The fika principle Why Swedish workplace culture leads the way

Wellbeing allowances, generous parental leave and bonuses for taking breaks are standard perks in Sweden. But would such progressive practices translate to other countries?

- Leah Harper

Gym classes, massages, mood boosting hobbies; it's no secret that staying "well" can be prohibitively expensive. But not necessarily in Sweden, where many employers offer their workers a "wellness allowance": up to 5,000 SEK ($460) tax-free a year to spend on pre-approved wellbeing-based activities.

First introduced in 1988, the allowance can be used for endeavours ranging from horse riding to smoking cessation programmes, and many employers have increased their offering over the years. But the allowance is just the tip of Sweden's workplace wellbeing iceberg. In fact, when it comes to ideal countries to be employed in, Sweden sets the pace.

"It's pretty amazing," said Maja Wessel, acting CEO of Region Stockholm's Patient Advisory Committee (Patientnämnden) of the wellness allowance. Her organisation was named Sweden's best small workplace by Great Place to Work this year and came third in the European final. She spends her allowance on a gym membership, but says yoga classes and ski passes are also popular choices. Many Swedish employers also offer a weekly friskvårdstimme or "wellness hour" - 60 minutes to look after their wellbeing during paid working hours.

Perhaps the best-known of Sweden's enviable workplace practices is the tradition of fika, which involves stepping away from your desk to share coffee and cake or pastries with colleagues. Unlike in other countries, where a coffee run may typically be carried out by one person, or used to facilitate a work meeting, in Sweden the focus tends to be on taking a collective break.

"It's not a time to talk about work-it's a pause from work, to talk about other things," said Lotta Henrysson, head of HR at Vattenfall Sweden, a stateowned energy company. Vattenfall's offices have seating areas to make it easy for people to move away from their desks and "change the environment" during fika breaks.