Business Areas

The main commercial and business centres are located downtown (especially for the public sector), in Skøyen, Lysaker and in Fornebu, a business park with newer, larger buildings for the biggest companies such as Telenor and Aker Solutions. Skøyen and Lysaker are within city limits, in the west. These places can be reached by tram, train, or bus within 20 minutes of downtown Oslo. Fornebu is further out but can also be reached by bus or train, even direct buses specifically for business commuters. As it lies in Zone 2, public transportation costs are slightly higher.

Culture

Norway has a flat hierarchical makeup, as does most of Scandinavia, which affects the way they do business and interact with their peers. The advantage is that it is relatively easy to reach and get access to those in high positions. Employees are able and expected to communicate with their boss and are able to share their opinions and even criticize their ideas. Bosses in turn tend not to demand or give orders, but rather advise and expect employees to work independently and come forward with ideas, doubts or issues. Decisions are often reached after collecting others’ opinions on the matter and where possible, consensus is a positive outcome.

Norwegians are quite informal in their business attire (this depends on the industry you work in) and suits are not necessarily required. This lack of formality moves over into business relations and meetings, although it is critical to be on time. Humour is often used and is not necessarily politically correct. Otherwise, communication style is quite tame and loud voices or yelling is uncommon and will attract critical looks.

Norwegians are proud of their transparent, organized society and they value honesty. Bribery is not tolerated, nor is corruption.

Work hours are normally 8am to 4pm, with some variety depending on field and shifts. Workers, other than those in top management or consulting, are expected to work no more than 40 hours a week. Work-life balance is very important, as is family. So leaving early or not coming in at all due to a sick child is accepted.

Salaries

Salaries in Oslo are among the highest in Norway and even in Europe. Only Germany and England are in the same category. However, due to the socialized system, the margin between top and bottom salaries is not nearly as marked as in other countries.

There are exceptions to the rule, but generally you will find that the lowest salaries are around 250,000 NOK and the highest salaries (like company director or a doctor) are around 700,000 NOK. Everyone else falls in between although as an expat in top management, you may be looking at a salary above 1 Million NOK. Some CEOs can earn several million crowns. As anywhere else, there is room for negotiation during the hiring process. The national average yearly income is expected to reach 500,000 NOK in 2012.

Recruitment

When looking for a job, your experience and education are very important, as are those you know. Oslo is a small place and your network is very important in terms of finding a job or doing business. Those who move in the same circles are likely to hire each other. This is in part due to the fact that Norwegians can be a bit suspicious of outsiders or the unknown. Therefore, having experience in Norwegian business or Norwegian contacts helps in finding a job or doing business. It is also important not to burn any bridges because reputations stay with you.

Foreigners will find it easier to get a job if they have a basic knowledge of Norwegian. However, some companies have English as a business language and in these cases, knowing English well is enough. You should have an updated CV to send in with applications. Once you send in an application, you should follow up by phone. If you get an interview, be on time. If it goes well, you will be asked for references and perhaps school records. Some companies require that you undergo psychological examinations as part of the recruitment process.

For those just moving to Oslo or those who have lost a job, it is important to register at NAV, the national employment agent. They can help find jobs or put you in courses to help with the search process. They are also the ones to pay out unemployment benefits. But to receive these you must be in their system.

The main employment agencies are Manpower, Office Pro (for IT), Xtra Personell, Jobzone, Top Temp Bemanning, Adecco and Kelly Services (short term work). Manpower has an executive branch. Otherwise, there are myriad headhunting firms.

Key Industries

The key industries in Oslo are:

• Maritime (including shipping)
• Oil & Gas
• Energy and Environment
• ICT
• Life Sciences

Oslo has a long history of shipping which has created a great expertise in the area. Around 10,000 people are employed in the sector in the greater Oslo area. The largest companies are Wilhelmsen Maritime, Skaugen, Fred.Olsen & Co, and DNV.

In the area of energy, there is a large focus is on hydropower and renewable energies, along with its already 40-year Oil & Gas industry and experience in offshore petroleum development. The largest companies in this area are Statoil, Norsk Hydro, REC, Statkraft and Aker Solutions, all Norwegian companies.

In Life Sciences, Oslo is in the forefront of biomedical research and discoveries. GE Healthcare and Applied Biosystems are two of the big players. Growth in this industry is encouraged and the diagnostics and imagine industry is well developed.

In ICT, Oslo has a highly developed mobile market and Internet infrastructure. Telenor, NetCom, Opera Software, Microsoft, Fast and Accenture are among the most important players in Oslo.

In all industries, Oslo puts a strong focus on R&D. Oslo has a highly educated workforce from which to pull, but it’s small. Therefore, research positions are always available and are often filled by foreigners pursuing advanced degrees.