Well-being at work sparks productivity

Rimantas Kairelis, Lithuanian State Secretary of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, is optimistic on behalf of his country. He can point to many things indicating Lithuania is heading in the right direction, but admits that two years after joining the EU, it still has a long way to go.

Well-being at work is barely an issue. "These are the priorities of the EU presidency. We have our own priorities. It's difficult for Lithuania to follow. There is a huge difference in the level of productivity and working conditions between Lithuania and the Nordic countries. Higher salaries are our first priority, working conditions are not so important. That is the next step", Rimantas Kairelis tells Nordic Labour Journal. Only ten per cent of workers in Lithuania are union members.

Tri-partite co-operation exists in the upper echelons of society, but enjoys little legitimacy in the work places.

Even though new laws and regulations are put in place, little is done to enforce their implementation, Rimantas Kairelis admits:

"We have quite good legislation on health and safety, but working conditions at the practical level are not so good. We have started at the top of the pyramid. But we have to improve".

"Especially now when we have a lack of labour within almost all sectors, and there is a pressure in the labour market", he adds.

Higher salaries, better working conditions and the attitude towards the workers are the main reason why more than 300.000 Lithuanians have chosen to work abroad according to a recent survey commissioned by the government. It also shows that 80 per cent of those asked want to stay abroad only for a short period.

Rimantas Kairelis believes that when people who have worked abroad return, things will change. “They have had good experiences with unions and better attitudes to workers, and will demand better working conditions when they return.”

He also thinks that “there is a slight change of attitude among the employers”.

At the moment the Lithuanian government is working on a strategy on how to manage labour migration.

This strategy will also include measures to enforce health and safety regulations, Rimantas Kairelis says.

One suggestion is to use economic incentives to reward work places which offer good working conditions.