Survey: Finns Clearly Favor a Specific Remote Work Model, DNA Is Going Against the Recent Trend

According to DNA’s Digital Life survey, the majority of respondents who have the opportunity to work remotely prefer a hybrid work model: 61% would ideally work partly from the office and partly remotely. The survey found that 41% primarily work on-site, while only 13% work entirely remotely.

The study also shows that most people who have the opportunity to work remotely consider remote work and other forms of employer-provided flexibility to be important. As many as 85% share this view. DNA has over a decade of experience with a flexible way of working. During that time, the company has built a strong corporate culture, achieved solid business results, and grown into one of Finland’s most attractive employers. DNA continues to believe that workplace flexibility and strong performance are not mutually exclusive.

“At DNA, there is no office attendance requirement, nor do we monitor the number of days spent in the office. Instead, we believe in trust, responsibility, and the ability of teams to determine for themselves where work gets done best. This does not mean that we do not value face-to-face interaction, or that we believe in fully remote work. Quite the opposite. Community, learning, innovation, and building company culture also require in-person encounters. Our goal is not to force people back to the office, but to create a work environment, culture, and ways of working that make people want to come together and meet their colleagues,” says Marko Rissanen, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, DNA Plc.

DNA Designed Its New Headquarters Together with Employees

DNA moved into its new headquarters in Ilmala in autumn 2024. The premises were designed in close collaboration with employees to ensure they support a wide variety of working styles as well as the strong sense of community that is important to DNA. The office has been specifically designed to facilitate collaboration, creativity, and meaningful encounters.

“For us, the office is not a place people come to because they have to. It is an environment that must genuinely add value to their work. When people come to the office, we want them to feel that it matters: it is a place where colleagues connect, share knowledge, and together build DNA’s future success,” Rissanen says.

Balancing Work and Life

Workplace flexibility helps people balance different stages and situations in life, such as childcare, supporting aging parents, and other everyday circumstances where flexibility can make a significant difference. DNA is the only large company in Finland to have been awarded the Family-Friendly Workplace certification by the Family Federation of Finland (Väestöliitto).

“At DNA, we believe people do their best work when they are able to combine their professional and personal lives in a way that works for them. According to DNA’s internal employee survey, 91% of DNA employees feel they have the flexibility they need to balance work and private life. This result demonstrates that our flexible way of working functions in practice and supports people’s everyday lives in different life situations. Well-being is holistic: work and personal life influence one another. Every company has its own culture and unique needs, so I would not claim that any one model is always the right fit for everyone,” Rissanen says.

The aim of DNA’s Digital Life survey is to increase understanding of how Finns live their digital lives. The survey has been conducted annually since 2013 and targets all Finns aged 15 and over. This year’s study was carried out via Norstat’s online panel between 20 and 27 April, with more than 1,000 respondents. The remote work section examines, among other things, people’s opportunities to work remotely.

Media inquiries

Marko Rissanen, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, DNA Plc, +358 44 220 3230, marko.rissanen@dna.fi          

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi