Visit from Slovenia!

On Wed 22^nd August, 2012 we got visitors from sunshining Slovenia, University of Primorska, Institute Andrej Marušič.

The group of counsellors and researchers came to benchmark TAMK’s International Services, Career and Recruitment Services and R&D and Education Services and to present their EU-funded projects “Career planning and counselling for effective entry into the labour market” and “IDO Primorske”. 

As I came to the meeting representing TAMK’s Career and Recruitment Services, I was very interested on the Employment situation in Slovenia at the moment and the affects of the financial crises. They have of course had a great impact, and as most of the people want to have a sense of security in form of a permanent working contract , if they have to choose between a permanent working place which is not as fulfilling as the time-limited job, they would choose the permanent one. 

However, the job satisfaction is very important and when asked if they would change workplace for more money or for better working environment, most of the people would prefer the good environment over the money.  The survey also shows that there is an important relevance between job satisfaction, health issues, stress levels and burnout rate. When a worker is not happy with their work, it will cause them various health issues.

In comparison with Finland, the absence rate in working places in Slovenia is 5-7% when in Finnish companies the rate is 3-5% but when studying the Finnish public administration sector, the rate can go up to 8%. Discontentment in the working place whether it is due to the tasks or the personal relationships causes non-attendance and stress. According to the survey, a worker will have approximately 20% less performance when stressed (Here the stress is considered to be a negative factor and not a driving force like in some cases).  

As it is not always possible to eliminate the stress from the working environment, the researchers concentrated on the ways of reducing the negative effects of the stress and made some key findings:

There will always be stressful situations, even in the best of working places and with the best of bosses, how to change the mindset of the people affected by the stress so it will not impact their performance is the question. 

How to reach it? How to get the employers and the employees to pull together to achieve this? How to get everyone to understand their own weight in the working place, as an important part of the puzzle?

That is the makings of a follow-up project... I for one hope TAMK can be a part of it. We have already done a lot of work in this field, we have great experts and good contacts to other organisations and business life.

Krista Salonen

Graphics by Ana Domenis, Pictures by Krista Salonen

Kimmo Vänni, Hanna-Greta Puurtinen and Perttu Heino listening to Ana Domenis’s presentation

Blaz ‘Cekli’c, Iris Skrt and Danijel Bandelj at the meeting with TAMK Career and Recruitment people.