Wellbeing at work accelerates productivity – share your views on working life!

Developing working life is a necessity in a world where technological advancement and global change are moving at a rapid pace. The cornerstone of Finland’s economic success is international competitiveness, which is achieved through responsible, sustainable technology and investment in wellbeing at work.

When organisations invest in the wellbeing of their personnel and leadership, productivity increases. Workplace wellbeing is not only about individual welfare or ergonomics. It is a comprehensive concept that includes good leadership, effective processes, meaningful interaction and the opportunity to influence one’s own work.

As General Secretary of the Working Life Development Strategy project, which began this spring, I know how broad goals the strategy aims to set for developing working life. The strategy strives to create a shared, ambitious vision for Finnish working life by 2035.

The draft vision, prepared by the strategy’s working group, is built on the jointly defined principle that participation in working life should be inspiring, and all forms of work are valuable. Work develops skills, and in a transforming working life, we must be bold in trying new things and taking risks.

The draft vision for the Working Life Development Strategy for 2035:

“By developing working life, we build growth in competence, wellbeing and productivity.”
Everyone is welcome to comment on this vision for the world’s best working life through our open survey!

One of the key themes in developing working life is diversity. Workplaces that know how to embrace the perspectives and skills of diverse individuals not only grow internally – they also perform better. Creativity, innovation and better decision-making are born from a mix of experiences and ideas.

We also ensure that young people’s voices are heard in strategy work. For young people, entering and navigating working life is crucial. Above all, young people hope for support in getting started in their careers, which means smooth recruitment processes, knowledge and skills about working life, good induction and mentoring.

At our strategy workshop on 7 May, we explored these themes through the lens of one key success factor: inclusion. Working life experts collaborated to identify the actions required to strengthen inclusion in work and at workplaces.

Wellbeing at work is not an expense – it is an investment. It is reflected in employee commitment, fewer sickness absences and higher productivity. A sustainable working life does not happen by chance – it is something we build together.

Learn more about the strategy process and take part in the open survey about the vision.

Elina Pylkkänen, Under-Secretary of State, General Secretary of the Working Life Development project, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment