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The cosy Scandinavian concept of ‘hygge’ has become popular in recent years, but there’s another wellness idea that helps Nordic people through long, cold winters. ‘Friluftsliv’ is a word used by Swedes, Danes and Norwegians. It translates literally as ‘fresh-air life’, and is all about embracing the great outdoors whatever the weather, being active, and immersing yourself in nature. A video by Maddy Savage and Benoit Derrier for BBC Reel and BBC Culture.
[Video Date: 23 Nov 2020. Posted: 27 Feb 2021.]
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Here is an excerpt from a BBC article about Friluftsiv:
With flexible hours already commonplace in Scandinavia, thanks to policies encouraging both parents to participate in family life, many businesses are also giving employees the chance to work around their passions – including the great outdoors – more regularly.
Source: “Friluftsliv: The Nordic concept of getting outdoors,” BBC, 10 Dec 2017 [View]
“We have a very free work environment and believe that our employees work best when they decide when to work,” says Jakob Palmers, the co-founder of Graphiq, a design agency based in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. “That means people can go and experience friluftsliv when the sun is up and work when it’s dark”.
The company has also piloted holding meetings outdoors at a nearby pond and plans to do so more regularly when warmer weather returns. “You get a different perspective as soon as you get out of the building,” Palmers says.
There are even tax breaks for firms that incentivise friluftsliv: firms in Sweden and Finland can subsidise employees’ sports activities or equipment, while some Finnish businesses are starting to pay compensation to employees if they cycle or walk to work.