Hold on to your coats, hats and all other articles of clothing. Things are about to get personal, and a little steamy, if I do say so myself. I recently read an article from the BBC news network about the Friday night work squad hang out. Surprisingly enough, it was not the bar or club, which to this guy, is a nightmare. In Finland and other northern European countries, the after work get together is the sauna.

Yes, you heard right, the sauna. From the big boss man to the coffee carrying intern, the post work day hang is the sauna. And this is not just a muggy plastic room in hotel somewhere here in America, these are coal fire saunas. In most the saunas over in Finland swimsuits, trunks and other coverings, including towels are not allowed in the rooms. Depending on the country in northern Europe some are mixed gender; Finland is often separate but Germany has mixed saunas. The best part is that most big businesses have their own saunas in the building.

Does not that sound amazing? Busy all week, but each day mentally preparing myself for the hot sauna. Friday morning rolls around and I whisper that Friday morning mantra, "Eight more hours, eight more hours." I pack a few extra clothes in bag and head off to work. It is now five 'till five, my co-worker down that hall passes me with his tie loose and top button open, ready for the sauna, and asks when I will be heading up. I respond: "Ten more minutes, gotta finish this thing up before the weekend." Subconsciously I loosen up my tie a bit and fiddle with the button. I have been working at this job for a little over a year now and this is the routine on Friday nights and I figured this might just be the best time to ask my boss about a raise I have been eyeballing for the last few months.

While all that is hypothetical, (I do not have job in Finland, nor a co-worker down the hall -- this would be an almost ideal scenario other than the tie...I hate ties), I believe workplace saunas should be something America opens up to. First, there are great health benefits, other than not poisoning your liver from alcohol, a sauna helps relieve stress and other toxins that can be released through sweat. Secondly, it breaks down some class distinction; as mentioned earlier, the young intern goes into the sauna bearing all with the big bossman at age forty-three with two kids and a wife. The stone-faced boss softens in the steam and the intern has a little more courage here, without any of the suits and formal ware. Now they are two guys, with albeit a significant age and generational difference, being humans together instead of boss to intern. Finally, third, it forces us to disconnect because most phones will not survive in a steam room, not mention a laptop or computer, but that is a conversation for another day.

While America is "free" we often have some odd stigmas, like being naked with other people sometimes. Granted streaking at sports games is wrong and public events like Mardi Gras is questionable, but public baths and saunas are good, where basically by entering you say it is all okay. If I was to ever run for public office, this would be my platform, more public saunas, "Make America Steamy Again!." Let's start a movement here and now -- join the steam team!