During the Milan-Cortina Olympics, many employees in Finland gather around screens to watch the games, which is unusual as watching television is typically not part of workplace culture. Yle surveyed readers about their experiences and employer attitudes regarding Olympic viewing at work, receiving nearly 80 responses that indicate a generally permissive stance from employers.

Most respondents do not face prohibitions against watching the Olympics at their workplaces. For instance, Sari Naukkarinen, an accountant in Helsinki, shares her enthusiastic passion for the Olympics, stating that the excitement sometimes leads her to jump up in joy. Although she enjoys watching while working remotely or in the office, she prefers to find a separate space to avoid disturbing colleagues who are not interested in sports, acknowledging that those coworkers might be discomforted by her enthusiasm.

Naukkarinen, who is also an entrepreneur, highlights the priority she places on her work, yet feels that following sports events like the Olympics positively impacts her work performance. This trend of engaging in sports viewing at work may illustrate a broader cultural shift towards more flexible and enjoyable workplace environments, especially during significant global sporting events.