Work & Business

Afterwork Is The Swedish Version Of Our Happy Hour

The Swedes certainly know how to wind down.

The country essentially closes up shop in the summer so locals can travel and vacation.

They’ve got taco Fridays (taco fredag), which is self-explanatory. And Cozy Fridays (fredagsmys), when you throw on your comfiest clothes and settle in for a night of movie watching and snacking. They’ve got candy on Saturday with lördagsgodis.

Clearly, the Swedes value recharging and decompressing. And when it comes decompressing from the workday, they’ve got a phrase for that, too. And no, we’re not talking about fika. Because fika is a nice mid-morning or mid-afternoon coffee break, and we’re talking about post-work relaxing.

We’re talking about afterwork. AW. Pronounced Ah-Veh.

“Afterwork” is the Swedish term used to describe the drinks you grab with colleagues or friends after work. Think happy hour. Often there is food involved, dinner or a buffet; we think the affinity for snacks at happy hour bridges any cultural divide.

Afterwork is a great way to get out of the office environment and enjoy time with coworkers on a more personal level. Similar to fika, it’s about taking the time to enjoy one another and break from the day.

So, afterwork, anyone?