Media release 9.2.2023
Two-thirds of Finns are in favour of a combined insurance, which would accrue unemployment security both as wage and salary earners and as entrepreneurs. Nearly half of Finns would also be interested in working as an entrepreneur themselves in addition to their paid work if it were more financially secure.
Nearly two out of three Finns support the introduction of a combined insurance. It would enable the accumulation of unemployment security for work performed simultaneously as an employee and as an entrepreneur.
These data derive from a survey commissioned by the Unemployment Fund for Highly Educated People (KOKO) at Kantar Public.
Currently, earnings-related unemployment security can be accrued either as an employee or as an entrepreneur, but the roles cannot be combined.
“The introduction of a combined insurance is essential,” says Outi Mäki, Managing Director of the KOKO Unemployment Fund.
An increasing number of Finns work alternately as wage and salary earners and as entrepreneurs or self-employed persons. “They need to get on the same level as the others. When the threshold for entrepreneurship is lowered, the whole of Finland will benefit. All work must be profitable,” says Outi Mäki.
The combined insurance is supported by a majority of voters from all six major parties in parliament. It is most supported by supporters of the Green League (74%) and the True Finns (68%).
69% of managers and senior staff support the introduction of the insurance, while 65% of employees support the introduction of the insurance. As many as 81% of entrepreneurs are in favour of a combined insurance.
Nearly half would combine paid work and entrepreneurship
Nearly half of Finns would also be interested in working simultaneously as an employee as well as an entrepreneur if it were more financially secure. This is what 42% of those surveyed say.
The most enthusiastic combiners of paid work and entrepreneurship are entrepreneurs (67%), representatives of the upper middle class (48%), the unorganized (48%) and voters of the Left Alliance (47%).
44 per cent of Finns would not be interested in working simultaneously in paid employment and as an entrepreneur, even if it were made more secure. 14% answered to the question that they did not know.
The respondents to the survey represent Finland’s population aged 18 or over, excluding those living in the province of Åland. The survey was conducted in Kantar Public’s panel of respondents online 6.–13.1.2023. The number of respondents was 1043. The statistical margin of error for the results is 3.1 percentage points in both directions.