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