Hygge Your Way to Productivity: 10 Danish Words to Elevate Your Workplace

Cultivating a positive and productive work environment is increasingly paramount in an age of stress and burnout. What better nation to learn from than the Danes, consistently ranked among the happiest in the world?

Don’t believe me? According to the World Happiness Report 2023, Denmark ranked second among the happiest countries. Furthermore, US News ranked it fifth among countries viewed as happy by global survey respondents.

So, why are the Danes so happy? This is where Danish vocabulary comes into play.

The Danish language is filled with words that capture the essence of well-being and togetherness. So, is your workplace ready for a dose of hygge (pronounced hoo-gah)? Here are 10 Danish words that can enhance your productivity, workplace, and life.

1. Hygge

As explained in a previous Calendar article, Hygge is derived from the Norwegian word hugga, meaning “to comfort’ or “to console,’ similar to the English hug.” In addition, it is a defining characteristic of Danish culture.

This relates to a feeling of coziness, contentment, and well-being caused by simple pleasures and meaningful connections. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a safe, welcoming environment where people feel comfortable being themselves. Think of flickering candlelight, warm blankets, and steaming hot cocoa accompanied by laughter.

Hygge can be incorporated into the workplace by encouraging team bonding activities such as potluck lunches, game nights, or even just taking breaks to chat and drink tea.

2. Arbejdsglæde

Danish job satisfaction is so serious that it’s referred to by a singular word — arbejdsglæde (“ahh-bites-gle-the”). Though Danish in origin, it is understood throughout the Nordics to mean “happiness at work.”

It consists of two parts:

• Arbejde: Means work
• Glæde: Means joy or happiness

The Danish work ethic encapsulates flexible hours, flat organization structures, and low power distances, all focusing on helping workers thrive – not just survive.

Its meaning, however, goes beyond simply describing job satisfaction. It can also refer to the satisfaction of a job well done at the end of a long day.

3. Pyt

This is a Danish cultural concept that is pronounced “pid.” It is usually used as an interjection to convey that something does not matter or carry much weight.

It means “never mind” or “don’t worry about it.” These expressions, however, fail to convey its positive connotations.

As a stress management technique, Pyt focuses more on cultivating healthy thoughts. Most commonly, it is a reaction to a daily inconvenience, frustration, or error.

“Pyt buttons” are used by Danish teachers to assist students in letting go of minor frustration. As a result of this approach, children learn to cope with small setbacks and to accept that nothing is perfect.

Similarly, “Pyt’ is a Scandinavian word for happiness. A significant aspect is stepping back and resetting your mind and soul.

4. Overskud

In its literal sense, overskud, pronounced owa-skood, means simply “surplus.” But when used descriptively, overskud refers to someone capable of achieving extraordinary things because they have extra energy, headspace, or capacities.

A healthy mind and body and the motivation to make extra efforts are the keys to achieving overskud. In other words, delivering a great result after multiple all-nighters that aren’t sustainable isn’t overskud. The same goes for buying expensive presents for colleagues and family members.

Moreover, the word is used when people are incapable ble of tackling an event, task, or obligation.

Instead of saying “I’m swamped,” Danish people might say they don’t have enough overskud to go to a party or have mulled wine to celebrate the holidays. Simply put, it means that something sounds fun, and you’d like to do it but lack of energy to do it.

5. Umage

The word umage (pronounced oo-may) means to put in that extra effort to make someone else happy. It may be in the work we do, in the home we live in, or in the relationships we have. The essence of umage is giving someone an exceptional performance or great experience by pulling on your inner strength.

Whether at work or at home, it can be easy to get into a routine of doing what needs to be done. When work or chores aren’t going well, it can be easy to shrug them off and say “it’s good enough.” However, umage means going the extra mile to be the best.

Is this a call to embrace perfectionism or an invitation to overwork yourself? Of course not. It’s all about being the best version of yourself that you can be.

6. Samfundssind

The Danish word samfundssind roughly translates to “community-mindedness” in English. The word is a compound noun made up of the words “samfund’ (society) and “sind’ (mind). It dates back to 1936, but Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen brought it back into prominence during the pandemic.

“As Danes, we usually seek community by being close together,” she said. “Now, we must stand together by keeping apart. We…