What is the secret of Denmark’s happy work-life balance?

Mr Wiking is another Dane who talks about the concept of a boss who trusts his employees to do the right thing. He used the example of staff at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, where they followed the three-metre rule.

The idea is that you CEO everyone within a three meter radius. “If you see rubbish within your three meter radius, you go, and if you see a guest looking for something, you stop and ask if you can help,” said Mr Wiking.

He added that when staff take ownership of their own space it can help them feel empowered and appreciated, which goes a long way to contributing to healthy sentiments about their workplace.

Janine Leschke, a lecturer in the department of management, society and communication at Copenhagen Business School, says that Denmark is definitely “not a work culture where you have to show up and be available all day, all night, to show that you are working hard all the time”.

Instead, he said flexibility during the workday gives employees the time they need to, say, pick up their children from school or daycare. “The day doesn’t have to officially end at five or six, and that’s fun for a lot of Danes and their kids.”

Mr Hoces has noticed how some employers in the US may expect their staff to be available at weekends, to answer the odd email or message. Such overtime is not compatible with his view of a positive work-life balance.

“If I’m expected to call on the weekend, that would be a huge red flag for me, and I’ll probably change jobs,” she says. “But so far that hasn’t happened to me or anyone I know.”