Podcast: Working Life for Everyone?

Racism and the Language Barrier, episode 1/3: Mona Eid - The Big Picture

(audio in English)

What does racism look like in the Finnish world of work today? How and where does it manifest? What are some of the common misconceptions regarding racism? Mona Eid, a Senior Planning Officer at the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL) as well as a long-time collaborator at Ruskeat tytöt, talks also a little about of her own career story and a new online course by THL focusing on antiracism.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Racism and the Language Barrier, episode 2/3: Sunna Mbye - The day-to-day in DEI in Finland

(audio in English)

What does DEI stand for? What is on people’s minds regarding DEI at Finnish workplaces and organizations? Sunna Mbye, a DEI Specialist and Project Coordinator at the company deidei as well as a recent graduate from Tampere University, also discusses her career path after graduation and shares some sage advice she would now say to a younger version of herself still struggling with the Master’s thesis.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Racism and the Language Barrier, episode 3/3: Shadia Rask - Research and Praxis

(audio in English)

What does recent research have to say about racism in the Finnish world of work and about the means for dismantling it? How can this knowledge be applied to practice in recruitment as well as in our corporate cultures? THL Research Manager Shadia Rask also shares some thoughts about her life after the PhD and how she is able to conduct and utilise research in her current job outside the university.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Disability, Partial Work Ability and Ableism 1/3: Anni Kyröläinen – Structural Barriers to Employment

(audio in Finnish)

What do ableism, partial work ability or the social model of disability mean? And what is the ecosystem of employment? Expert, founder of Riesa Consultative Oy and general secretary of the Disability Forum, Anni Kyröläinen discusses the report she made for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland, in which she mapped the structural obstacles to the employment of disabled people and ways to dismantle them. In addition, Anni talks about her own experiences at the University of Helsinki and her journey as an entrepreneur.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Disability, Partial Work Ability and Ableism 2/3: Amu Urhonen – Disability Activism, Research and Politics

(audio in Finnish)

How do activism and expertise fit together? What are some of the problems in the current legislation? Activist, expert, and politician Amu Urhonen talks about her experiences and views on ableism in the Finnish society and, for example, a new research project on disability activism in which she works as a researcher. But did the interview slip into inspiration porn?

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Disability, Partial Work Ability and Ableism 3/3: Jaana Pakarinen – NGOs Dismantling Ableism

(audio in Finnish)

What kind of advocacy work do disability organizations do regionally and nationally? What is the ISP Model? Vates Foundation CEO Jaana Pakarinen also opens up her thoughts on what kind of cooperation between different sectors of society is still needed to promote equality in Finnish working life.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Genders and sexualities at work 1/3: Johanna Naukkarinen – The Gender Segregated Working Life

(audio in Finnish)

The Finnish labour market is among the most gender segregated in the EU. Why? What do horizontal and vertical segregation mean? How can this segregation be dismantled? LUT University researcher Johanna Naukkarinen also asks three questions that each of us would do well to think about when we think about our own future.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Gender and sexualities at work 2/3: Anukatariina Saloheimo – Gender Diversity in the Workplace

(audio in Finnish)

What do the reports commissioned by trans organizations tell about the encounter of gender diversity in the working life? What to do if you encounter discrimination related to your gender or sexual identity? NGO activist, expert and entrepreneur Anukatariina Saloheimo also briefly discusses becoming an entrepreneur during retirement.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.
 

Genders and Sexualities at Work 3/3: Late Mäntylä: Non-Binary Identities, Well-Being, and Work

(audio in Finnish)

Why and how can the harmony-seeking nature of work communities also be a problem? Are non-binary identities and spirituality still taboos in the working life? Late Mäntylä, the university chaplain of the rainbow minorities, also talks about eg. minority stress, loneliness and the challenges of occupational health services.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Career in the Age of Ecological Crises 1/3: Panu Pihkala – Ecological Emotions

(audio in Finnish)

What are ecological emotions, why are they studied and what should each of us at least understand about them? Why is climate anxiety often seen only as a matter for young people? Researcher, writer and educator Panu Pihkala also shares his thoughts on hope, finding meaning in your work and the importance of tolerating things being in the process.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, in English or in Swedish.

Bonus: Check out also the podcast "Climate Change and Happiness" by Pihkala and psychologist Thomas Doherty (only in English).

Career in the Age of Ecological Crises 2/3: Ellinoora Vesala - Global Solidarity

(audio in English) 

How are human rights related to the ecocrises? Why should we care about the working conditions of people living on the other side of the globe? What is decent work? Ellinoora Vesala, head of domestic operations of SASK, The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland, also sheds light on the connection between global inequality and eco-crises and explains why it is so essential for employees to organise.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, English or Swedish.

Career in the Age of Ecological Crises 3/3: Tiina Taipale – Sustainable Careers

(audio in English)

Can you build a sustainable career if your field of study is not related to sustainability? What is the difference between strong and weak sustainability? Has sustainability become a buzzword used to cover up greenwashing? Tiina Taipale, who works as a specialist at the SYKLI Environmental School of Finland, also tells us what we should all at least understand about strong sustainability and considers what the world of work that fitted within the planetary boundaries could look like.

Read the transcript of the episode in Finnish, English  or Swedish.

If you are looking for a community of peers related to the themes of the podcast, check out for example these student organizations: 

• Students of Color (SOCO) ry
• Crip Students ry
• Qaareva ry

Discrimination means that one person is treated worse than others in a comparable situation because of one or more personal characteristics of that person.

Discrimination can also be indirect. Indirect discrimination means that an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice puts a person at disadvantage compared with other persons based on a personal characteristic. It can be, for example inaccessible environment (physical or digital). 

If you experience discrimination at the university or in the working life, don’t keep it to yourself. You are not alone.

• If you wish to find a peer community in which to discuss your experiences, check out for example the student organizations mentioned in the paragraph ”Looking for a peer community?”
• If you wish to discuss your experiences confidentially, you can always contact eg. the study psychologists, career counsellors, or university chaplains. 

If you experience discrimination at the university or during a studies-related traineeship

• You can contact the university’s harrasment contact persons. 
• HYY also has their own harrasment contact persons you can contact.
• If you have been discriminated against or harrassed during a traineeship, you can also contact the education coordinator in your degree programme or the university’s Career Services (traineeships@helsinki.fi) so that it can be assessed whether cooperation with the employer in question can be continued or not. 

If you experience discrimination at the university as an employee

• Please consult Flamma for further information and instructions.

If you experience discrimination in the working life or in recruitment outside the university

Jurisdiction in cases of discrimination is defined by legislation.

• If you are uncertain about who you should contact regarding your experience of discrimination, you can always start by contacting the  Non-Discrimination Ombudsmans customer service. 
• If you suspect you have been discriminated against due to your gender, gender identity or gender expression, you can contact the Ombudsman for Equality.
• If you are a member of a trade union, you might get legal advice and support from there as well.