they appear to be awfully naive.
1) Isn't there a class system over there in Denmark? (Surely there must be some people who are what we Americans would call "elitist".)
2) Aren't there people, over there, who thinks their #2 doesn't stink?
Does everyone really think that all people are 100% equal?
Would one see Queen Margrethe grocery shopping where you go to buy your food?
3) I have not seen a lot of Black People in your videos. Seems to me that there aren't that many of them over there. I hope my perception is wrong. Are there any Black people where you live and work?
4) Hang on, Danes think that eating lunch at your desk to be unhygienic? Please explain why this is so. Are their desks that filthy-dirty?
5) What do Danes think of Americans thinking that its their coworkers who should bring treats to work on THEIR birthdays? I think it is rather strange that Danes bring cakes to work on their own birthdays.
Answering from Sweden here but it's pretty much exactly the same.
1. No. The CEO of the big companies hang around with the workers without any problems. They eat at the same table during lunch. If you go to a random party, you could expect to find rich lawyers and plumbers at the same table. And it depends on what you call "elitist", of course we have doctors and lawyers who are payed well, but that doesn't mean they see themselves as above the rest.
2. When it comes to the royals it could be different though, they live a bit in a different reality. But there aren't even a handful of them. The swedish crown princess, our next queen, she married a gym owner. Not quite a royal. And the king is quite fun, he is a huge sports fan and every time he gets to meet a star athlete, it's quite obvious who he thinks is the bigger man. :)
3. Not many blacks in Denmark. Why should it be? They never imported black slaves or forces their will on many african nations. I hope you didn't hope they had a lot of black slaves back in the days...
4. That sounded weird to me too.
5. Simply cultural differences. Nothing strange about that.
@@williamjones4716 College education is a big deal? Sounds strange, isn't college education an extremely normal thing in Denmark?
For your second point about the royals: while the royals don't necessarily frequent the local grocery store, there was recently a docu-series about the queen's jewelry collection, as it was part of a museum exhibition. It of course included the usual crown jewels and valuable heirlooms. Our lovely queen also featured more personal pieces, however, one of which was a plastic piece she picked up in a local drugstore on an official engagement.
@@catrine982 Interesting to know. I was just curious about the REAL degree to which Danes think that they are all 100% equal to one another. I was also thinking that there must be SOME classicism and elitism everywhere, as well. That's all. 🙂
@@jonashansson2320 My question about the prevalence of Black People in Denmark was just that. I was curious to know if there are any of them over there, and also what percentage of the population they occupy. I never have seen any Black people in videos about Denmark, and by that I mean ANYONE'S videos about Denmark, at least here on TH-cam.
NO, I was not wishing that slavery had happened in Denmark.
Cultural Differences abound everywhere, between people of different cultures, of course. I just thought it was rather odd that people have to bring cakes for themselves on THEIR OWN birthdays, when in America, if anyone knows it is your birthday, they will bring a cake or gifts for you.
It’s veryclear that you are white collar and not blue collar 😁
..and Jutland do..NOT like zealand?
Boys! - Ya' gotta' go more WEST!
I'm a very danish guy, but things like lunch and other mandatory social constructions makes me sick... but I appreciate my colleagues though.
You are totally wrong 😡
We care, you do not know anything ….
We Danes don't necessarily have anything against socializing with people from work but in such cases, the general rule is not to discuss work. We do like to keep your professional work life and private life separated, but it does not mean we never have friends from work etc.
bs you had 0 right
Then make your own video and screw off.
what happens at julefrokost. Stays at julefrokost. so no pictures XD
Julefrokost? What Julefrokost? 😂
@@RobeTrotting i dun't know.... i forgot
And the bosses have the decency to either be "otherwise engaged" or leave when we are done eating..
X100