Finland reports slight increase in perceived work ability

According to the ‘How is Finland?’ study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, perceived work ability among Finnish employees has slightly improved. During the summer, 43 percent of working Finns rated their work ability as excellent, compared to 39 percent the previous year.

The study analyzed five distinct dimensions of work ability: physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and skill-based. Physical work ability was the strongest, with 67 percent of respondents able to meet their job's physical demands. Conversely, emotional work ability—the ability to handle emotional demands and interpersonal interactions—was the weakest at 41 percent.

While cognitive, emotional, and skill-based work abilities showed improvements, physical and social work abilities remained stable. The research noted that younger workers reported higher cognitive and physical abilities but experienced lower overall work well-being. To combat burnout, the report suggests addressing bureaucracy and role conflicts. Research professor Jari Hakanen noted that because work ability is multidimensional, job roles could be tailored to individual strengths to support longer careers.