According to a study conducted between February and March 2021, 54 percent of the African businesses that took part in the survey forecast that in 2021 there would be no employee lay-offs due to the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Moreover, only 12 percent revealed that a net decrease in staff was expected (compared to 18 percent in 2020, mainly affecting small and micro companies). On the other hand, 23 percent of the businesses would employ even more employees.
The annual survey studied employee opinion on the quality of working life in Finland. Main themes included organisation of work, development opportunities and flexibility, learning and training at work, wages, workplace bullying, capacity to work, and changes in working life. Questions in the barometer have mainly remained the same each year. The questionnaire, target population and collection method of the survey were changed for the 2021 collection round. First, the respondents were asked about the number of people employed at their workplace and changes in the number of staff in the past 12 months. Satisfaction in the working environment was charted with questions about openness, encouragement, trust and equality in the workplace. Further questions covered measures taken to improve employees' capacity to work and safety of work environment. The respondents were asked whether their place of work supported its employees in learning and trying new things, and whether they had taken part in job-related training in the past 12 months and received a salary during that time. Participation in job-related training through different methods (e.g. with a mentor, self-study) in the past 12 months was surveyed. The respondents were also asked whether in the past 12 months they had developed their skills and competence so that they could work in a new role in the future, and whether they had received new tasks or responsibilities at their job that had required them to learn new things. The next set of questions focused on flexible working time arrangements at the workplace, pay systems, satisfaction with the pay level, and digital tools as part of work. Autonomy at work was surveyed by asking about influence over own work tasks and working pace, over the distribution of work in the workplace, and about working to a tight schedule. Remote work was investigated with questions on whether the respondents had worked remotely in the past 12 months and whether they felt they could influence how much remote work they did. The use of digital tools, AI-based tools, virtual workspaces, and social media services as part of work tasks was also charted. One set of questions investigated the employees' perceived workload, capacity to work, estimates of own mental and physical capacity to work, and sickness absences. Discrimination at work based on factors such as ethnic group, age, gender, sexual orientation, and health status was explored. Incidents of bullying, sexual harassment and violence at work were also surveyed. Additionally, the respondents' experiences of stress, mental exhaustion, inability to focus, togetherness and excitement related to work were surveyed. The respondents were asked how likely they thought it was that they would be temporarily laid off or made redundant. Views were probed on the respondents' likelihood of getting an equal job if they became unemployed and what they would do if they became unemployed (e.g. apply for a new job in the same field, apply for a new job in a different field, become self-employed, get a job abroad). The respondents were also asked about the non-competition agreements. Finally, the respondents' membership of trade unions and unemployment funds was surveyed. Background variables included, among others, the respondent's year of birth, age, gender, status in employment, employer type, industry of employment, type of contract, and weekly working hours.
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CI: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data was reported at 1.984 % in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.984 % for 2016. CI: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 1.416 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.984 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.114 % in 2012. CI: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ivory Coast – Table CI.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a 'self-employment jobs' i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.
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SY: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Employment data was reported at 4.895 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.737 % for 2016. SY: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 7.191 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.073 % in 1999 and a record low of 4.390 % in 2014. SY: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Syrian Arab Republic – Table SY.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a 'self-employment jobs' i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.
The annual survey studied employee opinion on the quality of working life in Finland. Main themes included organisation of work, development opportunities and flexibility, learning and training at work, wages, workplace bullying, capacity to work, and changes in working life. Questions in the barometer have mainly remained the same each year. For the 2015 collection round, new questions about job satisfaction were added, among others. Some questions about health status were not included this time. First, the respondents were asked about the number of people working at their workplace, changes in the number of staff, distribution of work and tasks, and implementation of new working methods and systems over the past 12 months. Psychosocial working environment was charted with questions about openness, encouragement and equality in the workplace, job stability, and opportunities for employees to develop and apply new ideas. Further questions covered measures taken to improve employees' capacity to work, safety of work environment, and skills of employees. Discrimination at work based on ethnic group, age, gender type of job contract, and health status was explored. Incidents of bullying, harassment and violence at work were surveyed. Next set of questions investigated the respondents' membership in a trade union or professional association, flexible working time arrangements at the workplace, pay and bonus systems, and satisfaction with pay level. The respondents' participation in job-related training and development of the workplace was investigated. Use of virtual workspaces and social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs in the performance of work tasks was charted. Autonomy at work was surveyed by asking about influence over own work tasks and working pace, over the distribution of work in the workplace, and about working to a tight schedule. The respondents were asked about working outside the main workplace in the past 12 months and work-related calls, emails and messages they had had to attend to outside their official working hours. One set of questions investigated the employees' perceived workload, capacity to work, estimate of own mental and physical capacity to work, and sickness absences. The respondents were asked how likely they thought it was that they would be dismissed or laid off, or that their tasks would be changed over the next year. Views were probed on the respondents' likelihood of getting an equal job if they became unemployed, on the general employment situation in Finland, possible changes in working life in general, and the employer's financial situation. Finally, the respondents were asked how often they felt a community spirit at work, received appreciation from colleagues and partners, were able to fully utilise their professional skills, and had time to come up with new ideas. Background variables from the Labour Force Survey 2015 were utilised in the Finnish Working Life Barometer. Background variables included, among others, the respondent's year of birth, age, gender, region, type of municipality, education, economic activity, status in employment, industry of employment, occupational group, employer type, type of contract, weekly working hours, overtime, and additional jobs.
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NE: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 0.464 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.463 % for 2016. NE: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 0.456 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.668 % in 1995 and a record low of 0.295 % in 1998. NE: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Niger – Table NE.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a 'self-employment jobs' i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.
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The global market size for flexible employment was valued at approximately USD 3.8 trillion in 2023 and is projected to reach around USD 6.4 trillion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% during the forecast period. This market growth is driven by the increasing demand for work-life balance, technological advancements, and the evolving nature of work.
One of the key drivers for the growth of the flexible employment market is the increasing desire for work-life balance among employees. The modern workforce prioritizes flexibility in their work schedule, which allows them to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively. This shift in preference is particularly evident among millennials and Gen Z, who place a high value on flexibility and autonomy in their careers. Companies are responding to this trend by offering more flexible employment options to attract and retain top talent.
Technological advancements have also played a significant role in the expansion of the flexible employment market. The proliferation of high-speed internet, cloud computing, and collaboration tools has enabled remote work and virtual teams. These technologies facilitate seamless communication and collaboration, making it easier for employees to work from anywhere in the world. As a result, businesses are increasingly adopting remote work policies, further driving the growth of the flexible employment market.
The evolving nature of work is another factor contributing to the growth of the flexible employment market. The gig economy, characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work, has gained significant traction in recent years. This shift towards project-based work is driven by both employers and employees seeking more flexible and dynamic work arrangements. Companies benefit from the ability to scale their workforce up or down based on project needs, while workers enjoy the freedom to choose their assignments and work schedules.
Regionally, North America dominates the flexible employment market, accounting for the largest share in 2023. The region's strong technological infrastructure, high internet penetration, and progressive work culture have facilitated the adoption of flexible employment practices. Europe and Asia Pacific are also significant markets, with increasing demand for flexible work arrangements in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and India. The Middle East & Africa and Latin America are expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years as businesses in these regions recognize the benefits of flexible employment.
The flexible employment market can be segmented by employment type into part-time, freelance, temporary, remote, and others. The part-time segment has seen significant growth as it allows employees to work fewer hours while still contributing to the workforce. Many companies offer part-time roles to manage costs and increase workforce flexibility. This segment is particularly popular among students, parents, and individuals seeking a better work-life balance.
The freelance segment is another rapidly growing area within the flexible employment market. Freelancers, or independent contractors, offer specialized skills on a project-by-project basis. This segment is driven by the rise of the gig economy, where workers prefer short-term, flexible work arrangements over traditional full-time employment. Freelancers are prevalent in industries such as IT, design, writing, and marketing, where specialized skills are in high demand.
Temporary employment, which includes short-term contracts and seasonal work, is also a significant segment of the flexible employment market. Businesses often rely on temporary workers to meet peak demand periods or to fill gaps during employee absences. Temporary employment provides companies with the flexibility to adjust their workforce based on changing business needs without the long-term commitment of permanent hires.
Remote work has become a prominent segment within the flexible employment market, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability to work from home or any location outside the traditional office environment has become a key factor in employee satisfaction and productivity. Companies across various industries have adopted remote work policies to attract and retain talent, reduce overhead costs, and increase operational efficiency.
Other forms of
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United States US: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data was reported at 3.725 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.673 % for 2016. United States US: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 3.891 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.622 % in 1992 and a record low of 3.658 % in 2008. United States US: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a 'self-employment jobs' i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.
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Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).
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Preparing jobs according to the capacity of appointment, category and department for the year 2020
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This 6MB download is a zip file containing 5 pdf documents and 2 xlsx spreadsheets. Presentation on COVID-19 and the potential impacts on employment
May 2020Waka Kotahi wants to better understand the potential implications of the COVID-19 downturn on the land transport system, particularly the potential impacts on regional economies and communities.
To do this, in May 2020 Waka Kotahi commissioned Martin Jenkins and Infometrics to consider the potential impacts of COVID-19 on New Zealand’s economy and demographics, as these are two key drivers of transport demand. In addition to providing a scan of national and international COVID-19 trends, the research involved modelling the economic impacts of three of the Treasury’s COVID-19 scenarios, to a regional scale, to help us understand where the impacts might be greatest.
Waka Kotahi studied this modelling by comparing the percentage difference in employment forecasts from the Treasury’s three COVID-19 scenarios compared to the business as usual scenario.
The source tables from the modelling (Tables 1-40), and the percentage difference in employment forecasts (Tables 41-43), are available as spreadsheets.
Arataki - potential impacts of COVID-19 Final Report
Employment modelling - interactive dashboard
The modelling produced employment forecasts for each region and district over three time periods – 2021, 2025 and 2031. In May 2020, the forecasts for 2021 carried greater certainty as they reflected the impacts of current events, such as border restrictions, reduction in international visitors and students etc. The 2025 and 2031 forecasts were less certain because of the potential for significant shifts in the socio-economic situation over the intervening years. While these later forecasts were useful in helping to understand the relative scale and duration of potential COVID-19 related impacts around the country, they needed to be treated with care recognising the higher levels of uncertainty.
The May 2020 research suggested that the ‘slow recovery scenario’ (Treasury’s scenario 5) was the most likely due to continuing high levels of uncertainty regarding global efforts to manage the pandemic (and the duration and scale of the resulting economic downturn).
The updates to Arataki V2 were framed around the ‘Slower Recovery Scenario’, as that scenario remained the most closely aligned with the unfolding impacts of COVID-19 in New Zealand and globally at that time.
Find out more about Arataki, our 10-year plan for the land transport system
May 2021The May 2021 update to employment modelling used to inform Arataki Version 2 is now available. Employment modelling dashboard - updated 2021Arataki used the May 2020 information to compare how various regions and industries might be impacted by COVID-19. Almost a year later, it is clear that New Zealand fared better than forecast in May 2020.Waka Kotahi therefore commissioned an update to the projections through a high-level review of:the original projections for 2020/21 against performancethe implications of the most recent global (eg International monetary fund world economic Outlook) and national economic forecasts (eg Treasury half year economic and fiscal update)The treasury updated its scenarios in its December half year fiscal and economic update (HYEFU) and these new scenarios have been used for the revised projections.Considerable uncertainty remains about the potential scale and duration of the COVID-19 downturn, for example with regards to the duration of border restrictions, update of immunisation programmes. The updated analysis provides us with additional information regarding which sectors and parts of the country are likely to be most impacted. We continue to monitor the situation and keep up to date with other cross-Government scenario development and COVID-19 related work. The updated modelling has produced employment forecasts for each region and district over three time periods - 2022, 2025, 2031.The 2022 forecasts carry greater certainty as they reflect the impacts of current events. The 2025 and 2031 forecasts are less certain because of the potential for significant shifts over that time.
Data reuse caveats: as per license.
Additionally, please read / use this data in conjunction with the Infometrics and Martin Jenkins reports, to understand the uncertainties and assumptions involved in modelling the potential impacts of COVID-19.
COVID-19’s effect on industry and regional economic outcomes for NZ Transport Agency [PDF 620 KB]
Data quality statement: while the modelling undertaken is high quality, it represents two point-in-time analyses undertaken during a period of considerable uncertainty. This uncertainty comes from several factors relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
a lack of clarity about the size of the global downturn and how quickly the international economy might recover differing views about the ability of the New Zealand economy to bounce back from the significant job losses that are occurring and how much of a structural change in the economy is required the possibility of a further wave of COVID-19 cases within New Zealand that might require a return to Alert Levels 3 or 4.
While high levels of uncertainty remain around the scale of impacts from the pandemic, particularly in coming years, the modelling is useful in indicating the direction of travel and the relative scale of impacts in different parts of the country.
Data quality caveats: as noted above, there is considerable uncertainty about the potential scale and duration of the COVID-19 downturn. Please treat the specific results of the modelling carefully, particularly in the forecasts to later years (2025, 2031), given the potential for significant shifts in New Zealand's socio-economic situation before then.
As such, please use the modelling results as a guide to the potential scale of the impacts of the downturn in different locations, rather than as a precise assessment of impacts over the coming decade.
The offshore energy* job sector is expected to grow about 25 percent from 160,000 jobs in 2021 to an estimated 200,000 jobs by 2030. The UK's plans to reduce carbon emissions will fuel the growth of wind energy production, and this will create more jobs in this sector.
The broad objective of the Employment and Earnings Survey was to obtain comprehensive data on the annual status of Employment and Earnings as well as data on the socio-economic characteristics of the Labour Market.
The enumeration covers three main categories of employment in both private and public sectors.The categories involved are: All establishments of public sector; all registered private establishments employing at least 50 persons; and a sample of all registered private establishments whose employment capacity was between 5 to 49 persons in Tanzania Mainland.The survey does not include, domestic servants in Private households, non-salaried working proprietors and non-salaried family workers.
Sample survey data [ssd]
(a) The Selection of Establishments The Employment and Earnings Survey of 2001 used the existing Central Register of Establishments (CRE) frame. The selection of establishments from the CRE frame falls under the following groups: - (i) All establishments of public sectors found in the CRE frame of 2001 were taken. (ii) All establishments of private sector with at least 50 employees found in the CRE frame of 2001 were taken. (iii) The selection of establishments of private sector employing persons in the range of 5 to 49 was based on a sample.
(b) The Sample Design (i) A sample of 10 percent of establishments was selected in the employment size group of 5 to 9 employees. (ii) A sample of 33 percent of establishments was selected in the employment size group of 10 to 49 employees.
(c ) Sample Selection A random sampling method was used to select the number of establishments to be enumerated according to the sample size in each employment group.
During the enumeration process enumerators were instructed to include in the survey, all new establishments in the public sector and those employing at least 50 persons in the private sectors that will be identified in the field but were not included in the provided list of establishments prepared for the survey.
Face-to-face [f2f]
73.2
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Number of jobs by appointment capacity, category and department for the year 2019
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Scholars Journal of Economics, Business and Management (SJEBM)
The annual survey studied employee opinion on the quality of working life in Finnish municipalities. Main themes were psychosocial working environment, job characteristics, pay systems, satisfaction with the job, employment security, training and development, capacity to work, and bullying and discrimination at work. First, the respondents were asked how many years they had worked for the employer they were working for at the time, type of contract, number of persons at the workplace, what kind of changes there had been in staff numbers, working hours, contracts and organisational structure over the past 12 months, and whether people had been transferred to other units. Further questions covered team work, and whether there had been conflicts or bullying at the workplace, between what groups and whether the conflicts had decreased or increased over the past 12 months. Employee influence over, for instance, workload and tasks, and changes in the degree of influence were investigated as well as trade union influence and R's membership in a trade union or a professional association. Next set of questions covered overtime at work, overtime compensation, and changes over the past year in workload, physical or mental stress, in access to training etc. Wage level and pay systems were charted. One topic pertained to whether the respondents had presented any ideas to improve working conditions, products, services or working methods at the workplace and whether there had been other development initiatives. The respondents' participation in job-related training and development was investigated. They were asked how likely it was that they would be dismissed or laid off, or their tasks or working hours would be changed over the next year. Opinions were charted on employment situation in Finland and what kind of changes were happening in working life in, for instance, relating to management style, possibility to influence decisions, the financial situation of their organisation. A number of questions investigated how the employees' capacity to work and occupational health and safety had been taken into account at the workplace, the respondents' sickness absences, and estimate of own mental and physical capacity to work. Discrimination at work based on ethnic group, age, gender or contract type was explored. Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, degree of urbanisation of the municipality of residence, major region (NUTS2), region (NUTS3), occupational group, status in employment, industry of employment, employer type, weekly working hours, additional jobs, industry of additional job, basic and vocational education, whether R worked for a municipality or a federation of municipalities and in which sector. Most background variables were obtained from the Labour Force Survey 2001 telephone interviews.
The annual survey studied employee opinion on the quality of working life in Finnish municipalities. Main themes were psychosocial working environment, job characteristics, pay systems, satisfaction with the job, employment security, training and development, capacity to work, and bullying and discrimination at work. First, the respondents were asked how many years they had worked for the employer they were working for at the time, type of contract, number of persons at the workplace, and what kind of changes there had been in staff numbers, working hours, contracts, and tasks during the past 12 months, and whether people had been transferred to other units. Further questions covered team work, whether there had been conflicts at the workplace, between what groups and whether the conflicts had decreased or increased over the past 12 months. Incidents of bullying and violence were charted. Next set of questions covered the respondent's autonomy at work and other job characteristics, overtime and its compensation, flexible working time arrangements, and R's membership in a trade union or professional association. Changes over the past year in workload, physical or mental stress, in access to training etc were explored as well as pay and bonus systems, and satisfaction with pay. Psychosocial working environment was charted with a number of questions, for instance, whether employees were treated equally, was there support for trying new things and so on. One topic pertained to whether the respondents had presented any ideas to improve working conditions, products, services or working methods at the workplace and whether there had been other development initiatives. The respondents' participation in job-related training and development was investigated. One theme pertained to job satisfaction. The respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with a number of statements relating to staff sufficiency, organisation of work, access to information, physical or mental stress etc. They were asked how likely it was that they would be dismissed or laid off, or their tasks or working hours would be changed over the next year. Opinions on the employer's financial situation, employment situation in Finland and on changes in working life were studied. A number of questions investigated how the employees' capacity to work and occupational safety had been taken into account at the workplace, the respondents' sickness absences, and estimate of own mental and physical capacity to work. Discrimination at work based on ethnic group, age, gender and type of contract was explored. Background variables included the respondent's age, gender, major region (NUTS2), type of municipality, education, occupational status and group, industry of employment, employer type, status in employment, economic activity, weekly working hours, additional jobs, whether R worked for a municipality or a federation of municipalities and in which sector. Information on age, gender, major region, type of municipality and education level were obtained from registers. Other background variables were obtained from the Labour Force Survey 2008 telephone interviews which were often conducted together with the Finnish Working Life Barometer interview.
This dataset includes the gender and employment sector of participants in LEAF activities, as well as the date they were appraised as demonstrating a capacity increase in activities.
According to many, the U.S. Congress desperately needs reform because its capacity to govern has declined. Congressional capacity cannot be understood without examining how the expertise available to members is fostered or discouraged. We present a theory of expertise acquisition and apply it to the problem of overseeing the Executive. We use this theory to organize a dataset of congressional staff employment merged with new records of invitations, applications, and attendance at training sessions produced by three non-profit organizations in Washington, D.C. We find that staffers are more likely to acquire expertise when their jobs are more secure and there are more opportunities to use their expertise in careers outside of Congress---most notably, when their party takes control of the presidency. Our analysis suggests that oversight expertise is generally not sufficiently valuable outside of Congress to entice many staffers to acquire it without subsidies.
The annual survey studied employee opinion on the quality of working life in Finland. Main themes included organisation of work, development opportunities and flexibility, learning and training at work, wages, workplace bullying, capacity to work, and changes in working life. Questions in the barometer have mainly remained the same each year. The 2017 collection round included one new question regarding the flexibility of working hours. First, the respondents were asked about the number of people employed at their workplace, changes in the number of staff, distribution of work and tasks, and implementation of new working methods and systems over the past 12 months. Satisfaction in the working environment was charted with questions about openness, encouragement and equality in the workplace, job stability, and opportunities for employees to develop and apply new ideas. Further questions covered measures taken to improve employees' capacity to work, safety of work environment, and skills of employees. Discrimination at work based on ethnic group, age, gender, type of job contract, and health status was explored. Incidents of bullying, harassment and violence at work were surveyed. The next set of questions investigated the respondents' membership in a trade union or professional association, flexible working time arrangements at the workplace, pay and bonus systems, and satisfaction with the pay level. The respondents' participation in job-related training and the development of the workplace was investigated. The use of virtual workspaces and social media services such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs as part of work tasks was charted. Autonomy at work was surveyed by asking about influence over own work tasks and working pace, over the distribution of work in the workplace, and about working to a tight schedule. The respondents were asked about working outside the main workplace as well as work-related calls, emails and messages they had had to attend to outside their official working hours in the past 12 months. One set of questions investigated the employees' perceived workload, capacity to work, estimates of own mental and physical capacity to work, and sickness absences. The respondents were asked how likely they thought it was that they would be dismissed or temporarily laid off, or that their tasks would change over the next year. Views were probed on the respondents' likelihood of getting an equal job if they became unemployed, on the general employment situation in Finland, possible changes in working life in general, and the employer's financial situation. Finally, the respondents were asked how often they felt a community spirit at work, received appreciation from colleagues and partners, were able to fully utilise their professional skills, and had time to come up with new ideas. Background variables included, among others, the respondent's year of birth, age, gender, status in employment, employer type, weekly working hours, industry of employment, overtime, type of contract, and socioeconomic status.
According to a study conducted between February and March 2021, 54 percent of the African businesses that took part in the survey forecast that in 2021 there would be no employee lay-offs due to the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Moreover, only 12 percent revealed that a net decrease in staff was expected (compared to 18 percent in 2020, mainly affecting small and micro companies). On the other hand, 23 percent of the businesses would employ even more employees.