1945-1960

Staff shortages

The greatest challenge for the firm was shortage of staff. In the 1950s, women primarily looked after their homes. Their main jobs were to keep house, take care of the children, make sure that the family had clean clothes, and serve dinner at 6 p.m. This was, in itself, a full-time job.

For many women, the day was simply too short. If at all possible, they avoided paid work. Moreover, cleaning work was low-status work.

To retain and attract employees the firm opened its own child-care centre in 1949, The Swan's Nest. The child-care centre was located on the top floor of the corporate headquarter in Copenhagen. However, the child-care centre was never a success. Most of the employees lived so far away that bringing their children to and from the centre was not worth their while.

< Back