SAK's survey: More than 60 percent of employees consider shorter working hours to be desirable in the longer term

SAK published an opinion poll today, according to which 64 percent of Finnish wage earners consider shortening working hours to be a worthwhile goal in the long term.

SAK chairman Jarkko Eloranta wants to experiment with working hours. Jari Hanska/ILjuha.ristamaki@iltalehti.fiToday at 16:17

The poll asked if the respondent considers shortening working hours a worthwhile goal in the longer term? 64 percent of respondents answered yes, 20 percent no, 16 percent could not state their position.

68 percent of women consider shortening working hours a worthwhile goal, 59 percent of men.

If the answers are examined according to which party the respondents support, the most support for shortening working hours comes from supporters of the Left Alliance (82% consider shortening working hours to be a worthwhile goal), the Greens (79%) and the SDP (78%). Supporters of the coalition are the least supportive of shortening working hours (39%).

The working time experiment is supported

SAK chairman Jarkko Eloranta commented on Wednesday that there is also a willingness to experiment with working hours.

According to a survey conducted by Kantar Public, 57 percent of Finnish wage earners are in favor of experimenting with shorter working hours. Especially women (63%) would consider this a good idea.

According to SAK's release, Eloranta, who spoke in Helsinki on Wednesday at a seminar dealing with the results of Great Britain's extensive four-day work week experiment, found international and domestic experiences encouraging. Eloranta demanded that an extensive and thorough working time experiment be included in the next government program

Minister of Labor Tuula Haatainen(sd) spoke at the seminar about the aging of the population and coping with a workforce of all ages. In particular, he expressed his concern about young people and their ability to cope.

– We still need more experimentation and research so that we can develop working life. I have asked the civil service to find out options for how experiments in shortening working hours could be carried out in the next government term, Haatainen said.

The data for the survey commissioned by SAK was collected from March 1-3, 2023. The data contains the answers of 1,571 people. The statistical margin of error for the results is approximately + 2.5 percentage points.