Working life in Norway: packed lunch, July holidays and a flat structure

A flat structure and first names

In Norway everyone says du (you, informal), even to the managing director. The formal De is used almost only to very old people or as a joke. You introduce yourself with first and last name, but after that it is first names: ‘Hei, Lars, har du et minutt?’ (Hi Lars, have you got a minute?)

The distance between managers and staff is small. The boss eats lunch at the same table and gets their own coffee. You are expected to speak up if you disagree or see a better solution, and to work independently without anyone checking on you every hour. Many people from Poland, Ukraine or Romania say it took time to get used to nobody giving detailed orders.

Decisions are often made after many meetings and a lot of discussion, which can feel slow. In return, people stand behind the decision once it is made. Once a year you have a medarbeidersamtale, an appraisal talk with your manager about well-being, goals and skills.

Lunch at 11:30 and the matpakke

Many newcomers are surprised by how early Norwegians have lunch. In most workplaces people go to lunch between 11 and 12, often at 11:30 sharp, and the break lasts half an hour. Lunch is not a hot meal. The classic matpakke (packed lunch) is two to four slices of bread with brown cheese, liver pâté, cheese or ham, wrapped in greaseproof paper. Large workplaces have a canteen with a salad bar and a hot option, and some companies pay part of the cost.

Lunch is social, even though it is short. People sit together, and this is where you hear what is going on. Eating alone at your computer every day gets noticed. Norwegians eat dinner at home, often as early as 16:30–17:00.

One tip: bring your own food for the first few days until you see how things are done. And if someone says ‘Skal vi ta lunsj?’ (Shall we have lunch?) at 11:25, the answer is ‘Ja!’, even if you’re not hungry yet.

Home at four and the July holiday

A normal working week in Norway is 37.5 hours, often 8 to 4 with lunch included. As four o’clock approaches, people start packing up. It is not laziness – many have to pick up their children from kindergarten, which often closes at 16:30 or 17:00. Staying until seven every evening is not seen as dedication but as a sign that something is wrong with the workload or the planning. Overtime must as a rule be paid with a supplement of at least 40 percent.

The summer holiday is sacred. Under the Holidays Act you are entitled to 25 working days of holiday, and many collective agreements give five weeks. You can demand three consecutive weeks in the period 1 June–30 September. Many companies, especially in industry and construction, have fellesferie (common holiday) during the first three weeks of July. Then almost everything stops: the plumber doesn’t answer, and the case officer is ‘on holiday until week 31’.

Instead of ordinary salary in June, most people receive holiday pay (feriepenger) of 10.2 or 12 percent of last year’s earnings. June is therefore often the best pay month – and in December you pay only half tax.

Dugnad and self-certified sick leave

Dugnad is voluntary unpaid community work. The housing cooperative calls a spring dugnad where everyone rakes leaves and paints benches, the kindergarten has a dugnad before the summer, and the football club sells raffle tickets and toilet paper to fund trips. The word is used at work too: ‘Nå må vi ta en dugnad for å bli ferdige før jul’ (Now we all have to pitch in to finish before Christmas). Turning up is an important way of becoming part of the community. If you don’t have time, say so in advance.

When you are ill, call or text your manager before the working day starts. After two months in the job you can use egenmelding: you certify yourself that you are ill, without a doctor’s note, for up to three days at a time and four times in twelve months. Many companies offer extended self-certification, for example up to 24 days a year. If the illness lasts longer, you need a sykmelding (sick note) from your GP. The employer pays the first 16 days, then Nav takes over.

Norwegians do not go to work with a fever, and nobody expects you to. Infecting the whole office is worse than being away for a day.

Trade unions and shop stewards

About half of Norwegian employees are members of a trade union. The large confederations are LO, Unio, YS and Akademikerne. Fellesforbundet organises many in construction and industry, and Fagforbundet many in the municipalities, for example in health care and cleaning. Being a member is not politically risky or unusual – in the public sector it is almost the norm.

The union negotiates collective agreements on pay, overtime and working hours, and it helps you if you run into problems with your employer. Many workplaces have a tillitsvalgt (shop steward), a colleague who represents the staff. The fee is often 1–2 percent of your salary, and part of it is tax-deductible.

For labour migrants this matters even more. In construction, cleaning and agriculture there are legally extended minimum wages, and the union can check that you get what you are entitled to. Read your employment contract carefully, and ask the shop steward or the Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) if something seems wrong.

Useful phrases

Har du et minutt?Have you got a minute?
Skal vi ta lunsj?Shall we have lunch?
Jeg er syk i dag og bruker egenmelding.I’m ill today and taking self-certified sick leave.
Kan du forklare det en gang til?Could you explain that once more?
Jeg er ikke helt enig.I don’t quite agree.
Når har du fellesferie?When is your common summer holiday?
Jeg må gå nå, jeg skal hente i barnehagen.I have to go now, I’m picking up from kindergarten.
Hvem er tillitsvalgt her?Who is the shop steward here?
Takk for i dag!Thanks for today! (said when leaving work)