Finland should test shorter working hours across different sectors to assess their effects on employee wellbeing, ability to work and productivity, according to a report commissioned by the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK.
The report, written by researcher Anna Kuokkanen, reviewed international research and interviewed representatives of Finnish workplaces that have introduced shorter working hours.
A tired remote worker at home. Burnout and concern about the future of their jobs have increased among workers, according to a new study. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
Burnout symptoms have increased and work ability has declined slightly among workers, while concern about the future of employment has grown, according to a new study on working life.
The research shows that uncertainty about work prospects has become more common. About 40 per cent of working-age people say they are concerned about how their job will look in the future. Nearly half, 45 per cent, say they cannot predict what will happen in their work.
Only 16 per cent believe their job situation will improve in the future.
Photo: Elsa Paakkinen / Lehtikuva
A sharp rise in unemployment has driven many Finnish employers to abandon public job postings, with some reporting applicant numbers in the hundreds for a single position, reveals an article by Yle.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, fewer than half of all job openings in Finland are now publicly advertised. The rest are filled through informal channels, networks, or internal hiring.
Office workers in Helsinki. LEHTIKUVA
A recent survey conducted by Kantar Public Oy on behalf of Suomen Yrittäjät (Finnish Entrepreneurs) has found strong support for universal income security and social security reform in the Finnish workforce. The survey, called the Työelämägallup, was conducted among 1,511 respondents, including employees, entrepreneurs, furloughed workers, and the unemployed.
The results of the survey indicate that 42% of those surveyed view a universal income security model favorably.
A man and a woman at a workplace. The median pay of men was 511 euros higher than that of women in 2024. Photo: Elsa Paakkinen / Lehtikuva
Full-time employees in Finland earned a median monthly income of €3,611 in 2024, according to preliminary data released by Statistics Finland. The average monthly income was €4,070.
Men earned a median of €3,884 per month. Women earned €3,373.
The highest-paid 10 percent received at least €6,115 per month. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than €2,477.
A worker puttin on headphones in an office in Helsinki. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
The Finnish government has introduced a bill that would remove the tax deductibility of union membership and unemployment fund fees, prompting backlash from opposition politicians, labour unions, and a majority of working people.
The draft law, submitted by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s right-wing coalition, is expected to pass. Government parties hold a parliamentary majority, although dissent has emerged within Riikka Purra’s Finns Party.
A teacher teaching a student mathematics at East-Pakila elementary school in Helsinki. LEHTIKUVA
New research from Turku University suggests that the experience of belonging to a work community for early childhood educators with an immigrant background is linked to language proficiency and the quality of social relationships in the workplace.
The study, conducted by Monika Haanpää, a master of education, found that the ability to speak Finnish, a strong sense of professional and personal self-confidence,
A woman browsing job advertisements on her phone. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva
More than 60 percent of unemployed residents with foreign backgrounds in the Helsinki region cite poor Finnish skills as a key barrier to employment, according to new city research.
The study, based on the MoniSuomi 2022 dataset from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, found that 62 percent of unemployed respondents aged 20 to 74 identified language as an obstacle. Among the employed, 48 percent reported the same.
The second most common barrier was limited contact with ethnic Finns. This was experienced by 58 percent of unemployed participants, compared to 36 percent of those in work.
Photo: Law Firm Lehtonen Oy
Ending an employment relationship without a valid legal reason is unlawful in Finland and may entitle dismissed employees to significant compensation, according to a statement from eLuotsi Finland Oy.
Employment terminations without the legally required "proper and weighty reason" remain common. Every case is assessed individually, and employees facing unclear situations are encouraged to consult an employment law expert.
Older employees can catch up on digital skills through appropriate training. This is shown in a new study by the EconPol research network, which examines these skills among different age brackets in industrialized countries. Two-thirds of the international differences can be explained by differences in the extent to which countries invest in equipping this group with digital skills.
Colleagues working at an office in Helsinki. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
Over half of all foreign graduates from Finnish higher education institutions found employment in Finland three years after graduating, according to data from Statistics Finland. The employment rate of foreign nationals reached 53% in 2023, up from 42% in 2018.
During the same period, Finnish graduates maintained a steady employment rate between 87% and 88%, with a minor dip to 85% in 2020. Despite gains among foreign graduates, disparities in job quality and role type persist.
Shielou Ann Tervonen, Cecilia Naadensua Quarshie and Aziza Hossaini. Photos: IOM Finland 2025 / Miina Noroila
Migrant women are playing a key role in shaping Finland’s future, bridging labour shortages and contributing to industries from healthcare to education and integration services. Despite facing challenges, many have built successful careers and are now creating opportunities for others.
Cecilia Naadensua Quarshie moved to Finland from Ghana and built a career in early childhood education.
Image: © Wattana/Adobe Stock
Access to telework and working arrangements when working from home are still largely determined at company level in most EU Member States, with just France, Lithuania and Portugal currently enshrining the right to request telework in legislation. While some common ground exists, there are varying standards and practices in place with regards to telework in the EU, which can be regulated through legislation or collective agreements.
Thirteen percent of general practitioners come from foreign backgrounds. Photo: Jussi Nukari / Lehtikuva
The number of employees in Finland with foreign backgrounds has passed 240,000, with new data showing they now make up nearly 10 percent of the country’s 2.4 million working population.
Figures from Statistics Finland, obtained by Yle, show the number of foreign-background workers has increased by more than 100,000 in the past decade. In several professions, their presence now exceeds 40 percent.
A woman experiencing work-related stress. LEHTIKUVA
Approximately 2,200 contacts related to harassment and work-related stress were made to the Finnish occupational safety authorities in 2022. Out of these, around 1,500 contacts were related to harassment, while 900 were regarding work-related stress. Some contacts involved both issues.
The total number of contacts has remained relatively stable in recent years. However, there has been an increase in the proportion of contacts related to work-related stress.
A doctor working in the infection department of Kainuu central hospital in Kajaani.
As many as 75% of highly educated international professionals living in Finland have experienced discrimination in their job search, and 61% have experienced discrimination in the workplace.
"The figures are extremely worrying, and they show that Finnish working life is not yet very far in supporting diversity."
