How Swedish ‘Death Cleaning’ Tackles HR Challenges and Practices

What if the secret to a more effective HR department lies in taking a page from Swedish culture? Death cleaning — “döstädning” in Swedish — refers to decluttering personal belongings to bring order and clarity to your life, but its principles can also apply to your work life and HR practices.  

The concept was explained by Swedish author Margareta Magnusson in her book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (Scribner, 2018). It inspired a 2023 NBC reality show of the same name, which featured a psychologist, designer, and organizer to help people simplify their lives. However, it was a lawyer, communication expert, and psychologist who applied the framework to HR via a discussion surrounding six timely topics and their key takeaways at SHRM25 in San Diego on June 29.  

Turmoil in Washington, D.C.  

The Trump administration has implemented “radical changes” in policies, practices, and the interpretation of statues and the Constitution itself, said Joe Beachboard, chief concierge employment attorney with Beachboard Consulting Group in Torrance, Calif. The problem? People don’t like change — and that leads to fear of failure, fear of the unknown, and frustration accompanying both.  

Key takeaway: Even if you experience the same emotions, “the truth of the matter is that you need to talk openly with folks,” said communication expert David Rittof, president of Chicago-based Modern Management, Inc. You can’t sugarcoat the challenges presented by the turmoil, but you can project a sense of calm. More importantly, think about what your employees are thinking about when it comes to political and economic uncertainty: job security, how to feed their families, and other personal and professional worries.  

The State of DEI

As businesses shy away from addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, said psychologist Dennis Davis, national director of client training for Ogletree Deakins in Atlanta, a question lingers: “Is DEI dead?” The concern is driven by federal policy changes and recent Supreme Court decisions such as Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, which made it easier to bring reverse discrimination cases to court.

Related article: Ames Decision Reinforces Equal Opportunity Under Title VII

Key takeaway: When thinking about your HR death cleaning — what you’re keeping and you’re changing — consider the unintended messaging employees might receive if the organization cuts all mentions of DEI. When initiating conversations or holding trainings, the key is to make them inclusive, Davis said, and make sure there’s no “finger-wagging” at workers.  

Employee Expression/Civility in the Workplace

Employees spend some 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime, Rittof said, making it vital to speak civilly with colleagues about hard, possibly controversial topics.

Face-to-face conversations matter, as only a small percentage of what we convey to or take from others is the words said, Davis said. Facial expressions and body language impact the conversation much more.  

Key Takeaway: Managers must model the behavior expected of other employees. “If you get managers trained in tone, timing, expression, and the way they come across, and then hold them accountable, that goes a long way,” Rittof said.  

Remote Work

The discourse around remote work policies shouldn’t focus on employee productivity, Davis said. Rather, it’s about the result of losing in-person social interactions, potentially leading to employee isolation, reduced sense of belong, and diminished trust.

There are legal issues to consider, too, Beachboard added, such as accommodation requests, jurisdictional challenges, and workers' compensation.  

Key takeaway: Consider how remote work policies impact recruiting, retention, and workplace culture. The most important thing, however, is simply that you actually make a decision and adhere to it. “The biggest mistake employers make is inconsistent application of their work policies,” Beachboard said.

Toolkit: Managing Flexible Work Arrangements

Workplace Violence

It’s a sad reality: HR must be ready for potential violence in the workplace. It has a broader definition than most consider: It’s not just an act of aggression, but also a threat that risks the safety, security, or well-being of an employee while on duty, no matter what their location, Davis said. He urged HR professionals to make sure supervisors understand this.

Additionally, while workplace violence is covered under the exclusivity principle of workers’ comp, Beachboard said, there is a legal risk of negligent hiring “when we know someone has a penchant toward violence, and we hire that person anyway.”  

Key takeaway: HR must have a comprehensive plan — not just a policy — to prepare for workplace violence. Beyond that, it’s a manager’s job to “issue spot” so HR can intervene before anything happens, Davis said. Behavioral markers highly correlated to workplace violence include:

• Fascination with weapons or prior acts of violence.
• Substance abuse.
• Refusal to accept responsibility for one’s actions.
• History of bullying others.
• Social isolation and poor peer relationships.

Quiz: Preparing for Workplace Violence

Communication and Information Dissemination

From when you hire people to when you fire people and everything in between, communication about changes with employees is a must — and it needs to reach employees before they hear it elsewhere. “Change management is one big communication process,” Rittof said. “ … But when you make that change, does performance go up? No, it goes down at first,” because the first reaction from employees will be fear and frustration.  

Key takeaway: Communication is the most manageable of all these death cleaning topics, Rittof said, as long as you keep in mind that as change occurs, you must listen and allow employees to let it out. “When it comes to communication,” he said, “more is more.”