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The research results are a strong message to work life in Finland and elsewhere that workplaces should invest in well-being at work in a proactive manner.
Jari Hakanen
The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the levels of work engagement across various demographic and work- and organization-related factors, such as profession, gender, age, type of work contract and their relative importance for work engagement.
Jari Hakanen, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occuaptional Health (FIOH)
Nowadays, employees are expected to be proactive. It is important that organizations are similarly proactive, and do not only focus on adverse working conditions and problems in employee well-being and health. By focusing on increasing job resources and supporting employee proactivity, work engagement and thus also better performance at work can be boosted.
Jari Hakanen, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occuaptional Health (FIOH)
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Nordic research finds new associations between shift work and health and gives recommendations on how to organize shift work

Press release 44/2020, WOW Symposium on 13th November 2020, Espoo FinlandEmbargoed until 13.11.2020 10 am (9 am CET) New studies from a large NordForsk consortium confirm that night shift work is associated with increased risk for serious health risks like accidental injuries and sickness absence. The researchers give recommendations on how to organize shift work in order to minimise health and safety risks.About 20% of all employees in Europe are shift workers. A large NordForsk-funded project (Working Hours, Health, Well-being and Participation in Working Life, WOW) produced several

Good work-time control decreases risk for musculoskeletal and mental symptoms, sickness absence and occupational accidents

Press release 43/2020, WOW Symposium on 13[th] November 2020, Espoo, FinlandEmbargoed until 13.11.2020 10 am (9 am CET) Good work-time control improves work-life balance and allows employees to self-determine the timing of, e.g., the start and ending times of the workday, and timing of vacations and breaks. New Nordic studies indicate that good work-time control protects against the risk for musculoskeletal and mental symptoms, sickness absence and occupational accidents.Flexible working hours have increased dramatically recently, also due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexible working

Invitation 13.11: Press Conference on health effects of irregular working hours and shift work – new research results and recommendations available. (Live stream)

Invitation for media Welcome to the Press Conference on 13 November How do shift work and irregular working hours affect the workers’ health and work participation? How to avoid the risks? New research results and recommendations are published.Time:   Friday 13 November 2020 at  9–10.15 am (CET, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo), 10 - 11 am (Helsinki time)The Press Conference will be streamed online https://ttl.livestriimi.fi/wow/  The characteristics of working hours are changing rapidly and becoming increasingly flexible. In addition, every fifth employee, mostly in lower

Invitation 13.11: Press Conference on health effects of irregular working hours and shift work – new research results and recommendations available. (Live stream)

Invitation for media Welcome to the Press Conference on 13 November How do shift work and irregular working hours affect the workers’ health and work participation? How to avoid the risks? New research results and recommendations are published.Time:   Friday 13 November 2020 at  9–10.15 am (CET, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo), 10 - 11 am (Helsinki time)The Press Conference will be streamed online   https://ttl.livestriimi.fi/wowsymposium/  The characteristics of working hours are changing rapidly and becoming increasingly flexible. In addition, every fifth employee, mostly in

Invitation 13.11: Press Conference on health effects of irregular working hours and shift work – how to avoid the risks? New research results and recommendations available. (Live stream)

Invitation for media Welcome to the Press Conference on 13 November How do shift work and irregular working hours affect the workers’ health and work participation? How to avoid the risks? New research results and recommendations are published.Time:   Friday 13 November 2020 at  9–10.15 am (CET, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo), 10 - 11 am (Helsinki time)The Press Conference will be streamed online https://ttl.livestriimi.fi/wowsymposium/ The characteristics of working hours are changing rapidly and becoming increasingly flexible. In addition, every fifth employee, mostly in

Cancellation 19 March: Press Conference on health effects of irregular working hours and shift work – how to avoid the risks? is cancelled

Press conference in Espoo Finland on 19 March is cancelled and the Live Streaming is cancelled as well because of the coronavirus epidemic. The Symposium and the Press Conference are postponed until autumn 2020 and new dates will be announced later in the spring.     Welcome to the Press Conference and the WOW Symposium How do shift work and irregular working hours affect the workers’ health and work participation? How to avoid the risks? New research results are availableNordic researchers meet in Espoo Finland on 19.–20.3.2020 CANCELLED Time:   Thursday 19 March 2020

Invitation 19 March: Press Conference on health effects of irregular working hours and shift work – how to avoid the risks? New research results available. (Live stream)

Invitation for media Welcome to the Press Conference and the WOW Symposium How do shift work and irregular working hours affect the workers’ health and work participation? How to avoid the risks? New research results are availableNordic researchers meet in Espoo Finland on 19.–20.3.2020 Time:   Thursday 19 March 2020 at 11–12 am (CET, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo), 12–13 pm (Helsinki time)Place:   Hanaholmen Cultural Center, Hanasaarenranta 5, Espoo, FinlandThe Press Conference will be streamed online https://ttl.livestriimi.fi/wow/  The characteristics of working hours

Invitation 12 Nov: Welcome to the Launch of the Global Coalition on OSH and the Vision Zero Summit in Helsinki (Live stream)

Press invitation 31.10.2019  Together for a safer and healthier future of work                                     Welcome to the Launch of the Global Coalition on Occupational Safety and Health andthe Vision Zero Summit 2019 in Helsinki Finland on 12 November 2019The Global Coalition on Occupational Safety and Health will contribute to the practical implementation of the commitments that have been made in the last decade in global forums such as United Nations SDG, G7- and  G20-countries, EU OSH Strategy etc. to protect the safety and health of the workers of the world. The

Employees in education and health care are most engaged at work

Teachers, health and social care employees as well as farmers are often engaged at work despite the fact that their work is often demanding. Also managers and specialists are more engaged at work than the employees on average.  FIOH and KU Leuven University carried out an epidemiologic study on work engagement. The study used the data from the sixth European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS).Press release 37/2019, 15.8.2019 Work engagement is defined as ”a positive, fulfilling state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption”. Work engagement is beneficial for

Risky Alcohol Consumption Can Increase at Time of Retirement

Press Release of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the University of Turku, Finland, on 30 March 2017 Every tenth employee increases their alcohol consumption to risky levels at the time of retirement from full-time employment. However, the increase seems to be temporary as risky drinking often decreases during the retirement. For most pensioners, alcohol consumption remains below the risk levels before and after retirement. The results of the new Finnish study were published in the esteemed Addiction journal.Of retiring employees, 12 percent increased their risky drinking

Low exposure to phthalates in industry in Finland

29 March 2017, Press release 17/2017 Phthalates are used to soften plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Exposure to phthalates can occur during the production of PVC plastic and plastic products, and during renovations. Phthalates can disrupt hormonal functions and be dangerous to foetuses. A study carried out at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) shows that occupational exposure to phthalates is nevertheless low, and does not pose a health risk to healthy adults. Pregnant workers, however, should avoid exposure.Eight companies participated in FIOH’s study:

Winds of change in safety at sea

Press release 4/2017, 30 January, Helsinki, Finland The safety of seafaring has developed in recent years, and the level of management of safety issues is considered good. Reforms in safety thinking have nevertheless been slowed down by over-emphasis of rules and hierarchy, reveals the SeaSafety study. Seafaring needs new, positive safety thinking, which recognizes and anticipates incidents, and understands the factors that affect people’s actions and ways of thinking. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), shipping companies and authorities have together tested new tools;

Diversity barometer 2016: Different cultures and age groups improve dynamics and skills in work communities

Press release by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland The diversity of work communities has a positive impact on the functionality of the organization, affecting factors such as social relationships, know-how and customer service. This was the assessment made by HR professionals in the Diversity Barometer 2016. The barometer was the collaborative effort of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Henry ry and KT Local Government Employers. It was previously conducted in 2007 and 2011.Diversity includes differences among employees in age, gender,

Deficiencies in air filtering cause respiratory symptoms in machining shops

Press release by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland A study co-ordinated by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) detected deficiencies in the performance of air filtering equipment connected to machine tools used in machining shops. The problem is related to metalworking fluids that release metalworking fluid mist and various gaseous pollutants into the air during work, exposing workers to the risk of skin and respiratory symptoms. In the study, a method was developed to enable the control of gaseous air pollutants. Other means to reduce the

Hairdressers are no more exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals than the general population

Press release, 18th Aug 2016, Helsinki, Finland According to research by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) and the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), hairdressers are no more exposed than the general population to endocrine-disrupting parabens, bisphenol A or resorcinol. The study measured 77 hairdressers’ urinary concentrations of these chemicals, using biomonitoring. The hairdressers were from all over Finland.The urinary concentrations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals among hairdressers and the rest of the population were below the levels that cause

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health welcomes updated Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive

29 June 2016, Press release 38/2016 The European Commission is updating its Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (2004/37/EC). The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) considers this revision extremely relevant. The aim of the Directive is to decrease occupational exposure to carcinogenic chemical agents such as hardwood dust and chromium. Cancer is the top cause of work-related deaths (53%) in the European Union.“The Directive will introduce binding occupational exposure limit values for 13 carcinogenic chemical agents. By limit value, we mean the concentration of a chemical

Firefighters ‒ one of the most cancer-prone occupations

Press release, 21st June 2016, Helsinki, Finland A recent study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) reports that the exposure of smoke-diving firefighters to carcinogenic agents is too high.Smoke-divers are one of the occupational groups that are most exposed to naphthalene. Their levels of exposure to pyrenes and benzene also exceed the action limit value. Fire and rescue departments should immediately take action to reduce these exposures. Firefighters’ exposure during extinguishing tasks does not only occur when they smoke-dive, but also during clearing up at the

Exposure to diesel exhaust at workplaces should be reduced

Press release, 14th June 2016, Helsinki, Finland Workers are exposed to diesel exhaust in many workplaces. More attention should be paid to monitoring and reducing this exposure. Studies have linked high, repeated exposure to diesel exhaust to an increased risk of lung cancer.In Finland, about 50 000 workers are exposed to diesel exhaust at work. Exposure can be significant in, for example, mines, tunnel work, factories, warehouses, and terminals in which diesel machines are used. Diesel exhaust irritates the eyes and airways, and can affect the functioning of the lungs. Research has

Primer workshops help improve well-being of entrepreneurs and small workplaces

Press release, 13th June 2016, Helsinki, Finland The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) has developed a workshop model ‒ Primer ‒ to support employees at small workplaces. The Primer model helps these employers reflect on and improve the factors that affect work ability, together with their peers. It is a practical tool for occupational health services, entrepreneur associations and business advisory services, but can also be applied to other groups.FIOH’s new workshop model increases entrepreneurs’ opportunities to flexibly and quickly improve their well-being at work. At

Faith in the future and work motivation – the keys to maintaining the work ability of the unemployed

Press release 28/2016, 30th May 2016, Helsinki, Finland Many who are on the outside of work life feel that their work ability is poor. However, work ability may be maintained by believing in the future and being strongly motivated to work. Feeling part of something, believing that what you do is meaningful and relevant, and good social relations can also help.Social Inclusion and Change of Work Ability and Functional Capacity (Solmu), a co-ordination project of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) is developing a method called the Abilitator, which produces information on

Entrepreneurs’ well-being requires the right attitude and the right choices

Press release 25/2016, 16th May 2016, Helsinki, Finland It is important that entrepreneurs recognize the things that maintain their well-being and the things that pose risks or cause strain. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) published a TOP10 tips list to help entrepreneurs evaluate their own practices from the perspective of keeping up their work ability and health.Several factors affect small and sole entrepreneurs’ ability to cope at work. These may be physical, psychological, social, or economic; such as sufficient sleep, regular mealtimes, physical fitness, balance

Time pressure, control, and interruptions can make specialist work boring

Press release 25/2016, 25th April 2016, Helsinki, Finland A recent study of experiences of boredom at work has challenged the traditional belief that boredom only results from monotony. Those performing specialist work become bored when their work lacks meaning. This can happen when, for example, the worker faces constant time pressure, control, or interruptions. The study, carried out by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) consisted of interviews of sales, administrative, banking, care, and support workers.”Although occasional feelings of boredom are common and harmless,

Better evidence needed to assess the effects of protective clothing for health care workers

Press release of Cochrane Work Review Group and FIOH, Kuopio 20.4.2016 Healthcare staff can be at a 100 times greater risk of infection than people in general when they work in areas affected by outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus Disease or SARS. During the Ebola epidemic, dozens of NGO health care workers who wore protective clothing became infected.A Cochrane Review published today in the Cochrane Library reports that the evidence to show how well protective clothing prevents health care workers from becoming infected while working with patients with dangerous

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