Professions in the service sector are valued - the label of part-time work is strong
Photo: GettyImages.
According to a recent study commissioned by PAM, the importance of customer service work has become clearer than before for four out of five Finns during the corona pandemic.
For 10 years in a row, the union for service industries has been researching Finns' perceptions of its largest sectors and their attractiveness. The studied retail sector, accommodation and catering sector and facility services sector are slightly better known than before. Of the sectors, the facility services sector is the least known and the retail sector the best.
About four out of five (83 %) Finns feel that the time of the Covid-19 pandemic has in their minds emphasized the importance of the work of customer service workers in society.
On the other hand, the value of professions and workers has been on a good level so far. In all three sectors, at least four out of five Finns really value professions and employees. Appreciation has risen steadily since 2015.
In people's minds, the abundance of part-time work still dominates the image of the service industries. The social aspect of work is also strongly associated with the perceptions of the retail sector and the accommodation and catering industry. In the facility services sector, on the other hand, employees are thought to have clear jobs and responsibilities. Several link violence and sexual harassment to the accommodation and catering industry. In the commercial sector, the perception that there are successful entrepreneurs and employers in the sector has clearly weakened in 10 years. 10 years ago, 40 % had that image, now 22 %.
The perception that the sectors attract young people has been on a downward trend for a few years. However, the overall attractiveness of the retail sector (44 %) and the facilities services sector (27 %) as employers, has increased since last year. The attractiveness of the accommodation and catering sector remains the same (30 %).
The study commissioned by PAM has been carried out by TNS Gallup Oy. The target group of the study was working-age people (18-65 years old). 1,126 people were interviewed for the study. The statistical margin of error is 2.9 percentage points in its direction. The survey was carried out by a panel of respondents using the Internet for data transmission.
PAM's sector attractiveness barometer 2020 below (in Finnish)