In this blog, we take a look at a few available resources to find out what are the best employers in Finland.
Job seekers fall under heavy scrutiny during the recruitment process. They need to convince their potential new employer that they can do the job, that they will do it, and that they fit it. This is not, however, a one-way street. Job applicants also evaluate the employer.
Job seekers are also at a bit of a disadvantage compared to employers. Employers have the applicant’s CV, motivation letter, potential assessment results, and interview questions to help them assess them.
Job seekers, in turn, are often left with the company’s public-facing websites to contend with. Or, if they are lucky, they may know someone who works or has worked in the company.
There are, however, some tools that may help you form an opinion on the potential employer. In this blog, I will introduce you to a few of them.
Getting ready to sign your first Finnish employment contract? Be better prepared by taking our online course “Mini-course on Finnish Employment Contracts”. You can find it in our online store.
Oikotie Työpaikat’s Responsible Employer Report
Oikotie is a Finnish online marketplace that is familiar to most looking for a job or home in Finland. Their marketplace for jobs, Oikotie Työpaikat, is running an employer branding campaign focusing on their six principles of employer responsibility.
Those principles have to do with:
- non-discrimination;
- work-life balance and well-being;
- investment in the development of management skills;
- meaning of work, and continued development at work;
- salary commensurate with job demands; and
- good candidate experience.
The aim of this campaign is to provide better and more responsible work experiences for employees.
Currently, 115 employers, as well as 25 expert organizations, take part in it.
As a part of the campaign, Oikotie Työpaikat conducts their Responsible Employer study. Companies involved in the campaign can take part in it. In the study, employees of part-taking companies can evaluate their employers.
Employees evaluate their employers with respect to the six principles as well as sustainability. They also give an overall evaluation of their employer. In addition, employees indicate whether they would be willing to recommend their employer to others.
Based on the results, they publish their Responsible Employer of the Year rankings in three different size categories.
This year, they received over 6 000 employee responses from over 30 companies.
Best Employers in Finland based on the Responsible Employers 2021 study of Oikotie Työpaikat
Their Responsible Employer 2021 ranking list for small and medium-sized businesses is:
In the next category, large organizations, the ranking list is:
Their largest category includes companies that have over 1000 employees. In this group, the ranking list is as follows:
Most attractive employers in Finland in 2021 by Universum
Universum is a global employer branding company that publishes employer rankings by students and professionals annually.
Their professional ranking was published in October 2020. For it, they surveyed over 7 000 professionals in Finland.
These professionals represented several different industries including business, engineering, IT, natural resources, law, and health.
Their student ranking was published in May 2021. They had over 14 000 students submit their evaluations of Finnish employers.
Universum’s professional rankings
According to the professionals in Universum’s survey, the best employers in business in Finland are
In the engineering field, the most attractive employers in this ranking are
For those in the Humanities fields, the best employers are
- Ministry of Education and Culture
- Finnish National Agency for Education
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
- YLE
In the IT field, the most attractive employers in Finland are
For those working in the healthcare industry, the most attractive employers are
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
- Terveystalo
- Mehiläinen
- Finnish Insititute of Occupational Health
- Finnish Red Cross
Natural scientists in Finland would like to work in
Those working in law find these employers most attractive
Universum’s Student Rankings
For students in the Universum’s ranking, the best employers in business are
In engineering, the most attractive employers for students in 2021 are
The ranking for IT has some very familiar names
- Microsoft
- F-Secure
- Supercell
- Rovio Entertainment
For students in the natural sciences, the list looks very similar to the professional ranking
Humanities, Liberal Arts, and Education students value the following employees the most:
- YLE
- City of Helsinki
- European Union
- Ministry of Education and Culture
- United Nations
Law students see the following employers as the most attractive
- Law office Castrén & Snellman
- Courts
- Ministry of Justice
- European Union
- Law office Hannes Snellman
Students of medicine and healthcare value the following employers
Best employers in Finland according to Great Place to Work
Great Place to Work is an organization specializing in workplace culture. They help companies develop better workplace cultures. They also list the best places to work in Finland, Europe, and globally.
Their listings are based on employee evaluations as well as work culture audits.
They list employers in four different size categories, large, mid-size, small, and mini.
In 2021, the best places to work in the large category are
The TOP 5 in the mid-size category in 2021 are
In the category of small companies, the best places to work are
The last category is the mini-size companies. In this one, the ranking is as follows
Other sources of employer evaluations
In addition, there are also a few sites that collect employee and applicant evaluations.
One is Tunto. The site is run by Alma Media and at least currently it’s only available in Finnish.
Employees and applicants leave start ratings about corporate responsibility, management & leadership, salary and benefit, work environment and colleagues, safe work culture, and future prospects and the ability for renewal.
In addition to the ratings, the site also provides basic information about the employer. This information includes, for example, annual turnover, staff size, and growth percentage.
Duunitori, another job ad site, also now allows employees and applicants to leave an evaluation of employers at their site.
Evaluations concern such topics as company culture, compensation, career development prospects, management and leadership. They also record your willingness to recommend the employer.
When there are enough evaluations per employer they publish those evaluations in conjunction with job ads of that employer.
Although Glassdoor doesn’t have a Finland-specific site, they do have reviews of a number of Finnish employees. So, don’t forget to check that as well.
Make sure you know what you are signing. Enroll in this short and inexpensive online course “Mini-course on Finnish Employment Contracts”. You can find it in our online store.
The mission of Finnwards is to help internationals thrive in their life abroad. We provide coaching, consulting, and training services that help them do just that. Check out our Services for Businesses and Organizations or our Expat Inspiration Catalog for more information! While we serve internationals and their employers all over the world, our specialty is Finland. With our help, internationals can build a uniquely Finnish life for themselves and their family. In addition to the coaching, consulting and training services, we also offer a wide selection of self-guided online courses about Finland. Contact us and let us help you or your employees succeed in their professional and private lives abroad and in Finland.
- Most common jobs for foreigners in Finland - August 29, 2024
- Skills recognition and learning at work in Finland - April 18, 2024
- It pays off to study – a glance at expected career lengths in Finland - April 4, 2024
