Office fruit disappears, trains and restaurants shut down, and it is impossible to get anything done if it involves a Swedish colleague. The Local's readers report from Sweden's de…

Office fruit disappears, trains and restaurants shut down, and it is impossible to get anything done if it involves a Swedish colleague. The Local's readers report from Sweden's deserted summer offices. Many foreigners in Sweden end up deciding it's best to do as the Swedes do and take at least three weeks off in July, as it's almost impossible to get normal work done. But this doesn't work for everyone. Some would rather take time off when the climate is best for a trip back home. Others haven't been working long enough to earn the holiday. Others are simply too new to understand what July in Swedish offices can be like. Back in July 2023, we asked readers who have worked through most of July to tell us about their experiences. "Life kind of stops, everything is on hold. You have no one to sign off, approve, help, assign or complete tasks," reported Sebastian Perreira, an IT worker based in Stockholm. "The office is empty, chat is silent, the business is completely on pause," agreed Sara, a marketing manager from Italy. Elie, a railway engineer from France, estimated that only a quarter of those who normally work in her office are present. It's not just the human contact and the chitchat that disappears. Many workplaces put office cleaning and other basic services on pause. "There is a lack of sanitation in office spaces as everyone is out on vacation and also all maintenance work, such as building ventilation etc, is done during this time which makes it difficult to sit in the office space sometimes," said one respondent, who preferred not to be identified.