The podcast Living with Vikings

Living with Vikings is a podcast about how to manage life as an expat working and living in the Nordic countries. The podcast which is a mixture of interviews with expats and facts about the Nordics gives valuable advice on how to live and work in the Nordic countries.

Living with Vikings is a podcast by Danish journalist Kirsten Weiss and produced by Nicolai Zwinge (PodPeople.dk). The podcast is made in a partnership with The Nordic Council of Ministers.

Music from Jukedeck – create your own at jukedeck.com

Episode 1 Working in a Nordic work place culture

This episode of Living with Vikings focuses on the workplace and the written and often unwritten rules in a Nordic organization or company. How do you deal with the flat structure in the organizations? What is the role of the manager? And why are you expected to share even your brightest idea with others and make decisions of your own?  The key words here being: Equality, trust, contribution, the importance of the team – and the overriding Nordic faith that two heads are better than one.

Episode 2 Nordic humor and social conventions

This episode of Living with Vikings focuses on social conventions, the quite coarse humor and the often very direct Nordic tone. The direct approach is the ideal and “Straight talking”, being direct and not beating about the bush are considered positive. The high amount of trust is the foundation for the Nordic irony and the jokes where people play themselves down and make fun of others. So how do you manage? What will help you navigate and decode the direct tone and the coarse Nordic humor?

Episode 3 Family life in the Nordic countries

This episode of Living with Vikings focuses on family life in the Nordic countries. The Nordic countries have the highest proportion in Europe of companies that offer flexible working time. So how are children brought up? How do families manage with both parents having full time jobs? Why do children go to kindergartens in the woods? And why is being in eye level with even small children considered important?  What is the Nordic ideal of a good and secure childhood?