Foreign tourists have returned to Lapland this winter. Due to interest rate restrictions and labor shortages in the tourism sector, some companies have not been able to fully open their operations.
Crash
Ski instructor Sofia Musakka walks with a snowboard in his hand at the top of Yllästunturi to a group of children waiting. The winter in Musaka, which directs the skiing lessons at Ylläsjärvi School Sports Club, has felt more busy than before.
“We’ve turned every possible stone and looked at the rock cavities to find teachers. Fortunately, there has been no need to cancel classes, although there have been a few teachers in line, ”says Musakka.
A large number of British tourists appeared in Ylläs just before the Finnish ski holidays, but the director of the Iso-Ylläs ski school Jere Discovery Corps has had to sell “not to”.
“A double number of ski instructors would have been needed this week. Fortunately, spring is more predictable, ”says Löytökorpi.
Ski teacher Sofia Musakka advised the students on the next route during the skiing lessons at Ylläsjärvi School Sports Club. “It’s a foggy weather now, so let’s stop sometimes so no one gets lost,” Musakka said at the top of Yllästunturi on Wednesday.
Ski school In this way, more employees are needed this winter in many Lapland tourism companies.
The spring season of Lapland’s winter tourism begins with a busy ski holiday week. For example, in Kittilä’s Levi, the accommodation capacity for the next few weeks is almost fully booked, says the CEO of the travel service Visit Levi. Satu Pesonen.
A record was broken in Lapland last December: more European tourists stayed in the province than at Christmas 2019 before the pandemic began, according to Statistics Finland’s statistics.
It has been remarkably difficult to find employees, says the executive director of the Lapland Tourism Industry Association Nina Forsell. The uncertainty brought about by interest rate restrictions has reduced people’s interest in going to work in the tourism industry for the winter.
“There has been some failure to open restaurants on certain days or to limit opening hours due to staff shortages.”
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“For example, when the meals of hotel guests have had to be taken care of in a short time at a time, it has been reflected in the need for manpower.”
According to Forsell, the current winter has been marked by great uncertainty and very rapid changes in restrictions.
“Restrictions have come with a few hours’ notice. For example, when the meals of those staying in a hotel have had to be taken care of in a short time at a time, it has been reflected in the need for manpower. ”
According to the feedback received by Forsell, foreign tourists have mainly been satisfied with their trips to Lapland.
In Lapland the tourism industry employs hundreds of workers through temporary work agencies. This year, it was especially difficult to find employees, especially for the Christmas season, says Staffpoint’s branch manager, which provides temporary staff. Timo Kärki.
“The workload has been infernal, but we succeeded. In December, customer companies still had to downsize. ”
Read more: Seasonal workers are now being sought in Lapland “with cats and dogs” when the pests are not attracted as before: “Few go there to hang out”
Approximately a thousand employees are employed in Lapland’s tourism work every year by Staffpoint. According to the tip, it corresponds to the pre-pandemic 2019 level.
“Demand for labor has exploded. Many jobs begin as soon as the author is found. When the remaining restrictions are lifted, the need for labor will increase even more. ”
According to Kärje, especially experienced workers have left the industry during the coronavirus pandemic. That is why there has been more training and coaching in the workplace than usual.
The return rate for employees hired through Staffpoint has decreased by 20 percentage points. More inexperienced employees may be needed to replace the skills of the most experienced employees, Kärki says.
Foreign employees make up about 15 percent of the total seasonal workforce employed by Staffpoint. According to Kärje, the customer companies would have hired even more foreign employees.
“Wage levels in the sending countries have risen, and Finnish living costs are also limiting interest.”
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“During the high season, every day is a Friday. The work is hard and very demanding. ”
Pandemian Uncertainty has been paid in some companies by canceling shifts already agreed with employees or reducing employees’ salaries, says the Northern Finland Regional Manager of the Trade Union of Service Industries (Pam). Lake Mäkkäläjärvi.
“Attempts have been made to compensate the company’s difficult financial situation at the expense of the employee.”
According to Näkkäläjärvi, there seemed to be more missing shift lists during the Korona period than before.
“Due to the rapid change in constraints, shift planning is difficult. It can also be seen here if the seasonal supervisors are inexperienced or inadequately trained. ”
According to Näkkäläjärvi, unilateral cancellation of shifts, lack of shift lists and ambiguities in employment contracts have been typical problems even before the pandemic.
Zero-hour contracts, which are widely used in the industry, have become more common. However, Lake Näkkäläjärvi also understands the difficult situation for companies.
“There have been a lot of difficult situations here, but the laws and collective agreements still need to be followed.”
Salary cuts instead, some companies have responded to labor shortages with wage increases. For example, an entrepreneur running two Otso restaurants in the villages of Ylläs Markku Tapio has hired chefs and waiters for its restaurants with a monthly salary of € 4,000.
In Pam’s collective agreements, the chef’s salary varies based on experience and is about half of the salary paid by Tapio.
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Working conditions in Lapland’s tourism companies have been monitored during the corona pandemic, mainly on the basis of documents.
“During the high season, every day is a Friday. The work is hard and very demanding. It has been felt that an employee earns such a salary. The early winter has been tremendously good. ”
According to Tapio, the practice has facilitated the recruitment of employees for several years. Before the current wage level, the factors were harder to find, he says.
About half of the restaurant employees live permanently in Kolari or Kittilä.
Working conditions has been monitored in Lapland’s tourism companies during the corona pandemic, mainly on the basis of documents. During the same period, only a handful of occupational health and safety inspections have been carried out at the companies’ premises, says the Inspector General of the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland. Hanna-Kaisa Rajala.
“It is difficult to detect working conditions in virtual inspections, so we have mainly done document control. Closures have also limited controls when places have not been vacant. ”
Due to the recent lack of workplace inspections, the process of administrative preparation and the potential threat of a fine that has begun has not been used in recent years.
According to Rajala, inspection activities will be restarted during the spring season.
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