Why is it that the Scandinavian feel-good concept has become integral to so many room solutions?

Relaxation and well-being are no longer the reserve of evenings, weekends and holidays. These words have long since found their way into the working day too. That's because even when we're at work, we still want to feel happy. The Danes are the real experts on the subject. After all, they are the second happiest people in the world, according to the latest Happiness Report 2024.

So, what's their secret? Hygge. Hygge describes a particular feeling or a particular moment. Hygge is a sense of something homely, warm or special. Hygge is a state of well-being. And we should undoubtedly feel this state of well-being in the very place where we spend so many hours of the day: At work. As early as 2021, hygge expert Andrea Fischer was reported in the Augsburger Allgemeine saying: "We are allowed to feel good at work."

So, what do we need to feel good? How can we organise the workplace and everyday working life to make the job fun? Because when we're having fun, we're more productive and we perform better.

There are many starting points. Starting with the question of whether the goal is to achieve a work-life balance or rather balance in life as a whole. Work is supposed to give fulfilment, joy and meaning to our lives. After all, a person working a 40-hour week for 46 weeks of the year spends around 73,600 hours of their life at work. When you look at it that way, it becomes clear that a workplace can no longer be a sterile room devoid of any personal touches and with barely any comfort.

Hygge means the desk is a place of well-being, not a place of work

Whether at home or in the office: When you come to sit at your desk each day, you should always feel happy. Colours should inspire and energise, furniture should radiate warmth and ensure ergonomic and healthy working conditions. The room should blend into the surroundings, allowing home and office to become one. That's why we have developed the new HEJ chair concept. Meaning 'hello' in Nordic languages, HEJ is a concept that radiates hygge to combine the best of both worlds: The ergonomics of a modern office chair and the cosy feeling of an upholstered armchair. In natural colours such as brown, green and blue, it blends harmoniously into any office to create a calming atmosphere for focused work and fresh ideas.

Hygge gives: More structure. But without the constant need for perfection.

Hygge also means: Getting away from the chaos. Structure your workplace so that it keeps stimuli to a minimum, so that it allows you to keep a clear focus and so that it ensures breaks really are breaks. It's not about perfection, it's not about doing everything right, it's not about 100%. Instead, it's about furnishing the workplace in a way that meets individual requirements, that makes people feel comfortable and energised when they take to their seats.

Hygge connects: Home becomes office. Office becomes home.

The most effective way to balance work life and home life is to stop seeing them as two distinct poles, and to instead blend them. Work-life blending describes the fluid connection between work and leisure, where traditional boundaries between the two areas become blurred. The office becomes a place where you enjoy working, as well as a place where you can relax. And it works in the office just the same as it does at home.

Say HEJ to your Work-Life Companion

Interstuhl has been focused on workplaces and spaces for generations. A chair is not just a chair. A chair has a function in the room. This is why Interstuhl designs spaces, develops new ideas, paves the way and understands the role of emotions and individual requirements in the workplace. HEJ is the ideal companion for creating that hygge feeling and for embracing the future of work.

So, saying HEJ to hygge couldn't be simpler

Ultimately, it may simply come down to a change of mindset, a new attitude to work and life. But there are also small starting points that can help:

• The desk is not just a place to work, but a place to feel good
• Good posture boosts energy and performance.
• Colours and shapes can bring a feel-good factor.
• Structure is important, perfection is not everything.
• A chair is more than just a chair. It is our companion.
• Work is allowed to be fun.

Say hello to your new way of working! We will be happy to advise you. Come and say HEJ with a consultation in our showroom, where you have the chance to test out the latest products

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