This article was written by Vania, Content Writer at 24Slides Peru, as part of 24Slides’ #StorytellerProgram.
I have been part of 24Slides for 10 months now, and so far, one of the aspects that has impacted me the most (in a positive way) is its corporate culture.
24Slides started in Denmark but now has offices in Indonesia, Ukraine, the United States, and Peru. We are a multicultural team with some differences in our way of thinking but with a common corporate culture that unites us to follow the same path.
Let me share how the Danish hygge philosophy has enriched my lifestyle.
The Work Culture in Peru
In Peru, as in many Latin American countries, workdays tend to be long (between 40 to 48 hours per week). As a developing nation, informal work and long work schedules are very common practices, especially in most commercial areas of Peru.
We Peruvians are characterized by being responsible and creative when it comes to working, values transmitted to us from a very young age. To some extent, having such an ingrained work culture promotes entrepreneurship at every level, which is great for our economy’s growth.
However, if you don’t set limits, this work culture may become toxic. In my personal experience, I have noticed that those people who work more hours (the famous “workaholics”) have more chances of growing in a Peruvian company. This means that the employee has to spend his or her leisure time on work, which can generate a lot of stress and, in the worst cases, lead to burnout syndrome.
It is essential to emphasize that this work trend doesn’t occur in 100% of Peruvian companies. Still, it’s a very common practice that has been normalized and is usually necessary to get promoted.
For a moment, I wondered if I really had to adapt myself to that pace, or perhaps there would be other work cultures I hadn’t experienced.
The Hygge Philosophy at 24Slides
Before joining 24Slides, the first thing that crossed my mind about Denmark was that it’s one of the happiest countries in the world (in fact, the second happiest country in the world for the fourth year in a row).
Doing a little research, I found that Danish people follow the “hygge” philosophy, which involves finding happiness in simple things. It can also mean sharing quality time with your loved ones, or even with yourself, and disconnecting from the virtual world after a busy day.
But what does a life philosophy have to do with work? Well, it does, and a lot! The culture of a company is like a philosophy. Companies exist because people with particular life values founded them. Without people, there is no company. And without philosophy, there is no culture.
24Slides’ culture is based on 5 core values, among which I want to highlight the value “We Care.” This value shines through in how we respect leisure time among colleagues, the flexibility of work schedules, and the additional benefits that the company provides to each 24Slider.
Our most recent benefit is the Holos membership, a holistic marketplace that allows you to try various sports and wellness services. This membership is awesome since its offerings range from cycling, yoga, and martial arts to nutritional and psychological counseling.
Initiatives like this encourage each 24Slider to experiment and organically build new healthy habits. And why not? Take a moment to disconnect a little bit from our daily routine.
Final learning? Find a healthy work-life balance!
During these 10 months of being immersed in 24Slides culture, I can say that I have improved my lifestyle, and I am much more focused on finding a balance between my personal and professional life.
Has the process been easy? Not really. I have learned that it’s okay to challenge some social rules normalized around me. Moreover, I have discovered the beauty of immersing myself in a new culture and getting some takeaways from it.
In this process of self-reflection, I have learned two main things:
– Personal growth is not linear (it has ups and downs, and that’s okay!)
– It is essential to disconnect from work to be able to reconnect with more strength.
There is no secret formula to find the perfect balance, but you can start by keeping yourself moving and consciously enjoying your free time.
At the end of the day, I believe that a corporate culture where workers are happy and feel heard will become a safe environment full of innovation. And how beautiful it is to witness that!
