Secret to Finnish Happiness (and better workplaces)

Finland is the happiest country again! Many Finns, including me, find this funny because we often don’t think about why we’re happy. I’ve lived in other countries for over 10 years and I’ve started to understand what makes Finland special. It's about how we do things and treat each other, and this can really help make work better too.

Being Humble

In Finland, we don’t like to brag. This was hard for me when I started working for myself because you need to tell people how good you are at your job. But, being humble is actually really nice. It means you’re happy with what you have and you focus on doing work you love, not just work that pays a lot.

Being Honest

We Finns are very honest. We say what we mean, and this makes everything at work much clearer and simpler. People know where they stand, and we can solve problems faster because everyone is straight about what they think.

Trusting Each Other

Trust is a big deal in Finland. We trust other people a lot, more than in many places. At work, this means we can do our jobs well because we know our team believes in us. This makes everyone feel safe and happy to try new things.

Work-Life Balance

When I lived in Germany, I was surprised by how long people worked each day. In Finland, we work less and have more flexible schedules. This helps everyone have time for family, hobbies, or just relaxing. I think all workplaces should try to do this because it makes life better.

These things – being humble, honest, trusting each other, and having a good balance – are what make Finland happy. They also make businesses better. In my job, I help teams use these ideas to make their work happier and more successful.

If you like these ideas and want to make your workplace happier, I’d love to help. We can make your team feel more like a friendly community instead of competitive hamster wheel.