eityövoimaan

Eityövoimaan is a term encountered in Finnish discussions of labor markets and social policy. The word combines ei, meaning “not,” with työvoimaan, meaning “into the labor force,” and is typically used to denote a state of not participating in the labor force. Because it is not an official statistical category, its exact definition and usage can vary depending on the author or context.

Interpretations of eityövoimaan commonly refer to individuals who are outside the labor market, including students, retirees, people performing informal or unpaid work, caregivers, persons with disabilities, or those taking extended breaks from work. In policy debates, the concept may be invoked to discuss activation measures aimed at increasing labor market participation, or to highlight groups that face barriers to employment.

Relation to statistics: official labor market data generally distinguishes between employed, unemployed, and those not in the labor force. The notion of eityövoimaan is thus not a separate statistical column, but a descriptive or policy-oriented label used in discourse to discuss participation gaps or non-participation, rather than a precise census category.

Policy and debates: discussions framed around eityövoimaan often focus on how to reduce long-term non-participation through education, job training, childcare support, transportation, or flexible work arrangements. Critics may caution against stigmatizing individuals as not “in the labor force,” emphasizing voluntary non-participation or diverse personal circumstances.

See also: Työvoima (labor force), Työllisyys (employment), Työttömyys (unemployment), Työmarkkinat (labor markets), Aktivointi (activation).