Working capacity programme
Working capacity programme was to improve employment of people with impaired work capacity
The working capacity programme was part of the employment measures of Prime Minister Sanna Marin's Government. The implementation of the programme was based on the Government Programme, which aimed to achieve an employment rate of 75 per cent by the middle of the decade. In order to achieve this goal, it was considered important that people with partial work ability also have the opportunity to work and build society according to their abilities.
The working capacity programme sought solutions to the known employment problems of people with impaired capacity to work in 2019–2023. At the same time, the programme developed more effective services to support working capacity.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment was responsible for implementing the working capacity in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The measures in the administrative branches of those two ministries supported and complemented each other.
The final report of the working capacity programme contains information on the programme measures and their results.
The results and implementation of the working capacity programme have also been evaluated in a research project launched by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
In addition to this evaluation of the entire work ability programme, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL) carried out an evaluation and follow-up study on the implementation, results, impacts and effectiveness of 22 projects carried out in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The closing seminar on the working capacity programme was held on 15 February 2023. Presentations were given by experts in the economy, politics, the labour market and work ability and functional capacity as well as the experiences of persons with partial work ability who have been granted work and employers who offered work for them.
Materials of the event:
- Presentation by Hannu Mäkinen on 15 February 2023 (pdf) (in Finnish)
- Presentation by Olli Oosi on 15 February 2023 (pdf) (in Finnish)
- Company examples: Unicus Finland Oy and UNICA restaurants (YouTube videos, playlist)
Background to the working capacity programme
About 65,000 people with partial work capacity, who are currently outside the labour market, estimate that they have the capacity to work and they would like to work. The Working capacity programme seeked solutions to the acknowledged problems in the employment of persons with partial work capacity.
The aim was to promote the employment of people with partial work capacity and their wellbeing at work. This can be achieved by providing appropriate services to support their work capacity. New means were sought, for example, from experimental projects for the introduction of effective services and operating models.
The measures of the Working capacity programme concerned the unemployed. Most of the measures were broad-based and seeked solutions that support both the work capacity of the persons and their employment.
The Working capacity programme aims were to
- identify the need to support the work capacity of people with impaired work capacity
- provide people with impaired work ability individual and well-timed work capacity and employment services
- strengthen the expertise and resources of experts to improve services for people with impaired work capacity
- promote the creation of jobs for people with impaired work capacity
- develop services for employers to facilitate the recruitment of people with impaired capacity to work
- reform the current rehabilitation services based on proposals by Rehabilitation Reform Committee.
- seek solutions to lower the recruitment threshold by developing services and participating in the preparation of the social security reform.
Read more about measures of the Working capacity programme:
- Number of working capacity coordinators to rise
- TE service pilots for jobseekers with impaired work capacity
- A special assignment company to employ people with impaired work capacity who are in the most difficult labour market position (Työkanava Ltd)
- Public procurement can help promote employment
- A new strategy and centre of expertise for social enterprises
- Social impact of employment of people with impaired work capacity
More information:
Kimmo Ruth, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, kimmo.ruth(at)gov.fi