Apotek Hjärtat, one of Sweden’s largest pharmaceutical chains, is trialing a “friendcare” program (“vänvård” in Swedish), where staff are allotted one hour per month, or 15 minutes every week during working hours, to connect with old or new friends.
The business has not only set aside work hours to test the initiative, it’s also been footing the bill for connection.
All participants are paid 1,000 kronor (around $100) to cover activities with their companions. But the “friendship hour” doesn’t have to be spent dining out for lunch, or biking around town; staffers can use the time for the simplest relationship pastimes, such as chatting on the phone or catching up over text.
Monica Magnusson, the CEO of Apotek Hjärtat, told BBC the “friendship hour” scheme came about out of genuine curiosity: the company wanted to see if this allotted employee time would improve staff wellbeing.
The program is likened to Sweden’s broader “friskvård” benefit: an annual tax-exempt stipend covering employee wellness activities, such as fitness classes and massages. Magnusson said the “friendship hour” is “a reflection on that, but targeting loneliness and relationships instead.”
But even Apotek Hjärtat employees not participating in the pilot can still benefit emotionally from another initiative; the business provides online training for all its staffers on how to recognize and handle loneliness.
Fortune reached out to Apotek Hjärtat for comment.
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