Fika: The Swedish Secret to Stronger Team Culture

What exactly is it?
Fika is a daily Swedish ritual where people from all walks of life take time at 11 AM and 3 PM to enjoy a coffee. It can be done at home, at the office, or when visiting someone.
The word Fika is so closely associated with Sweden that it doesn't have a direct translation.

But what makes this moment so special?
Why does even a busy businessman take time for it? Isn't it just taking a break and having a coffee with something sweet? It’s much more than that. During the Fika moment, people mentally and/or physically step away from their tasks.
The activity itself—eating and drinking—isn't the primary focus. What matters most in that moment is the calm, the social interaction, the reflection, the experience, and the opportunity to connect with each other.

In companies, this moment is a beautiful example of how intrapreneurship can be encouraged.
Employees from all layers of the organization come together for coffee, and I would like to highlight a few positive outcomes of this practice.

Positive Effects of Fika in the Workplace

One benefit is that everyone becomes accessible within the organization.
You get to know the person behind your colleagues, which often makes collaboration much smoother, with respect at its core.

The topics of conversation can be very diverse. The primary goal is not to talk about work-related matters, though it’s certainly not forbidden.
Given the company context of the coffee break, it's not uncommon for a colleague to act as a sounding board for a new idea or to offer advice on how to handle certain situations within the company or among colleagues.
This often leads to solutions being found during these moments by simply brainstorming together.

Another positive outcome is that employees learn to think in a solution-oriented way, complementing each other with ideas and perspectives.

As the cherry on top, companies find that the positive company atmosphere is maintained, and crisis management is minimized, as solutions to problems are often discovered internally before they even reach the organization.

A Smart Investment?

We can imagine some may see this 'lost' working time as a pure cost.
Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s an investment with a high return for both the company and each individual.
We strongly encourage businesses to reconsider the value and importance of their coffee corner.

The ultimate outcome of this beautiful Swedish tradition is that productivity gets a boost, and that’s something we all wish for, right?