Working life | SAK research: The quality of employees’ working life has deteriorated rapidly

Employees the quality of working life has deteriorated rapidly in Finland, according to the results of a recent study by SAK. The central organization has used the same metrics to monitor working life for a decade now, and according to SAK, the quality of working life has never before declined in the same way.

SAK’s research specialist Ari-Matti Näätänen reminds STT that the Institute of Occupational Health obtained very similar results to SAK in its own study.

“The data from the Occupational Health Institute concerned all wage earners, we investigated the Danube river. But the results are even amazingly similar for both”, Näätänen evaluates.

of SAK the report’s main finding is that nine out of ten areas of working life had now changed for the worse. Two things have weakened the most: earning a living and the experience of job security. For example, the harmful effects of work on health had also progressed in a bad direction.

From the employee’s point of view, only the pace of work had changed for the better. Fewer than before estimate that their own work is characterized by a constant rush.

“However, that can also tell you that there are now fewer orders, less work. Economic activity at workplaces has decreased,” says Näätänen.

What or what could be the reasons for the deterioration of working life?

“The weakening of purchasing power that started in 2020 is certainly one of the reasons behind the change. Even in 2022, in our next measurement, the employees may have had savings, but based on this year’s results, the savings have run out. So the effect can be seen in a way with a delay.”

According to Näätänen, the weakening of purchasing power continued until the end of 2023. Since then, it has remained more or less unchanged.

“According to some forecasts, purchasing power would start to rise in 2025, but I would say that remains to be seen. The current wage cycle is very decisive for purchasing power,” the research expert adds.

of SAK the most recent material was collected before the government decided to make working life and social security cuts. How do the government’s policies affect the situation?

“Especially in low-wage, female-dominated fields, the government’s decisions can continue the negative development that can be seen in this study,” says Näätänen.

With regard to social security, the effects can already be assessed, according to him, but the situation on the salary side is still somewhat open, for example with regard to local agreements and the possible waiver of supplements.

SAK’s research is based on data collected by Verian over the phone, which included approximately 1,200 respondents from working members of SAK’s unions. The data for the good job meter was collected in February and March 2024.