EVA survey of Finnish attitudes indicates comeback of “hard values”

Economic growth seen as more important, environmental issues less of a concern

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Finns consider economic growth to be more important than it was a year ago, while fewer see climate change as a threat, according to the results of a recent survey on values and attitudes put out by the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA.
      “Economic growth is in fashion again, while there is a dip in soft values”, says Ilkka Haavisto, who wrote a report titled “Cultural Revolution in Working Life, which was made public on Tuesday.
     
A year ago only one out of four Finns agreed with the assertion that continued well-being could only be based on economic growth.
      Now 39 per cent see a direct linkage between growth and well-being - a ten-point rise from 2009.
      Scepticism about climate change also seems to be growing.
     
In recent years about four out of five Finns have seen climate change as the biggest threat of our time, requiring rapid action. Now only two thirds of Finns feel this way.
      At the same time, the proportion of Finns who say that they would be willing to cut back on their own standard of living in order to ease environmental problems has declined by more than ten percentage points in a year.
      The figure is at its lowest point since 1984, when EVA first started publishing reports on values and attitudes.
     
Haavisto says that one possible reason for the change is that the survey was conducted in January and February this year, when Finland was in the grip of an unusually severe winter.
      There has also been a cooling trend in attitudes toward immigration.
     
While there has been a hardening trend in values, Finns also yearn for more flexibility and soft values at work.
      A positive atmosphere at the workplace, an interesting job, and a good boss, in that order, are the most important aspects.
      In all age groups, job security was seen as more important than pay, status, or career advancement.
     
A large majority of respondents, 82 per cent, felt that the pace at work is too intense, and that many suffer from burnout.
      At the same time almost as many respondents said that they are satisfied with their work and their jobs.
      The report found that Finns are not willing to work more than before, and they would like to have more free time.
     
Young people especially appreciate free time. They would like to spend more time with their hobbies and with friends.
      Haavisto says that work means less for young people than for older population groups, no matter how it is measured.
      Whereas two thirds of those over 56 agree with the statement that “work is the most important part of the content of a person’s life”, seven out of ten of those under 36 felt the exact opposite way.
     
“A big question is if the view of parents and young people fundamentally different, or if attitudes will change with time”, Haavisto ponders.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Survey suggests disenchantment with capitalism (10.3.2009)

Links:
  Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA

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