‘While the treats involved are always top-class, the opportunity that fika gives us to chill out and talk is something we have all grown to love. On Fridays at 4:00pm, we come together to share coffee and cake (or other tasty snacks), and have a good chat. ‘Ever since Hanna – a Swedish member of our team – introduced the Scandi “fika” tradition to HubbleHQ, it has been an indispensable part of our week. Tom Watson, who is the co-founder and chief technology officer at HubbleHQ, implemented fika after a Swedish team member suggested it and has seen successful results. Mental health problems at work costs businesses up to £42billion per year, according to an analysis by Deloitte in 2017. Investing in positive mental health practices in the workplace isn’t just good for employers, but it could also saves money. ‘Other countries should take a leaf out of Sweden’s book: short breaks and greater flexibility are the answer to long term worker wellbeing.’ ‘There is a misconception that institutionalising breaks in the workplace will be detrimental to productivity, but actually, Sweden enjoys higher levels of productivity than many countries where breaks aren’t viewed in such a positive light. It’s embedded in our culture to think as much about engagement as it is about efficiency. ‘Humans are social creatures and creating dedicated time and space for workers to share food and drink with their colleagues has clear mental health benefits. ‘But the benefits that the fika break creates aren’t just about the physical – fika plays a vital role in allowing colleagues to connect on a social level. ‘Encouraging workers to take time during the day to switch off and rest, massively benefits their mental health, wellbeing and productivity. ‘We don’t pretend to have all the answers to workplace happiness in Sweden, but as a country known for happiness and productivity we can share some of our insights that may help with optimising employees rather than maximising them,’ he says. He tells us why fika is such a successful method in his home country – and why other countries should ‘take a leaf out of Sweden’s book’. ‘This is the first job I’ve ever taken part in something like this and it is quite surprising how much it helps you to destress.’Įrik Fjellborg who hails from Örebro and lives in Stockholm, runs Quinyx – a company that is focused on workforce management (and how businesses can increase productivity and retain employees). ‘Having that time away from your work helps me to relax and reorganise my mind in the morning and it definitely helps my overall mood,’ she says. ‘From a mental perspective it both helped and hindered my mental health’ (Picture: Ella Byworth for .uk)īeyond being a successful way to communicate with colleagues, Iona tells us that having a regular fika has also improved her mental health. For example, this morning we spoke about the fallout from the Christmas party which we had on Friday. ‘It gives the opportunity for everyone in the business to catch up while away from their screens. ‘This morning we were treated to a homemade chocolate Christmas tree made from Roses and Celebrations. ‘Now, every morning we take a step away from our desks for roughly 15 minutes, huddle around with a coffee or a tea and indulge in a sweet treat,’ she says. Iona Townsley, who works as a PR and content executive at Just Travel PR, tells us that her manager first heard about fika in 2018 and, in an effort to get people to look up from their screens, decided to introduce the practice into their office. With this in mind, should we be implementing the tradition of a daily fika in the UK? What’s more, a separate study by Total Jobs revealed that a third of UK workers don’t leave their desk during their work day, and out of the average lunch break, which is 40 minutes, the average worker only steps out for 27 minutes. One in nearly seven people in the UK experience mental health problems at work, revealed a recent study by the Mental Health Foundation. According to Health Assured, not taking regular breaks may result in anxiety attacks, stress and burnout, among other mental health issues. Studies show that taking regular breaks during work makes us more productive, and it’s also good for our mental health.
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