According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Sweden ranks 4th in happiness globally.
Japan, on the other hand, was 55th. Why is there such a big difference?

"Well-being" is a concept that refers to a state of physical, mental, and social fulfillment.

After working for a Swedish company for about 7 years and living in Stockholm, I realized there are "three characteristics of work styles" that support Swedish well-being.

1. A flat organizational culture where everyone, regardless of age or position, calls each other by their first names.

The first thing that surprised me when I came to Sweden was the sight of everyone, from the Prime Minister to professors and doctors, calling each other by their first names.

Unlike in Japan, there are no titles like "President," "Department Manager," "Sensei," or "Professor," nor are there honorifics like "-san." There are also no expressions like Mr. or Ms. as found in English-speaking countries like the UK or the US.

• Calling bosses and colleagues by their first names

• Emphasizing experience and results, not titles

• Treating everyone as equal individuals, regardless of age

I feel that this flatness creates an environment where it's easy to express opinions, enhancing psychological safety.

"Efficiency" is thoroughly applied to meetings as well.

• Meetings start and end exactly on time.

• Results-oriented, where "as long as the results are good, it's OK."

• Overtime is not valued.

• Offices are empty around 4 PM on Fridays.

And the culture that supports this flat organization is Fika (coffee break).

By having small talk over coffee and naturally sharing project progress, concerns, and daily life, work proceeds smoothly, and trust deepens.

2. "Resting" is also part of the job. A country that encourages taking 4 consecutive weeks of vacation.

In Japan, people tend to feel guilty about taking long vacations, but in Sweden, vacation is a right and almost a duty for workers.

At my workplace, I received an email from my boss in early spring that read:

"Everyone, I recommend taking about 4 weeks of summer vacation consecutively. Please let me know your planned dates in advance so we can adjust the schedule."

In Sweden, depending on the industry, paid leave is 5-6 weeks, and it's common to take it all at once for summer vacation (about 4 weeks) and winter or sports holidays.

• It's okay to take several weeks off consecutively.

• No one holds back or feels guilty.

• Families take vacations together to coincide with school holidays for children.

• Sometimes a whole department shuts down for a month through team coordination.

While it depends on the profession, experiencing Stockholm in the summer when many jobs stop makes it clear that the value of "not living to work" is ingrained at a cultural level.

3. A well-established social system and a "culture of not over-demanding" lead to work-life balance.

Sweden consistently ranks high in the "Gender Equality Index" globally.
In 2025, it ranked 6th.

Workplace sex discrimination has been illegal since 1980, and the male-to-female ratio in politics, management, and on boards of directors is almost 50/50. There are also no children on waiting lists for childcare.

Such social systems make it possible to balance family and work regardless of gender.

This achievement is a testament to the efforts of previous generations, both men and women, who worked together to change society.

Household chores and childcare are "standard for both men and women."

At my workplace, male bosses and male colleagues would leave at 3 PM two or three times a week to pick up their children.

• Household chores are shared regardless of gender.

• If it's impossible, outsource it.

• Housekeeping is about 50% cheaper with tax deductions.

• Frozen foods and single-dish meals are fine; no excessive perfection is demanded for meals.

Even with both partners trying their best, childcare is not easy.

If relatives are nearby, they rely on them, or use babysitters and housekeeping to create family time.

"Finishing work early and prioritizing family time" is a widely accepted value in society.

Sweden's "not overworking" social system appears everywhere in daily life.

In supermarkets and restaurants, the attitude is a little different from Japan's "customer-first" approach.

• Staff chat while stocking shelves during business hours.

• They start turning off lights and closing registers 20 minutes before closing time.

• 24-hour operations are almost nonexistent.

• Speedy services like "next-day delivery" are rare.

• Administrative procedures take time (several months is normal).

• Customer support, etc., doesn't rotate lunch breaks but temporarily stops operations.

At first, you might feel a sense of discomfort or inconvenience, thinking, "Isn't this too casual?" but I truly feel that this "unhurried culture" lightens people's spirits and contributes to their well-being.

Once, I was rushing to pick up my child from daycare, thinking I was late, and I ran into the teacher on her way home. She told me, "Don't stress so much, it's okay to take your time!"

"A life not dominated by work" leads to happiness.

If I were to describe Swedish society in one word, it would be "a culture of not trying too hard and not demanding too much."

Of course, when it's time to work, they give their all.
But when it's time to rest, they truly rest. They don't demand too much of themselves or others.

Many people in Sweden start new businesses like startups, and many Swedish companies go global from their small beginnings. There are also many companies like IKEA and Spotify that have grown into global enterprises. Of course, there are also people who work very hard.

I believe that valuing one's life and family ultimately improves the quality of work and boosts happiness.

The work environment is a big part of life.

It may not be easy to apply everything to Japanese life, and it might not always suit Japan. However, I feel there is much to learn from Swedish values.

For those who want to delve deeper into Nordic values of happiness.
→ [Click here for the article on "Just Right Living" inspired by the Swedish words mysig and lagom]