‘The concept of Fika is simple. It is the moment you take a break, with coffee and a baked good, and everything stops.’

(Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break)

In 2016, the Danish trend of ‘Hygge’ became a cultural phenomenon in Britain and America. The art of ‘cosy’ Scandinavian living became an aesthetic practice, with ‘Hygge’ eventually being listed as ‘word of the year’ in the Collins and Oxford dictionaries.

In 2017, it seems that a new Scandinavian trend is set to take its place – influencing not just our homes, but our office spaces and workplaces too: Fika.  According to Swedish tradition, a Fika coffee break is – much unlike our typical coffee breaks – a break from everything besides coffee, company and cake. It is designed to relieve all stress, catch up with friends and completely separate yourself from work and domestic pressures.

During Fika, your brain refreshes itself, preparing your mind for the hours ahead and, with the added hit of caffeine, revigarates the body into action; making it incredibly popular with office workers and full time employers. Many major Swedish employers will actually write Fika as a contractual obligation for their employees, to sit and talk over coffee and home baked treats.

So, how can you add more Fika into your office breaks? Keurig® offers a range of great pieces of kit and delicious K-Cup® coffee pods to make a Fika break easier than ever, so why not give it a go?

1. Regular Away-From-Desk Breaks

Although many employers do offer two 15 minute breaks, as well as lunch, throughout the day, more and more office workers are choosing to skip these for a longer lunch break. Often substituting them for an hour-long lunch instead. Even then, many workers will eat at their desks, working as they go. So why not try implementing a system of official 15 – 20 minute breaks in the afternoon, where workers must sit away from their desks, and can catch up on the day’s event.

2. Good Quality Coffee

There’s nothing more alluring in Fika than some good quality coffee beans. With most Swedish coffee being so popular for its use of only 100% Arabica beans. our Keurig K-Cup® pods contain 100% Arabica beans and make for perfect Fika substitutes – producing delicious, hot coffee a great addition to home baked pastries Investing in the quality of your coffee can make a huge difference to how your workers view their coffee breaks, and their workplaces, making for a much happier working environment

3. Create a Fika Space

Having a designated breakout area for your workers will also encourage them to indulge in their breaks, rather than skipping over them. A space that is solely for the consumption of coffee and the enjoyment of company, one that can be used not only by workers but by clients, customers, and anyone else visiting the office. Fill a corner with one of our large Keurig® Drinks Stations and
encourage everyone to congregate around it for a good old chat over their favourite hot drinks.

4. Ban Conversations of Work

The central purpose of Fika is to ‘recover’ from the morning’s events, and to clear your head for the rest of the day. So, make sure that all conversations steer clear of becoming ‘mini-meetings’ or ‘multi-tasking opportunities’ where colleagues discuss nothing but to-do lists and task assignments. Encourage your workers to discuss themselves, their home lives, and even their favourite TV shows and food.

5. Join Your Team for Fika

Fika is all about coming together over coffee – which includes the boss drinking with their staff. Not only is this a great opportunity to get to know your colleagues, it also helps to form a friendly and balanced work space, reducing your own stress at the same time.

So why not try embracing Fika in your office this spring time, or go for some adventurous al fresco Fika when the weather gets a little warmer? You’re guaranteed to be bang on trend for 2017.