▲Award Photo. Roche Denmark won first place on Great Place to Work in Denmark list in 2012.
Roche
Secondly, they offer a communication channel where everyone can participate informally.
"Our General Manager (GM) frequently invites all workers for a 30-minute town hall meeting. In this meeting, everyone can talk about new approaches and problems. And twice a year, we have a three-day conference with all the employees at a place outside of Copenhagen. Everyone, including front desk person and kitchen workers, participates. Here we report the current status of the company and share our vision."
Linda considers informality as the main characteristic of Roche Denmark's internal communication. Roche has an Open Door policy. About 100 employees have their own individual offices with their door open. As people walk along the hallway, they can see who is doing what. The company provides individual rooms to its workers for better concentration but asks them to leave the door open for internal communication.
Linda pointed out the rooms. "Look here. The GM, executive directors, and regular employees, they all leave their door open. Anyone can walk into the GM or any other director's office. This way, we can solve our problems quickly."
I commented, "I think that if a regular employee walks into the GM's office to solve problems, people in middle management may not like it."
"Of course, employees should try to consult their managers first. But if they have a concern regarding the company vision, can't solve the problem even after talking to their managers, or want to get the GM's feedback on their current project, they can walk into the GM's office anytime."
Thirdly, Roche Denmark didn't stick to one method to keep communication smooth. Instead, they implemented various methods.
"We implemented various methods since people have different preferences. When we have a message to inform, we list it on a website bulletin board and send out emails. Also, we put it up on a notice board in the analog way."
As I looked around the office, I noticed that one team had hung a huge blackboard that displayed the logistics and schedules of the team members for the week. One employee listed, "I need to leave the office at 2pm on Wednesday due to my child in kindergarten." In this way, members can understand what is happening and figure out what is most effective.
The country that shares the same values in schools, society, and companies
So, what made effective communication possible within Roche Denmark? My temporary conclusion is this. In Denmark, what people learn in school works in society, and what works in society works in companies! Please keep in mind the six elements of Danish happiness (freedom, security, equality, trust, neighbor, environment) that I mentioned in the first article of this series.
I commented, "Many Danish people picked 'trust' as one of the key elements to Danish happiness. I think trust must be the basis of your successful communication."
"That is right. Trust between managers and their employees and amongst the colleagues is really important. That is the prerequisite for a great workplace."
Linda added that Roche Denmark's successful communication could be understood more easily in the frame of Danish culture.
"This trust is linked to Danish culture, which emphasizes, 'Nobody is special, everyone is equally important.' (Yante Law, please refer to the article #7) In Denmark, the company president is neither special nor a subject of unconditional respect. She is a little different because she makes decisions. That is it."
In other words, the sense of equality is deeply rooted in Danish culture. So, informal communication within a company can happen naturally.
Linda is married with two children. As a director at the greatest workplace in Denmark, she is undoubtedly a very successful career woman. So, I asked her this.
"When you go to reunion or other gatherings, do your friends envy you?"
She instantly said, "No."
"Those who want to work, work. Those who want to be housewives become housewives. It is the matter of choice. A company executive is not special. Most Danish people chose the life they are living, so they don't envy me just because I am a company executive."
I asked the same question to Mads.
"If you have friends from junior high who are, let's say, carpenters or taxi drivers, would they envy you?"
"Pharmacist is an important profession. But both carpenters and taxi drivers are important, too."
HR coordinator Anja Grjelstrup Kjaer elaborated on this.
"Denmark is a country that doesn't allow discrimination. For example, public schools are free, while private schools are more costly. The state however covers a large part of the price, so many parents are able to send their kids to private schools, if they wish so. Since the country has a solid safety net of health and welfare systems and fulfills the basic needs of its citizens, people in Denmark don't envy their friends for having a better job or making more money.
What impressed me further is the fact that the high earners of this company pay 60% income tax without any complaints. They seemed proud that their tax contributed to build Denmark as a happy country.
Mads said,
"Denmark is a worry-free country. My friends, other people, and I don't have to worry about medical expenses. All of us can get free medical treatment and stay healthy. Isn't it wonderful?"
Like this, he emphasized the good for "us" instead of "me." It made me wonder. One of the core values of this company is "passion." Where is that passion coming from? They can't boast about their successful career. When they make more money, they pay 60% income tax. So, what motivates them to work hard?
Mads explains it like this.
"My passion comes from working with gifted colleagues for a good cause. For example, I am currently developing a new product to treat a little segment of skin cancer, only about 50 patients in Denmark each year. Isn't this so meaningful?"
After about a two-hour interview, I asked Linda, the HR director, a few more questions.
- So, are you happy at this company?
"Yes, I am happy."
- How do you judge whether you are happy or not?
"I think I can judge by observing whether I feel glad to come to work in the morning. It is important to feel that I want to go to work and start my job early. It is very rare that I feel I don't want to come to work. (laugh)"
Roche Denmark is not a special case in Denmark. In 2010's survey conducted by OECD with its 27 member countries, Denmark ranked No. 1 in Life Satisfaction and No. 2 in Job Satisfaction. On the same survey, Korea ranked No. 27, the very last, in Job Satisfaction and ranked No. 26, barely escaping last place, in Life Satisfaction.
My readers who are reading this article, Do you feel happy in the morning going to work?