Work Environment — Nordic Labour Journal

Swedish work environment tempts Chinese

(May 10, 2010) Oscar Berger is Sweden's Counsellor of Labour Market Affairs in Beijing. His job is to study the Chinese labour market and employment issues for the future - including Chinese competence and labour immigration.

New convention improves marine working environments

(May 05, 2010) Shipping is the most global of all businesses. One reason for introducing a new Marine Labour Convention is to create a more even playing field for the shipping companies. Shipowners should no longer be able to save money by cutting wages or neglecting the working environment.

Focus on ill health means less absence

(Feb 09, 2010) If you at an early stage enter a dialogue with workers who are ill, you reduce the level of sick leave. That's the experience in the Høje-Taastrup municipality west of Copenhagen.

Sick leave in Finland: municipalities on the right track

(Feb 09, 2010) Many Finish municipalities have managed to turn the trend of ever increasing levels of sick leave. As the country's largest municipal employer, the City of Helsinki is developing ways of helping people on long-term sick leave to get back to work.

The constant hunt for ways to limit sick leave

(Feb 09, 2010) Levels of sick leave vary a lot between the different Nordic countries, yet it seems it gets harder and harder to qualify for sickness benefit - whether the level of sick leave rises or falls. There is no agreement among researchers on what really lies behind these variations, nor on what policies actually work.

Positive factors at work – a new perspective

(Aug 01, 2009) What makes workers happy and content, and what keeps organisations healthy and productive? What makes workers resilient and good at adapting when more and more is demanded of them in an ever changing environment?

The best research has people-focus

(Dec 03, 2008) Working life research in the Nordic region has highlighted big changes in how businesses are run. So-called borderless working life offers flexible working hours and less division between work and leisure. But what are the long-term consequences?

Working Nation: The Mindset of the Enterprising Icelanders

(May 01, 2008) The Icelanders are known for being a great working nation. No nation has a larger part of the population in employment at any one time.

Striking the right work-life balance

(Mar 03, 2008) There's a lot of focus on finding a balance between work and private life these days. Despite all the good intentions, it is hard to imagine real change will come about before we seriously address the difficulties in getting the right mix of family and working life.

Well-being at work sparks productivity

(Oct 01, 2006) Facing global competition Finland's way: go for sustainable working life.