News
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.
News
Finns want to work longer
Apr 10, 2010 The debate on retirement age has been intense in Finland in recent years, and now it is really starting to take off. New research shows more and more Finns are prepared to work after the age of 63. Meanwhile the government is trying through normative means to get people to stay in work until they are at least 65.
tema
An open EU labour market needs common occupational classifications
Mar 03, 2010 Sweden has been leading an ambitious EU project to translate more than 5,000 job titles and related terms into 22 languages. The project also describes the qualifications needed to get these jobs. This common 'encyclopedia' for working life aims to improve cross-border labour market mobility.
tema
It took 121 years to agree what psychologists really do
Mar 02, 2010 When Sigmund Freud treated his first patient in 1889 little did he know that 121 years later there would be 77,250 psychiatrists and 250,000 psychologists in Europe. That is also how long it has taken to agree on a common European standard of qualifications.
tema
A day in the life of the office nomad
Mar 02, 2010 Janne Saarikko (40) has changed jobs again - or rather his place of work. He's now at Arc Technology, an IT business in Helsinki. He moved here with two blue IKEA boxes; one containing a computer and some papers, the other with his espresso machine, cups and saucers plus coffee beans.
tema
Job description: do as little as possible
Mar 02, 2010 They suddenly appeared in all European capitals and tourist cities: the living statues. Where did they come from? What are they thinking while they stand there, lifeless? What do they do in winter? We came with many questions and quite a few prejudices when we approached one of the most peculiar occupations there is.
Portrait
Inger Støjberg - fighting unemployment with cross-party cooperation
Mar 02, 2010 Just as the economic crisis hit Denmark in April 2009, Inger Støjberg took up her position as Minister of Employment and Gender Equality. She was already known as a vocal spokeswoman for the Danish Liberal Party. Now she is the promoter of broad agreements with the opposition.
News
Joint fight against long-term unemployment
Feb 25, 2010 Getting the long-term unemployed back into work is hard. You need focus, determination, the will to try new things and good cooperation between companies, job centres and education, says Denmark's Minister of Labour Inger Støjberg. She is gathering inspiration for a new initiative against long-term unemployment.
In focus
The Nordic region tightens sick leave rules
Feb 09, 2010 One of the pillars of Nordic welfare systems is the right to sickness pay. But should employees enjoy the same pay whether or not they are at work? Who decides how long a person can be off sick? What kind of contact should the worker maintain with the employer? These questions are fuelling a heated debate in several Nordic countries. We take a closer look at new measures and rules being tightened.
tema
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.
tema
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.
News