tema
Finland’s comprehensive social guarantee for young people
Sep 20, 2012
The Finnish government is rolling out a comprehensive programme aimed at young people. The social guarantee aims to offer all under-25s and all newly educated under-30s a job, study place, apprenticeship or rehabilitation within three months of the young person becoming unemployed.
tema
Catapulted into work?
Sep 20, 2012
A youth project in Åland called Catapult is aiming to integrate unemployed youths into the labour market. The name might sound a bit more dramatic than what actually faces its target group of 16 to 24 year olds. But it does say something about Nordic politicians’ expectations.
News
New drive to get young unemployed Danes into education and jobs
Sep 20, 2012
The Danish government launches another youth package to offer education to nearly 100,000 young people on benefits - many of whom have no further education at all. Meanwhile the effects of previous youth packages are beginning to materialise.
Portrait
Kristin Skogen Lund: NHO's new Director General getting down to business
Sep 17, 2012
The wind in Kristin Skogen Lund’s sails has increased lately. As President of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) and a Telenor Group Director she has topped the list of Norway’s most powerful women two years in a row. Each time another top job has become available she has been touted as a possible candidate. But now that has ended: from 1 November Kristin Skogen Lund is the NHO’s Director General.
News
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.
News
Unions in retreat across Europe
Sep 14, 2012
Trade unions have lost members and influence over the past 20 years in almost all European countries. High unemployment, an increasingly deregulated labour market and weaker safety nets makes many workers weary of putting their demands forwards and to become union members. Unions in several countries also criticise what they see as a relatively self-congratulatory Nordic model.
Insight
The Nordic model marries growth and equality
Sep 13, 2012
For five years now the Nordic model has been the subject of a study which aims to establish whether the model can manage to modernise. A conference in Oslo at the end of August marked the end of REASSESS, where 80 reports and five books were presented over two intensive days.
News
Emergency rescue plan for Denmark’s long-term unemployed
Sep 10, 2012
The debate over Danish unemployment benefit rules carries on despite political action.
Comments
Editorial: Youth on the edge
Jun 28, 2012
Youth unemployment is a problem to which the open Nordic labour market should be part of the solution. ‘Jobbresan‘ (the Job Journey) organised by Nordic exchange programme Nordjobb is an exciting attempt at removing the remaining obstacles.
tema
Swedish youths’ first job in Norway
Jun 28, 2012
Anyone moving to another Nordic country must have some money - the first pay check doesn’t come immediately, but the living costs do. In Norway you normally have to pay a three months’ deposit on top of the first month’s rent - enough to stop many young people in their tracks.
tema
Nordic report: ‘Youth on the edge’ the greatest problem
Jun 28, 2012
Nordic youth unemployment figures between 10 and 25 percent are bad enough. Even more alarming is the fact that 5 to 10 percent of Nordic 15 to 24 year olds are not in education, work or training. This problem has risen during the latest economic crisis.
tema
Denmark’s rapidly growing youth unemployment must come down
Jun 28, 2012
Unemployment among young Danes has trebled in four years, and the government promises action despite an initial breakdown in negotiations between the social partners on a youth initiative.
In focus
Youth on the edge
Jun 27, 2012
Youth unemployment is a big problem in the Nordic region. Most exposed are those who have neither jobs nor are they in any kind of education. Many youths move to a different Nordic country to work. But so far this has not helped those who are unemployed. This summer the Nordic exchange programme Nordjobb launches ‘Jobbresan’ (the Job Journey).
Comments
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.
tema
Everybody wants and app - but what for?
May 22, 2012
“Mobile telephone apps mean new ways of working as we’ll be able to access systems from anywhere and companies will start using mobiles more and more as a tool,” says Elin Lundström, managing director at app developer and IT company Decuria in Stockholm.
tema
Life after Nokia also means new opportunities
May 22, 2012
Thousands of Nokia’s former employees have been forced to rethink their futures as the company sheds jobs. In Finland many of them hope to start their own business.
tema
The IT revolution’s third wave
May 22, 2012
The development of smartphones is changing many people’s lives. Yet universal online access is only one part of the new IT revolution which will also have a big impact on working life. Smartphones and tablets became really powerful tools when Apple allowed anyone to develop the apps these devices run.
Portrait
Palle Ørbæk signals new course for Europe’s work environment policies
May 22, 2012
Making sure people can work to their best capacity should be a top priority when improving working environments says Palle Ørbæk, director general at the Danish Research Centre for the Working Environment. Ten other top European working environment researchers are backing him.
News
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.
News
No female quotas for new Danish equality model
May 22, 2012
The Danish government wants businesses to get more women into boardrooms but not by using female quotas.
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