Finns appreciate the service industry, but the image of the jobs has gotten worse
The image of jobs in the service industry has changed dramatically in ten years. Photo: Gettyimages
According to Finns, work in the commercial, hospitality, restaurant and real estate industries is typically part-time but involves a great deal of social interaction.
In terms of image, the real estate business differs from the commercial, hotel and restaurant sectors in that most believe employees have clear job descriptions and work duties. Meanwhile, the risk of sexual harassment and violence is thought to be higher in the hotel and restaurant industry.
These are results from the tenth annual PAM survey on the appeal of the service industry, conducted as previously by Kantar TNS. A total of 1,165 people were interviewed for the survey in October and November on the image they have of the commercial, hospitality and restaurant as well as real estate sectors.
According to the survey, most Finns appreciate the service industry and the people who work in it. The commercial sector as well as the hotel and restaurant industry are seen as particularly popular among young people. However, the image of these sectors as youth favourites has decreased over the past ten years. While ten years ago, 53% of respondents thought that the commercial sector was favoured by young employees, this time only 43% did. A similar drop occurred in the hotel and restaurant industry, from 54% to 33%.
According to Sakari Nurmela, director of public affairs at Kantar TNS, points out that while the changes are minor in the short term, the public’s view of PAM’s fields has shifted significantly in ten years.
The ratings for how interesting the work is, or how much skill the duties require – key aspects for work that feels meaningful – have gone down by half in the course of ten years.
See the full survey results here. (in Finnish)