How I discovered work-life brilliance in Stockholm

I was the only non-Swede in my class and finding a job in Sweden wasn’t easy at first. References are everything, so you can’t just sit back and wait for opportunities to find you. I put myself out there, taking whatever jobs I could find to start with, and it was this experience that set me on the path to landing my current job as a window specialist at H&M.

Discovering Swedish work culture

After nearly a year of searching for something permanent, I landed a role at a South Korean-owned company in Kista. The team was very international, but still, there were lots of Swedes and I quickly noticed how different Swedish work culture was from what I’d grown up with in Spain.

In Spain, the workdays are long. You start your day around nine, take a long lunch break, and then keep going until eight in the evening. It’s very different here in Stockholm. Swedes work hard, but they also know how to switch off. It’s no big deal to get up and leave your desk at 4 pm to go and pick up your child from school or to work later one day and leave earlier the next. As long as you’re doing your job, people respect your right to a personal life.

This balance became even clearer when I joined H&M, my current job, five years ago. My team is mostly Swedish, and I’ve been inspired by how my colleagues manage to integrate their careers with their personal lives. There’s a flexibility that makes it possible to do your job well while still prioritizing family, hobbies, or simply recharging.

I’ve learned that career growth in Stockholm doesn’t come at the cost of your quality of life. In fact, the two go hand in hand. There’s also a seasonal rhythm to the work – summer is for slowing down, spending time outdoors, and fully enjoying the long, sunny days. Most people take four or five weeks off in a row. At Christmas, there’s an understanding that family comes first, with flexible schedules that allow people to travel or work remotely when needed.