Positive development in the well-being at work of wellbeing services counties

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health media release 22 January 2026

The overview of well-being at work in the wellbeing services counties has changed from 2023 to 2025. The share of people who recover from work and feel that their work ability is good has increased, and perceived workload has remained unchanged. More than 47,000 employees participated in the well-being at work surveys targeted at the wellbeing services counties, carried out by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health during autumn 2025.  

Obvious resources include the functionality of co-operation in the work community (70% of respondents) and fair work practices by immediate supervisors (74% of respondents), which have both developed in a positive direction since 2000.  

The share of people who felt that their work is highly rewarding increased from 27 per cent to 31 per cent. This experience was bolstered the most by an increase in income. The share of this as the reason increased from 15 per cent to 22 per cent. This change is explained by the harmonisation of salaries, which has raised the general salary level.  

The positive development did not affect all areas or personnel groups. Experiences of insufficient opportunities to influence changes in work (56% of respondents) and uncertainty about the workload exceeding one’s own tolerance (47% of respondents) were commonplace. Uncertainty about the continuity of work increased from 21 per cent to 27 per cent. Psychosocial stress factors and reduced work ability were more common in social services compared to other sectors.   

"At the time of the surveys, major organizational changes and change negotiations were carried out in the wellbeing services counties . Considering the circumstances, it is no surprise that uncertainty increased. However, I think it is worth noting that the ratings for immediate leadership and co-operation remained good and even improved. That demonstrates that workplaces have succeeded in doing the right things  even in difficult situations," says Mika Kivimäki, Research Professor from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.  

"During the entire 25-year follow-up, the most work stress was reported in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2023 survey, the situation had already eased and remained quite similar in the survey carried out last autumn," Kivimäki notes. 

Innovation as a resource

Only 43 per cent of the respondents feel that the work communities in wellbeing services counties are innovative. Innovativeness is an important indicator of change readiness, and the functionality of the work community offers a good starting point for it.  

"How do we ensure that work communities in the wellbeing services counties spend time developing and implementing new ideas? This is an obvious place to make work smoother and more efficient while promoting employees’ well-being at work and work ability," says Jaana Laitinen, Research Professor at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.  

"Work is done together and as processes. In this way, shared discussions in the work communities regarding work, the work community’s operations and the development of work also promotes recovery from work and work ability. Participation increases the experience of opportunities to influence, which in itself increases well-being. This also allows making use of everyone’s best expertise and promotes commitment to solutions and changes. This is quite a virtuous cycle," says Jaana Laitinen.  

In the wellbeing services counties, people generally feel their work is meaningful and invested in it. Of the respondents, 88 per cent reported investing a lot in their work and 88 per cent felt that their work was meaningful. Despite the organisational changes, the situation has remained unchanged compared to the time before the reform package on healthcare and social welfare was enacted.   

The share of employees that would recommend their employer to a friend has increased (62%), which is an indication of employees' commitment to their employers. 

Learn more about the overview

• “Mitä kuuluu hyvinvointialueiden työhyvinvoinnille 2025” in Finnish (Julkari.fi) 
• The report presents an overview of the well-being at work in eight wellbeing services counties based on the "Mitä kuuluu?" study and well-being at work surveys carried out in 2025 and changes in this data between 2023 and 2025.  
• In 2023, the total number of respondents was 45,783 (response rate 54%) and 47,318 in 2025 (response rate 54%).  
• The report also examines trends in the work, work communities and management of social welfare and health care personnel in five wellbeing services counties between 2000 and 2025.

Further information

• Jaana Laitinen, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, jaana.laitinen@ttl.fi, +358 46 851 4426  
• Mika Kivimäki, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, mika.kivimaki@helsinki.fi, +358 50 448 9300