The Government's new work environment strategy
The Government's work environment strategy has a major influence on work environment work in both the public and private sectors, including our higher education institutions. 2020 is the last year of the current strategy, “A work environment strategy for modern working life”, which has been in force since 2016. The government is now determining what the new strategy will contain, and we have a number of wishes. We appeal to the Government and Prime Minister Eva Nordmark, who is ultimately responsible, not to forget the student perspective. Unfortunately, it has been de-prioritized for a long time. It is important to just take a quick look at the alarming figures on students' mental health to understand that change is needed.
The student perspective
It is well known to students are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems, and SFS has on several occasions pointed out that part of the problem has to do with the fact that the work with students' work environment is neglected. Most higher education institutions take their responsibility at the central level, but in many cases the work is deficient further down in the organization. We believe that one of the most important steps here and now is to clarify which authority has the overall supervisory responsibility at national level.
On the one hand, UKÄ has the overall responsibility for supervising the universities' activities. On the other hand, the Swedish Work Environment Authority is responsible for supervision within the work environment area. We believe that it is clear in the law that the Swedish Work Environment Authority has a responsibility for the students' work environment, yet we have encountered great difficulties in conducting a dialogue with the Swedish Work Environment Authority on these issues. The responsibility is seldom translated into action. Therefore, we believe that the government must make it clear where the responsibility lies. We are open to the government being able to solve the problem in several different ways, but the gray zone that currently applies means that the issue ends up between the seats.
SFS proposes:
- that the government clearly justifies which authority is to be responsible for the tasks concerning students' work environment within the framework of the strategy.
- that students become a clearer target group in government assignments and the authorities' work related to the work environment
- that student organizations are included in the dialogues that the government and the authorities have with stakeholders in the work environment area.
- highlight the work against sexual harassment and discrimination as part of the work environment strategy
- the government gives an assignment on knowledge-raising measures on how the work with students' work environment can be organized and developed, to the Swedish Work Environment Authority or another suitable authority
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