Just over half, 53%, of the elected representatives of wellbeing services counties estimate that operations will have to be closed down or reduced as much as in the summer of 2024 this summer. In the public sector, operations are most commonly closed for 2–4 weeks or reduced services are offered during that time. Compared to the summer of 2024, the situation has remained the same, meaning that it has not deteriorated, which is a good thing.
Although the shortage of trained staff has temporarily been alleviated due to spending cuts, there is a shortage of carers – rather, the recruitment of substitutes is deliberately restricted.
Open responses highlight concerns about the ability of permanent staff to cope.
– The uncertainty and restrictions to substitute recruitment caused by co-determination negotiations increase the workload and weaken patient safety. I am extremely concerned about the carers’ ability to cope, says Tehy Chairperson Millariikka Rytkönen.
There is a particular shortage of nurses and practical nurses. The willingness to be flexible when it comes to shifts has also diminished. Staff are burdened by repeated changes to shifts, understaffing and insufficient orientation, in particular.
Most employees of wellbeing services counties, municipal early childhood education and the private sector are able to take their summer holidays as usual.
– It is a good thing that employees seem to have the opportunity to take their holidays, even more so than in the previous summer,” Rytkönen says.
In the private sector, operations are expected to carry on similarly to last year for the most part, but the availability of substitutes is poor at times. Early childhood education operations are centralised and staff are transferred between units.
– Early childhood education should focus on wellbeing at work in the summer months, in particular, because circulating from one unit to another and working with new groups of children are stressful for employees, Rytkönen says.
Increased stress and poorer patient safety on the horizon
According to the report by Tehy, health care and social welfare staff feel that stress and uncertainty are the most significant challenges associated with working in summer 2025.
– This needs to be addressed to allow for service quality, patient safety and employee wellbeing to be ensured, says Tehy Career Specialist Tiina Cederberg, who conducted the survey.
A total of 140 Tehy union representatives responded to the 2025 summertime employment survey. Of the respondents, 46 represented public health care and social welfare services (wellbeing service counties), 60 represented private health care and social welfare services and 34 represented early childhood education. The response period was 22 April–11 May 2025.
Tehy has collected information on personnel arrangements in health care, social welfare and early childhood education since 1991. In the survey, summertime refers to the period from 1 May to 31 August 2025.
Enquiries:
Tehy Career Specialist Tiina Cederberg, tel +358 44 322 0992, [email protected]