Maybe you haven’t heard people around you making plans to move to Finland but the truth is the country receives so many new arrivals each year. This should not be surprising because Finland ranks high among the countries that encourage perfect work-family balance. As if this isn’t enough, so many expats end up landing great job opportunities and even acquire Finnish citizenship in the long term. Even as one gears up to move over to Finland and experience its amazing opportunities for work, study, social welfare and more, it would be a great idea to have an idea about Work Culture in Finland. Having this knowledge saves one from work culture shock, low productivity, burnout, reduced morale and any other psychological distress that comes with being in an entirely new work environment.
Check more on acquiring Finnish citizenship.
Finland as a land of boundless opportunities for ambitious expats
It is no doubt that so many opportunities are always up for grabs in Finland. Any person who has been in the country or read a bit about it will tell you how foreigners who really mean to make it in Finland actually succeed. Be it at work, business, research, academics, innovation…name it. But at this point, it would be fine to state that despite opportunities being there, they are never served on a silver platter. One has to literally wake up, present self and take every possible opportunity like life depends on them.
But to be productive and on top of things when working in Finland, knowing the work culture in Finland beforehand saves a lot. There is no magic about becoming a successful worker in Finland. Here, the secret to success is to make the right impression with the appropriate people. Furthermore, it is also crucial to support this with the proper work-place research. I will attempt to cover every facet of Finland’s work culture that will be useful to you as an expat in this article. However, it is good to take into account the fact that there are as many different work cultures in Finland as there are workplaces. My objective is to provide you with some guidance on what to anticipate and look for when working with Finns. Here are the answers to the FAQs about the Finish work culture.
What role does the Law and Agreement play on working life in Finland?
The employment laws and agreement will help regulate the relationship between your potential employer and you as a worker in Finland. Ideally, such laws will help govern what employers will expect from their employees. Such laws also stipulate your rights. If anything, labour laws are the tenets upon which work culture in Finland rests.
In Finland, both the employer and the employee must abide by a number of rules. Legislation and collective bargaining agreements, for instance, control minimum wages, working hours, vacations, sick pay, and dismissal conditions. The employer could occasionally ask the worker to work overtime. The employer is required by law to provide additional compensation for that kind of arrangement. Another form of payment is time off from work. However, you are free to decline the overtime if you do not feel like working.
How many hours do people have to work in Finland?
The Working Time Act and collective agreement both provide provisions for the number of hours one is supposed to work. These provisions apply to all employees regardless of their country of origin. Regular working hours should average 40 hours over four months with a maximum work week of 48 hours. Alternatively, they should not exceed eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.
How do Holidays in Finland work?
Employees typically have access to four weeks of summer vacation and one week of winter vacation. The annual holiday is shorter in employment contracts that are short. If you are an employee who works during the holiday credit year, you will earn days off.
It is also important to note that you are entitled to compensation time off in any case you are unable to work due to illness or injury. This applies when the injury was not self-induced or brought about by negligence. As such, one will receive their full paid salary for up to nine days beginning on the date they were medically unable to work, provided they have worked for the company for one month.
Does Finland have Social Security?
Yes. Like in many nations such as the USA, the Finnish social security system offers services and financial privileges that provide economic stability. If you will be unable to care for yourself, Finland’s social security system will offer you some level of economic stability.
What is the Finnish Minimum wage?
Perhaps something that would be lingering in the minds of people planning to move to work in Finland is the question of wages. Yes wages should considerably be part and parcel of work culture in Finland, But, there is no national minimum wage in Finland. Minimum pay scales are established by collective bargaining agreements, union contracts, and industry-specific agreements. All these agreements consider a number of factors such as the seniority, working responsibilities, location, credentials, and age.
Do employers embrace equality at the workplace?
If I was given an opportunity to rename the country Finland, I would suggest the name “Land of Equality”. Here, the two are inseparable. Finnish employers observe and practise the equality between women and men. Immigrants and Finns are also treated equally. In Finland, female liberation has a long history. It was the first nation in Europe to give women the right and opportunity to vote in 1906. Regardless of your race, country of origin and gender, employers in Finland will treat you equal with others.
What does the Finnish work dress code look like?
Finns are fashionable people. However, decency at the workplace is a priority of many employers. You are likely to see people in smart casual dress code. However, the dress code depends on the work environment and occasion. For example, a dark coloured suit and tie are the appropriate attire for business meetings. At work, people avoid wearing highly bright colours and instead go for pale or pastel hues. Due to the weather, most people always carry warm clothing and jackets. At every workplace, you are likely to see a designated area where employees can hang their long coats and jackets.