In English

Due to the corona-situation, this year the traditional Work Research Days measure only one day. However, we have taken the opportunity to renew the format somewhat: shorter plenums and less sessions. These sessions nonetheless aim to catch the wide variety of working life research in Finland. All sessions are open to English language presentations as well.

The theme of the conference is "The new normal in working life?" to reflect this bizarre year. In the keynotes and sessions, we will together ponder what will be the potential consequences for working life and which are changes that may endure. As you can see from the list of sessions, we view working life from many angles.

As in previous years, the conference is organized by the Work Research Center of the University of Tampere in close collaboration with the Finnish Association of Work Life Research (FAWORE).

The program of the Work Research Day 2020 is:

10.15 Opening and plenum (Eeva Jokinen /UEF, Satu Ojala /TAU, Hanna Sutela /Statistics Finland)
12.15 Lunch
13.15 Sessions I
14.45 Coffee break
15 Sessions II
16.30 Closing session (Pertti Haapala /TAU, award ceremony)
17.15 End

 

The list of sessions is:

  1. Working life development, coordinators Sirpa Syvänen ja Kaija Loppela

We wish for presentations about development projects and research projects and their results. In particular, also independent development projects by firms are welcome. We welcome especially presentations about practical development methodologies, working models and development structures as well as evaluation of development methods and results.

  1. Well-being at work, coordinator Kirsi Heikkilä-Tammi
  2. Leadership, coordinator Kalle Pajunen

In the leadership session we discuss broadly leadership and organisation research. Themes range from managers’ decision making processeses to the societal links of firms and the dynamics of institutional context. This time we especially welcome research, in which dominant theories are challenged and developed in the light of the current state of exception.

  1. Psychology of work, coordinator Anne Mäkikangas

In the psychology of work session we discuss broadly themes from this field from organization- to individual level. In particular, we welcome presentations that deal with the psychological consequences of the current situation in and at work.

  1. Labour market relations and representation, coordinators Markku Sippola and Paul Jonker-Hoffrén

In the suddenly changed economic and labour market situation, also traditional labour market institutions are challenged. At the same time, also supervision of working conditions is more complicated due to working at home and rapidly changing external norms relati ng to the corona situation. We welcome especially presentations that discuss the influence of the current situation on labour market institutions in the broad sense.

  1. Migrants and foreigners in the Finnish labour market, coordinator Rolle Alho

In this session, we discuss the position of migrants and foreigners in the Finnish labour market, especially with an eye on the current situation. We especially welcome presentations on labour market institutions for migrants and foreigners, politics and empirical trends.

  1. Gender and power, coordinators Suvi Heikkinen ja Marke Kivijärvi

In this session we welcome presentations about research themes, that discuss the meaning of gender and power in relation to the recent turmoil in working life. Examples are changed ways of working, the explosive growth of distance work and the total mixing of working and other life, as well as redefinition of care duties. We welcome empirical and theoretical research, that recognize the changed realities of working life from the perspective of individuals, organizations or society.

8. Distance work and technolgoy, coordinators Arja Haapakorpi and Mia Tammelin

Especially through the corona-epidemic, the generalization of full- and part-time distance work has raised digital technology to the forefront of working life research. There is greater importance in the functionality of technologies, but the technology-mediated work environment and interaction raises interesting methodological and theoretical questions. These can be the relation between technology and the social, trust and control, work practices and the changes in interaction between people. We welcome everyone who is interest in these themes.

9. Non-standard work – coordinator Armi Mustosmäki

Non-standard work has become the new normal of working life. An ever growing group works on fixed- or part-time contracts, in agency work or zero hour contracts. They may be self-employed or find gig work through platforms – often they combine various modes of earning. Nonetheless, we don’t always know why people chose these modes of work. We welcome presentations about non-standard work(ers) and institutions.  How are social security and labour market institutions challenged by non-standard work?

  1. Risks of work and work safety, coordinator Antti Saloniemi

In this session we discuss old and new risks of work and the possibility of their control. Work safety regulations and institutions were originally invented for the problems of the physical work environment. With the changes of working life also other issues have been recognized as risks. The work safety has changed to the control of psychological and social risks. Do the risks of the physical environment belong to the old world of work and does work safety have the possibility to control the new risks in work?

  1. The future of international movement of labour, coordinators Liisa Mäkelä and Vesa Suutari

With globalization the internationalization and international movement of the labour force have increased, but the corona-pandemic has forced firms to develop alternative ways for working internationally. In this session, we discuss the reasons, consequences and future of labour mobility from the perspective of society, organizations and the individual.

  1. Developing productivity and working life quality in the changes of working life, coordinators Juha Antila & Niilo Hakonen

In the year 2012 the goal of the Finnish working life development strategy was to become Europe’s best working life by 2020. Has the goal changed and what is it now in 2020, as the TYÖ2030-development program has started.

The idea of the session to gather examples, experiences and research results on the development of productivity and working life quality and the influence of the changes in work in different workplaces and sectors. Especially the changes in the content, organization and processes due to the corona-situation are considered. In addition, we discuss the factors that influence the failure or success of development work. The session is organized by the labour market partners of the Työelämä2030-programme, which started this year.

  1. Open session, coordinators Tuija Koivunen ja Tiina Saari

This session is open to presentations that have not found a home in the themes of the other sessions, but relate to the theme of the conference.