Danfoss in Vaasa modifies hiring practices to attract foreign talent amid labor shortages

Two years ago, the electronics company Danfoss in Vaasa faced a significant labor shortage, requiring dozens of employees but finding only a handful of applicants. In response, the company abandoned its Finnish language requirement and changed its job postings to English. This shift resulted in an influx of 350 applications in just one week, predominantly from unemployed foreigners living in Finland.

Heidi Saarinen, Danfoss’s HR manager in Vaasa, argues that businesses need to broaden their perspectives, emphasizing that positive attitude can be more crucial than language skills when assessing local talent. Previously, Danfoss upheld its language requirement for safety reasons, a common practice in the industrial sector. However, Saarinen noted that a safe work environment had been maintained without any accidents attributed to language barriers.

Matti Välimäki, a senior researcher at E2 Research, observed a growing trend of companies across Finland relaxing language requirements. As foreign labor is increasingly viewed as a solution to declining work-age populations, the need for skilled immigrants has become more acute. While foreign workers made up only 5.9% of employed individuals in Finland in 2022, they contributed significantly to the overall employment growth, accounting for over half of the increase from 2017 to 2022.

In the Ostrobothnia region, local development companies have recently begun focusing on attracting foreign labor. According to a survey from the Ostrobothnia Chamber of Commerce, 46% of local businesses reported hiring foreigners in the past year, a rise from 38% the previous year. Maria Haglund, a project manager at Vasek, supports the idea of dropping language requirements to attract international talent, warning that a strict Finnish language mandate could hinder valuable skill acquisition in a competitive global market.

Despite the challenges, learning the Finnish language remains beneficial for integration. In collaboration with a local vocational school, Danfoss offers Finnish language classes during work hours, allowing foreign employees to improve their language skills and adapt to their new work environment.