Can Sweden keep it’s edge in the music tech game?
Stockholm has spawned both some of the world's most successful musicians and music tech companies....
Business
April 17, 2024
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
Sweden: Where it’s taboo to avoid parental leave
It's been 50 years since Sweden introduced state-funded parental leave, designed for couples to share....
Volkswagen to sell last gas and diesel cars in Norway
Norway is so far ahead in its adoption of electric cars, that VW is pulling its gas models there....
September 14, 2023
In
Business, Current Affairs
The Nordic startups cutting beauty waste
Could changing the way we produce and shop for cosmetics reduce waste?...
Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes
How a metal box invented in Malmö, Sweden, is improving restaurant sustainability....
Did Me Too change the workplace for Gen Z?
How much did the anti-harassment movement really shift workplace culture?...
Europe’s green steel race
Sweden is on course to produce Europe's first green steel....
December 22, 2022
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
Reindeer herders fear Arctic industry boom
Reindeer herders argue climate change is causing problems for their animals, but so are carbon-cutting industries....
Finland wants to transform how we make clothes
Finland has a focus on reusing and saving resources, including clothing....
Can apps manage our chronic health conditions?
Sweden's boom in specialist digital healthcare services....
September 27, 2022
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
Is Finland’s Wood City the future of building?
Could building more homes and offices out of wood instead of concrete help tackle climate change?...
Why people watch porn at work
Watching adult content during work hours can be career-ending. But more employees than you might expect are risking it....
January 13, 2022
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
The Swedish parents paid to care for sick kids
When children fall ill in Sweden, parents can take time off to care for them, while still pocketing 80% of their salaries. ...
September 13, 2021
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
What bosses really think about remote work
Many managers are itching to get staff back to the office, despite employees championing alternative set-ups. Why?...
Why it’s so hard to put boundaries on our time
As we edge out of the pandemic, why does setting better boundaries between our work and private lives still feel so tough?...
August 27, 2021
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
Why rent control isn’t working in Sweden
An acute housing shortage means young Swedes are struggling to find affordable homes, despite Sweden's long history of rent control....
June 16, 2021
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
Sweden zooms to lead race for electric car batteries
Surrounded by tall green pine trees, 125 miles south of the Arctic circle, a giant electric battery factory is rapidly taking shape on a site as big as 71 football pitches...
April 27, 2021
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
Shops return to rural Sweden but are now staff-free
It's a mini supermarket that locals can access round-the-clock. But nobody works there....
March 8, 2021
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
How can we make washing machines last longer?
Fixing things that break down often isn't easy, cost-effective or even desirable. Maddy Savage meets the Swedish companies trying to change that....
Has the meaning of work changed forever?
Remote working and watching the world go through a major shake-up is redefining what many of us need and want from our careers....
Are Europe’s night trains back in fashion?
Sleeper trains were making a slow comeback before the pandemic, but will Covid-19 help or hinder a renaissance of long-distance rail travel?...
July 29, 2020
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
Did Sweden’s coronavirus strategy succeed or fail?
There’s been a sharp drop in deaths in Sweden, without a lockdown. So, have critics been too quick to judge the country’s unusual strategy? ...
July 29, 2020
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
How Covid-19 is changing women’s lives
As working mums perform more childcare and face increased job insecurity, there are fears Covid-19 has undone decades of advancement. ...
May 1, 2020
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
Sweden’s unusual response to coronavirus
While swathes of Europe's population endure lockdown conditions in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, Sweden is allowing life to go on much closer to normal....
May 1, 2020
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, Huff Post
How Norway Convinced Drivers To Switch To Electric Cars
Nearly half of new cars sold in Norway are electric. Here’s how the country got miles ahead of the rest of the world....
Why promoted women are more likely to divorce
Getting a top job dramatically increases women’s chances of divorce, even in egalitarian countries. Why isn't it the same for men?...
December 17, 2019
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
Why is Sweden deporting talented foreign workers?
Retaining highly-skilled foreign workers is essential for countries like Sweden. But as a deported worker sues the state, the tech-savvy nation’s rejection record is in the spotlight....
Why are saunas stressing out tech start-ups
Saunas at tech and business events are causing a heated debate in the Nordics. Is the traditional Scandinavian habit dampening diversity efforts?...
Where wealth is ‘more taboo than sex’
A high income is a badge of success in many countries, but in Sweden a deep-rooted cultural code called Jantelagen stops many people from talking about it....
September 30, 2019
In
Business, Lifestyle, Current Affairs, BBC
Lynetteholmen: The Nordic island solving a housing crisis
Copenhagen's growing popularity has put a strain on housing supply, so city planners are working on an bold solution....
September 30, 2019
In
Business, Current Affairs, BBC
The paradox of working in ‘gender equal’ countries
Even Europe's most egalitarian countries struggle to put women on an even footing at work. So what's going wrong in the Nordics?...
Why Finland leads the way in flexible working trends
The Nordic nation has embraced agile hours for decades. It’s a style of work well suited to the country’s deep-rooted culture of trust....
Why is burnout rising in the land of work-life balance?
Sweden is famous for championing a balanced lifestyle, but many young people are being signed off work with severe stress....
How to create a period-friendly workplace
A football app start-up in Gothenburg is set to become the first business in Sweden to be certified as menstruation-friendly....
The interviewing robot that won’t judge you
The world's first robot designed to carry out unbiased job interviews is being tested by Swedish recruiters. But can it really do a better job than humans?...
February 13, 2019
In
Business, Current Affairs, NPR
Sweden’s cashless experiment
Noone is dropping cash as fast as Sweden. But has the Nordic nation moved too swiftly?...
Sweden’s surprising rule for time off
The country's unique leave of absence system helps workers launch their own businesses....
The cost of The Bridge
This brooding Nordic Noir backdrop has its own dramatic, twisting tale. It was a long time coming and has faced numerous challenges....
Why Swedes are getting chipped
So many Swedes are lining up to get microchips that the country's main chipping company says it can't keep up with the number of requests....
Foot on the gas
Alain Visser, CEO of car-subscription company Lynk & Co, has chosen a youthful team for his Gothenburg office, to teach him what’s ‘cool’....
How a Swedish wasteland became a sustainability star
Stockholm is home to one of the world's most famous eco-neighbourhoods, Hammarby Sjöstad. But can it offer a template for urban living that can be replicated in other cities?...
September 4, 2018
In
Business, Nordic Business Insider
The broke blogger turned investor
He’s a university dropout who had no contacts in the tech scene when he moved to Copenhagen. So how did Neil Murray manage to launch one of the region's most active new investment funds?...
Is cultural fluency more important than language?
Does cultural knowledge trump language ability in international companies and start-ups where English is dominating?...
How Sweden changed lanes
A nationwide mission to get all Swedish motorists to change the habits of a lifetime and begin driving on the right-hand side of the road for the first time took place in 1967. ...
Who loses from a cashless society?
Sweden is winning the race towards becoming the world's first completely cashless society, but there are growing concerns it's causing problems for vulnerable groups....
Is boasting good or bad for business?
Sweden is one of the most innovative countries in the world, yet has a business culture that discourages bragging about its success....
Sweden’s melancholic raincoats
While most consumer brands like to suggest they will make the buyer feel happier, Swedish rainwear firm Stutterheim warns that its coats may make the wearer feel a bit blue....
Stockholm readies for sexist ads ban
Sweden's capital is poised to ban sexist and racist outdoor advertising. But should it be up to politicians to decide which billboards go too far?...
The firm that can print 3D body parts
Swedish entrepreneur Erik Gatenholm explains how his company is becoming a world leader in bioprinting human body parts....
When Swedes tried 6-hour days
Sweden has been experimenting with six-hour days, with workers getting the chance to work fewer hours on full pay, but now the most high-profile two-year trial has ended - has it all been too good to be true?...
Why Swedish workplaces aren’t as equal as you think
Sweden may have a global reputation as one of world's most gender equal societies but when it comes to female representation in business, campaigners question whether the Nordic nation is right to keep basking in the spotlight, as progress slows down back home....
From blogger to beauty millionaire
After finding fame with her lifestyle blog, Isabella Lowengrip went on to establish one of Sweden's best-known beauty companies. But it wasn't all plain sailing for the 27-year-old....
The Swedish physicist revolutionizing birth control
Inventing the first app in the world to be approved as a contraceptive started as a hobby project for Elina Berglund Scherwitzl....
The entrepreneur creating a cashless society
Serial entrepreneur Jacob de Geer was about to "get a real job" when he stumbled upon a gap in the market, and launched one of the most successful start-ups in his country's history....
Hot desking in strangers’ homes
Would you trade your office desk or your dining table to work in someone else’s home? A co-working movement launched in Sweden claims it will make you more productive....
Could running get you a new job?
If you are looking to boost your career, perhaps all you need to do is put on a pair of trainers and start jogging....
How a nation of introverts meets up
Sweden is considered one of the most egalitarian countries in the world. So why is it so tough to build a strong professional network?...
How to say no at work when you don’t have kids
Despite a boom in flexible working, many singles say they’re still picking up the slack from colleagues with families. Career coaches are advising them to say no....
How rich are you, really?
They say comparison is the thief of joy. In a world where even millionaires don’t consider themselves wealthy, is the key to life satisfaction to simply stop lining ourselves up against others?...
The start-up scene changing Norway
Norway's strict labour laws mean most offices in Oslo are empty after 16:00, but a growing number of young entrepreneurs are bringing a new 24-hour working culture to the city....
Can streaming save the music industry?
Streaming services have reversed the fortunes of the music industry in Sweden and now generate more income than downloads or CDs. But can the model be replicated worldwide?...