Work Environment — Nordic Labour Journal

More part time jobs mean worse working environments for young people

(Oct 09, 2013) Young workers represent a heterogeneous group facing complex risks in working life. That means it is no longer enough to just focus on the young people themselves. In order to secure preventative working environment measures you also need to look at surrounding issues.

Call centres: young people's entry into working life

(Oct 09, 2013) Few workplaces take on more diverse staff than call centres. Youth, pensioners, handicapped, immigrants – it is the attitude and voice that determines your success, not your background or look. Even so, one of the fastest growing sectors is struggling to find enough people who want to work.

Medical students won’t work at Iceland’s National University Hospital

(Oct 09, 2013) Less than ten percent of Iceland’s medical students want to seek work at Iceland’s largest hospital, the university hospital Landspítalinn. Why? Bad working conditions, stress, low pay and long working hours.

Au pairs balance between cultural exchange and work

(Oct 09, 2013) How far does our concern for young people’s working environment stretch? Does it go as far as to cover Filipino au pairs in Norway and Denmark? This month saw the start of a trial in Oslo against a host family who allegedly forced two au pairs to work 96 hour weeks.

Editorial: Job engagement is pure gold

(Jun 19, 2013) How do you achieve job engagement and work commitment? In this summer edition of the Nordic Labour Journal our writers, experts and researchers explore what happens with job engagement when work pressure increases. Does job engagement really equal increased productivity? Is job engagement pure gold?

Could increased job engagement improve productivity?

(Jun 19, 2013) There seems to be an obvious link between job engagement and high productivity. Nordic politicians highlight the work environment as a competitive factor and hope it can lead to increased growth. But it’s not that simple. There are loose cannons and lost sheep among workers too.

Nearly always fun at work

(Jun 19, 2013) Solicitors are rarely considered to be the most relaxed and easy going professional group, but Helsinki solicitor firm Fondia is challenging the stereotypes. The office is teaming with recycled goods, soft values and fun and games – in all seriousness.

Experts: action needed to combat bad psychosocial work environments

(Jun 19, 2013) A Nordic proposition to systematically measure businesses’ psychosocial work environments is getting expert backing. But the businesses must also play their part, and hiring a consultant is not always the best solution.

Pressure on online journalists challenges job engagement

(Jun 19, 2013) New technology puts more pressure on journalists to be ‘online’ and makes their job situation more diffuse and the journalists more vulnerable. Meanwhile support systems have not changed. If you want to create commitment and job engagement you need to strengthen work environment resources, say researchers.

Moving public services to fight social marginalisation

(Jun 19, 2013) The Swedish Equality Ombudsman, DO, has been asked by the government to prepare a move from Stockholm city centre to the suburbs of Tensta/Rinkeby – the areas which only weeks ago were shaken by riots. The Stockholm city council has also just decided to move its education department with 400 staff there.