Finland - National Programme for Ageing Workers

Who did it?

The Committee for Ageing Workers proposed the Finnish National Programme on Ageing Workers (FINPAW).  It was a government programme run at a national level. Three main government departments involved in the programme were: the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Labour; and the Ministry of Education.

Where are we drawing the evidence from?

Information sourced from the Centre for Public Impact website (2018) Finland's National Programme for Ageing Workers 

What kind of support was it?

Provision of training and skills to support older workers to stay up to date with changing technology and workplace demands.  The aim was to encourage employees to remain in employment.

Where did it run? Nationally in Finland

When did it run?

1996 – programme proposal

1997 - programme development

1998 - 2002 – programme implemented

Who did it serve?

45 to 64 years old workers either employed or unemployed

What were its key features?

• The stated aim of the programme was to promote the employment of those over the age of 45 and to reduce exclusion and premature retirement through:
  • a) the promotion of practical learning
  • b) the development of the links between health, education and working life
• The programme's Executive Summary outlined six specific goals:
  1. Raising the employment rate of ageing workers
  2. Raising the average pension age
  3. Raising the share of the ageing in the measures of the labour administration  
  4. Spreading Maintenance of Work Ability activities and enhancing the ‘work ability' of ageing workers
  5. Raising the use of part-time pensions and other flexible working time models
  6. Diminishing age discrimination and changing attitudes to be more favourable towards the ageing
• Encouragement of workplace health promotion (WHP) to maintain the working capacity of ageing workers, and of increasing awareness about issues related to ageing

What were its outcomes?

• There was an increase in the following areas:
  • The average retirement age
  • Participation levels of ageing workers within the workforce
  • The number of the part-time pension recipients
  • Awareness among ageing workers, professionals and the public about the programme
• As the average retirement age rose, so too did the size of the labour force - from 2,522,402 in 1998 to 2,623,421 in 2002
• Higher employment rates of over 55-year-olds