English
language home page of Statistics Finland (www.stat.fi/tk/home.html) New
book discusses long-term trends in working conditions: a hastier work tempo and an
increase in unpaid overtime but new opportunities for personal development
New book discusses long-term trends in working
conditions: a hastier work tempo and an increase in unpaid overtime but new opportunities
for personal development
Helsinki (20.11.1998 - Juhani Artto) Last
year 37 per cent of wage and salary earners in Finland felt they had good opportunities
for personal development at work. Twenty years ago 28 per cent of employees felt the same
way. This is one of the positive trends in working life shown in surveys conducted by
Statistics Finland. In its new book this institution compares the working conditions of
wage and salary earners in 1977, 1984, 1990 and 1997.
What are the most significant changes?
The high unemployment caused by the
1990-1993 recession has strongly influenced the importance attached by employees to their
work. On the eve of the recession 25 per cent of employees considered their work to be
"very important and significant". By 1997 this proportion had risen to 40 per
cent.
The change is well explained by two other
figures. 37 per cent of wage and salary earners in 1990 still thought they had good
chances of finding another job. By last year, however, this had fallen to 23 per cent. The
proportion of those who had changed their jobs in the last five years fell from 42 to 34
per cent.
The proportion of part-time workers (fewer
than 30 working hours per week) has increased only slightly. In 1997 it was 11 per cent
among women employees and 5 per cent among men. Those in temporary jobs last year
accounted for 18 per cent of wage and salary earners. In 1990 this figure was 15 per cent,
while in 1984 it was only 11 per cent.
In the early stages of the 1990-1993
recession many union leaders and activists feared that the rate of union membership among
wage and salary earners would fall, but in fact the opposite has happened. In 1990 the
organising rate was 72 per cent, but by 1997 it had risen to as much as 79 per cent, which
is one of the highest rates of membership in the world.
It is interesting that at the same time
the proportion of those who believe they share common interests with their employers has
increased from 56 to 67 per cent.
However, in 1984-1990 and 1990-1997
differences of attitude at the workplace grew clearly in all categories. Last year 69 per
cent of wage and salary earners admitted differences of opinion with their supervisors, 68
per cent with colleagues and 56 per cent between staff groups.
Increasing competition in the business
world is clearly reflected in the use of time and motion studies to appraise of
productivity. Last year 61 per cent said that their employers have increased productivity
appraisal, while in 1990 this figure was 46 per cent. One surprising finding is that the
proportion of those receiving productivity bonuses was higher in 1990 (26 per cent) than
in 1997 (21 per cent).
Access to opportunities for additional
vocational training has steadily increased. 24 per cent of workers enjoyed such
opportunities in 1977, 31 per cent in 1990 and 35 per cent in 1997. However, last year
only 9 per cent considered their chances of promotion to be good, compared with 10 per
cent in 1990.
In 1997 more than half of the respondents
felt that they had a lot, or rather a lot of influence on working methods, workplace
rhythm and working arrangements. When asked about their influence on the content of their
work, on the division of labour, on retooling and on choice of colleagues less than half
gave positive responses. In all categories except rhythm of work employees feel that their
influence has increased both in the 1980s and in the 1990s. The feeling of employee
influence on work rhythm increased from 1984 to 1990 but was slightly below the 1984 level
in 1997.
There is a growing sentiment of having too
few employees to perform the given tasks. In 1990 this feeling of understaffing was shared
by 44 per cent of employees, but the figure was 52 per cent in 1997.
It is slowly becoming more common to have
a female supervisor. In 1997 56 per cent of female employees and 9 per cent of male
employees were in such a position. It is also becoming gradually more common for employees
to have at least partly supervisory roles. In 1997 the proportion of workers in such
employment was 32 per cent.
The studies reveal that despite all
efforts, employees feel that their physical work environment has deteriorated. They report
worsening extremes of heat and cold, more disturbance at work, more dust and more noise.
Workers increasingly have to perform repetitive limited movements. Hardly any category of
attitude towards the physical work environment shows improvement.
The studies also included questions about
working hours. Even though employees have increasing freedom to choose the time of
starting and finishing their daily shift, in 1997 fewer employees feel that there are
enough breaks than thought so in 1990.
The proportion of those doing unpaid
overtime has grown surprisingly rapidly. In 1984 it was 20 per cent, but by 1990 this had
already reached 30 per cent and last year it stood at 34 per cent. The authors of the book
regard the trend as clear evidence of a deeper commitment to work and an intensification
of work.
In 1997 a third of respondents complain of
being very much or rather much in a hurry at work. This problem has worsened steadily. In
1977 only 18 per cent of wage and salary earners made this complaint.
In 1997 a large majority, 62 per cent, say
that the tempo of work has accelerated over the last few years. In 1984 the same was said
by 46 per cent of the sample. Over the same period the proportion of those reporting very
or rather heavy mental stress at work has grown from 46 to 51 per cent.
When asked about positive factors
affecting their job satisfaction, independence at work scored best. A majority also
referred in this connection to variety of work and morale at the workplace. Almost two
thirds think they have an interesting job.
Of factors bearing negatively on job
satisfaction, haste is clearly number one, followed by low pay and lack of promotion
prospects.
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