Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Sunday 14.9.2025
Change in working life and mental well-being
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Change in working life and mental well-being
This time, the topic of the news week is change in working life and mental well-being.
Yle has published an article in which experts discussed why mental health problems have become more common in working life and what it means for employees and society.
We will now tell you more about how working life puts more strain on people’s memory and emotions than before.
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Jan Schugk, chief physician of the pension insurance company Varma. Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle
Self-centered thinking
Working life puts a greater psychological burden on many people than before.
One reason is the increase in self-centered thinking.
This is what Jan Schugk, Chief Physician of the Pension Insurance Company Varma, says.
Self-centered thinking means that a person thinks about their own interests more than the common good.
People also over-explore their own emotions. This is especially evident among young workers.
Chief Physician Schugk says that self-centeredness has increased mental health illness absences.
Feelings
Research professor Ari Väänänen at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health says that well-being is an important part of work results. That is why there is a lot of talk about emotions and their management now.
Chief Psychiatrist Riittakerttu Kaltiala says that the internet has a negative impact on people’s thinking.
There are many tests and discussions online that make a person believe that they have a disorder or that they cannot work.
People reinforce other people’s thinking online. This is a harmful phenomenon.
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Chief Psychiatrist Riittakerttu Kaltiala. Photo: Marko Melto / Yle
Work pressures
Working life is changing rapidly. Work is now more complex than before.
Work consists of many small things more than before.
Many people experience pressure because they have to constantly learn new things, collaborate with others, and manage their own emotions.
New demands in working life have come to all sectors.
Responsibility
Research Professor Väänänen says that the greatest responsibility lies with employers and workplaces.
Workplaces can improve, for example, orientation and work arrangements so that coping skills improve.
Employees also have responsibilities, but employees cannot influence things much.
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Research professor Ari Väänänen at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle
Repetition
The topic of the news week was change in working life and mental well-being.
The demands of working life are increasing, and this increases the workload on people.
People are also thinking more about their own well-being than before. However, examining one’s own mind too much can hinder a person’s coping skills.
Experts say that solutions are best found if the workplace is well organized and employees are supported.
This was a news week in plain Finnish. See you again, let’s hear from you!