Equality and non-discrimination
Achieving equality and non-discrimination in the organisation is everyone’s responsibility. Our employees are our most important resource, and we want this to be reflected in our operations and daily work. To build a sustainable society, we need diverse people, perspectives, and skills. Only in this way can we produce research and expert services from insightful perspectives.
Focus on essentials in recruitment
The recruitment principles of Syke are based on the premise that the recruitment practices of a public organisation must be clear and transparent. The selection process ensures equality by choosing the employee who best meets the criteria and is most suitable for the position. The selection criteria emphasise the essential aspects of the job, and excellent Finnish language skills are not required if they are not necessary for the successful performance of the job.
We encourage all genders equally to apply for managerial positions, demanding expert and research positions, and project management roles. Our job titles are gender-neutral. Job advertisements are designed to neither favor nor discriminate against applicants based on gender, and to attract candidates from diverse groups. Whenever possible, interview panels include interviewers of different genders.
Fairness in compensation reviewed annually
At the Finnish Environment Institute, employee compensation is determined based on a detailed collective agreement on the salary system. Employee salaries are reviewed based on significant changes in job duties and good performance, although Syke’s ability to provide financial rewards is limited. According to salary statistics, the pay gap between men and women at Syke is minimal at the same level of job demands. The salary system at Syke is being reformed with the aim of clarifying the system and increasing transparency.
Linguistic equality
We consider linguistic and cultural equality. We are a multilingual work community, and we use Finnish and English as our internal working languages. We encourage our staff to learn both Finnish and English within the work community.
Work and personnel – high job satisfaction at Syke
Employees are encouraged to participate in planning, development, and decision-making. In the spring of 2021, employees were involved in creating the new strategy. According to the 2023 job satisfaction survey, the content of work and the ability to influence one’s own work were rated highly (4.26 on a scale of 1–5). Overall job satisfaction was 3.85.
Job tasks are distributed fairly based on competence, without regard to gender, age, or other personal characteristics. The status of fixed-term employees is reviewed twice a year. We consider linguistic and cultural equality, and essential information is translated into English. We are also working to make Syke’s operational environment more accessible. The needs of staff working at different locations are taken into account.
The age distribution at Syke is fairly even, with an average age of 46 years, and the largest age group is 45-49 years old. 59% of the staff are women.
Balancing work and private life
Syke has a positive attitude towards parental leave and flexible working hours, and our working time model is very flexible. The goal is that arrangements for balancing work and family, such as working hours and leave, or the use of parental leave and other leaves of absence, do not affect career progression. We also encourage new parents to take their parental leave equally.
Observations of inappropriate behavior and harassment are investigated
A good work atmosphere includes appropriate behavior, consideration of diversity, taking others into account, and caring for one another. Any form of workplace bullying or harassment is not tolerated.
Syke has an early intervention model in place to investigate observations of inappropriate behavior or harassment. We extensively discussed this model with the staff in the spring of 2022. We have also implemented safer space principles in the events we organise.
Equality and non-discrimination are continuously monitored
We are developing ways to assess how equality and non-discrimination are realised in our organisation. In our evaluations, we consider reports on equality and non-discrimination, salary statistics, results from the job satisfaction survey (VMBaro), and conclusions from internal audits. We increase awareness of equality and non-discrimination among management, supervisors, and staff through communication and training.