I work in Norway, one of the most productive countries in the world. Here's why – and how our work differs from the US.

• Norway is often in the 10 happiest countries in the world, but is also in the top 3 most productive.
• A Norwegian CEO based in Oslo whose worked in the US shares the major differences.
• He said Norwegians have stricter boundaries between work and home life and are never late. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Sondre Kvam, co-founder and CEO of Naer, a VR platform that helps teams improve their productivity with fully immersive workshops, who lives in Oslo, Norway. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.