First Friend in Denmark

The 4 Keys to helping your international employees flourish

First Friend in Denmark’s 4 Keys Program equips your international employees with the tools they need to go from culture-shocked new arrivals to a thriving employees and members of Danish society. Your employees will learn how to navigate not only the Danish workplace, but also about Danish culture and social life.

We suggest that you offer our 4 Keys Program to international employees when they have started to settle into their everyday life. We find the time after the initial excitement of an international move is when your employees need additional cultural support and guidance. First Friend in Denmark’s 4 Keys Program provides them with the cutural bridge they need to settle and succeed.

One unique component of our 4 Keys Progam is providing each employee with a personality analysis. The DISC Profile Assessment gives tailored insights into the indiviual challenges your employee might be facing when building work and social relationships. We believe “You have to know yourself, to grow yourself, especially when living abroad.”

Key 1: Better Danish Language “To Maximize Growth, Develop Strategies.” Not everyone learns the same way, we provide your employees with the key that will support them on their Danish language journey.

Key 2: Better Work Experience “Good Management of Bad Experiences Leads to Great Growth.” Building a workplace culture of inclusion and diversity is important. Using real-life workplace situations, we work with your employees on navigating the Danish workplace to help them be a great team member, flourish as an employee, and increase your international employee retention.

Key 3: More Friends “Connectors Connect on Common Ground.” We work with your employees’ unique personalities, interests and communication styles to unlock their relationships with their colleagues. We also learn ways to make friends outside of work.

Key 4: Better Work-Life Balance “You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Yourself.” Using the framework of Danish work-life balance, we discuss your employee’s long-term focus on personal and professional growth and develop a plan to achieve it.

Let's talk

Words From Our Participants

Samara Lima

Mariola demonstrates a passion for wanting to see others succeed in reaching their fullest potential, motivate, encourage, inspire and empower others to unleash the greatness for use it to make a difference in the lives of others. I would definitely recommend this to anyone!

Johan Fouché

Mariola helped me to understand my DISC profile, in turn, it empowered me to better understand myself, my family members, friends, and colleagues in a profound way. Mariola has a friendly manner to bring her view/knowledge across and I would recommend her services to the highest level.

Lina Parnarauskaite

I have been doing coaching with her for a year now, and could never dreamt about rising self confidence, better results at work and personal life if it was not for her work, patience, love and support. I would recommend her to any person or organization who wants to grow, develop and learn.

Iulian Relu Apostu

Mariola recommended I do a DISC Behavioral Analysis. She helped me understand my DISC profile and [...] how to communicate with different personalities. I started to practice it in my family and in my job. Now I have some strong new tools to respond with better confidence to various situations.

Claire Schembri

I got the time and space to really reflect on what I wanted in life, and the courage to take the leap and make a career-changing decision. I would recommend attending one of Mariola's programs to gain insight on yourself and get other people's perspectives, ideas and thought processes.

Janis Janovskis

Mariola is a great professional and knows her trade well. Her coaching session helped me to resolve a difficult leadership situation on one of the projects I was working on. I can recommend Mariola as a coach to any leader around the globe

Versonya DuPont

She enabled me to gain new insights into my interactions with others and helped me to better understand my own instinctual behaviors. I would highly recommend her as a DISC trainer and coach.

Colleen Wharton

After a very short time she was able to decode what is the main theme of who I am and how I want to serve the world. I knew she had found my innermost self because it made me quite emotional to have that important part of myself finally brought to light.

Natalia E.L. Madsen

After participating in one of First Friend in Denmark's Mastermind groups, I believe that Mariola has the skills and the knowledge to help people move forward in their lives in a direction that will bring them fulfillment, purpose and ultimately happiness.

OUR SERVICES

Training

Our unique 4 Keys Program unlock international employees` potential

Workplace Inclusion

Giving you the support to build a culture of diversity

Tools

Relevant tools to solve daily challenges personally and professionally

Coaching

Maxwell Leadership Certified coaching, teaching and training

Understanding

Danish cultural insights to help your international employees succeed

Partner Support

Career development and support for accompanying partners

Hi, I’m Mariola!

I am Mariola Kajkowska, the founder and CEO of First Friend in Denmark. I moved to Denmark from Poland 17 years ago and understand first-hand the challenges facing new internationals. I set up First Friend in Denmark to provide diverse businesses with the keys they need to increase international employee retention. Denmark is known for its work-life balance, friendliness and hygge, but it can be challenging for internationals to understand the nuances of Danish culture and get that important sense of beloning.

I want to help diverse businesses like yours suceed in retainting their international employees. My 4 Keys Program works with companies and their international employees to build a culture of inclusion, provide personalized insights into how to best help your international employees thrive, and give your international employees insiders knowledge into how to flourish as an international in Denmark.

I also work with companies in attracting, recruiting, onboarding and retaining international talent.

Credentials

Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, Teacher, and Speaker.
Certified Life Coach - Strategic Intervention Coaching with Robbins - Maddanes.
Certified Systemic Coaching with Attractor.
Certified at the John Maxwell Method of DISC and Garuda competence profile.
Educated English Teacher, BA from Teacher's Training College.
Master of Arts in English, Humanities.

Ready to choose a plan that fits your needs?

First Friend in Denmark's 4 Keys Program is available in three packages to suit your unique business needs. We also offer private services for individuals.

business plans for companies

private plans for individuals

Essentials

Essential care package for employee retention

4 teaching sessions
Q&A sessions after teaching
24 page handbook
Maxwell DISC personality indicator report
90 min individual DISC debrief session
Access to private facilitated support group
90 min individual mentoring session

Let's talk

Standard

Provide individualized support for international employee retention

8 teaching sessions
Q&A sessions after teaching
24 page handbook
Maxwell DISC personality indicator report
90 min individual DISC debrief session
Access to private facilitated support group
4 individual coaching sessions of 60 min

Let's talk

Premium

Maximum support to unlock your international employees potential and cultural capabilities

12 teaching sessions
Q&A sessions after teaching
24 page handbook
Maxwell DISC personality indicator report
90 min individual DISC debrief session
Access to private facilitated support group
4 individual coaching sessions of 60 min

Let's talk

Giving your business the keys to retain your international employees

Natalia E.L. Madsen