Introduction: Nordic Businesses Approach These Reviews Differently

Across Sweden, Finland and Norway, quarterly reviews are treated not just as a reporting cycle, but as an opportunity to create clarity, strengthen culture and build genuine connection.

Their approach is calm, thoughtful and grounded in a simple belief:
people think better when they feel better.

And it’s something UK teams are increasingly learning from.

Lesson 1: A change of environment creates a change in thinking

In Scandinavian business culture, quarterly review rarely happen in the same space where everyday work is carried out and in the UK most of the time they do. These businesses shift their meetings into natural settings and not for aesthetic but for the psychological benefits.

Research shows outdoor environments significantly reduce stress, improve cognitive performance and stimulate creative thinking. When people step outside habitual spaces, conversations open up, assumptions are let go and thinking becomes more expansive.

A quarterly review shouldn’t feel like an extension of Monday morning. Yes there are stressful elements but it should also feel like a reset.

Lesson 2: Slower Pace, Better Decisions

Unlike the tendency we have in the UK to cram meetings into tight schedules, so much so we have to squeeze in a loo break, Nordic teams intentionally slow down during review periods.

Short walks between discussions are welcomed, a chance to get outside.
Fewer agenda items, but deeper exploration.

This slower rhythm doesn’t reduce productivity, it improves it, it leaves breathing room for creativity.

Teams have time to think, leaders have space to listen, and decisions are made with more intention and less urgency.

Quarterly reviews become a moment of reflection rather than a rush toward the next deadline.

Lesson 3: Removing hierarchy creates more honesty

One of the most distinctive elements of Nordic business is how hierarchy softens during important conversations. Titles matter less. Voices are given equal weight.

The easiest way to do this? Change your location from the office into a space where everyone is equal.

The famous Finnish “sauna meeting” is an example of this.

Whether or not a sauna is involved, the principle stands:
quarterly reviews work best when psychological safety is high.

Lesson 4: Movement increases mental clarity

Many Nordic strategy days include walking meetings, forest paths or time outdoors between discussions.

Movement regulates the nervous system, reduces cortisol and improves cognitive processing.

A quarterly review doesn’t need to be sedentary, it can be a blend of movement and discussion.

Lesson 5: Wellness is integral not an add on, if you want your review to be a cultural anchor not a calendar obligation

In Scandinavia, wellness is not a perk to be bolted onto the end of a meeting.

It’s a tool that supports clearer thinking and science now backs this philosophy up.

For UK businesses, especially scaling, hybrid and remote teams, adopting even small elements of this approach can transform how the next quarter unfolds and your team cohesion.

Conclusion

The good news is you don’t need to relocate to Sweden or replicate every Scandinavian tradition to benefit from this approach, just choose a calmer environment, a slower pace and weave in wellness.

Bring your team to The Shire

If your team could use a day to reconnect, relax and return to work feeling genuinely refreshed, we’d love to host you.

Get in at touch to plan your next company retreat, meeting or event.