Family-friendly practices at Finnish workplaces in 2014 and in 2015

03.05.2023

| 1www.tyojaperhe.fi 03.05.2023

www.tyojaperhe.fi

Family-friendly practices at Finnish workplaces in 2014 and 2015

03.05.2023

| 2www.tyojaperhe.fi

Contents

Summary 3-4

Background information 5-7Work/life balance 8-9

Mitä työaikakäytäntöjä ja joustoja työpaikoilla on käytössä 16–19

Työpaikan tarve tai kiinnostus työn ja muun elämän yhteensovittamista tukeville palveluille 20–22

Perhemyönteisten käytäntöjen kirjaaminen ja seuranta 23–27Training and dissemination of information 28–31

Family-friendly workplace culture 32–43

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Summary

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Work/life balance achievable in most Finnish workplaces The balance between work and other areas of life is successfully achieved in three quarters of Finnish workplaces. This is the finding of a survey carried out by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) in October 2015. Larger workplaces’ strengths lie in having recognized practices and processes, whereas at smaller workplaces, arrangements are made on a more individual level. Nevertheless, most workplaces would benefit from more information on the different options available. Male-dominated and large workplaces in particular would benefit from active promotion of a family-friendly culture. Having a roughly even gender distribution seems to promote work/life balance practices at workplaces.

In 2014, and again in 2015, FIOH carried out an electronic survey to determine how Finnish workplaces support the work/family balance. Our presentation illustrates the results of this survey and divides them into the following categories: employer sector, size of workplace, and age and gender distribution.

The target group of the survey was all occupational safety representatives and officers in the occupational safety personnel register. As Finnish workplaces with over 10 employees are obliged to report the names of their occupational safety representatives in the register, it represents Finnish workplaces from every sector. A total of 2718 occupational safety representatives and officers from 2345 different workplaces responded to the survey. Of these, 49.3% were women and 49.9% worked in a supervisory role. In addition to gathering information, the survey helped to distribute information to workplaces regarding good practices for balancing work and other life areas, and highlighted areas that required development.

According to the survey, balancing work and other life areas was easy or very easy in three quarters of Finnish workplaces. The balance was most easily achieved in female-dominated workplaces and, of the workplaces sectors, in church parishes. About 30% of the survey respondents estimated that it had become easier to balance these two life areas in the last two years, a clearly higher percentage than that of those who felt it had deteriorated.

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Background information

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WorkplacesRespondents

23452718

In supervisor position

50 %

49 %

51 %

Women

Men

2 Respondents of the survey

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Vastaajat edustivat seuraavia työpaikkoja:

2 Background information of the workplaces

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Work/life balance

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Wok

r/life

bal

ance

su

ccee

ds w

ell i

n…

Women-dominated workplaces

Most difficult to achieve work/life balance in municipal sector: at 12 % of municipal workplaces achieving work/life balance succeeds poorly.

..of the respondents feel that balancing work/life has become easier during the last two years.

Of the respondents feels that work/life balance is easily achievable at one’s own workplace.

73,3 % Men-dominated workplaces68 %77 %

Church parish employees 83 %

3 Is work/life balance achievable?

30 %

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Flexible working time arrangements are common

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All the workplaces has at least one flexible working time arrangement, and the use of such arrangement seems to be increasing. In the private sector and in small workplaces (employing less than 50 employees), employees usually make these arrangements directly with their supervisors, whereas the public sector and larger workplaces use other, more “formal” types of flexible working time arrangements. An even gender distribution was beneficial for family-friendly work arrangements.

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Flexible working time arrangements are common

One of the best ways in which the workplace can promote the work/life balance is flexible, employee-friendly work schedules and work task-related arrangements. The most common of these in Finnish workplaces was individual-level agreements with one’s supervisor regarding flexitime or absences.

All the workplaces have at least one flexible working time arrangement, and the use of such arrangement seems to be increasing. In the private sector and in small workplaces (employing less than 50 employees), employees usually make these arrangements directly with their supervisors, whereas the public sector and larger workplaces use other, more “formal” types of flexible working time arrangements. An even gender distribution was beneficial for family-friendly work arrangements.

About a third of the workplaces saw the need for or were interested in leisure time activities, childcare (of sick children), catering services, and services to support families arranged or even paid by the workplace.

Just under a half of the workplaces had official work/life balance practices in their strategies, programmes or models. This was more common in large and medium-sized workplaces, or workplaces with young employees.

Most workplaces monitored the use of flexible working time arrangements and family leaves. In just over a half of the workplaces, occupational health services took into account the challenges arising from the family lives of their employees. About 40% of workplaces addressed these issues in, for example, appraisal discussions or work environment surveys.

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71 %Arrangements agreed between employerand employee

93 %Opintovapaa kunta 76 %valtio 80 %

Privatesector

81 %Smallworkplaces

74 % etätyömahdollisuus valtiolla

77 % part-time work suuret yritykset

81 % vuorotteluvapaa suuret yritykset

Lomarahat vapaiksi valtiolla €

$

4 Where is best flexibility?

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Työpaikalla käytössä olevat työaikajärjestelyt ja joustot

One of the best ways in which the workplace can promote the work/life balance is flexible, employee-friendly work schedules and work task-related arrangements. The most common of these in Finnish workplaces was individual-level agreements with one’s supervisor regarding flexitime or absences.

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Workplaces’ need for or interest in services provided by the employer

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About a third of the workplaces saw the need for or were interested in leisure time activities, childcare (of sick children), catering services, and services to support families arranged or even paid by the workplace.

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Workplaces’ need for or interest in services

Childcare of sick childrenPaid by employer 12 %Arranged by employer 19 %

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Jo käytössä:Satunnaiset lastenhoitopalvelutTyönantajan maksama 8 %Työnantajan välittämänä 22 %

Voluntary support networks arranged by the employer (e.g. peer support groups)

21 %

Vapaan ajan toiminnot (esim. työnantajan tukema liikunta ja tilaisuudet perheille).

Ruokahuoltomahdollisuus esim. ostaa ateria mukaan työpaikalta

33 % 21 %

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Official and/or monitored family-friendly practices

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Just under a half of the workplaces had official work/life balance practices in their strategies, programmes or models. This was more common in large and medium-sized workplaces, or workplaces with young employees. Most workplaces monitored the use of flexible working time arrangements and family leaves.

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6 Official and/or monitored family-friendly practicesat workplaces

Occupational health services takes into account family life of employees

Written policies

52 %22 %

Työterveyshuollon suunnitelmaan tai varhaisen tuen malliin (eniten)

Strategiaan, arvoihin tai johtosääntöön (vähiten)

Large workplaces more often than small ones.

Workplaces with young employees more often than others.

MONITORED (TOP 3)

61 %Working time flexibility, use of family leaves

52 % 46 %Included in personnel surveys

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Training and dissemination of information

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Room for improvement in supervisor awareness and competence

In order to make family-friendly practices more common, supervisors and employees must be made aware of them. Supervisors in particular need more information of the available options. Supervisors’ ability to bring up issues regarding life outside of work with their employees needs improvement. Supervisors also need concrete instructions for arranging these practices and informing employees of them.

The general level of awareness regarding family-friendly practices has not improved in Finnish workplaces in the last year. According to the 2015 survey, supervisors and the management in workplaces with young people were best at informing their employees of these practices. Supervisors evaluated information dissemination at their workplaces more positively than respondents who themselves were employees. Employees were best informed at female-dominated workplaces.

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Poorly or not at all

41 % (2014), 38 % (2015)

Training of supervisors best at workplaces where majority of employees are women .

Dissemination of information at workplace about possibilities for flexibility and/or family leaves (stipulated by the law)

Well organized

24 % (2014 and 2015)Well – (responded) 33 % workplaces where majority of employees are young (less than 30 years of age)

Poorly or not at all – (responded) 41,5 % workplaces where majority of employees are over 50 years of age.

Needs of employees to balance work/life at different life phases are taken into account in the training of the supervisors at workplace.

7 Training and dissemination of information

Well organized 28 % of workplaces with women majority

Poorly organized 57 % of workplaces with men majority

Training of supervisors best at workplaces where majority of the employees are young.

Respondents who are in supervisor position evaluate training of supervisors more positive than other respondents (employees)..

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Family-friendly workplace culture

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A family-friendly culture affects everyday life

Most workplaces saw families as a positive resource for work, but in the 2015 survey this view was slightly less frequent than it had been the year before. Almost half of the workplaces expected employees to put their work first at least sometimes. Although the attitudes of management and supervisors to employees’ family lives was mainly positive, negative attitudes were more common in male-dominated workplaces. According to the survey, management in small workplaces had more positive attitudes towards family issues than management in larger workplaces.

Employees relatively often experienced time pressure, which disturbs family life. Pressure to work overtime in order to get their work done or in order to advance their careers was experienced by the respondents of almost half of the workplaces, at least from time to time. The survey showed this pressure was mostly experienced at large workplaces.

Raising the subject of absences due to family reasons is usually easy at Finnish workplaces; more so according to the respondents who were supervisors than those who were employees. The survey showed that raising these issues was easier in female-dominated workplaces than in those that are male dominated.

Family leaves or other flexible working time arrangements were considered as affecting career development at every fifth workplace. Those working as supervisors and representatives of female-dominated workplaces assessed this influence as being weaker than representatives of male-dominated workplaces.

Majority of workplaces have regard men and women’s family leaves equallyWorkplaces generally use different types of family leave. Their use had slightly increased in the last two years, and practical arrangements had become easier. As regards gender, the data clearly showed that in female-dominated workplaces, the family leaves most commonly taken were those available to women, whereas in male-dominated workplaces, paternity leave was most common. In less than half of the workplaces, unpaid leave is generally taken in order to care for a family member or for special care of a close one. Respondents of every third workplace reported that their employer kept in touch with employees during their family leaves.

About 80% of the survey respondents claimed that attitudes to men and women’s absences due to family leaves were equal. The best situation was at workplaces in which there were roughly as many male as female employees.

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Miesten ja naisten vanhemmuuteen ja työstä poissaoloihin hoivan takia suhtaudutaan työpaikalla tasapuolisesti

62 %Suurten työpaikkojen edustajista kokee, että henkilöstöön kohdistuu usein perhe- ja yksityiselämää häiritsevää aikapainetta

Työpaikalla henkilöstöön kohdistuu usein paineita tehdä ylitöitä saadakseen työn tehdyksi tai edetäkseen urallaan. Suurissa työpaikoissa 22 %

44 % workplaces työntekijöiden odotetaan asettavan työn perhe-elämän edelle vähintään silloin tällöin.

66 % kokee, että työpaikan esimies ja johto suhtautuvat perheen ja työn yhdistämisen vaatimuksiin myönteisesti.

Family-friendly workplace culture8

79 %Puheeksi ottamisen helppous 2015 Esimies Ei esimies

Helppoa 71 % 81 % 62 %

Perhevapaan vaikutus urakehitykseen Miesvaltainen Naisvaltainen Esimies Ei esimies

Paljon 7 % 3 %

Ei lainkaan tai vähän 89 % 70 %

Vähintään silloin tällöin työntekijöihin kohdistuu sellaisia aikapaineita, jotka häiritsevät työntekijöiden perhe- ja yksityiselämää

27 % 14 %

Mitä pienempi yritys sitä myönteisemmin:Pienissä 70 %, keskisuurissa 67 % ja suurissa 55 %

Miesvaltaisissatyöpaikoissa

Naisvaltaisissa58 % 71 %

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Onko työpaikalla työntekijän helppo ottaa puheeksi se, että hän aikoo jäädä määräajaksi työstä pois perhevapaalle tai hoitaakseen perheenjäsentään tai muuta läheistään?, %

Puheeksiottamisen helppous8

All respondents, 2014

All respondents, 2015

Super-visor Employee Men majority Women

majorityAbout the same number of

both genders

Easy 69 71 81 62 63 76 74

Not easy or difficult 23 21 15 27 26 18 20

Difficult 7 8 4 11 11 6 6

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Kaikki vastaajat Esimies Ei esimies Miesvaltainen työpaikka

Naisvaltainen työpaikka

Molempia sukupuolia on suurin piirtein yhtä paljon

Ei lainkaan tai vähän 79 89 70 76 82 79

Jonkin verran 16 9 23 17 15 17

Paljon 4 2 7 7 3 4

Perhevapaan vaikutus urakehitykseen8

Vaikuttaako perhevapaan, hoivavapaan tai muiden joustojen käyttö työpaikalla työntekijöiden urakehitykseen?, %

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Family as a resource?8

Nähdäänkö työpaikalla perhe ja yksityiselämä…, %

kaikki vastaajat, 2014

kaikki vastaajat, 2015

miesvaltainen työpaikka

naisvaltainen työpaikka

molempia sukupuolia on suurin piirtein yhtä paljon

Positiivisena voimavarana työlle 59 57 49 63 57

Ei vaikuta tai liity työhön 32 33 38 28 35

Rasitteena/haittana työlle 9 10 13 9 8

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Kaikki vastaajat Pieni työpaikka Keskisuuri työpaikka Suuri työpaikka Miesvaltainen

työpaikkaNaisvaltainen

työpaikkaMolempia sukupuolia on suurin piirtein yhtä paljon

Myönteisesti 66 70 67 55 58 71 67

Ei myönteisesti eikä kielteisesti 28 26 27 36 34 25 27

Kielteisesti 6 5 6 9 8 5 6

Suhtautuminen työn ja perhe-elämän yhdistämisen vaatimuksiin

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Miten myönteisesti tai kielteisesti työpaikan johto ja esimiehet suhtautuvat työntekijöiden perhe-elämään sekä perheen ja työn yhdistämisen vaatimuksiin? %

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”Tärkeää, jotta kaikki ovat perillä työpaikan säännöistä. Olisiko yhteinen iltapäiväkahvihetki tähän apu, eli istutaan alas yhdessä ja käydään

pelisäännöt läpi.”

Contact:Salla Toppinen-Tanner, Leading Specialist, PhD

Finnish Institute of Occupational HealthP.O.B 40, FI-00251 [email protected]+358 46 851 2517

Work and family life:Salla Toppinen-Tanner,

Anna Vanhala, Marja Känsälä, Minna Toivanen, Tiina Kaksonen

Rahoittaja:Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö

Graafinen toteutus:Nitro ID

Lifestyle

Family-friendly practices at Finnish workplaces in 2014 and in 2015