Study: Social welfare and healthcare companies face similar well-being at work concerns as wellbeing services counties

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has long monitored well-being at work in the public social and healthcare sector. Now, for the first time, comparable data are available for private social welfare and healthcare companies in Finland. More than 8,000 employees from private social welfare and healthcare companies took part in the study. The results were compared with survey data from eight wellbeing services counties collected in autumn 2025.

Social welfare and healthcare companies are significant providers of social welfare and healthcare services: they employ nearly 120,000 of the 370,000 employees in the sector. 

"The results raise concerns about employees' well-being. A total of 10 per cent of the respondents rated their work ability as poor and 26 per cent as moderate. Only 40 per cent reported good recovery," says Jaana Laitinen, Research Professor at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Work and occupation matter more than the employer sector

The figures concerning recovery and perceived work ability in social welfare and healthcare companies are in line with the corresponding results of the wellbeing services counties. Differences between the private and public sectors are also small when comparing between occupational groups. This indicates that well-being at work is shaped more by the job and profession itself than by whether the employer is in the private or public sector.

The findings also highlight the importance of strengthening work ability literacy — the ability to understand what one’s work requires, how work affects recovery, and how work ability can be supported in everyday working life.

"Employees over the age of 60 had the best results in the social welfare and healthcare sector in terms of recovery. The results suggest they may have developed stronger skills in recognising job demands and using effective recovery strategies. These skills should be strengthened already during studies and early career stages,” Laitinen says.

More influence over work in private companies

Despite many similarities, some differences emerged. Employees in private social welfare and healthcare companies more often reported having influence over their work, perceived organizational justice as fair, and said they would recommend their employer.

• In private social welfare and healthcare companies, 50 % of respondents report that they have a lot of say in their own work. In wellbeing services counties, the proportion was 41 %. 
• 37 % of the employees of social welfare and healthcare companies reported that they could not influence changes in their work. In wellbeing services counties, the proportion was 56 %.
• Changes in work were perceived to be positive by 22 % of respondents in social welfare and healthcare companies and 14 % in wellbeing services counties. 
• Organizational justice was reported to be fair by 55 % of respondents in social welfare and healthcare companies and 37 % in wellbeing services counties. 
• 78 % of respondents from social welfare and healthcare companies and 62 % of respondents from wellbeing services counties would recommend their own employer to their friends. 

There was no difference in relational justice between social welfare and healthcare companies and wellbeing services counties: 74 % of respondents reported that their immediate supervisor acted fairly.

Private and public sectors should be viewed together

The study suggests that private and public social welfare and healthcare should not be examined separately. The private sector complements the public sector, and developments in the public sector are also reflected in private organisations.

Regular well-being at work surveys provide valuable information on the state of the whole sector. Comparable data can support both political decision-making and organisations’ own development work.

“This is not only about the well-being at work of individual organisations. Ultimately, it is about the attractiveness and retention of the sector, the availability of sufficient staff, and the functioning of social and healthcare services,” Laitinen says.

About the study

• Four private social welfare and healthcare organisations participated in the study. The study had 8,109 respondents, and the response rate was 34 %. The study focused on care and social services for older people and people with disabilities.
• The survey was conducted using methods harmonised with the public sector, enabling comparison.
• The research project was funded by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
• The Finnish Association of Private Care Providers (HALI) helped recruit organisations for the study.
• Final report of the study in Julkari (in Finnish): Mitä kuuluu yksityisten sote-yritysten työhyvinvoinnille 2026
• Project page: Mitä kuuluu (How are we)? Well-being at work in private social welfare and health care companies

Further information

• Jaana Laitinen, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, jaana.laitinen@ttl.fi, +358 46 851 4426