The work culture at Deloitte allows Nikolaj U. Madsen to have ambitions at work and aim for athletic glory on the side.
The benefits of flexibility at work became apparent as the COVID-19 pandemic forced most Deloitte employees to work at home for a long period of time. As a result, flexibility has become an integral part of the workday at Deloitte. This flexibility is especially beneficial to the young generation transitioning from students to full time employees.
25-year-old Nikolaj U. Madsen recently started his tenure at Deloitte in 2020 after participating in Deloitte’s Finance & Performance mentor programme during his MSc in Finance and Accounting at Copenhagen Business School. The flexibility he encountered at Deloitte allowed him to transition from student to full-time Deloitte employee in a smooth manner.
– It takes some time to get used to a full-time job, but the flexibility at Deloitte definitely made it easier to start working full time, Nikolaj says, adding:
“We have an incredible amount of freedom when choosing when and how much to work. If you want to start working at 7 am and leave work earlier on a summer day, you can do it. And if you have a dentist appointment, no one will look at you strangely if you show up at the office later during the day. As long as you get your work done, it's just fine. In the end, it comes down to where you are in life and how you prioritise.”
Complex but adjustable
Like most of his friends and family, Nikolaj had expected the complex work at Deloitte to be very time consuming. And he was ready to work long hours to succeed. But as he learned about the work culture, he was surprised to see the amount of flexibility the work entails.
– I was positively surprised about how often it happens that Deloitte employees choose to adjust work to have more time for their hobbies, friends or family. It is completely normal, he says.
During his ten months at Deloitte, Nikolaj’s options for socialising were limited due to the pandemic. As a result, he chose to work intensively in a period of time to quickly learn the ins and outs at Deloitte. He worked on several exciting projects ranging from due diligence and performance management to implementing ERP systems and was quickly introduced to many different aspects within finance operations.
Social aspect as the defining factor
Being an active part of multiple project teams, Nikolaj’s workplace has alternated greatly. The possibility of working from home, at the Copenhagen Office or on-site with customers allows for great flexibility. In addition, he has been a regular guest at the occasional Friday bar that was hosted online due to COVID-19 restrictions. The social gatherings and the flexible hours taught him that there is much more to Deloitte than work.
– In a fast-paced environment like Deloitte, it is important to have great friends at work. And the social bond I have created with my colleagues is very special, he says, adding:
– Many people think that the consulting industry is a completely streamlined mass of people. But I have discovered that work is not what defines you at Deloitte. Everyone has a quirky story which makes them interesting. And that is what, among other things, makes it fun to work here, Nikolaj U. Madsen says.
Aiming for a national title
Nikolaj U. Madsen has an exciting story himself. In addition to his job at Deloitte, he is an avid fitness enthusiast, and in 2022 he aims to win the Danish national championship in Athletic Fitness – a discipline that combines poses, self-tanner and demonstrated strength.
Nikolaj’s sporting ambitions go well with his job at Deloitte. As he begins his rigid training regime aimed at bringing him the title, he yet again benefits from the freedom to influence and adapt his workload to accommodate his interests beside work.
– I am participating to win. It would be boring just to end up in the top 5. This is something I have been dreaming about for years. And the flexibility at Deloitte plays a huge role in enabling me to reach my objective, he ends.
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