Workplace assessment in Finland: a practical employer guide

Editorial update 26.10.2026

A workplace assessment is an occupational health evaluation of the health significance of work and working conditions. The employer supplies background information and enables participation; occupational health professionals make the assessment; the findings lead to workplace action. Office and hybrid teams of 5–50 people also need this assessment.

Why carry out a workplace assessment?

The Finnish työpaikkaselvitys, workplace assessment, establishes what people actually do and which factors may affect health or work ability. In an office, this is not just about furniture: interruptions, time pressure, control over work, working hours and collaboration practices can also matter. Occupational health professionals evaluate their health significance.

The assessment is not the same as the employer's own hazard identification and risk assessment. The two support one another, but the employer's document does not replace the occupational health assessment. Nor is this an individual employee's medical examination or simply another name for a wellbeing survey.

Statutory occupational healthcare provides prevention based on the work. Assessment helps determine what your workplace needs. It is not a reason to purchase identical examination packages for everyone or a promise that every recommendation is included in the existing monthly fee.

Inputs for a team of 5–50 people

Nominate one employer contact and agree how employees and their representatives will participate. Send information through the agreed secure channel. Describe work and conditions: the employer should not collect diagnoses to prepare for the assessment.

Useful inputs include:

• headcount, task groups and the main content of the work;
• office, remote-working and any client-site arrangements;
• hours, availability expectations, travel and known sources of workload;
• the employer's risk assessment and any previous workplace assessment;
• progress on previous recommendations and upcoming changes;
• work ability support practices and a safely compiled overview of workplace conditions.

In a small team, apparently anonymous information may still identify someone. Describe backlogs or work organisation rather than an identifiable person's illness. Individual health information belongs in occupational health professionals' confidential patient work, not in the employer's preparation pack.

How the process works

First, agree the purpose, scope, participants and delivery method with the provider. In office and hybrid work some information can be collected remotely, but occupational health decides what workplace visit or other evaluation is necessary. A video call is not automatically sufficient for every workplace.

Next, professionals examine the background information and actual conditions. Employees' accounts help explain how work happens in practice. Follow-up questions may concern opportunities to recover or how the business identifies workload problems among remote employees. Make time for these discussions rather than expecting the provider to infer working practices from an organisation chart.

Finally, findings, their health significance and recommendations are documented in a written report. Review the results together. Ask for clarification if a recommendation's purpose, urgency or next handling step is unclear. Receiving a report does not itself change working arrangements.

Responsibilities and the written output

The employer arranges the service, supplies accurate background information and implements workplace improvements. Occupational health professionals are responsible for their professional assessment and recommendations. Employees contribute knowledge about everyday work and participate in agreed workplace practices.

The report should make clear what work was assessed, which health-relevant factors were identified and what is recommended next. Agree how employees can access the workplace report. A report intended for the employer should not become a list of employees' diagnoses.

The occupational health action plan is a separate document: it sets objectives, activities, responsibilities and follow-up based on the assessment. This guide prepares the assessment rather than supplying a ready-made action plan. Once findings are available, agree with the provider how they will be translated into planned activities and tracked in normal management routines.

Illustrative example

A 12-person hybrid team supplies descriptions of working hours, project prioritisation and remote-working arrangements. In a joint discussion, employees describe constant interruptions and unclear availability expectations. Occupational health evaluates the health significance; the employer does not use the discussion to draw conclusions about individual employees' health.

When reviewing the report, the business decides to clarify communication channels and responsibility for prioritising work. An owner and review date are assigned. Any additional occupational health guidance is agreed separately according to need and contract terms. This is not a universal legal requirement for a particular meeting format or a promise about package contents.

When should the assessment be revisited?

Agree the next review with occupational health according to the work's needs. Track implementation of previous recommendations. The action plan's annual review does not mean that the entire workplace assessment must automatically be repeated every year.

Contact the provider earlier when work, conditions or workload change materially. An office move, a new task group, changed hours or a redesigned hybrid model may justify assessing the need for an update. Do not treat an invented headcount-growth percentage as a statutory trigger for renewal.

Questions about costs

Ask in writing whether preparation, the visit, the report and the results meeting are included. Check which professionals are involved, hourly charges, travel costs and potential additional assessments. Establish the price of later updates and how extra work must be approved.

Kela reimbursement is not an automatic discount on an invoice. Eligible activities, documentation and cost ceilings affect reimbursement. Compare delivery suitable for the work and gross costs first, rather than relying on providers' assumed net figures.

Downloadable company-process template: Workplace assessment preparation worksheet

Before the workplace assessment, gather a description of tasks, working locations, working hours and known workload factors. Use this worksheet to agree participation, delivery of background material and follow-up. It helps you prepare; the occupational health professional performs the actual assessment.

• Download blank HTML template — fill offline and print on A4 or save as PDF using your browser print dialog.
• Download editable Markdown template — open in a text editor and adapt to company practice.

Template version 2026-10-26. Blank company-process preparation template, not an individual employee case form. Do not enter names, diagnoses, medication, absence history or identifiable case details. Use the employer’s approved secure process for real employee cases. This template does not store or submit information. Editorial process aid, not individual medical or legal advice; medical review pending.

To use the template, agree the responsible role, complete fields describing company procedures and confirm unresolved arrangements with occupational health. Do not fill it with a real employee’s case details.

Company and responsibilities

• Company / unit.
• Company version and date.
• Responsible role and backup role.
• Headcount band.

Description of work

• Task groups and work content.
• Office / remote split in Finland.
• Hours, travel and reachability.
• Changes since the previous assessment.
• Work-related workload factors and resources (no employee health statistics).

Material and participation

• Existing risk assessment document reference.
• Status of previous actions.
• Employee participation method.
• Agreed secure delivery channel.

Confirm with occupational health

• Assessment scope and method to confirm.
• Role arranging the results meeting.
• Follow-up method for actions.

The template table prepares these items: Work-related observation; Proposed action; Owner ROLE; Target date; Follow-up status.

Fictitious example: A fictitious 12-person software team describes interruptions in shared messaging channels. Preparation records a proposal for protected concentration periods, the role responsible for prioritisation and a review date. Occupational health evaluates the significance separately. This is not evidence of a medical outcome.

Does this replace the workplace assessment?

No. This is preparation. An occupational health professional carries out the actual assessment and report.

What should we bring?

Descriptions of work and locations, the existing risk assessment and the status of previous actions. Do not include employee health statistics.

Is a remote visit sufficient?

The provider assesses an appropriate method for the workplace’s needs; this worksheet does not decide whether remote delivery is sufficient.

This is an original StartHealth editorial aid, not a reproduction of a TTL form. The process is informed by TTL guidance, checked 26 October 2026. Suomenkielinen pohja ja opas.

Next step

Request a quote and agree how to submit background information. Read about the statutory minimum, health examinations and actual package coverage.

Sources

• Occupational safety authority: workplace assessment.
• Occupational Health Care Act 1383/2001.
• Kela: reimbursable occupational healthcare.

Sources checked 26 October 2026. Delivery should be planned for the needs of your workplace.