Kay Xander MellishExpert on Danish business culture

Danish teamwork and collaboration: The individual vs the group

22 Aug 2023 · 1 min

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Danish workplaces expect employees to prioritize the team over individual achievement, even when they hire top performers from abroad. There's no employee of the month or personal accolades. New international hires need managers to explicitly explain this cultural shift, which can be a mind-blower for people used to standing out.

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Here in Denmark, we hire the best individual achievers from all over the world. People who have excelled at school, excelled on the job, and then we bring them to Denmark and we say, that's not what we want. This is a group-oriented culture. These people have spent a lifetime showcasing their individual achievement, but we tell them, you know, look here, it's about team spirit. You don't have to outshine your colleagues. Uh, there's no employee of the month. This is a mind-blower for many of them. So if you have a smart new employee from abroad, take them aside and explain the Danish group culture. When I first got here, somebody had to explain it to me.