The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), a sectoral institute of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH), is highly regarded nationally and internationally as a leading institution in the area of occupational health. This report provides the assessment of an International Evaluation Group (IEG) of scientists1 who were requested by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in Finland to evaluate policy relevance and innovation chain efficiency of FIOH. The 2009 International Evaluation Group ascertains that the FIOH has been radically transformed to better cover the needs of occupational health in Finland in the future. Most of the recommendations of the 2004 evaluation have successfully been put into effect. The process of transformation is not complete in 2009 and, therefore, some of the effects of changes are not yet visible. The present evaluation should be followed up within a minimum of at least five years but possibly even earlier.

The International Evaluation Group (IEG) finds that the FIOH is poised to contribute to addressing the central critical issue of the economic productivity of Finland. While the country is in the upper echelon of nations in terms of productivity, it will be increasingly more difficult to raise productivity faster than other industrialized countries in the future. Productivity is at the core of Finland's viability and well-being, relying on the health of the country's economic structure and workforce. Labour productivity is affected by an aging workforce and decreased time at work. The IEG concludes that the FIOH has effectively reorganized to focus on these critical issues, empowering staff, workers and employers to take action and to aid the decisions of various governmental authorities to improve productivity and well-being at work.

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is an established name as one of the worldleading institutes of occupational health. It has maintained and even reinforced this prominent position after the reorganization. The reorganization of the FIOH is driven by seven Strategic Goals that address the needs of the MSAH and the nation. The means for achieving these goals is the development of a new organizational structure. From being a traditional hierarchy, the FIOH has now changed into a matrix organization, composed of Centres of Expertise and directed by the Strategic Goals. The Centres of Expertise are organized in teams. In addition, the FIOH has established innovative organizational entities, Units of Excellence and Thematic areas, based on internal excellence as well as societal needs. The FIOH is commended for its new and innovative organization, which increases the ability of the FIOH to pursue the needs of Finnish working life.

Göran Bondjers, Paulien Bongers, Marilyn Fingerhut, Timo Kauppinen,
Stavroula Leka, Paul Schulte, Vappu Taipale, Hannu Uusitalo. Meeting Future Needs of Finnish Working Life Through a Healthy Workforce 2009 International Evaluation of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Helsinki 2009. 242 pp.
Reports of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2009:27
ISBN 978-952-00-2837-4 (paperback)
ISBN 978-952-00-2838-1 (PDF)
ISSN 1236-2115 (print)
ISSN 1797-9897 (online)