Achieving a happy work-life balance is an oft-cited goal, despite it feeling like an unfathomable, intangible dream for so many workers in the UK.

Of the 38 countries surveyed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UK regularly ranks among the worst for work-life balance (it’s currently 34th). Despite reasonable statutory annual leave and maternity leave, UK workers regularly work long hours that exceed the OECD average, and many feel an expectation to engage with work commitments (such as answering emails and taking calls) outside of work hours.

Consistently at the top of the leaderboard, however, is Denmark. Only 1.1% of Danes work 50 or more hours a week, compared to the world average of 10.2% (and the UK’s even worse 10.8%) and they spend close to 16 hours a day on personal care (eating, sleeping, etc) and leisure, which is considered well above the OECD (and UK) average of 15 hours.

However, despite working less and socialising more, the Danes aren’t slackers; in fact, Denmark boasts some of the world’s highest productivity levels, with Danes coming in as the third-most productive workers in Europe.

So, what’s Denmark getting right (that we’re getting so wrong)?

What the Danish get right about work-life balance – and what we can learn from them