Why rethinking work is essential for thriving in longer careers

According to Vuorenmaa, the key to a sustainable working life is to re-design working life and structures around work systematically and with a holistic perspective.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters is ensuring alignment across the organisation — its structures, leadership, and ways of working, including HR practices — so that they reinforce one another. Equally important is recognising that this work is never complete: building a sustainable working life requires ongoing reflection, critical questioning, and continuous development.”

Vuorenmaa emphasises that sustainability at work is not solely the responsibility of individuals. At the same time, she invites everyone, regardless of their role, to reflect on their own contribution: what might you do differently in your workday to help build a more sustainable working life?

A new understanding of what work means

Today’s biggest challenges for creating a sustainable working life are familiar: the global political and economic climate, environmental issues, and the post-pandemic workplace. Another challenge is that work is — and always has been — in constant flux. During every industrial revolution, people have worried about jobs disappearing, and the same fears are echoed today. Vuorenmaa argues that we should learn more from history.

“Everyone seems eager to move on, often with a strong focus on AI. While AI is undoubtedly important, digitalisation has already reshaped how we work more than we tend to acknowledge. We spend far more time in front of screens than is optimal, even though neuroscience suggests that our brains sustain peak productivity in screen-based work for only two to four hours a day. Still, we remain at our desks far longer, largely because we hold on to outdated notions of what a productive workday should look like.”

Vuorenmaa says that we need to fundamentally rethink what work means. 

“There is no universal model to follow. The real challenge lies in thinking differently, especially in a context where many hold deeply ingrained views about how work ought to be done.”

AI and hybrid work are not inherently good or bad

Vuorenmaa emphasises that AI is inherently neither positive nor negative. Its impact depends on how it’s designed and used. As early as the 2000s, researchers pointed to the significant potential of new technologies, provided they are implemented in ways that place people at the center.

“Organisations that simply ‘add AI on top’ are unlikely to gain a real advantage. The benefits come to those who think carefully about what technology is for and how it augments human work. The risk is allowing technology to set the terms. What’s needed instead is a much deeper understanding of the human dimension, which calls for a fundamental shift in thinking.”

She applies the same perspective to hybrid work, which is also neither good nor bad.

“There’s a persistent fear that everything will fall apart if people work remotely. Flexibility can make work and life more sustainable. At the same time, prolonged fully remote work can become problematic; people need opportunities to spend time together in person and to experience a sense of belonging. Hybrid work is here to stay, but it must be thoughtfully designed and sustainably managed.”

Social and emotional skills

Vuorenmaa highlights social and emotional skills as essential future capabilities. She is currently involved in the six‑year TAIMI project, which seeks to rethink the skills needed in working life more broadly, including, but not limited to, questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

“This is not about ideology, but about capability. It is about being able to work constructively with different kinds of people, including those who do not share your views. Research shows that teams that can navigate differences and engage with conflict productively are also more innovative.”

One of the central challenges in today’s labour market is growing polarisation. Those with education, and the willingness to continuously develop their skills, are well positioned to adapt. At the same time, individuals in roles that are disappearing, and who are unable or unwilling to reskill, risk being left behind. This dynamic also affects young people, as many traditional entry-level roles, often their first point of access to working life, are declining.

“We need to think more creatively about the kinds of roles that will emerge alongside technological development, including new entry points into the labour market. It is also a misconception that older people are inherently less capable with technology, or that younger people are automatically digitally skilled.”

Longer working lives demand change

A common misconception, Vuorenmaa notes, is that building a sustainable working life is mainly about so-called “soft” issues.

“Wellbeing at work is, in fact, a fundamental economic question. It is far more cost-effective to support employees than to deal with burnout and its consequences. Many of today’s most successful organisations have recognised this and are taking a long-term approach, creating environments where people can sustain their performance and choose to stay.”

Another persistent belief is that innovation is driven by pressure, long hours, and an ever-increasing pace. Research suggests the opposite, Vuorenmaa emphasises.

“The reality is that we will all be working longer, which means work itself must become more sustainable. The old ways of working are simply not viable over extended careers, our systems were built for a very different era.”

Text: Jessica Gustafsson
Photo: Heli Sorjonen

The article was originally published in the Hanken Magazine 2026. You can read the magazine here: Hanken Magazine