Browse by country - Norway - 2011
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14 November 2011: Impact of the More Inclusive Working Life Agreement (Norway / Information update)
In Norway, the tripartite Agreement on a More Inclusive Working Life (IA Agreement) has been extended three times since it was signed in 2001. Two reports by the National Institute of Occupational Health show that, for 1994–2005, the duration of sick leave was on average shorter for employees in an IA company than for those in companies without an agreement. The level of disability benefits was also significantly lower for IA employees than for non-IA employees.
19 September 2011: Norway: EWCO CAR on Recent Developments in Work Organisation in the EU 27 Member States and Norway (Norway / National Contribution)
The Norwegian working population has the shortest weekly working time in Europe. The extent of shift and rotation workers has increased steadily in recent years, and the proportion of night and shift workers in Norway are higher than for most other countries. Norwegian working life is also characterized by a high degree of working time flexibility, high levels of job demands and job control, and good opportunities for professional development for most employees. In terms of improving work organisation the social partners focus on participation and involvement in the workplace as well as a better use of company health services.
28 July 2011: Norway: EWCO CAR on working conditions of nationals with a foreign background (Norway / National Contribution)
Nationals with a foreign background constitute 11.4 percent of the population in Norway, with the largest groups coming from Poland, Pakistan and Sweden. Among these groups, 20 percent did not complete any education, while 25 percent specified to have higher education. The proportion of workers was 57 percent for immigrants and 72 percent for the whole population. In general, non-western immigrants are overrepresented in jobs with no educational requirements, report to experience poorer psychosocial work environment, report a higher incidence of mechanical exposures and have a nearly three times greater incidence of accidents than the rest of the working population.
20 April 2011: Effort–reward imbalance and overcommitment for municipality employees (Norway / Information update)
Norwegian local authority workers took part in a study to validate a Norwegian version of the Effort–Reward Imbalance Questionnaire which examined variables such as self-reported general health, psychological distress, musculoskeletal complaints and work-related burnout. People with high effort–reward and overcommitment scores had less favourable health scores, and those with low effort–reward and overcommitment scores had more favourable health scores.
25 March 2011: Older workers face discrimination (Norway / Information update)
Annual surveys carried out by Synovate for the Centre for Senior Policy since 2003 have revealed perceived age discrimination among older employees in Norway. The 2010 survey found that, although the prevalence of age discrimination is still lower than seven years ago, it increased in 2010 compared with 2009 for some unknown reason. Discrimination against older employees remains widespread in Norway, though older workers appear more welcome in the public sector.
15 March 2011: Effects of shift work in the Norwegian petroleum industry on family and social life (Norway / Information update)
The effects of working shifts on 1,697 workers in the Norwegian petroleum industry on social and domestic/family life were investigated based on responses to a questionnaire on work–life balance. Although some problems were reported, especially for the group working ‘one day period and one night period offshore’, most participants reported few problems, suggesting that the availability of more leisure time may be a positive feature of shift work in the industry.
01 March 2011: Norway: EWCO CAR on Getting prepared for the upswing: Training and Qualification during the Crisis (Norway / National Contribution)
Norway is in a unique financial situation globally and has therefore been less affected by the financial crisis than most other countries. Some sectors, like the building and construction sector are however in need of measurements to mitigate the effect of the recession. Several proposals from the social partners have been adopted by the government, including measurements emphasizing on in-house training, education leave / training and labour marked training. Although it is too early to call of the crisis there are several signs that the economic bottom is reached in Norway, and we are facing a new period of growth.