Helsinki GSE economic situation room supports fast decision making amid the coronavirus crisis
The project highlights Finland as a solid example of effective and timely policy decisions due to availability of data. The latest report (December 2) provides insight on the latest developments in the labour market and for households and firms.
*Continuously updated*
The Helsinki Graduate School of Economics (Helsinki GSE) has established a situation room to support ministries and other public authorities in economic policy-making during the coronavirus crisis. The Helsinki GSE situation room aims to provide decision-makers with a close to real-time view on developments in the corporate sector, the labor market, and society in general.
Every other week, the situation room publishes a report on the effects of the corona virus. Information on report publications is shared on the Helsinki GSE and VATT Twitter accounts.
You can compare unemployment and furlough periods between different regions, industries, professions and other groups with this Shiny App.
You can also compare the development of development of labor earnings and employment with this Shiny App.
The lag in unemployment and furlough data is 1-2 weeks. The lag in earnings and employment data is about one month.
Reports published in English:
- Report on December 2, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 2.12.
- Report on November 4, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 4.11.
- Report on October 7, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 7.10.
- Report on September 9, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 9.9.
- Report on August 19, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 19.8.
- Report on August 5, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 5.8.
- Report on July 22, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 22.7.
- Report on July 8, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 8.7.
- Report on June 24, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 24.6.
- Report on June 10, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 10.6.
- Report on May 13, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 13.5.
- Report on April 29, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 29.4.
- Report on April 15, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 15.4.
- Report on April 1, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 1.4.
- Report on March 4, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 4.3.
- Report on February 18, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 18.2.
- Report on February 4, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 4.2.
- Report on January 21, 2021: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 21.1.
- Report on January 19, 2021: The Corona Virus and Health Differences – In Which Socioeconomic Groups Have the Most Infections Been Observed in Finland?
- Report on December 3, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 3.12.
- Report on November 19, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 19.11.
- Report on November 5, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 5.11.
- Report on October 22, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 22.10.
- Report on October 8, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 8.10.
- Report on September 24, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 24.9.
- Report on September 10, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 10.9.
- Report on August 27, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 27.8.
- Report on August 13, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 13.8.
- Report on July 16, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 16.7.
- Report on July 2, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 2.7.
- Report on June 26, 2020: The Incomes Register Data: Earnings and employment down by over 8% from last year in May
- Report on June 18, 2020: Latest developments in the labor market, households and firms 18.6.
- Report on June 4, 2020: Among the largest cities, Kouvola, Vaasa and Helsinki experience the steepest decline in April’s wage sum
- Report on May 28, 2020: Over 100 000 more people than last year have applied for unemployment benefit from Kela
- Report on May 13, 2020: Continued rapid increase in the number of furloughed employees
- Report on April 29, 2020: Firms and the public sector in the coronavirus crisis
- Report on April 22, 2020: Incidence of unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis
The situation room consists of leading economists from Helsinki GSE, VATT Institute for Economic Research, as well as members from several public authorities. It utilises data from relevant public and private sources and produces regular reports for policymakers. The data is collected and organised in close cooperation with Statistics Finland, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Bank of Finland, Finnish Tax Administration, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland Kela and other institutions.
“Finland is in an extraordinarily good position to make data-based policy decisions since we have an abundance of high-quality registry data available. Taking advantage of this data greatly improves the ability to make any appropriate policy decisions”, says Otto Toivanen, leader of the situation room, and academic director of Helsinki GSE.
“The Finnish registry data spans several decades and enables linking of different data sources at, e.g. individual, firm or family level in a way that is not possible in many other countries. The experiences of the situation room can also be valuable when considering how to incorporate more real-time micro-level economic data in regular economic policymaking.”
In addition to data-driven analysis, Helsinki GSE researchers are organising regular discussions with civil servants and decision-makers on general policy guidelines for both during and after the crisis. The situation room also cooperates closely with a group of Finnish experts recently appointed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Finance to prepare an assessment of the long-term economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.
“The coronavirus crisis poses difficult challenges for economic policymakers, as far-reaching decisions need to be made at a fast pace, in a new and quickly changing environment. We are happy to be able to help in finding answers to those challenges”, says Erkki Liikanen, chair of Helsinki GSE board.
More information on the Situation Room and its latest public reports can be found on the Helsinki GSE website.
Helsinki GSE
News
Press release
VATT
coronavirus
economic policy
firms
impact assessment of policy measures
labour markets
policy measures
public economics
register data
