Dear Leaders, is a cultural coffee break the best way to improve connection within your business?
I want to introduce a tradition from Sweden that might well be a new weapon in your arsenal to improve company culture and build connections.
Fika is simply translated having coffee.
Fika explained is a state of mind, it is connecting over a coffee (or tea) and a cake break.
Importantly, Fika cannot be a solo experience.
Two of my friends have lived and worked in Sweden and openly suggest Fika is key to happiness within work.
Below is the BBC explaining (video) what Fika is and how it helps create a break to boost your wellbeing and performance, importantly declining a fika is not acceptable.
In my last full-time role, I would make it my mission to have a coffee break with a set number of colleagues fortnightly (yes alongside my 1:2:1’s and team meetings) it was a slot where I would connect with people I wouldn’t often work directly with but would look forward to and I would learn a lot over coffee.
It was unintentionally fika.
I recommended fika to a leader’s letter subscriber when they emailed me directly for some help and I am confident it will help with their team and subculture.
Is fika something you roll out across your business?
Are you connecting enough?
Are you embracing a state of mind to improve your working day with colleagues?
Can you introduce fika to teams or parts of the business that are not as connected as others?
One of my favourite recommendations is to have fika between leaders and the next generation of talent, as it is far more relaxed and who doesn’t want the boss to treat you to a drink and cake?
Have a productive week and consider rolling out fika to your business.
Thanks,
Danny Denhard
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