The Future of Work and Well-being

Country:
Finland

Sub-programme of a wider initiative or programme:

Official identification number or abbreviation:

WORK

Duration:

January 2008 – December 2011

Funding budget:

9M€ for four years

Homepage:
www.aka.fi/work

Funding body / financing organisation:

Academy of Finland (8 M€), Min of Education (770 000), Finnish Work Environment Fund (340 000)

Challenges and objectives:

The main objective is to focus research on new areas and to develop innovations that aim to resolve problems related to the relationships between work and well-being. At the macro level, one of the programme’s key concerns is with the question of how economic and employment growth can be reconciled with social cohesion. What is the optimal way of producing well-being and employment? How can we guarantee not only economic efficiency, but also social justice, physical and mental health, as well as social partnership and democracy? The WORK programme promotes the application of new research methods in the field of work and well-being and directs special attention to reporting on research results. The programme has an ambition to actively participate in the public debate on the relations between work and well-being in Finland.

Thematic areas / main focuses:

1 The changing relationships between work, livelihood and the life sphere 2 The appeal of working life 3 Diversifying of labour 4 Structural unemployment and the precariate 5 Well-being, health and work

Related to Working Group(s):
Health & Performance, Work & Productivity, Social Systems & Welfare

Foreseen results and outcomes:

Deeper understanding of developments in working life and labour market and the relations of these developments to the wellbeing of citizens

Setting and methods:

The research challenge involves transcending the boundaries between research in the humanities, social sciences, economics, psychology and health as well as strengthening interdisciplinary research into work and well-being. Basic research with a strong potential for applications (policy guidance, health policy)

Disciplines and institutions addressed:

All institutes of higher learning in Finland

Funding scheme and procedure:

Four year-funding for 5 consortia and 12 individual projects

Key topics for inclusion of foreign partners:

work, working life. labour market, well-being, health

Remarks:

Organisation:
Academy of Finland

Department:

First Name:
Petteri

Surname:
Pietikäinen

Title:
Programme manager

Function:
Director of the programme

Address:
Academy of Finland

Phone:
+ 358 400 362 808

Fax:

E-Mail:
petteri.pietikainen@aka.fi

Web:
www.aka.fi/work