The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health calls on workplaces to develop resilience to increase overall safety

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health media release 20 April 2025 

"Effective resilience allows organisations to ensure the continuity and recovery of society as a whole under any circumstances. It is particularly important that parties that are critical to safety and the security of supply maintain their resilience. In addition, this need naturally applies to all Finnish workplaces," emphasises Antti Koivula, Director General of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. 

"Every workplace can strengthen resilience by deciding on a common direction and establishing a situational picture. Decision-making at workplaces plays a major role in the resilience of society as a whole," Koivula points out. 

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health presented its views on how workplaces can take greater responsibility for safety to the media in connection with the annual Vision Zero Forum seminar in Jyväskylä.  

The Vision Zero Forum is a network of workplaces that motivates and encourages workplaces to strive towards a high level of occupational safety and well-being at work. The resilience work that is being started now is available to all workplaces, and participation does not require membership in the activity called Nollis. 

Resilience guarantees functional and recovery capacity 

Workplace resilience refers to the ability of a workplace to change and withstand crises. Functional capacity, recovery and adaptation are cornerstones of resilience. They improve an organisation’s ability to cope with changes and incidents.  

 “An organisation that is capable of renewal does not become paralysed, but retains its ability to function in any unexpected situation,” says Miira Heiniö, Senior Specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. 

 Changes can be sudden or gradual and they require adaptation. Organisations that cope the best are the ones that have purposefully developed their readiness for change. A resilient organisation prepares for various disruptions, is able to maintain its key functions and adapts to new situations while actively monitoring their operating environment. 

Working together strengthens resilience 

Strengthening resilience requires competence and determined cooperation from organisations. That is why preparing in advance pays off. Important factors in resilience work include appreciating people and expertise, and strengthening trust and psychological safety through joint discussion and development.  

 "It is also of key importance to keep everyone involved, understand the shared direction and to develop and anticipate together. Everyone is involved in proactive decision-making and continuity management. It is crucial to understand that everyone is an important part of the work community, both in fair weather and in times of crisis," Heiniö emphasises. 

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health invites workplaces to work on resilience together 

 "We are inviting all Finnish workplaces to join us in working on resilience together. We have ready-made content and tools that are free of charge," says Tommi Alanko, Director of the Occupational Safety Unit at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. 

"We will provide more information in the near future and develop resilience work in cooperation with workplaces. Participating workplaces will receive the latest information and practices for developing resilience and business continuity," Alanko concludes.

"The growth of the Nollis activities clearly demonstrates that there is a need for co-operation and working on resilience. Resilience work is available to all Finnish workplaces and does not require membership of the network. 

The Vision Zero Forum can also be used effectively to disseminate lessons on resilience in working life. The network reaches nearly 600 member workplaces and a total of approximately 18 per cent of Finnish employees. 

Sign up

Interested workplaces can register by providing their contact details. Free-form registrations are already accepted at resilienssi@ttl.fi.

See also

• Workload Management in an External Crisis – A Guide for Safety-Critical Workplaces (in Finnish)
• Read the final report of the Decision-making in a resilient organisation project: Towards resilient decision-making in occupational safety: Decision-making in a resilient organisation – knowledge-based management in occupational safety (ResData) project final report (julkari.fi) (in Finnish)

Further information 

• Antti Koivula, Director General, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)30 474 2340, antti.koivula@ttl.fi 
• Tommi Alanko, Director, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)40 719 2521, tommi.alanko@ttl.fi 
• Miira Heiniö, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)43 826 6206, miira.heinio@ttl.fi