Expanding your company to Denmark requires more than finding an office space and getting to work. A company needs to understand recruitment regulations, draft employment contracts, run HR services, figure out various tax laws, and learn the ins and outs of employment compliance in an unfamiliar country.
Recruiting in Denmark
When recruiting employees for your company, interested candidates may contact you by phone before applying to ask relevant questions.
When it comes to where you advertise your job postings, networking can help. Many companies use a shared contact as the basis for an initial meeting. More employers in the country are also using LinkedIn, so you can connect with potential employees there and on other social media channels as well.
Laws against discrimination in Denmark
Denmark law prohibits any type of discrimination during recruitment on the grounds of:
- Race
- Color
- Gender
- Religion or belief
- National or social origin
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity, gender expression or gender characteristics
- National, racial or ethnic origin
- Politics
- Age
- Disability
The Act on Gender Equality in Denmark ensures both men and women are treated the same at work. That means you cannot favor one gender over another when hiring. The Act on Equal Pay also means you must pay men and women the same wage for equal work or work of equal value. If any of your employees believe they have been discriminated against because of gender, they can file a complaint with the Board of Equal Treatment.
An employer may ask applicants questions that are relevant for the assessment of the applicant to perform the job. An employer can conduct background checks as long as it meets statutory law and applicable data privacy regulations. However, obtaining criminal records will require the potential employee’s consent, and an employer will need a substantial reason to request those documents.
As far as information on an employee’s health, an employer must meet the requirements under the Data Protection Act. An employer can only request information that is relevant to determine whether an employee suffers from a particular illness that will adversely impact the employee’s ability to perform the job.
How to hire employees in Denmark
An employer must follow Denmark employment compliance laws when recruiting and hiring employees. For example, all recruiting must be non-discriminatory, and employers cannot receive any information about candidates’ race, faith, political view, sexual preferences, and more during the recruitment process.
Knowing what type of employees you need to hire is also important. The country categorizes employees into 3 groups — executive officers, white-collar salaried employees, and blue-collar salaried workers. The hiring process and legal framework can differ based on the type of employment relationship.
Denmark employment laws
Hiring employees in Denmark is fairly straightforward with few legal requirements regarding contracts, termination, holidays, and leaves. A company can determine employment terms and working conditions with the labor market parties instead of statutory regulations. However, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) are part of Denmark’s employment laws, so working with employees covered by a CBA is common.
A good practice is to draft an employment contract and offer letter that includes any standard benefits as well as relevant terms and conditions of employment. Both the written agreement and offer letter should include salary and compensation amounts in DKK instead of another currency. This practice can help you meet any Denmark employment compliance laws.
Onboarding in Denmark
The country does not have any specific laws about onboarding employees besides getting necessary paperwork ready and submitted. However, a company can take several steps to make employees feel more comfortable:
- Go over the employment contract before the employee’s first day.
- Outline any other expectations such as dress code (if applicable) and working hours.
- Provide any company policies or code of conduct.
- Create a welcoming workplace culture.
Grow globally with G-P.
G-P never forgets that behind every hire is a human being. That’s why we’ve backed our fully customizable suite of global employment products with our robust team of HR and legal experts, so we can remain at your side, ready to support you as you build your global teams. With the #1 Global Growth Platform™, you have the recruitment tools and services you need to find your perfect full-time or contract match.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you recruit, hire, and onboard anyone, anywhere.