Forecast on future working environment challenges in Finland Mikko Härmä, Jouni Toikkanen and Harri Vainio International Expert Seminar Copenhagen, 24-25 September 2009

Forecast on future working environment challenges in Finland • Key drivers of change in the Finnish society – according to the government of Finland – according to the Finnish Innovation Fund

• Characteristics of the Finnish working life – Finland among other EU countries – current trends in occupational safety & health

• Forecast on future trends in Finnish working life – according to the Finnish Innovation Fund – according to the FIOH

• FIOH challenges

Mikko Härmä/FIOH

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Key drivers of change

according to Matti Vanhanen's II Cabinet , 2008 • Globalisation. Industrial manufacturing is flexibly placed in locations offering the most favourable operating conditions. Knowledge and competence are undergoing similar development. Operators in developing countries are striving to challenge those who are presently enjoying success throughout the world. • Sustainable development. Increasing awareness of climate change and the related threats has created pressure to adopt ecologically sustainable production and consumption. The scarcity of energy and raw materials, and their soaring prices, are adding to this pressure. • New technologies. Technological development continues at an accelerating pace. For instance, the fields of information and communication technology and bio- and nanotechnology are producing information and results on a continuous basis, creating huge potential for new applications and the renewal of former operations. • Ageing of the population. Finland is one of the first countries to face reducing workforce volumes. The rapidly changing population structure is forcing Finland to devise rapid solutions in order to enhance productivity and efficiency, while creating the preconditions for new innovations. Mikko Härmä/FIOH

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Old-age dependency ratio (>64/15–64) in EU Years 2004, 2020, 2030 and 2050

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Key drivers of change

… additions by the Finnish Innovation Fund in 2009 • Increasing migration - related to globalisation (network economy & welfare differences ) • Structural trends in economical and industrial life - structural changes in industrial activities and branches of employment - it is unclear yet which branches of work will stay permanently in Finland

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Finland in the 4th European Survey on Working Conditions • Finland reported the highest: – frequency of having a female immediate boss – frequency of workers feeling they are well informed about health and safety risks

• Finland was above EU15 average: – in the frequency of telework, work with computers and using internet/email at work and doing teamwork. – fit between working hours and social/family commitments – satisfaction with working conditions

• Finland was below EU15 average: – for violence, bullying and harassment at work – working at a very high speed and working to tight deadlines

Finland is among the best performers within the socioeconomic security, general working conditions and the gender balance/education dimensions (EU Commission's 2008 Employment in Europe report)

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Meaningfulness of work - balance score All wage earners 1992-2008 Percentage units

Insecurity, distrust, lack of perceived appreciation?

Balances score = change for the better (percentage value) − change for the worse (percentage value)

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Barometer of working conditions, October 2008 Ministry of Employment and the Economy 7

Statistics: sick allowance days in 19902007 by diagnosis

18000 16000 14000

Other disease.

12000

Injuries, toxications and other external causes

10000

Circulatory diseases

8000 Mental disorders 6000 Musculoskeletal diseases 4000 2000

19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07

0

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Statistics: new disability pensions in the private sector in 1970–2007 by diagnosis Number

45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 Other diseases

20,000

Cardiovascular diseases Mental disorders

15,000 10,000 5,000 0 1970

Musculoskeletal disorders 1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Actual disability pensions and individual early pension included Mikko Härmä/FIOH

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New disability pensions, private and public sector

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Mental disorders

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Musculoskeletal diseases

Other diseases

Finnish Centre for Pensions, Annual Report 2008

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Employees’ accidents and occupational diseases in Finland 1996-2007 (all compensated cases)

140 000 120 000 100 000 80 000 60 000 40 000 20 000 0 1996

1997

workplace accidents

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

occupational diseases (including suspected occupational diseases)

2005

2006

2007

commuting accidents

Note 1: Including accidents that didn’t inflict absence from work Note 2: Due to a legal change in year 2005 the statistics show approximately 10% more accidents Mikko Härmä/FIOH

The Federation of Accident Insurance Institutions, 2009

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Future trends in future Finnish working life Finnish Innovation Fund: • • • •

open and network economy insecurity and insecure working places higher work demands and longer working hours increased competition at work and for working places

Kasvio et al., FIOH: • the effect of immigration and its challenge to the managerial practices and workplace cultures • the insecurity in working life may activate dissatisfaction with the precariousness of the labour market and induce polarisation in workers' attitudes with existing jobs. • possible vicious circle due to depression and weaker public finances 9 although 80% of Finnish employees feel currently that their physical and mental work ability is fairly or very good, they have rather pessimistic visions about long-terms trends in working life. Mikko Härmä/FIOH

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Future working environment challenges in Finland System level challenges • a need for new OSH strategies due to changing OSH management systems, network economy and changes in safety cultures at work. • integration of OSH to general management and productivity. • a need for higher protection of increasing high-risk groups: older workers, low status workers and the foreign workforce

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Future working environment challenges in Finland Mental: • new forms of employment contracts and job insecurity • complexity of new technologies, work processes and human-machine interfaces leading to information overload, increased mental and emotional strain • work intensification (high workload and time pressure) and higher professional and emotional demands at work (including violence and bullying) • poor work-life balance: disintegration of work from time and place, atypical working hours Physical: • pertinent high exposure to MSD risk factors at work • moulds in indoor workplaces • new potential risks due to the use of new bio- and nanotechnology Mikko Härmä/FIOH 14 • new potential risks due to global epidemics

Model for economic effects of safety and health at company level (Mossink & de Greef 2002)

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Health risks of night and shift work (compared to day work)

insomnia and sleep deprivation occupational accidents coronary heart disease breast cancer peptic ulcer metabolic syndrome obesity type II diabetes spontaneous abortions rheumatoid arthritis brain infarction

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Risk 1-2 1.2 -2.0 1.3 –1.6 1.3 -1.6 about 2 1.6 -1.7 1-2 1-2 about 2 about 2 ?

Evidence high average average average average average average average low low low

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The basic choices of the future Finnish innovation policy (The government of Finland)

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Future FIOH choices

Internat focus

• global problems and solutions • EU regulation and guidance vs. national regulation and guidance

National focus

• Finnish companies as a part of global economy

• effectiveness in Finnish working life

Information to policy makers and public authorities

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Solutions to clients (workplaces and developers of OS&H)

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