State personnel as statistics

The Office for the Government as Employer compiles and publishes statistics on central government personnel and its structure and conditions of employment. The Office uses the compiled statistics in negotiation and collective bargaining on the central level. The information is also used in services related to the personnel management and labour market activities of the Government management. The statistics are also published for the use of state agencies, trade organisations and citizens.

Government personnel 2023

The central government employed 81,696 people in 2023. Of them, 51.0 per cent were women and 49.0 per cent were men. About 39 per cent work in the security sector, i.e. in the Finnish Defence Forces, border control positions or the police. After the security sector, the largest services are services for business activities, such as the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and the National Land Survey of Finland, as well as national financial administration and insurance and financing services, such as the Finnish Tax Administration and Finnish Customs. The State has 104 performance agreement agencies. 

Of central government employees, 38 per cent have a master's degree or doctoral degree and 35.8 per cent have a bachelor's degree or lowest tertiary degree. Of personnel, 91 per cent are in public-service employment relationships and 9 per cent are in contractual employment relationships. 

Labour costs comprised approximately 6.5 per cent of all central government expenditure and equated to 2 per cent of gross domestic product. Central government employees represent about 3.1 per cent of all wage and salary earners. When looking at the public sector alone, central government employees represent about 12.0 per cent. 

Contact information

Mika Happonen
Ministerial Adviser
Tel. +358295530272
[email protected]

Juho-Pekka Jortama
Analyst
Tel. +358 295 530 119
[email protected]