Sampo Suutala, MSocSc, Researcher
Jari Hakanen, DSocSci, Research Professor
Janne Kaltiainen, DSocSci, Specialist Researcher
The development of well-being at work and different attitudes towards work from the time before the pandemic to the summer of 2025 — and factors promoting well-being at work
MORE INFORMATION AND PREVIOUS RESULTS: ttl.fi/en/research/ projects/how-isfinland-doing
Theresultsarebasedonpopulationsurveydatacollectedoverfourperiods(2019, 2021, 2023 and2025):
● AllrespondentsareworkingFinnsaged18–65, whowererandomlyselectedfromthepopulationregister andtheTaloustutkimusinternetpanelandinvitedtoparticipate inthestudy.
● Thisstudyincludesthoserespondents whowereworkingatthetimeofeachsurvey.
● Theresultsofthestatisticalanalysesareweighted basedonage,genderandareaofresidenceinorderto ensuretherepresentativenessoftheresults.
● Theresultsregardingcertainrespondentgroupsarebasedonthelasttwosurveysfromsummer2023 and summer2025.
● Inthegraphs,thetriangle( )indicatesastatisticallysignificantchange (p<.05) comparedtotheprevious survey,andthearrow( )indicatesachange(p<.05) comparedtotheearliestpointintime
Respondent’sagegroup:
inUusimaa /elsewhereinSouthernFinland/ WesternFinland/NorthernorEasternFinland
Inthesurvey,the respondentswere askedtoassesswork abilityinrelationto theirlife-timebest withonequestion (Tuomietal.1997).
Apositiveemotionaland motivationalstate experiencedduring work,characterizedby vigour,dedicationand immersioninwork. Three-itemscale (Schaufelietal.2019).
Causedbyalackofstimulior challengeoftheworkortasks, andismanifestedasreduced motivation,difficulty concentratingandtime passingslowly.Threeitems (Reijsegeretal.2013).
Asyndromecausedbyprolonged workstress,characterizedby chronicfatigue,cognitiveand emotionaldysregulationand mentaldistancingfromworkor cynicism.12statementindicators wereused(Schaufelietal.2020).
14/10/2025
Probable job burnout
Peopleforwhomthelightisredsufferfromsymptomsofjobburnout. Recurringjobburnoutsymptomshindercopingwithdailylifeandrequireimmediateaction inordertoremedythesituation.
Heightened risk of job burnout
Whenthelightisyellow,burnoutsymptomsoccuroccasionallyand/ortosomeextent. Peoplecanpersevereforalongtime,butnowisthetimetoidentifytheproblemandtake actiontorestorewell-being.
No symptoms of job burnout
Peopleforwhomthelightisgreendonotexperiencejobburnoutandtheyarelikely doingwellinthisrespect. Nevertheless,itispossibleforthesepeopletoexperiencefatigue,stress,boredomatworkor alowlevelofworkengagement.
Source:Hakanen, J.&Kaltiainen,J.(2022)Työuupumuksen arviointiBurnoutAssessment Tool(BAT) -menetelmällä.FinnishInstituteofOccupational Health. www.julkari.fi/handle/10024/145527
WORK ENGAGEMENT
(scale 0–6)
(scale 0–6)
WORK ABILITY
(scale 0–10)
12/2019 6/2021 6/2023 6/2025
12/2019 6/2021 6/2023 6/2025
12/2019 6/2021 6/2023 6/2025
Insummer2025:
55%experienced workengagement severaltimesper week.
19%feltboredat workseveraltimes perweek.
39%feltthattheir workabilitywas good.
Workengagementdecreased slightlyfromsummer2021,but returnedtoaslightlyhigherlevel aftersummer2023.
Boredomatworkincreasedslightly afterlate2019andisstillatahigher levelcomparedtotheendof2019.
Workabilitydecreasedafterthe summerof2021andisstillata lowerlevelcomparedtolate2019.
Burnoutsymptomsincreasedafterlate 2019andremainelevatedstill.
Theshareofpeoplewhodonotsufferfromjobburnoutamongtheworking-ageFinnish populationdecreasedfromlate2019tosummer2021(79% → 76%),andremainsatalower levelinsummer2025comparedtolate2019.Insummer2025,approximatelytwo percentagepointshighershareofpeople(6% → 8%)sufferedfromprobablejobburnout thaninlate2019.
EXHAUSTION
(scale 1–5)
CYNICISM AT WORK (scale 1–5)
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (scale 1–5)
EMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENT (scale 1–5)
Exhaustiondecreasedafter thesummerof2021,after whichtherehasbeenno change.
Cynicismatworkincreased afterlate2019andstill remainedatahigherlevelin thesummerof2025.
Cognitivedisordersincreased afterlate2019andstill remainedatahigherlevelin thesummerof2025.
Therehavebeennochangesin emotionalimpairment.
PLANS TO RESIGN
(scale 1–5)
12/2019 6/2021 6/2023 6/2025
(scale 1–4)
6/2021 6/2023 6/2025 WORKING WHILE SICK*
Intentionstoresignhave decreasedslightlyfromsummer 2023tosummer2025.
Workingwhilesickincreased slightlyaftersummer2021,after whichtherehasbeennochange. Averagesareofrespondentswho hadbeensickinthelast6months.
(scale 1–5)
6/2021 6/2023 6/2025 LONELINESS*
Insummer2025:
22% hadoften considered resigningfrom theirjob.
40% ofthose whohadbeen sickhadworked whilesickatleast twiceduringthe last6months.
24% feltlonely.
Generallonelinesshasdecreased sincesummer2023.
*Notmeasured inthe 12/2019survey
There
are plenty of social resources at work, while loneliness at work is clearly less common
Social relationships related to the work community in the population in summer 2025 (the longer the bar, the more common)
Workloneliness Supportfromthesupervisor Beingheardintheworkcommunity Trustinthesupervisor Fairtreatmentatwork Trustincolleagues Supportfromcolleagues
Competenceatwork
Opportunitiestolearnatwork
Seeingthepositiveresultsofwork
Independentdecision-makingatwork
Hope*
Compatibilityofworkandpersonalvalues
Workhasenrichedotherareasoflife
Otherareasoflifehaveenrichedwork
Believetheirworkwillchangeforthebetter
Prevalence of resources in the population in summer 2025 (the longer the bar, the more common)
Grownslightlysince summer2023
Decreasedslightly sincesummer2023
*Notmeasured insummer2023
Workhastakenenergyfromotherareasoflife
Uncertaintyofthefutureofone’sownwork
Inflexibilityofproceduresandrulesatwork
Concernaboutthefutureofone'sownwork
Excessiveworkload
Conflictingexpectationsatwork
Cannotshowrealemotionsatwork
Cannotactinthewaytheyconsiderrightatwork
Monotonyofwork
Physicalworkload
Otherareasoflifehavetakenenergyfromwork
Prevalence of demands in the population in summer 2025 (the longer the bar, the more common)
Grownslightlysince summer2023
Grownslightly sincesummer 2023
6/2023 6/2025
Workengagementhasincreased slightlyamong56–65-year-olds sincethesummerof2023.No changeswereobservedinthe otheragegroups.
Nochangeswereobservedin boredomatwork.Theolderthe employee,themorethey experienceboredomatworkon average.
6/2025
Workabilityhasimproved slightlyamong56–65-year-olds.
Insummer2025:
Experienced work engagementatleast severaltimesperweek: • 18–29years:
–
Feltjobboredomat leastseveraltimesper week: • 18–29years:29% • 30–45years:21% • 46–55years:15% • 56–65years:11%
Feltthattheirwork abilitywasgood:
• 18–29years:44% • 30–45years:37% • 46–55years:40% • 56–65years:38%
14/10/2025
Nochangeswereobservedinburnout symptomsbetweensummer2023and summer2025.
Nochangeswereobservedintheriskgroupsforburnoutsymptomsbetweensummer2023 andsummer2025inanyoftheagegroupsstudied.
(scale 1–5)
IMPAIRMENT (scale 1–5)
6/2023 6/2025
6/2023 6/2025
Amongthecoresymptomsofjobburnout,nochangeswereobservedinchronicoccupationalfatigue,cynicism atworkandcognitivedisordersbetweensummer2023andsummer2025inanyoftheagegroupsstudied. However,emotionalimpairmenthaddecreasedslightlyamong56–65-year-olds. 14/10/2025
6/2025
Intentionstoresignhave decreasedslightlyamong 18–29-year-oldsbetween summer2023andsummer 2025.
Nochangesinworkingwhile sickwereobservedinanyofthe agegroupsstudied. Workingwhilesickisslightly lesscommonamong18–29year-olds.Averagesareof respondentswhohadbeensick inthelast6months.
Lonelinesshasdecreasedslightly among30–55-year-oldssince summer2023.
Consideredresigningfrom workoften:
• 18–29years:21%
• 30–45years:26%
• 46–55years:22%
• 56–65years:18%
Ofthosewhohadbeensick workedwhilesickmorethan twiceinthelast6months:
• 18–29years:34%
• 30–45years:41%
• 46–55years:41%
• 56–65years:41%
Feltlonely:
• 18–29years:31%
• 30–45years:26%
• 46–55years:21%
• 56–65years:18%
Young adults are allowed to make more independent decisions at work and see the positive results of their work more often
RELATIONSHIPOFTHEEMPLOYEE’SAGEWITHTHESOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS,DEMANDSANDRESOURCESOFWORKINTHE SUMMEROF2025.
Positiveamongyoungeremployees
● Lessexcessiveworkloadandmorepositiveexpectationsregardingwork turninginabetterdirectioninthefuture.
● Moreservantleadershipandtrustinthesupervisor,aswellasreceiving supportwhennecessary.
Negativeamongyoungeremployees
● Lessexperienceofcompetence,makingindependentdecisions,sufficiently challengingworktasks,andseeingpositiveresults,andmorephysically demandingwork.
● Lesshopeandmorelonelinessatwork.
Changesinworkresourcesordemandsbasedonagefrom summer2023tosummer2025.
Positivechanges
● Independentdecision-makingandseeingthepositiveresults ofworkhaveincreasedamong18–29-year-olds.
● Thereisagrowingoffeelingbeingheardinthework communityamong30–65-year-olds.
changes
● Physicalworkload,roleconflictsandbureaucraticdemands haveincreasedamong30–45-year-olds.
One in ten supervisors have severe burnout, although they have more resources at work
ENGAGEMENT (scale 0–6)
6/2023 6/2025
Workengagementhas increasedslightlyamong employeessincesummer 2023.
Nochangeswereobservedin boredomatworkbetween summer2023andsummer 2025.
6/2023 6/2025
Nochangeswereobservedin workabilitybetweensummer 2023andsummer2025.
ABILITY (scale 0–10) Employee Supervisor
Insummer2025:
Atotalof53%ofemployees and61%ofsupervisorshad experienced work engagementatleastseveral timesperweek.
Atotalof20%ofemployees and10%ofsupervisors experienced boredomin theirworkatleastseveral timesperweek.
Atotalof39%ofemployees and41%ofsupervisorsrated theirworkabilityasgood.
BURNOUT
(scale 1–5)
Nochangeswereobservedinjobburnoutamongemployeesorsupervisorsbetweensummer 2023andsummer2025.Therewerealsonochangesinjobburnoutriskgroups.Inthesummer of2025,7%ofemployeesand10%ofsupervisorsbelongedtothecategoryofprobablejob burnout.Correspondingly,17%ofemployeesand15%ofsupervisorswereinthegroupfor heightenedriskofjobburnout.
Nochangeswereobservedinchronicworkfatigueandcynicismat workbetweensummer2023andsummer2025.Employeesexperience slightlymorecynicismatworkthansupervisors.
Cognitivedisordershave increasedslightlyamong supervisorssincesummer2023.
Nochangesinemotional impairmentwereobserved betweensummer2023and summer2025.
Employee Supervisor
TO RESIGN (scale 1–5)
(scale 1–4)
(scale 1–5)
6/2023 6/2025
Intentionstoresignhave decreasedslightlyamong18–29-year-oldsbetweensummer 2023andsummer2025.
6/2023 6/2025
Nostatisticallysignificant changeswereobservedin workingwhilesick.Averages areofrespondentswhohad beensickinthelast6months.
6/2023 6/2025
Generallonelinesshasdecreased slightlyamongemployeessince summer2023.
Employee Supervisor
Insummer2025:
Atotalof22%of employeesand22%of supervisorshadoften thoughtaboutresigning.
Atotalof39%of employeesand44%of supervisorsofthosewho hadbeensickhad workedwhilesickat leasttwiceinthelast6 months.
Atotalof24%of employeesand23%of supervisorsfeltlonely.
14/10/2025
Statisticaldifferencesinworkresourcesanddemandsbetween employeesandsupervisorsinsummer2025.
Supervisors
…havemoreofnearlyallworkresourcesthanemployees.Of thedemandsofwork,theyexperienceexcessiveworkloadmore.
Employees
…experiencethedemandsofworkmorethansupervisors
1)physicalworkload2)monotonyofwork
3)bureaucraticdemands4)concernaboutthefutureofone’s ownwork and5)uncertaintyofthefutureofone’sownwork.
…trustmoreintheircolleaguesandreceivesupportfromboth colleaguesandsupervisorswhenneeded.
Changesinworkresourcesordemandsforemployeesand supervisorsbetweensummer2023andsummer2025.
Positivechanges
● Employeescanmakemoreindependentdecisionsin theirworkandfeelthattheyarebetterheardintheir workcommunity.
● Bothemployeesandsupervisorshavelessfaiththat theirworkwillchangeforthebetterinthefuture.
● Employeesexperiencemoreroleconflictsand bureaucraticdemandsthanbefore.
Remote work might have both positive and negative consequences for the well-being at work, social relationships, work resources and work demands.
Examinedbystudyingstatisticalcorrelationsbetweentheamountofremoteworkandpossibleconsequencesin summer2025.Studiedrespondentswhoreportedworkingremotelyforatleast10%oftheirworkinghours(n=1,855). Theanalyseswerecontrolledfortheeffectsofeducation,ageandsupervisoryposition.Theassociationspresented herewerestatisticallysignificant(p<0.05)althoughweak(correlationsizesbetween0.11–0.19).
POSSIBLEIMMEDIATEPOSITIVEPHENOMENA RELATEDTOREMOTEWORK:
● Perceivedbetterhealth.
● Lessphysicalworkloadandperceivedexcessiveworkload.
● Fewerexperiencesofhavingtoshowemotionsatwork thatdonotcorrespondtorealemotions.
● Fewersymptomsofexhaustion,workaholismandworking whilesick.
● Fewerexperiencesthatworktakesenergyawayfrom otherareasoflife.
POSSIBLEIMMEDIATENEGATIVEPHENOMENARELATEDTOREMOTE WORK:
● Lesscompatibilitybetweenworkandpersonalvaluesandfewerexperiencesof competenceatwork.
● Fewerexperiencesthatworkhasapositiveimpactonotherpeople’slivesand perceivingthepositiveresultsofworkless.
● Lesssupportfromcolleagues,lesstrustinthemandlessbeingheardinthe workcommunity.
● Moreperceivedlonelinessatwork
● Moreboredomatworkandlessworkengagement.
● Alessereffectofworkenrichingpersonallife.
14/10/2025
Finnishworkengagementhas increasedinthelasttwoyears,but jobburnoutandboredomatwork arestillmorecommonthanbefore thepandemic.
Therearefewchangesinjob resourcesanddemands.Beliefin theimprovementofone’sownwork hasdeterioratedslightly intwo years.
Theyoungertheagegroup, thepoorerthewell-beingatwork. Youngerindividualsexperienceless workengagementandmoresymptoms ofburnout,aswellasboredomat work.
Intentionstoresignhave decreasedsince2023and especiallyamongpeopleunder theageof30.
Lonelinessisalsolessprevalent.
Remoteworkisstilllinkedto moreloneliness.
Workengagementamongemployees hasincreased.Oneintensupervisors haveseverejobburnout.Supervisors aresupportedbytheirjobresources, buttheamountofworkputsastrain onthem.Beliefinthefuturehas weakenedamongbothgroups.
Remoteworkislinkedtoboth positiveandnegativephenomena: lessworkloadand,ontheother hand,lessjobresourcesand workengagement.
TheMentalHealthToolkitincludesfreetoolsandmaterials: TheMentalHealthToolkit(ttl.fi)
OneofthetoolsistheHowareyoufeeling?surveyonwell-being atwork,thatmorethan100,000Finnshavealreadyusedto assesstheirownwell-being atwork:
Howareyoufeeling?surveyonwell-beingatwork(ttl.fi)
Theassessmenttoolusedinstudyingburnoutsymptomsisfreelyavailable:
Työuupumuksen arviointiBurnoutAssessmentTool(BAT) –menetelmällä(julkari.fi)
A GREAT WORKING DAY!
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