Work and free time

Occupational safety and health

The main aim of occupational safety and health (OSH) is to improve the working environment and conditions, protect the health and working capacity of employees, and prevent accidents and occupational illnesses.

OSH aims to promote good working environments through health and safety, mental wellbeing and reasonable employment conditions. Work must not result in harm to employees’ mental or physical health.

OSH is a cooperative endeavor between employers and employees, and where OSH representatives act on behalf of employees. Responsibility for OSH lies with employers and shop stewards, the OSH administration, and all employees.

Workplaces of at least 10 employees have an OSH representative and two deputies that the staff choose. Employers also nominate a head of OSH, and maybe an OSH committee and OSH ombudsman.

In journalistic work, the focus of OHS is on maintaining working capacity and mental wellbeing, training, equality, overtime, ergonomics, lighting and air conditioning, office and indoor air hygiene, heating, social facilities, fire safety and work equipment safety.

Occupational counselling

Occupational counselling concerns work, the work community, and your own role, analysing and clarifying them in terms of feelings and experiences.

Occupational counselling gives you the opportunity to get an angle on how well you are coping with your work and to improve your relationship with your work. By interacting with a professional guidance counsellor, and possibly other participants, you can get a clearer view of yourself and your work.

Occupational counselling helps you manage in your job and remain healthy. Ideally, it involves small groups of 3 – 6 participants, meeting some 15 times in one-and-a-half hour sessions, held every 2 – 3 weeks. The guidance sessions can be organised in shorter or longer courses. The counselling is confidential.

Counsellors do not dole out specific advice or instructions, but through their questions help participants to locate their own solutions to their problems. Short occupational counselling courses can help in dealing with specific upheavals and crises.

Journalists who cover catastrophes and disasters, or who work in conflict zones may benefit from occupational counselling. It is also useful for shop stewards, who do not otherwise have the opportunity to examine their own work and situations at work.

Journalists facing problems at work often discuss about coping with workloads and the muddle of the daily routines in editorial offices. Freelancers often wish they had colleagues with whom they could share work-related matters. Occupational counselling allows one to work through a variety of ways of dealing with problems and challenges.