Evidence suggests that long work hours may impair personal health, jeopardise safety and increase stress. In Denmark, about 2% of employees work very long hours, much less than the OECD Better Life average of 11%.

‘While some cultures see working late as badge of honor and a way to get ahead, in Denmark it’s seen as a weakness — it shows you can’t get things done in the allotted work time,’ Kay Xander Mellish, a Danish business consultant and author of ‘How to Work in Denmark’ notes. For Danes, balancing time between work and personal life is vital. In many cases, employees are allowed – even encouraged – to work flexible hours to maximize productivity. Sometimes this means that parents start early and leave early to pick up their children from school.