Delivering Employee Support Services in the Global Community

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1 Delivering Employee Support Services in the Global Community EAP Drivers and Influences Projected Utilisation strongly promotes the health and social rights of its citizens. The Ministry of Health is responsible for organising healthcare legislation/policy/laws. Counselling sessions are typically in person, but sessions may also be requested to be by telephone or online chat. Since has such readily available resources for employee assistance and a culture that promotes wellness, there are few if any cultural components that would prohibit someone from reaching out for help. Influences hosted EAP conferences in both 1990 and Between 2000 and 2006, aimed at developing EAPs to deal with problems associated with an ageing population, including more people in the workforce and an inevitable increase in retirement trends. This EAP pilot programme was funded from an international EAP association known as the Employee Assistance European Forum. Local/Regional/National Laws That Impact Counselling and EAPs In addition to funding from the international association, in 2013, s Health and Social Services provided 13 million to several municipalities to develop preventive services. passed the Occupational Health Fast Facts Population: 5,266,114 Capital City: Helsinki Political Structure: Republic, Presidential System Currency: Euro Time Zone: EET Act, which requires employers to provide health care for their employees for work-related issues. Counselling for work-related issues falls into this coverage. Attitudes Toward Counselling Generally, the attitudes towards getting help have been positive. Employers view this as beneficial, because it can prevent detrimental health problems that arise from allowing medical concerns to go untreated, effectively lowering the cost of future treatment. Since resources are easy to access, counselling and other forms of help are viewed as a part of taking care of oneself. Counselling is particularly encouraged for families and substance abusers. Attitudes Toward Alcohol and Substance Abuse Attitudes towards smoking and tobacco in have become increasingly negative. Several policies have 1-5

2 been enacted to prevent smoking, at least indoors and in cars with children. These policies have been passed sporadically since The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health also has a tobacco act that was designed to control the use/purchase of tobacco through price increases and content regulation. Illicit drug use is a criminal activity, and those who are suspected of illicit drug use are subject to criminal proceedings. also complies with the EU Drugs Strategy to prevent the trade of drugs. s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health also emphasises proper treatment for individuals with substance abuse problems. Trends in alcohol use in have decreased in recent years, but there are still problems with excessive drinking, primarily on the part of adult men. Though hard liquor is popular, a significant amount of alcohol purchased has been of the lighter variety such as beer or wine. Alcohol abuse, though not taboo, is not held in high regard, and help is available for those individuals suffering from an addiction. Professional Clinical Qualifications In, it is compulsory to earn a master s degree in psychology before working as a psychologist. After earning the degree, the psychologist must apply for, and receive, a permit to work as a licensed psychologist from the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) oversees the psychological practice in. If there are any problems, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs can impose sanctions on psychologists. In more serious cases, a psychologist can be denied the right to practise the profession. Foreign psychologists can apply for licences to practise. The licence can only be granted if the psychologist s training meets the Finnish training requirements. Key Professional Associations The Finnish Association for Mental Health The SOS Crisis Centre contact details: Maistraatinportti 4 A, 4th floor Helsinki Telephone: firstname.surname@mielenterveysseura.fi Website: support_and_help The crisis services are open on weekdays 9.00am 15.00pm. The Finnish Psychological Association Website: hpsychologicalassociation National Delivery Systems Health Care s healthcare system has developed a great deal over the past few years, making it a source of pride for the Finns. The cost of health care is relatively low, but costs have been rising, which is an issue the government seeks to address. The majority of the healthcare system is funded through taxation. According to the Health Care Act of 2010, health care should be universal and easily accessible to all Finns. has a national health insurance programme that covers a variety of expenses, including doctor s fees, some medication costs and dentist fees. Private health care can also be partially reimbursed. Private care is typically utilised for children who are not covered by Occupational Health Care. In general, the healthcare policies are the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Adequate wait times are also a part of the healthcare policy. Patients that go to a healthcare centre must be seen by the end of the working day, and non-urgent care must be addressed within three days of contact. 2-5

3 Behavioural/Mental Health Coverage Behavioural and mental health has become priority for. Mental health is important to success in the workplace, and therefore, it is important to the government to prevent mental illnesses from occurring and ensure proper treatment when such illnesses do occur. Section 27 of the 2010 Health Care Act ensures access to mental health care. The specifics of mental health care are provided in the Mental Health Act of has been developing its mental health sector by promoting mental health and prevention. The municipalities are trying to make sure that services are available 24 hours a day for those in need. Child Care and Parenting sees child care as a social right and strives to achieve a balance between work and home life. Paid maternity leave is 105 weekdays, and paternity leave is also available for 18 weekdays. Child care is a social right in. The Children s Daycare Act, 1973, enables families to have day care at a reasonable price for children too young to attend school. Elder Care The minimum age for retirement is between 63 and 65 years of age. However, the government is making attempts to raise this age. It is common for the elderly to live independently or with support from the government. There is a great need for trained nurses. The government has been trying to improve on its elderly care policies, and in July 2013, an act was adopted to provide services to elders, primarily for at-home care. Wellness Services The Finns value, and legislation protects, the boundary between work and private life. For this reason, Finns may choose to keep their use of wellness services private. However, the government does promote the use of wellness services through both private and public providers. If the individual chooses a private provider, he or she may be liable for the fees. Utilisation of public providers allows the person to receive services at a lower cost. Cultural Characteristics Language The official language of is Finnish, but a significant number of people speak Swedish. Ethnic Makeup The ethnic makeup of is comprised primarily of Finns at 93.4 percent of the total population. The next largest ethnic group is Swedes at 5.6 percent of the total population. The other ethnic groups are less represented in the population, but include Russians at 0.5 percent, Estonians at 0.3 percent, Roma (Gypsies) at 0.1 percent and Sami at 0.1 percent. This makeup is a result of migration into and out of neighbouring countries through the years. Demographic Trends Currently, is facing an ageing population with a steadily declining birth rate. The average life expectancy in is around 80 years, one of the lengthiest in the world. does accept a certain number of refugees per year. According to the Finnish Immigration Service, in 2013, 4055 people sought asylum in, but only 1827 were granted asylum. Work Patterns Finnish work ethic is remarkably strong. The workday is typically 8 hours a day/40 hours a week. As a result of increased attention to health care from the government, employers are responsible for ensuring the overall well-being of the employees in the workplace. Therefore, absenteeism is not a major problem in. The statistics show that the rates of absenteeism are percent for white-collar employees and percent for blue-collar employees. There are slightly more men in the workforce than there are women, but the government of strives to promote the success of women in the workforce as well. The average working age in is between 15 and 64 years of age, with the average age of the population being around 41.6 years. This excellent work ethic stems from the extraordinary education programme in. For citizens older than the age of 15, has a 100 percent literacy rate. 3-5

4 This high literacy rate can be attributed to the average of 19.6 years spent in education. Of s population, 83 percent of adults ages have earned a high school diploma. Lifestyle/Religion/Family The people of have been working towards equality since the 1970s. The government has taken great strides to offer protections and rights to homosexuals. However, there are some areas in which improvement in equality is necessary, such as suicide prevention, health care, and issues of discrimination. s legislation currently recognises marriage as the union of a man to a woman. However, in 2002, the Act on Registered Partnerships was passed enabling same-sex couples to formalise their relationship. Despite this legislation, there are still several initiatives that are seeking equal marriage laws. The main religion of is the Lutheran Church of (82%), followed by the Orthodox Church and other sectors of Christianity. There is also a significant portion of the population that claims to be non-religious. The right to religious practice of any kind is protected in the constitution. In, the divorce rate has steadily increased, with a consequent increase in the number of single-parent households. Even after divorce, many couples may continue to live in the same house. Likewise, many unmarried women may choose to live with other singleparent families. Communication Styles The Finns communicate with each other in a calm manner. It is considered rude to act in a way that draws negative attention to oneself. Maintain eye contact when first shaking hands and speaking so as not to look secretive. Finns value punctuality, especially with business appointments. They are less emotional and more analytical, so keep conversations focused on facts as opposed to small talk. With the Finns, silence is better than making empty conversation. Business and Economic Characteristics Economy has a purchasing power parity of $194.1 billion and is ranked 56th globally for its GDP. The business environment in is very hospitable and open to foreign investors. US business relations are very friendly. is considered to have one of the best performing EU economies, but it needs to stimulate economic growth, especially after the recession in Workers Rights Legislation Although employees are entitled to create unions to represent their interests, the rights of workers are protected in several pieces of legislation. The legislation creates nationwide standards for work hours, work environment, paid leave, holidays, maternity/paternity leave, secure pay, etc. There are also a few collective agreements that have been passed. Status and Influence of Work Councils and/or Unions Works councils and unions are allowed in. enables employees to form works councils to represent employee needs, thus increasing the potential use of EAPs. does have unions that aim at protecting workers rights. They are currently trying to prevent the government from raising the age of retirement. There are also works councils that employees can set up to represent other employees. However, since the social and health needs of the people are a main priority for the Finnish government, a great deal of resources are provided to help employees with regard to health, child care, etc., which would remove the need to seek referrals. Communication s capacity for communication is very good. With million internet users, ranks 55th globally. It has a modern telephone system with reliable service, availability of main lines and mobile lines. Confidentiality Issues s constitution protects both data privacy and security. has also adopted the EU data protection directive in 1999 to protect any personal data. 4-5

5 Support for International Assignees Embassies British Embassy Helsinki Itäinen Puistotie Helsinki Telephone: Fax (Chancery): Fax (Consular): info.helsinki@fco.gov.uk (for Consular enquiries): Helsinki. ConsularEnquiries@fco.gov.uk Website: organisations/british-embassy-helsinki Embassy of the United States Helsinki Itäinen Puistotie 14 B Helsinki Telephone: Website: Schools International School of Helsinki Selkämerenkatu Helsinki Telephone: Website: English-Speaking Lawyers and Translators White & Case Oy (capital markets, transactions, mergers, bank finance, real estate) Eteläranta Helsinki Telephone: Fax: Website: Procopé & Hornborg Asianajotoimisto Oy (corporate, commercial, finance, dispute resolution) Puistokatu Jyväskylä Telephone: Fax: law.firm@procope.fi Website: Kotkan asianajotoimisto Oy (marketing, dispute resolution, family law, business law, properties) Kirkkokatu 3 PL Kotka Telephone: Additional Resources for US or UK Citizens Expat-.com Website: This website is an excellent resource for citizens living abroad in. It provides information on employment, travel, culture, etc. American Women s Club in Website: International English Speaker s Association of IESAF RY Notkotie 16 A Helsinki Website: Acceptance of counselling EAP awareness in business world EAP and work-life utilisation Population of English speakers Employee Assistance and Work-Life Snapshot Telephone availability LOW MODERATE HIGH Internet access 5-5 Copyright 2014 Workplace Options. All Rights Reserved.