Tag: Productivity
SAK is planning political strikes of up to four days in the coming weeks, write HS and MT
The political strikes organized earlier this year have lasted from one to two days. According to the information received by the two newspapers, a decision on the scope and targeting of the strikes could be made as early as Tuesday, March 5. Jarkko ElorantaThe chairman of SAK is expected to comment on the tight labor…
Tensions related to financial challenges are bubbling up in welfare municipalities across Finland
Last week, the welfare services county of Pohjois Ostrobothnia, Pohde, announced that it would start extensive negotiations as part of a 90 million euro cost-saving program. Welfare service provinces were created as part of the long-discussed social and health reform implemented by the previous government. The counties started their operations at the beginning of 2023…
Finland's economic outlook: A slow start and a promising turnaround, says Nordea
Navigating through today's financial challenges As Finland prepares for a difficult start to 2024, high interest rates dampen economic growth, which is why Nordea changes its growth forecast for the year to -1 percent. However, the bank is optimistic about a positive change in the second half of the year, forecasting 2 percent GDP growth…
Finnish companies overwhelmingly support the state's employment measures, it turns out
The government's measures, which include unemployment insurance reforms, increased local bargaining and restrictions on political strikes, have been well received by the business community. Juho RomakkaniemiCEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that these reforms are expected to significantly increase productivity, employment and general Finnish well-being. Similarly, Marja Heinimäki The Riihimäki-Hyvinkää Chamber of Commerce…
Business Finland accelerates innovation with 416 million euros in funding for companies
In addition, research initiatives received 127 million euros, which emphasizes the importance of research and development in promoting national progress. Nina KopolaThe CEO of Business Finland emphasized the key role of innovation funding in creating Finland's competitive advantage. “For our people, the key productivity growth comes from new projects and the commercialization of company innovations.…
Bridging the employment gap of skilled immigrant women in Finland's STEAM industries
Seema Ganoothe story is an example of the experience of many skilled immigrant women. Ganoo is an electrical engineer from India with 14 years of experience who moved to Vaasa in 2004. His career took a turn as he raised his children in the community, including being involved in the PTA and being a food…
The new Working Time Act cuts short shifts in half in the social and health care sector
This reform aimed at improving employee well-being and reducing health risks has meant a key change in the management of work schedules. Research Professor Mikko Härmä The Institute of Occupational Health emphasized the importance of this development and pointed out that shorter shift intervals previously led to an increased risk of sickness absences and work…
The CEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce criticizes SAK's role in the nationwide disruptive strike
According to Romakkaniemi, SAK's actions reflect a mistaken belief in its right to intervene in the parliamentary legislative process. He claims that SAK does not have the right to veto legislation, but only the democratically elected parliament. – Parliament does not need SAK's permission to change laws. It's confusing that SAK even feels it has…
The takeover of English in Finland worries many Finns, according to a study
English as the only service language was considered discriminatory by 82 percent and not discriminatory by 16 percent of the respondents. Almost three quarters (72%) of the respondents agreed with the statement that the wide availability of English-language services prevents immigrants from developing their Finnish or Swedish skills. Almost a quarter (23%) of respondents completely…
The research highlights the gender bias in innovation that affects economic equality and growth
Einiö describes the “homophilia” of innovators – the tendency to create products for people who are similar in terms of gender, socio-economic status and age. This innovativeness favors the peer group of innovators and often ignores the needs of other segments, especially women. As a result, products aimed at women tend to be underdeveloped, more…
Too optimistic productivity forecasts for Finland, reveals the report of the Economic Policy Evaluation Council
These estimates prepared by the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will evolve as new statistical data become available. Too much optimism in Finland’s real-time forecasts Potential output, which reflects the sustainable level of output that a country can achieve without accelerating inflation, constitutes a…
New office trend: The survey reveals that preferences for remote work are growing
“Nearly a third of the participants expressed their desire to work from their holiday homes. This change not only supports the local economy in areas with a lot of holiday homes, but also gives a positive signal of their rural retreat to famous areas”, Pentikäinen interpreted. Positive feedback for remote working Remote work has enriched…
German companies adopt remote work while productivity remains flat, reveals a study by the ifo institute
Mathias dollsCommenting on the results, an IFO researcher stated: “The positive correlation between remote work and productivity is a key reason for its widespread acceptance in German companies.” The mood remains the same in different areas. However, a few industries prefer office work. In the textile industry, 54.3% expect better productivity in an office environment.…
Finland is at the forefront of international digitization in the Digibarometer 2023 report
Finland’s rise to the top of the Digibarometer means a continuous presence in the top three since the barometer was founded in 2014. The country’s previous first place is from 2016. The Digibarometer evaluates the nation’s “digital position” and its changes in relation to other countries. , which measures digital use at three levels: prerequisites,…
Etla: Finland’s economy will grow “unfortunately slowly” in the coming decades
“It is possible that new production and service investments will support economic and productivity growth in the forecast period more than expected”, said Sakari Lähdemäki, co-author of the forecast at Etla. “However, our current impression is that growth will be unfortunately slow in the future as well.” Economic growth has slowed throughout the industrialized world…
The Ministry of Finance is revising its economic forecast for the years 2023–2025
All in all, however, the forecast has remained mostly unchanged. “It’s really surprising how surprising this prediction is” Mikko Spolanderthe head of the financial department of the Ministry of Finance, was quoted saying At Helsingin Sanomat’s press conference on Thursday. This year’s forecast has been revised against the background of the expected growth in private…
Funding for social and health education was cut to a record level
Currently, the health care industry is suffering from a particularly serious labor shortage. In addition, the attractiveness of education in the field has been in a downward trend for a long time. At the same time, degree-specific funding for nursing and social work education has dropped by as much as half between 2010 and 2021.…
Researchers claim that artificial intelligence will soon overtake humans
In fact, it can answer almost any query put to it. However, this is just the beginning. An artificial intelligence researcher has said that “everyone would drown” if artificial intelligence is allowed to proliferate uncontrollably. On the surface, an AI chatbot is a really useful tool that can increase human efficiency and productivity. It can…
What you can use a social intranet for
A social intranet is an internal communication tool used by organizations to enable collaboration, knowledge sharing and teamwork between employees. The use of social intranets has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the rise of work and needs for more effective communication channels. Here are some tips on how to use and social…
The majority of employers are not enthusiastic about the four-day work week, according to the entrepreneur survey
According to an entrepreneur survey, 17% of employers would be willing to try it, and 8% have no opinion. Willingness to try a four-day work week increases when there is also a pay cut. In that case, 37% of employer companies would be willing to try the experiment. However, 59% don’t even want to try…
Finnair scraps plans to outsource cabin crew services on Thai and North American routes
The contract, valid until the end of 2025, also stipulates that the current cabin crew collective agreement will be extended by one year, until January 31, 2025. “We are happy that we have been able to find solutions together with our employees” said Johanna Karppi, Finnair’s people and culture manager. “The agreements with our employees…
Finnish startup community chief economist Youssef Zad suggests increasing tax incentives to attract skilled labor
According to the report, tax incentives affect the migration of certain groups, such as top innovators in the patent industry and other high-income individuals. Youssef ZadThe chief economist of the Finnish startup community stated that several studies have shown that high-income immigrants and top innovators react strongly to changes in income taxation and R&D tax…
Half of Finnish employees would consider leaving work without a remote work option: Survey
This opinion was most common among 18- to 29-year-olds, with 64% stating that the ability to work remotely was an important factor in their choice of job. Despite the return to the office, the study found that telecommuting has had a positive impact on job satisfaction, productivity and work autonomy, with 60%, 54% and 50%…
Why it’s important to eat at work – even the odd cake
When England’s Food Standards Agency chief Susan Jebb recently compared eating cake at work to second-hand smoke, office cubicle walls trembled across the country. She told The times: Professor Jebb is right to criticize unstructured eating in the workplace, which can contribute to unhealthy eating. Overconsumption of unhealthy products such as cookies and processed foods…
How to transform your home decor on a budget using DIY ideas
If you’re looking to spruce up your home decor without breaking the bank, plenty of DIY projects can help you achieve it. From simple painting jobs and adding new furniture such as VidaXL garden tables to more extensive renovations, there are several ways you can give your home a makeover on a budget. DIY project…
Research: Finland’s economic growth has slowed down due to a lack of labor mobility
“Today, the allocation of labor inputs in the Finnish business community is not as efficient as the allocation of capital. Targeting the workforce seems particularly inefficient for start-ups and small businesses, ”he commented Timo Kuosmanenthe professor appointed a principal investigator of the research at Aalto University. The purpose of the study was to find out…
Ministries are looking for partners in a low-carbon circular economy agreement
The Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy presented the process of preparing the agreement today, 18 February. Work is scheduled to begin in March and the agreement should be ready for signing in the summer of 2023. Ministries will invite representatives from various industries, companies, regions and municipalities to…
Think tank: New welfare law can eat most of the leeway
The law will roughly oblige any government to ensure that more money is spent in the public sector corresponding to the population changing composition – for example, by more people getting older. The latest update of the Ministry of Finance’s estimates for the next few years shows that it will require an increase in public…
Turning off cameras during virtual meetings can reduce fatigue: Research
More than a year after the pandemic led many workers to switch to telecommuting, virtual meetings have become a familiar part of everyday life. New research done by Allison Gabriel, A professor of management and organizations at McClelland and a respected researcher at the University’s University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, suggests that the…
Bank of Finland: Finland’s competitiveness may weaken after the crisis
Finland’s competitiveness improved significantly in 2016–2017, but came to a halt in the two years before the pandemic, in 2018 and 2019. The increases in unit labor costs observed at the beginning of this year are largely due to the increase in employers’ social security contributions and, according to the Bank of Finland, the end…
Finns are more willing to continue teleworking than people from other countries
According to the study, teleworking of staff doubles from the pre-coronavirus pandemic level of -0.9 days per week to 2.5 days per week after a pandemic. “After the pandemic, 97 percent of workers would like to continue working remotely at least one day a week.” Sofia Jakas, Director of JLL Finland, said Helsingin sanomat newspaper.…