News
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Iceland: light at the end of the tunnel?
When faced with an economic crisis, Icelanders used to simply buckle down and work harder for a while. Now they’re faced with the unusual situation of having no jobs to go to. This economic crisis has hit everybody hard, and especially the unemployed.
7 minutes -
The best research has people-focus
Working life research in the Nordic region has highlighted big changes in how businesses are run. So-called borderless working life offers flexible working hours and less division between work and leisure. But what are the long-term consequences?
7 minutes -
Making new welfare policy in the US
Can conditional cash payments help your kids stay in school or do well on tests or help families beat the poverty trap? It was proven successful in Mexico, New York City is testing it now, and Britain’s Gordon Brown is watching closely to see if there is something to learn.
7 minutes -
A new labour policy for the North
Norway should completely open up its three northernmost counties to labour immigration from Russia. The government also wants to end restrictions on labour from Bulgaria and Romania earlier than planned.
5 minutes -
Spread of franchises weakens unions
Nordic trade unions have been very active in the fight against social dumping of foreign labour. But little has been done to stop entire business sectors from adapting the franchise model – a model which pushes aside most union rights.
4 minutes
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From before cradle to grave
If the new president asked: What would you recommend to really combat poverty?
2 minutes
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Working Nation: The Mindset of the Enterprising Icelanders
The Icelanders are known for being a great working nation. No nation has a larger part of the population in employment at any one time.
6 minutes -
New ideas for virtual job seeking
After more than a decade with vacancy databanks on the Internet, it is hard to imagine a time when job searches were not made electronically. Information technology has widened the reach of the companies and multiplied the choice for the jobseekers. But has it improved the matching?
3 minutes -
Striking the right work-life balance
There’s a lot of focus on finding a balance between work and private life these days. Despite all the good intentions, it is hard to imagine real change will come about before we seriously address the difficulties in getting the right mix of family and working life.
5 minutes -
The Nordic region: defying economic theory
The Nordic countries defy many of the traditional economic theories. Despite having large public sectors, strong unions, small wage differences, generous welfare states and high taxes, their economies have fared better than those of most countries.
5 minutes