Work-life Balance: Perspective from Denmark | Ekaterina von Gertten

What does it mean to be hardworking? While staying late at work can signal commitment in some countries, in Denmark, it can have the opposite effect. Being hardworking there means delivering efficiently within the agreed hours. Why? 

In this episode, Anna Kostecka speaks with Ekaterina von Gertten, who has been leading the global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion agenda at GN Group in Denmark. Drawing on years of experience helping Fortune 100 companies address the cultural challenges of global business, Ekaterina shares how Danish culture approaches work, commitment, and relationship building.  

Together, they explore how culture influences our understanding and expectations of work-life balance or sustainable work and explain why global teams often misunderstand one another. 

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How "being hardworking" means very different things across cultures

• How Danish values shape expectations around availability, flexibility, and work-life balance

• Real-life examples of common tensions around work-life balance in global teams

• Why conflicts about work-life balance are often really conflicts about fairness, loyalty, and respect

• Danish and Scandinavian rituals for building friendships and relationships at work

• Practical ways leaders and organizations can manage tensions around work-life balance in the global teams

If you work with or lead global teams, this conversation will help you better understand the invisible assumptions and realities that shape how people work — and why the same behaviour can be interpreted in completely different ways. 

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