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.
New study shows language proficiency and social relationships key to belonging for immigrant early childhood educators in Finland
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,
Training helps older workers catch up on digital skills
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.
Telework still largely regulated at company level in Europe
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.
Majority of highly educated expats in Finland have faced discrimination in job search and at work
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."
When does it pay off to change jobs?
Statistics compiled by the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, Etla, show that around a quarter of the workforce move in or out of a company every year. The figure includes both people retiring and those just entering working life.
The Ministry of Employment and the Economy studied career changes between 2003 and 2006 and found that around a third of the employees go straight from one job to another, while for almost 40 per cent of people the change involved a period of unemployment. Around 25 per cent of people took a break from working life for some other reason.
Five tips for making the most of your performance appraisal
Although much depends on the boss when it comes to performance appraisals, you can benefit from the process by preparing for it and taking initiative when necessary.
1. Make the most of it
In some companies, not much thought is given to what the goals of performance appraisals really are. Some bosses may have doubts over whether performance reviews really are fit for purpose and employees wonder whether the boss is actually listening to them and giving the discussion their full attention.
Getting through the day with a little help from medication
Many employees drag themselves to work even though they are feeling under the weather, suffer from insomnia and have aches and pains everywhere. They turn to medication for temporary relief.
Occupational health doctor and father to small children, Jani, 37, has suffered from depression, concentration problems and insomnia for several years. He has been to see a psychiatrist and tried depression medicines in various combinations to help him get through the day.
Inappropriate sanctions put strain on employees
Last autumn, when Anna, 33, a team leader in the communications field, started showing signs of burn-out, her boss encouraged her to contact the occupational doctor, which Anna did. "The doctor said that the problem was that our whole work community was over-worked. I wasn't the first one at our workplace to suffer from burn-out."
How does improved cultural knowledge help Finnish companies succeed?
The first question is: is there something like a Finnish working culture? And with increasing numbers of foreigners employed in Finland, what are the effects on the so-called Finnish working culture?
With the help of Helsinki times, itim International has conducted a study of Finnish organisational cultures and to which extent these assist Finnish organisations to work with foreigners (in Finland) and/or to compete globally. A total of 21 organisations participated in the research, spread out over six business areas:
