The Copenhagen Post - June 2023

Photo: Uffe Jørgensen

THE COPENHAGEN POST SAYS: We can all do better

One could imagine that when so many companies are struggling to find qualified employees and the Danish Welfare State is in need of the same – especially in the years to come – the inclusion of internationals would be a high priority. Or at least a topic top of the mind of every manager in the country.

Unfortunately that’s not the case. Sure, things have improved over the years, but as we reveal in this edition of The Copenhagen Post there is still plenty room for improvement.

In fact, it can be a bit depressing reading about the struggles that internationals in Denmark face when it comes to inclusion at workplaces.

SAME STRUGGLES

Reading about the struggles yields one surprising insight because it is, in general, the same issue that internationals face today as years ago: Danes speaking Danish at lunch. An inadequate introduction to new colleagues, other departments and the management culture. It makes it hard for the internationals to establish a network in the office etc.

Companies are better off if they take these issues seriously. Some companies – often with an international profile – have seen the light and launched programs to help both Danish and international employees.

This doesn’t mean that learning Danish, or trying to embrace the culture in the office or integrate in society under your own steam, isn’t important. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure successful inclusion. It’s a two-way street.

AWKWARD TO SPEAK ENGLISH

So, how about yourself you might ask. Well, it has been an eye-opening experience to have The Copenhagen Post team in the office, where – until a few months ago – Danish was the only language spoken.

I now understand that it feels uncomfortable to suddenly speak English at lunch. That it feels awkward to talk about everyday life with Danes in English. Management conducted in a foreign language – and the work culture in general – can be very different from what Danes are used to.

But in order to create an inclusive environment, companies need to address these barriers if they want to attract and retain internationals.

At the same time, we as a society have to take care of what makes Denmark special – its language, culture and traditions are important to uphold.

There’s a bunch of challenges ahead. But it’s great to know that we can all do better – and both Danes and internationals have a good idea of what needs to be done. 

Photo: Bjørn Pierri Enevoldsen

Cover photos: Uffe Jørgensen Odde (main) Pixabay, Knuthenborg Safari VisitDenmark/Niclas Jessen

But expensive programs don’t solve the problems themselves. If we as a society agree that we should welcome internationals, that internationals enrich and contribute to our future society, we all have to make sure that non-Danish speaking people feel comfortable and included in the workplace.

Jesper Skeel CEO jesper@cphpost.dk

Lennart Nielsen Head of Sales lennart@cphpost.dk

Andy Horvath Key Account Manager andy@cphpost.dk

Hans Hermansen Contact Director hans@cphpost.dk

Best regards,

Uffe Jørgensen Odde Editor-In-Chief

Uffe Jørgensen Odde Ansvarshavende chefredaktør/Editor-in-Chief uffe@cphpost.dk

Nicolai Kampmann Co-Editor nicolai@cphpost.dk

Ben Hamilton Managing Editor ben@cphpost.dk

Christian Wenande News & Layout Editor christian@cphpost.dk

Dancing with Danes

– the Frenchman who shook up Copenhagen

When Distortion’s French founder Thomas Dalvang Fleurquin arrived in 1998, he found his hosts a little boring, but over time, he learned to embrace their curious nuances to unleash the party animal within

By Ben Hamilton Managing Editor ben@cphpost.dk

Boyishly toying with his hair, Thomas Dalvang Fleurquin, 49, exudes a youthful energy as he speaks in the no-holds-barred style that has become his trademark as the founder of Denmark’s most controversial festival.

After a quarter of a century, some might say his work is done: that Distortion’s frenetic block parties and 1990s rave ethos have schooled 21st century Danes in the art of dancing on the street, helping them to come out of their shells.

But Fleuquin isn’t done: this 25th anniversary edition will be the bomb, he proclaims at the shabby-chic Distortion HQ near trendy Reffen – a premises that like all exclusive parties is hard to find, teaming with young creatives and down-at-heel at exactly the right level.

Gesticulating wildly about the plans, the former French Army sergeant reveals he used to specialise in explosives.

“Running Distortion is like a warlike operation,” he grins mischievously, moving his upper arm like a snake to convey the

movement of party-goers down a street – as if he’s co-ordinating troop movements whilst sectioning off military zones over a huge map of Copenhagen.

“Organising Distortion I often recall my days mine-clearing in Sarajevo. It taught me so much about the spirit of entrepreneurship.”

ONE-DAY EVENT TO FIVE-DAY FESTIVAL

Founded in 1998 as a one-day event, Distortion became a five-day festival two years later. Growth was initially slow and the event was only enjoyed by a select few.

In those early years, the street was Distortion’s dancefloor: a playpen for revellers to relearn everything they thought they knew about dancing and spontaneity.

By the time puberty struck Distortion in its 11th edition, the focus was very much on the weekday street parties in Nørrebro and Vesterbro, whose nightly attendance shot up from 10,000 to 50,000 to 100,000 in just two years.

The alternative festival was

Thomas Fleurquin, founder of Distortion, having a good time crowd surfing

suddenly mainstream, and the teenage years were rough. Many in the underground scene that had nurtured Distortion turned their back, and a “fuck you” attitude dug in with the authorities.

20s, Fleurquin began to feel like ‘the parent’ and took a more backseat role.

- Thomas Fleurquin, Founder of Distortion

But as the festival reached its

So in a way, Distortion saw Fleurquin reborn when he arrived in Denmark in 1998. Initially dismissive of the Danes as “intellectually lazy”, he grew to love their nuances and a “mutual

"We knew Copenhagen was underrated and should be a hot city like Amsterdam and Barcelona."

surfing during a street party 

respect and fascination similar to the one between Gandalf and the Hobbits” developed.

Their “psychological finesse and admirable tolerance” proved to be the perfect fit for his crazy brand of party-going anarchy.

TO BE THE NEXT BARCA

Fleurquin didn’t come to Denmark like most internationals.

As a co-founder of the Copenhagen Post newspaper, with a headstart in the language through his Danish mother, he hit the ground running, working 60 hours a week to make things happen.

“I was young, just 24: it taught me everything about entrepreneurship,” he recalls.

Life in Copenhagen was easier than he was used to:

“Everything worked: whether it was contacting the bank or the municipality, not even Germany could compare. Certainly not France. But I guess there are no dark sides until you've lived here two, three or four years, right?”

It was at the newspaper he realised his new home’s potential: “We knew it was underrated and should be a hot city like Amsterdam and Barcelona, or even Stockholm, so we couldn’t

understand why people were always visiting them instead. Copenhagen was cooler than any of them. That’s why we started the newspaper.”

At the heart of Copenhagen’s appeal, contended Fleurquin, was its harbour, which went on to play a central role in many of Distortion’s events.

“I’ve seen the potential of the harbour since the very beginning. But it wasn’t until the incredible summer of 2018 that it really took off – I spent 17 years waiting for it to bloom,” he complains.

“Today it’s a Tinder paradise.

Hangout: Copenhagen Harbour – immense potential has finally been realised; a great place to take the kids swimming or sailing.

Restaurant: Two places I never tire of are Burger King and Noma. For shawarma, Durum Symphony (Nørrebrogade) or Ankara (Istedgade), for pizza try Dal Forno (Værnedamsvej). I also like Tommy’s Burger Joint in Kødbyen.

Drinks: Den Vandrette and Soho House – both on Havnegade in Nyhavn.

Nightclub: Hangaren and Den Anden Side – because I like techno.

Festival: Roskilde: They’ve really lifted their profile in recent years.

Museum: Copenhagen Contemporary – they have great exhibitions and it’s good for kids.

Outside CPH: Odsherred, Dragsholm Slot and Sjællands Odde.

Beach: Gudmindrup – the north coast between Gilleleje and Tisvilde are too civilized for me.

Nature: Klampenborg Forest near Bakken – I love to visit the themepark in the winter when it’s closed and then walk to Raadvad and the golf course. It is an incredible forest.

Island: Bornholm – I am a long distance walker/wanderer.

Thomas Fleurquin recommends… :

Photo: Distortion

Everyone’s aged 20-30, looking good, drinking white wine and jumping into the water. Up to 15,000 people every day when the sun shines. It's incredible. It's mind blowing.”

AN UNLIKELY ALLY

The same ambition with the newspaper became the driving force behind Distortion, which started as a one-day party in the autumn of 1998 and evolved into a five-day affair in 2000.

“But it was just a pub crawl at that point: a few hundred people congregating over the course of a night: typically a concert followed by a grill party, a street performance, a gallery opening and then an after-party.”

The turning point, recalls Fleurquin, was a night in Nørrebro not long after the Ungdomshuset riots, when the police first cordoned off the street from traffic. By that time, the crowds had grown from a few hundred to over 600.

“You could see it in their smiles: they’d worried we might be rioters and they’d end up with bricks raining down on their heads, but instead we turned out to be nerds and hippies.”

Fleurquin credits the authorities with their willingness to show flexibility and tolerance to large gatherings in the street.

“They didn’t really understand it, but they thought: ‘Okay, why not?’ I don't think any other country – France, the UK, Germany, not even Norway or Sweden (they would be too square) –would have done that. They would have shut it down.”

The same flexibility, contends Fleurquin, has helped Distortion ever since, allowing the festival to “experiment with projects in the urban space”. It started with the police, and the municipality soon followed suit.

MUNICIPAL UNDERSTANDING

Fleurquin more or less organised Distortion alone until 2007, but with funding from the municipality in 2008, he started to assemble a team and within a year he was able to pay himself a salary – the first since it all began.

Certainly, the municipality was helpful as Distortion made the leap from amateurism to

Thomas Fleurquin

Age: 49

Education: Dropped out of degree in maths, physics and IT coding

Profession: Founder & Chief Architect

In Denmark since: 1998

Fleurquin more or less organised Distortion alone until 2007 

Photo: Uffe Jørgensen Odde

semi-professionalism.

“I didn't really know how to apply and I've never been an administrator. So most of the time I didn't really explain the project. But somehow they made me feel it was okay. I could just do it my way,” he recalled.

There were teething problems, like when the street party crowds shot up to 100,000 and there were no toilets, and for a while the festival was little more than a “football crowd free-forall” drowning in the piss and puke of school children – the teenage years after all.

Initially, Fleurquin owned the criticism, defiantly relishing the battle with the authorities, but then a path to solvency and profitability emerged: more enclosed areas, better quality

entertainment, and reducing the gap between the street parties (Days 1 and 2) and the more sophisticated 1990s culture rave parties (Days 3 and 4).

Throughout it all, he has been supported by a “dedicated team of volunteers and professionals, mostly made up of Danes – assembled organically; rarely involving interviews”.

ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Fleurquin is turning 25 again at the end of this month. And then 50 at the end of the year. In Copenhagen, he has found contentment in both his work and family life as the proud father of three boys and one girl.

He likes nothing better than cycling across the harbour to and from work every day: a cog

in the wheel of a city that still perfectly functions.

And he takes delight in encouraging entrepreneurship among his young charges: “I call them kids even though they are actually 25.”

In the same way his French Army superiors entrusted him with the explosives, he sets them impossible tasks in line with the joyful abandonment of the senses that is Distortion.

“Look at this,” he says, showing a photo of a building spouting huge crazy arms.

“One of them is making an art installation at the top of Nikolai Church, and he's never done stuff like that.”

Fleurquin nods his head knowingly as if to say they’re going to get the job done. 

Distortion 2023:

The 25th edition of Distortion starts on Wednesday May 31 and continues until Sunday June 4.

The first two nights offer Distortion X city centre ticketed areas: around Langebro and Rådhuspladsen on May 31 and Rådhuspladsen and Vesterbro on June 1. Entry is 250 kroner per area.

Thursday June 1 is the night of the free admission street party in Vesterbro: the blocks enclosed by Istedgade, Sønder Boulevard and Enghaveparken.

The Distortion Ø ticketed venues, which offer a more exclusive experience, will operate all night at Refshaleøen on June 2 and 3. Entry costs 550 kroner per night.

Festival passes cost 1,100 kroner.

Source: Distortion

Former mayor of Copenhagen, Ritt Bjerregaard, taking in Distortion with Fleurquin 

Photo: Distortion

'I knew it was something special straightaway'

as I can go with Danish.

On an integration scale of 1 to 10, I would say I’m … a five. I think I’m a five anywhere I go because while I am part of society, I also have an individual identity, and I’m never 100 percent in. I have friends who are into the Danish style of living and it is interesting to me as well, but only some parts. I’m comfortable with or without it, even though I have enough understanding of Danish culture because I am a curious person, but I still do not completely relate to it.

mer and, if it’s not sunny, grab a beer in Nørrebro.

If I could choose three food and drink venues, they would be … Jaguar Bodega on a Friday night – it’s an iconic bodega. Det Lille Apotek for Danish food – it’s really nice. And Lygten Kro for beer and German food.

By Leticia Bossi

Isettled in Denmark because … I wanted a change of scenery and Denmark sounded like an interesting idea.

If you asked me if it was love at first sight … I would say I knew it was something. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but I knew it was something special straightaway.

My favourite thing about living in Copenhagen is … when it’s hot, you’re never far from the water.

We’re always close to some place to jump in.

And my favourite observation about the Danes is … the mutual respect you see on a day-to-day basis.

Here in Denmark, I never get used to … having a drunk conversation with a Dane and then pretending not to know them the next day.

Jeg kan tale … Dansk at level two through Duolingo. That’s about as far

I have more international friends in my social circle because … it’s easier to make international friends. There’s a mutual thing we have: the camaraderie of being a non-Dane living in Denmark. But I’d like to have more Danish friends, and I am working on it.

I think the best way of making Danish friends is … to work with them, go to school with them, or have the same hobby as them. If you share the same interests, there’s a good chance you’ll start chatting.

If I should recommend something to a visitor to Copenhagen … then I would tell them to avoid the city centre near Strøget, go to Reffen during the sum-

The best places to visit on a budget are … well, it’s ridiculous. Have a bigger budget if you’re coming to Copenhagen. That’s my answer. Oh! Those bazaars are always good for cheap fruit and vegetables. But still have a bigger budget.

The three words that I think best describe Copenhagen are … big little town. 

Job: Following a recent surge in interest, Eoin is hopeful that awareness of the Coping in Copenhagen podcasts about life in Denmark and Copenhagen will continue to increase, and that people will also realise there’s a wonderful array of English comedy and theatre in Denmark that can be enjoyed by Danes and internationals equally.

Eoin O’Sullivan is an improv comedian and freelance audio producer from Ireland. He is part of the Coping in Copenhagen podcast team, which launched in 2019 and has been available at cphpost.dk since 2020

Eoin O’Sullivan has lived in Denmark for five years 

Photo: Mie Olsen

Eoin O’Sullivan

Experience a world under the seven seas and enjoy a close encounter with majestic hammerhead sharks and elegant rays at Northern Europe’s largest and most mordern aquarium.

Denmark’s future electric train

By Christian Wenande christian@cphpost.dk

National rail operator DSB recently unveiled the future underpinning of Danish public transport: the IC5 train.

Expected to make its debut in 2027, the electric IC5s are set to replace the scandal-ridden IC4s and old IC3s – diesel trains that have seen over three decades of service.

The first of 100 sets of IC5s are due to be delivered by French producer Alstom to DSB in 2025, ahead of the entire shipment being completed by 2029.

The 20 billion kroner deal will see diesel trains completely phased out.

“We’ve reached an important milestone with Alstom. In a few years, the IC5s will be the backbone of climate-friendly, comfortable

and efficient train transportation in Denmark,” said DSB head Flemming Jensen.

“With the form and design of the trains finally approved, production of the IC5 trains can begin in earnest.”

BIG INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES

But until then, much remains to be done – not least, the rail grid will need to be fully electrified by the time the trains are due to come into service.

That will require immense investment in infrastructure, including remaking bridges and digging down rails to make room for catenary lines.

When ready, the IC5 will be able to travel at 200km/h on certain stretches and shave 30 minutes from the current 2 hours and 45 minutes it takes to travel from Copenhagen to Aarhus. 

Scheduled to come into service in 2027, the IC5 train will revolutionise rail travel and cut down journey times … but much remains to be done

Photo: Bjarke Ørsted

Photo: Illustration/DSB

The future of Denmark's IC5 trains has been unveiled 

By Uffe Jørgensen Odde Editor-in-Chief uffe@cphpost.dk

Sleeping with tigers

Get closer to nature and have a five star experience without leaving the country. This is what glamping offers and why an increasing number of Danes have opened their hearts to such a popular way of relaxing.

In short, glamping combines proximity to nature and camping with the luxury of hotels.

Especially during the corona pandemic, many Danes became more aware that you don't necessarily need to travel far to find great places and nature experiences in Denmark or countries like Sweden and Norway, where the glamping trend has also grown.

In fact there are plenty of places

within short range of Copenhagen where you can experience nature in a spectacular way.

Camp Adventure, near Næstved to the south of the capital, where guests sleep in well equipped Mongolian yurts in the forest, is one such place.

Others include Ryegaard Dyrehave – located not far from Roskilde and Holbæk, which offers luxurious treetop cabins six metres above the ground – and the safari park Knuthenborg Safaripark, located in Maribo on the southerly island of Lolland, where you can stay the night within earshot of tigers, giraffes, elephants and monkeys, all sniffing around in the dark.

Glamping, a combination of glamour and camping, has become popular in Denmark in recent years. It’s all about getting close to nature in a spectacular way

Tigers, giraffes, elephants and monkeys are sniffing around Knuthenborg Safaripark at night, while visitors enjoy the glamping in cabins 

Photo: Knuthenborg Safaripark

BOOST DURING CORONA

Official glamping figures are hard to find, but a key reason why it has become more popular can be found in the increasing interest in getting closer to nature.

In March 2021, a Gallup survey conducted for the Danish Outdoor Council found that 40 percent of the respondents had used nature more in the past year than before the corona pandemic made its way to Denmark. In the same survey, almost nine out of 10 of the respondents who had embraced nature answered they would continue to do so to the same extent after the pandemic.

According to a new report from the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs the Danish tourism industry is flying high after some difficult years. And the trend of an increasing demand for nature experiences and outdoor activities has been maintained.

“Denmark is a very special country to holiday in with experiences and destinations that are both attractive to the Danes themselves and our foreign guests,” Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, said in a press release.

This glamping trend had a massive boost during the corona shutdown, but actually the glamping trend began prior to the crisis.

Internationally it began to gain momentum in the years following the global financial crisis. And especially in the past five years, it has started to take off in Denmark, where traditional camping for decades has been popular, as well.

The number of places offering glamp-

ing has increased and in most parts of Denmark, it is possible to experience nature and spend the night in luxurious surroundings close to nature.

And even though the desire to travel abroad is back, the increasing number of places to go glamping indicates that

a segment of society are willing to pay a substantial amount for these experiences.

Overall, the rise in popularity of glamping may also underline an increasing societal awareness of how to travel. 

Discover Denmark's largest construction project

By Uffe Jørgensen Odde uffe@cphpost.dk

Further reading:

Links to places and hotels mentioned:

Knuthenborg Safaripark: knuthenborg.dk

Camp Adventure: campadveture.dk

Ryegaard Dyrehave: ryegaard.dk

Fehmarnbelt tunnel: femern.com

The construction of the world's longest submerged tunnel – the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link – is underway between Rødbyhavn, a small town on Lolland not far from Knuthenborg Safaripark, and the city of Puttgarden in Germany.

At an exhibition in the centre of Rødbyhavn, visitors can get close to the construction of the 18 kilometre tunnel which, according to the plan, will open in 2029 and become Denmark's, and one of Europe's, largest construction projects ever.

With two road lanes running in

each direction and two railway tracks for high-speed trains, the tunnel will bring Denmark and Germany closer together, as it will be possible to drive from Denmark to Germany in 10 minutes by car or 7 minutes by train.

The exhibition yields insight into all facets of the work via pictures, models and films in Danish and English.

Nearby the exhibition there’s an outdoor platform equipped with powerful binoculars, from which you can follow the construction work on land and at sea. 

Photo: Knuthenborg Safaripark

The glamping trend enjoyed a massive boost during the pandemic shutdown 

The enormous project to build the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link can now be experienced at a new exhibition

Photo: Femern.com

By Christian Wenande News Editor christian@cphpost.dk

Why many bathrooms are so tiny

Fresh arrivals looking for accommodation in Copenhagen often encounter difficulties in regards to location or affordability … or even finding anything at all due to high demand.

But another aspect of apartment hunting in the capital that often leaves internationals stunned is the number of tiny closet-sized bathrooms.

Indeed, most expats are most likely not used to miniscule bathrooms in which you can use the toilet, sink, mirror and shower at the same time.

Sometimes, the shower isn’t even in the bathroom, but in an enclosure in the bedroom, kitchen or living room. Or worse, there isn’t a bathroom in the apartment at all!

“Some people still have to share toilets or bathrooms. Even Danes are surprised to hear this,” says Kristine Viren, the head of communications at homeowners’ knowledge centre Videncentret Bolius.

“Something like 20,000 apartments in

Denmark still don’t have their own toilets – many of which are in Copenhagen. So there are some places that still have a shared toilet space in the back staircase.” Viren added that she once lived in a Vesterbro apartment building that didn’t have a bathroom at all before a shared shower area was eventually installed in the basement.

DEEP IN THE CISTERNS OF HISTORY

So how is it that one of the most developed and trailblazing cities in the world could let their toilet situation go … well … down the shitter?

Well the answer is interwoven into the historical fabric of the city.

When many of the city’s apartments were initially built some 150 years ago, they didn’t have any toilets or bathrooms. Instead, the public visited bathing establishments (‘badeanstalter’) once a week or once a month, and shared toilets were located in communal backyards. When the city underwent several urban

One of Copenhagen's tiny bathrooms that often leave

renewal developments last century (‘byfornyelser’), they started putting in toilets – but only in small corners of apartments due to space constrictions.

Some of the best apartments were fortunate enough to have ‘træk og slip’ (‘pull and release’) installations.

“It’s history. How the toilets are today is just a reflection of how we lived back in the day. Now more than 40 percent of people in Denmark live alone in apartments. But at that time there were five or six people living together, so they likely found it even more cramped than we do today,” says Viren.

Additionally, building vertically in Copenhagen has long been a challenge because the city fiercely protects its

Copenhagen’s small toilets are the result of a combination of history, architecture and lifestyle preferences ... but old habits may be going to pot

leave internationals stunned 

architectural heritage. So the possibility of expanding older apartments has remained limited.

SPACE VS LOCATION: IT’S ABOUT PRIORITIES

More recently, apartments have been combined, providing more space for bigger bathroom areas.

According to Viren, that trend continues to flow today, as the Danes crave more space in the lodgings.

“In the ‘70s and ‘80s Danish houses grew in size as we became wealthier. Suddenly it was more attractive to own a house in the suburbs and our homes have only become bigger and bigger,” she says.

For instance, Viren points out that the average size of a house in Denmark is at

an all-time high of 213 sqm. Space is far more important than it used to be and is the biggest reason why people move.

But don’t expect the tiny toilet situation to be completely flushed away from Copenhagen any time soon. There are many residents who still prioritise living centrally over having a more spacious abode.

“Our old city resembles the rings of a tree. It’s old in the centre and gets newer and newer the further away from the centre you get. Many love living in the idyllic city centre, and for them the size of the bathroom is of secondary importance,” concludes Viren. 

Photo: Private

Kristine Viren, head of coms at Videncentret Bolius 

Photo: Bolius

From hell to heaven: A tale of two settings

BUSINESS

By Christian Wenande News Editor christian@cphpost.dk

About two years ago, Christina Collura left the hustle and bustle of New York City in the midst of the pandemic to pursue new horizons in Copenhagen.

Because her partner is Danish and everyone speaks English in Denmark, she thought that Copenhagen would be a perfect fit in terms of starting a new chapter in her life.

But things didn’t start off as smoothly as she had predicted.

“I learned rather quickly that it’s very different being a tourist compared to actually living there and having to integrate into the system,” says Collura, a product

designer with Too Good To Go.

She had done her due diligence, reading a book about working in Denmark and discussing the topic with her Danish partner – though she may have missed the Internations Reports condemning Copenhagen as one of the world’s worst for making expats feel welcome.

According to the report, Denmark ranks highly for its working culture, salary and job security, and work-life balance.

But it also reveals that internationals find it difficult to settle and become socially connected. In the ‘Ease of Settling In’ category Denmark ranked 47th out of 52 countries.

Just two years into her Copenhagen adventure, Christina Collura has already endured the lows of ill-prepared employers and the highs of onboarding delight

Christina Collura has experienced stark work-related contrasts since arriving in Copenhagen 

Photo: Christina Collura

FROM EXCITEMENT TO ANXIETY

Despite being excited about her new job, Collura quickly discovered that something was amiss.

Her colleagues were nice, but little was done to introduce her to the company, how they worked and what her tasks would be.

Collura was thrown into the deep end from day one and, being unfamiliar with the flat work hierarchy in Denmark, she found herself confused and unsure of what her role was on the project she was assigned to.

“I remember on day three going into the office and really feeling confused and a bit anxious about it and speaking with the boss who had brought me into the company,” recalls Collura.

“Eventually at some point in the project, which lasted a month and a half, I just kind of started doing things hoping I was delivering enough for my team, but not knowing. It felt weird not understanding what my success criteria was or wondering if I was letting my teammates down?”

Her employer was aware that this was her first international job, and Collura feels that her experience would have been vastly improved had she had been given some kind of onboarding.

Even simple things – like the way Danes eat lunch together at work, for instance – was something she was unaware of and unaccustomed to. Colleagues speaking Danish when Collura was present didn’t help either.

Another challenge she encountered was a social aspect: the difficulty of making friends at work in Denmark.

“Everybody that I worked with was great and friendly, much more so than a lot of people I worked with in New York. But it was like a mismatch. We were speaking the same language, but we were not speaking the same language,” she remembers.

After seven months of enduring this state of work limbo, Collura left the job.

TOO GOOD NOT TO STAY

She eventually landed at her current position at Too Good To Go and her experience there was completely different.

Before she even started, the company emailed her a list of all the onboarding activities she would be involved in.

“It was like a night and day switch. And I remember thinking ‘Wow, this company is already thinking of all the onboarding things and I’m super excited about this. It was such a different experience and I felt included,” says Collura.

Every department held an onboarding meeting to provide an overview of what that department does.

That provided faces to names and gave Collura insight into the departments' function and when she might need to approach them for things.

She also got a tour of the building, got to meet people face to face and enjoyed a welcome breakfast with her new team.

She appreciated that she didn’t have to dive straight into work, but could sit down for a coffee and morning bun and bond with her new colleagues.

She contends that while Denmark has many positive aspects going for it, there are still things that she finds confusing.

“It’s understanding what your values are and finding a place that matches with that,” Collura maintains.

“The biggest thing I learned here as an expat is that things are not always greener on the other side. There are patches of green and yellow grass everywhere.” 

Inclusion is a question of belonging

Companies with internationals would do well to assess their culture and devote resources to addressing diversity, contends leadership coach

By Christian Wenande christian@cphpost.dk

According to the report ‘Denmark’s Battle for Global Talent’ by the confederation of industry, Dansk Industri, over 40 percent of companies said attracting global talent is of a high priority.

Among its recommendations was for companies to create networks for foreign employees to build relationships with their Danish colleagues and to train managers on how to work with and manage cultural diversity in the workplace.

“Danes might think that they are paying internationals a compliment by not treating them differently from Danes. But they are doing internationals and ultimately their company a disservice,” says Signe Biering, the executive advisor of leadership and diversity at The Coaching Room. She specialises in bridging the gap between internationals and Danes in workplaces.

She is currently working on a research project in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen and Dansk Industri in an effort to improve the onboarding of internationals.

ECHOES OF THE JANTE LAW

Biering explains that Danes are not consciously malicious when it comes to welcoming internationals, but its roots are in the unspoken Danish code of down-to-earth conformity, known as the Jante Law – which stipulates that nobody should believe they are different to or better than the masses.

Except … that way of thinking doesn’t work when it comes to diversity. It’s in the meaning of the word; being different or offering a great deal of variety.

“There is no active inclusion because Danes assume that internationals are included, because we are all equal. The thought is that we are all in this togeth-

Photo: Danskbureauet

Signe Biering, leadership coach 

Phase 1: Preboarding. Once you've accepted your offer letter and you're starting off day one at a new job, there's a lot to learn Phase

Being welcomed by new colleagues Phase

ADVICE TO COMPANIES

1. Ask your internationals how they are doing. Do they feel like they belong? You can’t move unless you know where you're moving from.

2. Are you starting from scratch or have you implemented something already? A culture analysis can urge the entire leadership to start thinking about this.

3. Workshops to discuss how to talk to and about the internationals, company culture etc.

4. Consider language policy, diversity, whether we speak respectfully, what the internationals think of our cutlure – is it inclusive?

Source: Signe Biering

er and no-one is special or should be treated differently,” says Biering.

“But internationals don’t speak the language. They may look different, think differently and have divergent expectations. They are not the same.”

According to Biering, it’s about belonging rather than inclusion. Belonging, she says, is more nuanced than inclusion, which almost sounds like you’re trying to get some social outcast more involved.

"And if you want to instill a sense of belonging in people, you must actively pursue that as a goal. You can’t just assume it’s going to develop on its own accord."

INROADS TO INNOVATION

Considering that Danish businesses are increasingly in need of competencies from abroad, they have a vested interest in keeping them happy and making them feel like they belong.

Aside from helping with staff retention, when internationals feel they belong, Biering believes that it not only shortens onboarding times, but also frees up energy more productively spent on work tasks.

Additionally, the friction that can arise from embracing a culture change to address these issues also fosters innovation.

“We know that teams that are diverse – in terms of gender, background and socioeconomic experience – are more innovative. What we don’t talk as much about is that this only happens if we take the time to celebrate the difference,” says Biering.

ADVICE TO INTERNATIONALS

1. Expats should take matters into their own hands and create the social life they want. You shouldn't look to the Danish employer to create it for you.

2. Join groups online, talk to other internationals or ask Danish colleagues what they would do. Say "Hey what would you do? I need some friends". Be honest about it and they might see that you need assistance. The Danes can be lured, but not in a whiny way, but more a "Hey I can contribute" kind of way.

Source: Signe Biering

“Bringing in people with these differences forces companies to consider change. And because it can go against Danish nature to face these issues, the resulting friction generates conflict between interests and viewpoints. When these conflicts are mitigated, the result is innovation.”

Biering points to noted management thinker Amy Edmonson, an advocate of the importance of psychological safety in the workplace in order to foster learning, innovation and growth.

If employees are uncomfortable raising issues pertaining to how their work is going, or asking for clarification of job descriptions, development becomes stunted.

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

The good news is that a great number of companies are becoming increasingly aware that internationals require a more finesse touch. In fact, many can’t afford to think otherwise.

“I think the sheer number of internationals – some 300,000 full-time employees; or every eighth worker in Denmark – is changing Danish workplaces. Some realise this and understand that they will lose their own culture, or be left with a watered-down version, without winning anyone over if they don’t act,” says Biering.

“When I started working as a leadership coach in this area five years ago, no-one talked about it. Now it’s everywhere. What also helps is that it comes at a time when diversity is an important talking point.”

Biering says the topic has become so prevalent that she has been invited to speak about it at the Folkemødet political festival and at Denmark’s biggest human resources fair, Træfpunkt HR.

TAKE THE TIME, REAP THE REWARDS

An increasing number of companies in Denmark have set aside resources to address the topic, and some even have tool kits or hotlines dedicated to facilitating change.

But even at the most international companies, like Novo Nordisk or Maersk, there exist pockets of Danish culture that resist change.

Most companies that Biering deals with have at least 1,000 employees and, while they know what they need to do, leadership focus on the issue can be found wanting.

SMEs, in contrast, often lack the HR resources needed to encourage change, but because they are smaller it can be easier for them to embrace new paths.

The first step for companies, says Biering, is to take stock and analyse where they are and where they need to go.

“It’s not difficult. It only takes a few hours and you’ll be left with invaluable pointers about which direction to go,” concludes Biering.

“But you must be conscious of it.” 

Danish culture a tough nut to crack

By Christian Wenande christian@cphpost.dk

From a company perspective, it is becoming increasingly apparent that international employees can require considerable investment.

According to ‘Cultural Change That Sticks’, an article published in the Harvard Business Review, implementing the cultural changes required can be costly and time-consuming for companies. It’s not a quick fix, but employers are beginning to comprehend that they can reap significant rewards in the long run by stepping up efforts to help their internationals acclimatise.

Among them is consultancy giant Deloitte.

Head

INCREASINGLY INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE Deloitte is delving deeper into the benefits of making its internationals feel more welcome when they arrive in Denmark.

Considering that its ratio of workers hailing from abroad shot up from basically zero a few years ago to 12-13 percent today, it’s an issue it can’t afford to take lightly.

According to Camilla Kruse, a partner and head of talent at Deloitte, the company has been on a journey in terms of stepping up focus on its expanding international workforce.

“We realised we needed to become much better at onboarding. There is something in Danish

Camilla Kruse, Partner and Head of Talent at Deloitte 

Photo: Deloitte

“The sheer number of internationals is changing Danish workplaces”

- Signe Biering Nielsen, leadership coach

Camilla Kruse, a Partner and

of Talent at consultancy giant Deloitte, says that firms in Denmark are on the right track … but there is plenty of room for change

culture itself that is not necessarily open and welcoming, so we formed our international community in a more structured way to glean input from them on what it is like to arrive, live and work in Denmark,” says Kruse.

Kruse says the networks provide insight into how Deloitte can improve in terms of organising its international ‘community’ and take steps on a transformational journey that has only just begun, but which has taken some important first steps.

FROM SANDWICHES TO SOPHISTICATION

Initially, these steps were simple – such as changing the cafeteria menu into English to allow non-Danish speakers to see what was for lunch – but gradually, the steps have become more sophisticated.

Now the company is exploring areas, such as holidays, religious traditions and how to better respect backgrounds and cultures as part of its annual cycle.

“And then of course there is the whole aspect of bias and how we perceive one another – we conduct courses about how to basically meet people with backgrounds other than Danish,” explains Kruse.

Another area that Deloitte has turned its attention to is language training. But not exclusively for its internationals.

The firm offers Danish classes to the foreign workers who are interested – something that has proven fruitful in bridging the inclusion gap between employer and employee.

WE SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL:

Students, Graduates, Spouses, Professional Job Seekers & Career Changers through an online community, workshops, events and 1:1 coaching.

Find out more at: englishjobdenmark.dk/

But interestingly, Deloitte also offers English classes to Danish staff who find it challenging to work in an increasingly internationalised environment – especially the older generations.

“In a professional context, like meetings, English works well. But as soon as you move to chats at the coffee machine, people switch to Danish. So we need to come together on the language barrier,” Kruse contends.

PAYING DIVIDENDS

Kruse says that Deloitte’s efforts are paying dividends as the firm’s reputation for proactively embracing inclusion and diversity continues to grow.

That is reflected in the make-up of its international workforce, which consists of people who relocate for the job as well as those who worked for other companies in Denmark before joining Deloitte.

And Deloitte is certainly not alone in realising the benefits of diversity in the workplace.

“I’m part of a diversity network group at the confederation of industry (Dansk Industri) and we can see that especially large companies, but also SMEs, are very dedicated in regards to improving the attraction and retention of international workers,” Kruse reveals.

However, Kruse admits there are ample avenues yet to explore – particularly in relation to implementing qualitative data to optimise efforts within the confines of GDPR.

Deloitte wants to shine a more insightful light on

how its internationals are performing and experiencing career progression.

“There is definitely interest among people from other companies that I interact with – like how to become more data-driven in regards to attracting and retaining internationals. But I’m getting a bit stuck when trying to track the data,” laments Kruse. 

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Photo: Pixabay

“We conduct courses about how to basically meet people with backgrounds other than Danish”

- Camilla Kruse, Partner and Head of Talent at Deloitte

The Road Less Taken: Why the Danish childhood deserves UNESCO heritage recognition

Having lived in Europe for over half my life, I’ve seen many different UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) sites. From the Colosseum to the Loire Valley to the Acropolis, a world heritage site is a protected area with historical, scientific, natural or cultural features considered of outstanding value to humanity.

WORTHY OF HERITAGE

The other day, I was watching a sea of little smiling faces bobbing out of cargo bikes zooming all over Copenhagen, whilst listening to the joyful sounds of free play in the park and the overall sensation of calm around children, and I couldn’t help but wonder if childhood could go on the list of protected heritage sites in Denmark.

Many Danes don’t realise how

extraordinary it is to be a parent in Denmark compared to other places. The entire culture seems to esteem childhood, from employers and parents, to teachers and the government. It’s woven so tightly into the cultural fabric that most Danes would have to squint to see how uniquely special the design truly is.

“I have been pleasantly shocked at how society helps parents here,” says Emilie Hjortsø, a Dane who lived abroad much of her life and just moved back with her two children last year.

“I always knew about it growing up, but now, as a mom, I am experiencing it. They really care about kids. It’s wonderful.”

STRONG SOCIETAL SUPPORT

Taking time off to have children is not only normal, it’s expected. To make a contrast, I’ve interviewed numerous

Crazier than Christmas: Nothing

like a dame!

Two of the English-speaking world’s most famous drag comedians and panto dames, Paul O’Grady/aka Lily Savage and Barry Humphries /aka Edna Average, died recently and their nations went into mourning.

HOW THE BRITS LOVE A DAME

This is because they were considered ‘National Treasures’ – similar to the likes of Dame Judi Dench (M in the Bond movies) and Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf in ‘The Lord of the Rings’). In fact, McKellen was a panto dame himself (or herself) this year playing Mother Goose in a UK Christmas Panto.

How the Brits love their panto dames! By dame, I mean a man who dresses up as a woman to make an audience roar with laughter. This tradition came originally from the 19th century when theatre producers engaged male comedians to portray female characters in shows – to the

delight of everyone, including children. British children are used to seeing men in dresses and lipstick on stage from a very early age.

NOT ON YOUR NELLY IN DK

Theatre has always embraced cross-dressing: from Shakespeare’s time, when men played women’s roles, to the present day. Denmark however has no theatre tradition comparable to the British panto. Some Danish comedians have impersonated Queen Margrethe in summer revue shows, but that’s about it.

So maybe this is one of the reasons there was a protest in Denmark when two men dressed in women’s clothes to read aloud to children. The occasion was a public reading by drag queens of a book about four orphans who become friends with Miss Nelly, a man who wears a skirt and high-heeled boots.

This event at the Frederiksberg Library sparked unbelievable protests from demonstrators. Mette Thiesen

parents in other countries who struggled enormously following the birth of their first baby due to the limited amount of parental leave they were given.

Many said they deeply regretted how they treated co-workers before becoming parents themselves. “I had no idea how hard it was,” is a sentence one often hears.

But how can anyone really know what childrearing entails, if society doesn’t teach its members to respect it and give the necessary support to get by and, dare we say it, enjoy it?

WORTH PRESERVING

From its belief in the power of hygge and teaching empathy, to advocating learning through free play and a democratic approach to discipline, Danish parenting has slowly become more widely known across the globe.

Seeing how Denmark has consistently landed in the top three happiest countries in the world for over 40 years in a row, clearly they’re working with some good ingredients.

How we raise children is, by default, a big part of one’s cultural heritage because we naturally pass on what we learn. And so, it begs the question: are these ingredients worth preserving?

All about the ingredients

Sometimes it just takes a reminder from an outside perspective to see

from Dansk Folkeparti even said: “More and more adults believe that they must push the issue of gender confusion and diversity down children’s throats. Drag queens do not belong in a public library entertaining children.”

Such a backlash seems to be a new phenomenon in Denmark, a country with a longstanding tradition of liberal views and free speech. Despite a well-established image of itself as a free-spirited country, narrow-mindedness is seeping through the cracks.

WOKE CULTURE TO BLAME?

But perhaps this is the fault of ‘woke culture’. These days it is extremely hard to be a comedian because of the list of things that are no longer politically incorrect. Every year when I write the Crazy Christmas Show, I read my earlier scripts. This year will be my 40th script, so there are a few to get through. What is interesting is how many jokes I used even as little as five or six years ago that are no longer acceptable today.

A woke person wrote to suggest that I should no longer include the popular panto dame in the show because this character was demeaning to women and transgender men. But surely we should not be silencing comedy, or damning dames? I respect that LGBTQ+ rights are being eroded, and trans people are being subjected to

what is beautiful and sacred in our own land. This is how legacies are not lost, and future generations can continue to learn from them.

So next year, when UNESCO decides if there is something else worth protecting in Denmark that’s of value to humanity, I am voting for parenting and childhood.

With ingredients like these, the proof is in the pudding. 

Jessica is a bestselling US author, Danish parenting expert, columnist, speaker and cultural researcher. Her work has been featured in TIME, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic and The NY Times, among others. She graduated with a BS in psychology and speaks four languages. Follow Jessica on IG @jessicajoelle_ or jessicajoellealexander.com.

hate crimes and media vitriol, and whether we mock or celebrate makes a difference.

However the panto dame is more intent on making us laugh, and not with negative stereotyping. Rest assured, this year’s Crazy Christmas show, including a male comedian dressed as a pouting, preening panto dame, will continue to be a fun and hyggelig evening for everybody’s taste. 

Vivienne McKee, Denmark’s best-known English entertainer, is this country’s most beloved foreign import. For over four decades, hundreds of thousands of Copenhageners have enjoyed her annual Crazy Christmas Cabaret show at Tivoli, marvelling at her unique, wry Anglo wit and charm.

Vivienne McKee

Jessica Alexander

Here is your new calendar

Don’t know what to do?

The Copenhagen Post has launched a new calendar

By Uffe Jørgensen Odde Editor-In-Chief uffe@cphpost.dk

Having a hard time finding out where to go and what to do?

The bad news is that you’re not alone. Expats and foreign citizens, according to reports and surveys, can have difficulties in finding out what to do when the offices are closed.

But the good news is that The Copenhagen Post now has integrated a calendar on cphpost.dk.

Here users can search for things to do whether they are looking for museums, concerts, theaters, sports events or other kinds of activities.

This means that The Copenhagen Post now offers its users an easy way to find inspiration to explore the city or find activities such as sports. The calendar also contains activities for children.

This is just one of the changes that has been made since The Co-

penhagen Post recently came under new ownership.

The media's user may also already have noticed that several times a week the daily newsletter contains interviews with expats about their favorite places, how they manage to settle and inspiration on where to go out, what to do etc.

“This is all a part of the strategy to help expats and foreign citizens make a better living in Denmark, Jesper Skeel. CEO of The Post ApS,“ the publishing company behind The Copenhagen Post, says:

He continues:

“Being able to quickly and in an easy way find out what to do, where to go etc. is essential for having a meaningful life in Denmark. We hope that the new calendar and our other new and future editorial products will be a help for our users.“

Explore the calendar at cphpost. dk. 

Photo: VisitDenmark/Robin Skjoldborg

Looking for concerts, museums, sports events or other things to do? Go to cphpost.dk and find our new calendar 

Scan for direct access to calendar

Did you know…?

The Copenhagen Post gives you three fun facts about Copenhagen and Denmark

By Uffe Jørgensen Odde Editor-In-Chief uffe@cphpost.dk

Same-sex trailblazer

In 1989, Denmark became the first country to recognise same-sex unions. Under the law, same-sex couples could adopt children. Denmark also recognises same-sex unions from other countries, and same-sex marriage was approved in 2012. First held in the summer of 1996, Copenhagen Pride has been celebrating diversity ever since.

Great movies since 1906

As the oldest active film company in the world, Nordisk Film in Copenhagen has been in operation since 1906. Nordisk Film is responsible for Danish classics such as ‘Olsen Banden’ – a series of comedies portraying a criminal gang in their struggle to become millionaires – and TV series like the highly popular ‘Matador’, a portrait of Denmark from 1929 to the late 1940s, principally following the lives of two families in the fictional town of Korsbæk.

World’s oldest amusement park

You probably know Tivoli, the famous amusement park in the heart of Copenhagen. But Bakken, just 20 minutes north of the capital, is in fact the world's oldest amusement park. Established in 1583, visit Bakken to take a ride in its 1932 rollercoaster or have lunch at Postgaarden, the restaurant where the wealthy families in the ‘Matador’ series go. In Dyrehaven, where Bakken is located, you can enjoy nature and spot deer.

Sources: Visit Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen

Photo: Pixabay

Photo: Rolf Konow

Photo: Bakken

Ben’s Brainteasers

1

WHAT LINKS ……

Work out what connects each selection of clues, and deduce what links your six answers to solve the grid!

2

WHAT AM I DOING?

Answers will be revealed in the next edition of The Copenhagen Post

I’m putting things on a white horse, but there’s no logic to where I’m putting them. Still, I’m confident that when I take them all off again, I’ll be happy enough. Not sure about the horse, though