# Fika By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-09-11 Whereas there are many benefits associated with frequenting a coffeehouse, one does not need to visit one to receive some of its benefits. One could obtain some of the benefits from within the office. In Sweden, a practice known as Fika is encouraged. Fika is a break consisting of a hot beverage and a snack. During fika people talk socially and recharge from the stresses of work. There is a great deal to be said about taking breaks. Often organizations view these as times of lost production. This is a very limited way of viewing what is going on. Even if people didn’t discuss work at all, which is unlikely, they would be thinking about work in the back of their minds. Sometimes the indirect path is the most effective. Allowing work pressures to recede into the back of one’s mind allows for creative problem-solving. Further, as people chat there is an opportunity for a spark of inspiration. Lastly, the coffee and snack itself provide one with renewed [[energy]] for when focus returns to work. Work is important. Working relentlessly is a [[The Grind|grind]]. How we tend to approach work reflects a great deal about our culture and [[Society|society]]. Fika is an important aspect of Swedish culture. Taking a [[Coffee as Rebellion|coffee]] break (fika) is not the same as having a cup of coffee at one’s desk. There is something to going to a cafeteria, sitting [[together]], and sharing a moment of life with another person from the organization. It is a humanizing act. It is an interesting question to ponder if American organizations would prefer [[Robots]] over humans. There is something suggestive to the departmental name “Human Resources.” Are the people working within an organization anything more to it than [[The Rise of Humanity Resources|human resources]]? Humans delight in authentic connections and creative explorations. Fika encourages these. Grinding work out at one’s desk precludes them. Perhaps it is time for American organizations to cultivate the time and space required to allow people to be fully human as they work. #### Related Items [[Human Resources]] [[Coffee]] [[Coffeehouses]] [[Productivity]] [[Breaks]] [[Authenticity]]