Work and Vacation: Sustainability of Labor in the Finnish Eldercare System

Abstract

This paper presents an ethnographic analysis of the intersection of “good care” and “good work” within eldercare organizations in Finland. As a social democratic welfare state, Finland has historically upheld high standards in care services alongside robust labor protections, notably through its comprehensive leave system. However, in the context of a care market characterized by a severe shortage of human resources, the dual goals of high-quality care and secure working conditions are becoming harder to sustain. The growing emphasis on work optimization, in particular, has placed significant strain on care workers. Through detailed ethnographic observations, this study explores how these shifts are affecting both the quality of eldercare and the working conditions of home care staff. Additionally, the paper investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the deterioration of working conditions, further devaluing care labor itself. Care workers are often caught in a dilemma, having to balance provision of adequate care with preservation of their own working environment, a tension that is negotiated daily in individual workplaces. Through this analysis, the paper reflects on the nature of care as labor and examines the broader societal framework within which labor protections, such as the leave system, are embedded.