w w w . h a m k . f i

Career planning:Finnish labour market

information and professional life

Salla Niittymäki

Project Manager / Pajatso Project

HAMK University of Applied Sciences

Salla.niittymaki@hamk.fi

0400 127 815

w w w . h a m k . f i

Working in Finland guides

• Guide to working in Finland by the national labour market confederations of Finland: http://www.guidetoworkinginfinland.fi/E30/

• Ready for working life - a guide for students by AKAVA union: http://issuu.com/akava/docs/ready_for_working_life_guide_for_students/1

• Working in Finland guide by Ministry of Employment and the Economy: http://www.te-services.fi/te/en/jobseekers/work_finland/index.html

w w w . h a m k . f i

Finnish economy• Finland has gained a strong position as a technological forerunner.

– The main industries are electronics, metal, wood and paper industries.– The main export industries are metal and transport products, pulp and paper products and

chemical products

• The role of service industries is becoming quickly more and more significant.

• Finland is undergoing a period, when the baby-boom generations are retiring. This means a downturn in the supply of labour.

• Job creations in anticipated to be especially strong in healthcare and social work and in the services that support business life. Finland will also need new entrepreneurs.

• Most of the job vacancies in Finland are in the retail, service and industrial work professions.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Finnish working life• Finnish working life has changed rapidly and in a multitude of ways:

traditional tasks require an ever-increasing number of new skills and competences

• Employees are expected to be highly educated and constantly updating their skills

• There are several different careers during life– 85 % of employment relationships are based on a permanent contract– Short-term employment has become more common– Part-time work is not yet as common as it is elsewhere in Europe (more

than 10 % of employees)• Unemployment rate is 8-10 %• 39 000 foreign jobseekers• The average monthly salary for men 3 340 € and for women 2 740

w w w . h a m k . f i

w w w . h a m k . f i

Segmentation of Member companies of the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries:

Lot of possibilities

for international

students here!

w w w . h a m k . f i

Trade Unions• Approximately 80% of Finns are members of a trade union. The

International Labour organization (ILO) has ranked Finnish unions as amongst the most effective in the world.

• The main purpose of a union is to safeguard and improve the benefits and rights of its members. This includes, for example, income development, employment security, and quality of work life.

• Students can join trade unions as student members and benefit from various membership services, for example get salary counseling and work search advising.

• Tradenomiliitto (Union of Professional Business Graduates in Finland) is the most common trade union for business students

• Uusi Insinööriliitto (Union of Professional Engineers in Finland) for engineering students.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Finnish professional life and professional culture

Source: www.worldbusinessculture.com

w w w . h a m k . f i

Communication style• Communication style is formal. Finns do not engage in much small talk and

prefer people to speak succinctly, not to discuss themselves or their interests, focusing primarily on work related issues.

• Finns are limited communicators but very proficient in foreign languages – the fear of making mistakes limits their communication

• Silence is golden in Finland; do not feel the need to fill every silence that occurs in a meeting.

• Body language and feedback are limited and difficult to read. Do not be too disheartened if your presentation does not meet with the rapturous applause you had anticipated.

• Don’t be overly enthusiastic about your proposals. It is necessary to look at the possible downsides before succumbing to optimism. Some would call it pessimism, but Finns think it as realism.

• Finns are direct and prefer to get down to business quickly. They say what they think and expect you to do the same.

• Maintain eye contact while speaking.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Management style and decision making

• Finns support a collaborative and participative management style. • Low hierarchy and little, if any, antagonism between grass root level

and management. • Finns like to know exactly the perimeters of their responsibilities and

will expect to be allowed to take the decisions which fall naturally within those perimeters.

• “Official” decisions tend to be taken in a collegiate style by a small group of senior managers. These major decision making processes can take a long time.

• “Smaller” decisions can be made quickly and implemented as swiftly.

• Finns are very concerned with quality.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Time management• Finland is a controlled-time culture, and

adherence to schedules is important and expected.

• In Finland missing a deadline is a sign of poor management and inefficiency, and will shake people’s confidence.

• Punctuality is important!

w w w . h a m k . f i

Time management and meetings• Meetings can seem strange affairs to people not familiar

with Finland or the Finns - long but quiet. • Meetings are well-structured, follow a pre-set agenda

and are orderly with one person speaking at a time - often seeking permission to speak through the Chair.

• People will be well prepared, as you are not expected to speak unless you have something concrete to contribute.

• Finns tend less towards consensus than their Nordic cousins, expecting individuals to take responsibility

w w w . h a m k . f i

Working together

• Building relationships with co-workers– Relationship building often takes place outside the office: in a

restaurant or the sauna. Never turn down an invitation to use the sauna, as it is an entrenched part of the Finnish culture and an important part of relationship building. There will be minimal, if any, small talk.

• Team work– Finns are more individualist than collectivist – But still comfortable working in teams – Finnish idea of team-working would tend to be that of a group of

capable individuals being given the opportunity to complete well-defined tasks which, when put together, will enable the team to reach its goals.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Other things to notice

• Dress code: a wide variety of styles and levels of formality can be observed – observe how your colleagues dress.

• Employees have been very loyal to employers with little job-hopping taking place (specially in smaller towns/villages).

• The Finnish working culture is based on equality. • Women have historically played a major role in business

life and women are found in the most senior positions in large Finnish companies.

• Diligence, individuality and initiative are highly valued, together with strict observance of agreements and agreed schedules.

w w w . h a m k . f i

Code of conduct

• Many companies have a code of conduct, which explains the principles of how how to behave in different situations when working in the company

• See HAMK code of conduct: https://wiki.hamk.fi/display/materiaalit/PAJATSO-hanke