Kay Xander Mellish

What can Denmark and the US learn from each other?

This is an article written by Kay Xander Mellish

What can Denmark and the US learn from each other?

Danish working culture is known around the world for its egalitarian “flat hierarchy” and good work life balance. And US working culture is known for its ambition, dynamism, and ability to integrate newcomers from many cultures.

What can Denmark and the US learn from each other?

As a citizen of both countries, I’m quite familiar with their many positives – and a few negatives.

Denmark sees employee as “whole person”

One of the things Denmark does best is taking care of employees, who are generally seen to be just as important as customers. Team members aren’t asked to work more hours than they’re paid for, or to skip any of the five weeks’ vacation required by law. Parental leave is generous.

Danish working culture is thoughtful about employees’ “softer” needs after as well. For example, on Christmas Eve – the high point of Denmark’s holiday season – city buses stop running from 5pm until 11pm. This is so bus drivers can go home and eat Christmas Eve dinner with their families.

The US too often demands that employees sacrifice their personal lives to work, as each boss does his or her best to maximize short-term results. Danish working culture is better at seeing each team member as a “whole person” – which is why their age, family structure, and personal hobbies are often a part of job interviews and listed on CVs.

That’s much less likely in the US, in part because employers worry about discrimination lawsuits.

US integrates newcomers better

The US is further down the road of multiculturalism than Denmark, and despite ongoing challenges, it does a much better job of integrating immigrants into the job market.

US working culture offers newcomers more room for advancement – many American CEOS were born elsewhere and two presidents in a row (Obama and Trump) were the children of immigrants, as is current vice-president Kamala Harris.

Most Danish managers are ethnic Danish, and in private industry, most of them are men. According to the OECD’s 2019 statistics, 26.8% of managers in Denmark are women, compared to 40.7% in the US.

This relative lack of diversity means that in some companies there is just one way of doing things – the Danish way. And the Danish way is subject to “the law of Jante”, which mandates modesty and sometimes punishes ambition. This can make Danes reluctant to admit to ambition or enthusiasm or celebrate success on the job, because they don’t want to be perceived as bragging.  It can also make them appear hypercritical, because they’ll share negative feedback but avoid sharing the positive.

One thing Danes do right, however, is giving their employees a lot of room to innovate on the job. Danish bosses tend to outline the assignment at hand, the timeline, and the budget, and then step back and give skilled employees the freedom to approach the challenge in the way they think best.

To a Dane, US bosses can seem like micromanagers, with a hands-on approach that is a little exhausting for both boss and employee. Yet many Americans enjoy the inspiration and guidance of a hands-on boss.

Both Denmark and the US have effective, energetic business cultures, but they have plenty to learn from each other.

What can the US learn from Denmark?

• See employees as a “whole person” outside work, and limit working hours
• Give employees more independence on the job to make them feel more confident

What can Denmark learn from the US?

• Become more open to internationals in the workplace, and let them advance
• Celebrate success and give more positive feedback to suppliers and colleagues

Interview with Kay Xander Mellish

What was the biggest culture shock coming from US to Denmark?

The biggest culture shock for me coming to Denmark was the lack of competitiveness and sharp elbows here. I had been living in Manhattan and working in the financial industry, so I was used to swimming with sharks! But Danish business culture, and Danish culture in general, are much more about teamwork and common goals.

Have things changed in Denmark compared to how they were when you arrived?

Since I arrived more than a decade ago, Denmark has become a brand. Danish design and hygge -the coziness of quiet time at home – are known all over the world, and Denmark is often called the “happiest country in the world.” While they’re modest on an individual basis, Danes have become extremely proud of their societal and economic model. But, as history has shown us, pride goes before a fall. High levels of personal debt, poor integration of newcomers, and strains on the public schools and public health system are already apparent in Denmark – and these are the good times.

What got you interested in Scandinavian work culture?

In a globalized world, we’re often told that long working hours, fiery ambition, and sharp elbows are required for economic success. But the Danish working culture has none of these characteristics. Most Danes work 37.5 hours a week or less; at 5pm offices are generally empty. There’s little hierarchy and personal ambition is kind of a dirty little secret; you’re allowed to be ambitious for the quality of your product, but an eagerness to get rich or rise to the top of the heap is considered in poor taste.

Despite that, Denmark is a wealthy country with a thriving export industry. Part of it is a dedication to quality: Danes have a great respect for something that is beautifully made, and the curiosity to continue evolving what they make, whether its architecture, home goods, or pharmacueticals. And part of it is a lack of corruption and general trust in each other. Many countries – including the USA, where I come from – have to waste a lot of money on security and employee monitoring because they lack this level of trust.

How much does humor factor into your keynotes and other speaking engagements?

Danes are very good at having a sense of humor about themselves – along with the British, they’re probably the world leaders in dry self-deprecation. Where else would people present their circle of friends with a “failure cake” (kvajekage) or, after hours, a “failure beer” (kvajebager) to ironically celebrate the fact they’d made a stupid mistake? The fact that Danes are so good at what they call “self irony” makes it easy for me to incorporate gentle humor into my presentations – some of it directed at myself!

Do you have a favourite experience from your speaking career?

I frequently do “Welcome to Denmark” speeches for the many international students who study at Danish universities, and one of the topics I touch on is dating. I tell the students that in Denmark it’s very common for women to ask men for dates – in fact, if a woman waits for a Danish man to make a move, she may wait a long time!

When I was making a repeat appearance at one school, a young Polish woman came up to me and asked if I remembered her from my last speech a couple of years before. I was embarrassed to admit I didn’t, but she didn’t mind. She’d said she’d followed my dating advice and taken the initiative with a Danish man she’d had her eye on – and now they were engaged!