Indian Techie Impressed By Sweden's Work-Life Balance: "Most Employees Leave By 4 pm..."
An Indian software developer in Sweden has gone viral on Instagram with a video sharing his observations on the stark differences in corporate culture between India and Sweden. In the video, Ashutosh Samal highlighted that work-life balance is genuinely valued in Europe, not just a buzzword.
He shared that in Sweden, employees typically start work at 8 am, and some offices even offer free breakfast to kick-start the day. What's more is that Swedish workplaces have an open workplace with no assigned desks, allowing everyone, including the CEO, to sit wherever they like, removing hierarchy. "Everyone is on the same level. Even our CEO sometimes sits next to me and works," Mr Samal noted.
He further mentioned that employees are encouraged to take breaks, play games, and grab coffee during work hours, promoting a relaxed atmosphere. During summer, some offices even shorten the workday from eight to seven hours. By 4 or 4:30 pm, most colleagues wrap up and head home, prioritising time with family and friends.
"How different is the corporate office culture in Sweden, Europe, than India" the video was captioned.
Watch the video here:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Ashutosh Samal (@roamwithashutosh)
His video resonated with many viewers. While some agreed that work-life balance is more ingrained in European cultures, others noted that India is slowly shifting towards a similar approach, with many companies prioritising employee well-being and flexibility. One user wrote, "I enjoy the same work culture in Luxembourg, and I feel I made a great decision to skip India's toxic corporate culture."
Another commented, "I worked in Helsinki. And it has spoiled me for life. Everyone is so respectful of each other. Scandinavia rocks."
A third said, "This is basic corporate culture everywhere in the world. You get free breakfast, but in some Indian corporations, we get free lunch and snacks too.. Plus free movie tickets, gym, cab facilities and corporate dinner."
A fourth added, "Working in a small org in Bangalore, India. Same practices as u mentioned."
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