Finnish startups fear job creation
The startup barometer was published by the Finnish Startup Community FSC for the first time. The purpose of the quarterly publication is to document the views of companies and investors operating in the startup ecosystem on their own and the surrounding economic situation.
According to the barometer, Finnish startups have strong trust in their own growth potential. The economic situation in the surrounding area does not have the same confidence.
The deterioration of the security situation in Finland's immediate environment caused by Russia is also a concern for the companies. In the past few years, those that responded to the Finnish Startup Barometer have increased their staff. The majority of companies believe that they will increase their headcount in the near future. There are indications from other statistics that the lack of a skilled workforce is an obstacle to growth. As many as 56 percent of respondents said that a shortage of skilled labor was a barrier to growth or at least slowing it down. It is in our nation's interest that the solution to the talent shortage is tackled with strong measures. In the future, Finland s new high-productivity jobs will increasingly be created by startups, according to FSC economist Youssef Zad.
The competition for experts in the market is fierce and the attraction of experts must be based on a variety of means, says Mikael Thuneberg, CEO and founder of Supermetrics. For example, we look at the salaries of our employees on a quarterly basis instead of annual salary rounds, which allows us to react quickly to changes in the market situation. Thuneberg says that all of our employees will benefit from the fruits of growth through our stock option program. The strong and diverse organizational culture of Supermetrics adds to its attractiveness, as well as the salary and various benefits. While our growth has been rapid, the constant challenge we've faced since the beginning of Huuva is finding the right talent, says Ville Lepp, CEO and co-founder of Huuva. We are looking out for technical people but also for folks skilled in international growth and kitchen operations, from line cooks to expansion managers. According to FSC economist Youssef Zad, startups coordinate labor market demand and supply, despite having competitive salaries, so we're probably the first employer ever to offer signing bonuses for kitchen staff. If there is a shortage of labor, the price of labor must seek a new balance. Huuva's approach to skills shortages is very topical, given the recent labor market disputes in Finland, Zad ponders.