Work Environment — Nordic Labour Journal

Norway renegotiates tri-partite inclusive workplace agreement

(Nov 15, 2012) ‘Everyone’ was there when Norway’s Ministry of Labour staged its annual conference on the inclusive workplace agreement. It was also the first public meeting between the new Director General at the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise and the President of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions.

Culture helps handle the darker sides of working life

(Oct 14, 2012) There are great hopes that creativity will give businesses the competitive edge, but amateurish attempts at introducing culture into working life do not help, say Finnish pioneers on culture in businesses.

The right use of space improves office work

(Sep 16, 2012) Disturbing sounds like high volume conversations are often an environmental problem in workplaces, and it can lead to loss of concentration and more mistakes being made. Now new research out of Finland shows it is possible to reduce such inconveniences through flexible space concepts.

Editorial: Can apps open the door to a new working life?

(May 22, 2012) The mobile telephone is one of the best examples of Nordic cooperation there is. The use of the same standards across Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden created a market which was big enough to allow companies like Nokia and Ericsson a head start and to become major exporters.

Nordic opposition to minimum wage shows lack of solidarity?

(May 22, 2012) Should we have a statutory minimum wage? Absolutely not say Nordic trade unions, and they’re usually backed by employers’ organisations. It’s an attitude people elsewhere in Europe find difficult to understand.

Just how many older workers are there? And do they want to work more?

(Feb 09, 2012) When the EU made 2012 the year for active ageing and solidarity between generations, Eurostat was tasked with producing relevant statistics. “It could become commonplace for people to move into retirement while still having one or both of their parents alive”, is one of the thought-provoking conclusions.

Minister of Labour Lauri Ihalainen: Improved competence will safeguard Finland’s future

(Nov 11, 2011) Finland’s new government has ambitious goals for improving people’s level of competence. Finns will handle structural changes and future challenges better through improved education and adult training.

Norwegian government to tackle involuntary part-time work

(Sep 07, 2011) “Involuntary part-time work is a serious problem both for individuals and for society as a whole. It is the government’s goal to reduce involuntary part-time work and to make sure those who wish can get full-time employment,” says Minister of Labour Hanne Bjurstrøm.

TCO's Eva Nordmark: unions must be relevant to our time

(Jun 16, 2011) "The union's role is to be relevant in today's working life, which is considerably different from the time when my parents started working. Yet the basic values remain the same. As always the union is about the dream of freedom, development and having the chance to live a good life," says Eva Nordmark, newly elected chairperson for TCO.

Large differences in work environments and health among Danish workers

(Jun 14, 2011) A new major survey exposes marked changes both for the better and for the worse in how Danes experience their own work environment and health.