Working life development
The Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) is developing working life through legislation, various projects, programmes, studies and analyses, and by improving working practices. Aim is to boost productivity and improve the quality of working life at the same time.
Development of the quality of work promotes meaningfulness and motivation at work as well as job involvement and work productivity. It can also improve the competitiveness and public image of the work organization and quality of both services and products. Positive development of quality of working life is based on the high levels of employment and adequate labor force in the last resort.
MEE’s financing for working life development is channelled via the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes). The objective is to encourage Finnish workplaces to develop their operating methods, productivity and quality of working life.
National Working Life Development Strategy till 2020 was completed in spring 2012. Strategy was prepared in a broad cooperation with relevant actors under the coordination of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. Strategy aims to improve the employment rate, quality of working life, well-being at work and work productivity. To implement the strategy one shall launch a broad national co-operation project to workplaces. Implementation phase is actually under preparation.
Strategy’s vision is to have in Finland the best working life of Europe in
2020. To achieve this challenging goal one should, among others, expand operational
methods of the competitive work and share good working life practices in a different
enterprises and workplaces. As part of the implementation of the Strategy,
Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) will prepare a
separate development program for work organizations.
The EU Structural Funds projects are also responsible for product development to promote employment, skills, corporate development, innovation, etc. The purpose is to spread best practices. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy is the authority in Finland with responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund.
