Regenerative working life seeks not just to minimise the negatives, but to maximise the positives: to create work that increases energy, meaning and connection. Regenerative work is a mindset in which employees' resources do not just get used up but they also develop, and work not only maintains the current level but also strengthens the employees and the environment in a positive way.
It is based on systems thinking, which recognises the connections between the meaningfulness experienced by employees, the company's operations and the regeneration of nature. The goal is for employees to feel well and for their contributions to support the restoration of nature and society, rather than merely consuming resources.
What does regenerative work mean in nursing?
At its heart, nursing is deeply human – it relies on being present, empathetic and able to truly connect. When work is too demanding, these skills are the first to fade. Many social and healthcare professionals have felt that their work gives a great deal to others but takes too much from themselves.
Regenerative working life reverses this dynamic. It asks: How could work restore as much as it gives to others? And how could a nurse be the recipient of care – perhaps through community, structures and leadership?
In the social and healthcare sector, this might mean designing shifts and workdays so that recovery is built into the work itself, not just something that happens afterwards. This can involve short micro-breaks during the day, shared moments of reflection at the end of a shift and an opportunity to influence individual work rhythm. Recovery is not just rest – it is having space to breathe and to be heard.
Building on values
Regenerative leadership focuses not only on results, but on human energy.
The role of supervisors is to act as listeners and enablers – people who ask "How are you really doing?" and who also know how to pause and truly hear the answer. A workplace where you can talk about mistakes and ask for help is a community that continually renews itself.
A nurse sustains life, communities and human dignity.
Regenerative work is built on values. Nurses do more than just work, they sustain lives, communities and human dignity. When this is recognised and verbalised together, the sense of energy and engagement returns.
Similarly, a connection with other employees is also important. Nursing is always team work, never an individual performance. When a community is doing well, its members feel well too.
Physical workspaces matter. Natural light, plants and soothing sounds can tangibly reduce stress and improve concentration. Nature breaks – even just five minutes spent outdoors during a shift – are small but powerful regenerative acts.
Circular economy in nursing
Regenerative working life involves more than just a single project or occupational wellbeing programme. It is an ecosystem approach, where each component, such as employee, manager, client and organisation, supports the growth and wellbeing of one another.
When nurses are feeling well, they can generate wellbeing not only for their patients but for the whole society.
This is the true circular economy of nursing. Therefore, the question is not "How can we make it through another day?" but "How do we create work that gives us strength every day?"
Regenerative working life in nursing is not fantasy. It is a future that we can build – together through small but deliberate steps.
Read Marttinen´s earlier blog "Debt brake", which has been published earlier in a new blog series on the economy, called Tehyn talouspulssi (Tehy’s Economic Pulse).