This week in our blog, we discuss a recent report by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The repot detais how well-being at work has decreased in Finland. This report is based on an ongoing study by the Institute. It’s no wonder we’ve written about it in the past as well.
In September 2022, we reported on one of the previous releases of this study. In that blog post, we told you what the study indicated about well-being at Finnish workplaces between 2019 and summer 2022. This current report is somewhat overlapping in terms of time since it covers the period between the summer of 2021 and the end of 2023. It does, however, make sense to look at the new results as those are mostly based on surveys conducted after the intense phase of the pandemic.Â
Dreaming of a career in Finland? Our “Your Job Search Strategy in Finland” online course helps you build a winning job search strategy for the Finnish job market.
Some background
This current study is based on two sets of survey responses. The Insititute collected the first set in the summer of 2021. The second set was collected in two phases during 2023. They conducted the first phase of the survey in the summer of 2023 and the second at the end of 2023. They invited those who had taken part in the summer 2021 survey to answer the summer 2023 survey. Only those who answered the summer 2023 survey were then asked to complete the December 2023 survey round.
In the summer of 2021, there were 1418 respondents. The number of responses in 2023 was 1843. All the respondents are working adults between 18 and 65 of age. They’ve been randomly selected. In the analysis, the researchers weighted the responses to account for age, gender, and area of residence.
The survey examines well-being at work through these indicators: work engagement, boredom at work, burnout or exhaustion symptoms, job satisfaction, and work ability.
In our previous post on this same study, we explain what these indicators mean and how many survey questions relate to each indicator. We won’t repeat that information here.Â
The conclusions
The results indicate that well-being at work has decreased in Finland over the past six months. Jari Hakanen and Janne Kaltiainen mention this also in the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health press release on this survey. In the press release, they particularly wanted to highlight the fact that working while ill has become more frequent and that the well-being of managers has decreased. Let’s now look at the study results a bit more closely.Â
Indicators that show that well-being at work has decreased in Finland
The results of the late 2023 show that there has been a statistically significant decrease in work engagement. This is true both in comparison to the summer 2021 results and to the summer 2023 results. Compared with the summer of 2023, respondents felt more boredom at work by late 2023. Also, their overall job satisfaction had decreased as had their work ability. Only the different measures measuring burnout symptoms do not show significant changes through time.Â
In December 2023, 74 % of respondents did not suffer from burnout symptoms. 17 % had an increased risk for burnout and 9 % were most likely already suffering from burnout. The summer 2023 and summer 2021 results were practically the same in terms of these three categories.
In recent weeks in Finland, we have seen several strikes against some of the changes the current government has proposed. These changes have to do with working conditions in Finland. One of the proposed changes would make the first sick day unpaid.Â
In a previous blog post, we discussed this proposal and gave you some stats on sick leaves in Finland. This survey adds to that discussion. According to this current survey, at the end of 2023, 41 % of employees had worked while sick at least twice during the previous six months. They had done this although they, according to their own assessment, should have taken sick leave. Turns out, working while sick had increased in frequency both in comparison to summer 2021 and summer 2023. This, again, makes one wonder how big of a problem unjustified sick leaves are in Finland.
Causes for concern
In our previous blog concerning the pre-2022 survey results, we pointed out that younger workers seem to be doing worse than older ones. This is still true. The researchers say that the well-being at work of younger workers has decreased further. Younger workers feel particularly burdened by decreased autonomy, lack of challenges, and inability (or impossibility) to show one’s true emotions at work. More often than older workers, younger workers also feel that their jobs do not match their values. They do, however, feel more hopeful about their work life than older workers.
Overall, people are contemplating changing jobs more often than previously. At the end of 2023, 26 % had often thought about resigning from their current job. In this measure, there was a statistically significant increase from the previous survey of summer 2023. Notably, 32 % of those under the age of 36 had had these thoughts. In contrast, this percentage was only 24 % for those over 36.
In the previous blog, we paid attention to managers and their well-being. These new survey results show that the well-being of managers has decreased further. For them, the biggest problem is work overload. They simply have too much stuff to do.
So, based on this survey well-being at work in Finland is not looking that good…
Frustrated with job applications that don’t seem to get you anywhere? We’ve now made an online course where we teach how you can build a winning job search strategy that fits the Finnish job market. You can find and enroll in 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
