In Focus
Call centres: young people's entry into working life
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
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
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.
Labour market education: a pathway to work? More knowledge is needed
Labour market education was the hot topic for the discussion between employment ministers and the social partners at the Nordic Minister meeting in Övertorneå on 27. august. The debate unveiled large differences between the Nordic countries, and a lack of knowledge about the efficiency of such measures. A new Nordic initiative aims to give a nuanced insight into systems and the way they operate.
Successful vocational training for long-term unemployed in the Arctic
The Arctic Vocational Foundation is a joint Nordic institution providing individualised training within more than 30 vocations to unemployed Finns, Swedes and Norwegians. This, is where Sweden’s Minister for Employment Hillevi Engström invited her Nordic colleagues and working life representatives to consultations. What makes this training so special?
More companies take responsibility in fight against youth unemployment
What does a successful anti youth unemployment project look like? The Nordic labour ministers have asked Danish consultancy agency Damvad to map Nordic youth projects that are based on cooperation between authorities and companies.
Finland: Adults with jobs seek out apprenticeships
In later years the EU Commission has been very interested in using apprenticeships to create more opportunities in the labour market for young people.
Could increased job engagement improve productivity?
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
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
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
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.
”Don’t punish us, astonish us”
To really listen to young people and see each individual in light of their own merit, cooperating across sectors while also focusing on schools - where life-long learning begins. To learn from the other Nordic countries and benefit from the common Nordic labour market - these were all themes when Nordic prime ministers and labour ministers met in Stockholm on 16 May.
Youth Employment Forum showcasing the good Nordic examples
“A murderer can become a fantastic worker. He has been in prison, thinking. Employers who dare hire a former criminal get very loyal workers,” says Nanna Ravn Hansen, a consultant at High:five.
Researchers: blunt measures against youth unemployment
It is difficult to find political measures which actually do get more young people into work. Sweden’s dramatical reduction in employer contributions for youths in 2007 and 2009 has led to few new jobs.
Denmark: More focus on job rotation
Job rotation is a golden egg which gets people into employment and improves the skills of permanent staff, according to the Danish government. The social partners agree. But it takes time to get businesses to use the scheme.
”Thank goodness – I’m a Svensson”
Youth unemployment is a priority for Stockholm Municipality. Considerable work is being done within the city and between the city and other authorities, in order to get young people off benefits and into work or education. Two projects show that strong support on an individual level can be a recipe for success.
How hard can it be?
Businesses in the Swedish region of Södra Småland coined he phrase ‘How hard can it be?’ one year ago, when they initiated a meeting to address youth unemployment in the region. It was part corporate social responsibility and part a drive to attract more skills.
Nordic region increases fight against social dumping
335,000 citizens from EU’s new member states moved to the Nordic region between 2004 and 2011. A considerable number of workers and service providers from these countries have also been posted there during the same period of time. Foreign labour has represented a positive contribution to the economic growth, but it has also put pressure of wages and working conditions.
Norway has its Laval judgement - but this time the union won
On 5 March Norway’s Supreme Court passed judgement in what in Norwegian has become known as ‘verftsaken’, or the shipbuilding case. The judgement has been called the most important win for the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in recent times. Losing this case could have been as significant for the fight against social dumping as the Laval case in neighbouring Sweden.
Denmark increases fight against social dumping
More fines for foreign companies and labour clauses in public contracts - these are the newest weapons in Denmark’s fight against social dumping. They will have an impact on social dumping but won’t eradicate it, thinks expert.
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