Why EASWork?

In recent years the workforce in both Finland and Estonia, and in the Central Baltic Region has diversified greatly. This is especially true in the last year when Estonia received 62,000 Ukrainian refugees and Finland 45,000 due to the war in Ukraine. While there has been a long tradition of migrant workers from Estonia in Finland the increasing diversification means that businesses must also adapt their anti-discrimination policies so that they not only give equal access, but do so in a way that supports the cultural diversities of new residents in both countries. The fact that this need is shared directly between Estonia and Finland can be seen in the policy to resettle Ukrainian refugees in Estonia to Finland and the continuing movement of workforce between the two countries and within the region. In January 2023, Finland agreed to receive 50-100 Ukrainians a week to resettle from Estonia to Finland. In order to resettle and support these and other individuals, it is essential that both countries have work environments that support international employees in achieving their full potential in the local working environment.

Objectives

The overall objective of this project is therefore to work together with organizations in Finland and Estonia that often hire the largest amount of migrant workers to understand what their current antidiscrimination policies are and how these can and need to be improved to support migrant workers in the current and future context of diversifying work forces.

Output

The main output will be working closely with the organizations that hire migrants or refugees and working with NGOs that support migrants and refugees in adapting to identify the key changes that need to be made. We will work together with the organizations to apply these changes in the anti-discrimination policies of 10 businesses in both Estonia and Finland. This change in policy will not end with the organizations that implement them but will spread to the general business culture in both Estonia and Finland and eventually the entire region. On the receiving end, migrants and refugees will benefit from having the support they need to find work that matches their skills and qualifications. Organizations hiring migrants and refugees will themselves see easier access and have a stronger know how about including new workers into their workforce to increase efficiency and avoid an under utilized labour force. The local economy and society of Finland and Estonia will also benefit from the application of these policies which show that equal access alone is not enough but when complimented with support in the form of trainings and work culture acclimation.

How will we do it?

Partners will approach this project in five steps: 1) Analysis of the employment trends and needs concerning migrant workers and access/support to integrate into the workplace in Estonia and Finland 2) interviewing refugees and migrants to learn about their needs 3) Working with NGOs and businesses that work with migrants to learn about and compare their anti-discrimination policies and needs 4) Negotiating with businesses about which practices they can include in their antidiscrimination policies and implement these changes in the organizational documents and 5) sharing results about the improved anti-discrimination policies for future application. Due to the movement of people between Estonia and Finland and the previously discussed diversification of the workforce, this is a project which must be done cross-boarder and have the potential to be spread further in the Central Baltic Region and beyond.