The TYÖ2030 program and the HELP project commissioned a survey at Fountain Park to find out what kind of changes have been experienced in Finnish working life and what kind of changes are foreseen by 2030.
The first results were published at the Work Life Forum Finland2022 event in Pikku Finlandia on August 31, 2022.
When the participants of the survey look back at their own careers, their most common experience is an increase in busy-ness. There have been more and more things to do, tasks, and things to take on. According to the respondents, several side plots have crept into the everyday life of doing work. They can be various meetings and projects or work performance from data recording to systems.
Expectations about future working life were more evenly distributed. The demands of working life are expected to continue to grow, but careers are expected to become more diverse. It is believed that employment relationships will shorten in the future for several reasons, remote work will increase, and due to these reasons as well, the feeling of belonging in work communities is expected to decrease.
Although digitalization and information systems are often complained about, when asked about the benefits of digitalization, ¾ of the participants believed they have made work easier as a whole. The disadvantages have been the constant need for new learning and the increase in various interruptions.
Those who responded to the survey have also found positive aspects of the change. According to several participants, the unnecessary hierarchy and rigidity in workplaces has decreased. In addition to the lowering of the hierarchy, the respondents have highlighted the increase in flexibility and self-direction from the changes of recent years.
As for expectations for the future, the wish for flexible work and an employment relationship is emphasized. Employees' well-being could be supported by the possibility of flexibility, for example in terms of working hours. Survey participants hope that the work will be more meaningful, fluid and less stressful. Leadership is expected to be close to people and to support self- and community control. Many would also like to adjust the balance of work and free time in favor of free time, for example with part-time work, so that work and recovery from it do not fill the whole life.