State Secretary Nykänen to visit Moldova: Council of Europe conference to address high-quality working life, innovations and workforce wellbeing

Due to technological advances and the green transition, work is undergoing a major transformation, which underlines the importance of safeguarding workers’ rights. This will be among the topics addressed at the Council of Europe’s High-Level Conference on Social Rights in Chișinău, Moldova on 18–19 March 2026. State Secretary Mika Nykänen will attend the meeting on behalf of Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen.

State Secretary Mika Nykänen will deliver Finland’s speech on the future of work at the Council of Europe’s High-Level Conference on Social Rights. At the end of the conference, the Member States will adopt a declaration affirming their commitment to social rights and the European Social Charter.

Rapid technological, economic and environmental changes currently pose a challenge to the foundations of labour markets and social rights. In addition to creating opportunities, these changes have also brought to the fore serious questions about security, justice and dignity of work.

“A key factor in this transformation of work is dialogue. An open and continuous dialogue between employees, employers and public-sector operators is now more important than ever. Only through dialogue will it be possible to balance interests, anticipate disruptions and ensure sustainable and fair transitions.

An open-minded approach to the future of work is another key factor. Artificial intelligence can reduce routine tasks, improve safety and allow employees to focus on more meaningful and creative work. These benefits will have the most impact if employees themselves are involved in the design and deployment of new technologies. Alongside any gains in productivity, a human-centred approach to artificial intelligence should aim to strengthen employees’ wellbeing,” says State Secretary Mika Nykänen.

“In this changing environment, the most critical infrastructure in society are skilled and motivated people with a high level of wellbeing. The quality of working life is closely linked to employment and sustainable economic growth. We must develop ways to ensure work is fair and dignified in future too. For example, Finland is currently drafting a forward-looking development strategy for a productive and high-quality working life by 2035,” Nykänen adds.

Inquiries:
Mika Nykänen, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 266
​​​​​​​Katja Honkonen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 171

The Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected]