An interview with Outi Antila: Social security will evolve, not disappear

Content: Ruut Tolonen | Image: Keksi Agency | Published 24/3/2025

Outi Antila will retire from her position as Kela’s Director General in May 2025. When she joined Kela five years ago, Antila already had several decades’ worth of experience in the social security field, having worked for advocacy groups, judicial appeal bodies and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

At Kela, she expected that her main focus would be on issues that have to do with the implementation of the social security system.

“I had served on Kela’s Board so I knew Kela as a competent and professional organisation, and I certainly was not disappointed. Over these past years, I have gained a deeper understanding of Kela's strong commitment to look ahead and anticipate future trends. That commitment may not always be apparent to those on the outside,” Antila says.

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic early in the spring of 2020, Kela’s ability to withstand crises was put to the test already in the first few months of Antila’s tenure. Paying out pandemic-related benefits required new laws, and Kela was actively involved in drafting them. What is more, preparations for paying out the benefits had to be completed within a space of a few weeks as well.

“Fortunately, our decision-making apparatus was in good working order, so we were able to carry out the task successfully. Amidst the pandemic, we had to set aside our plans for developing our operations further, but we have made great progress since. We have deployed rolling strategies to finetune our operations and used foresight analysis to identify phenomena relevant to our vision.  Customer experience is at the core of everything we do,” Antila says.

The pandemic taught many useful lessons. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the ensuing energy crisis and inflation have also had an impact on Kela’s operations. They have called for new legislation, new types of benefits and the ability to engage with new groups of customers.

Kela has made contingency plans and prepared for potential forthcoming challenges by e.g. ramping up its cybersecurity efforts.

“People can be assured that there are plans in place for all contingencies, including serious ones,” Antila says.

Simplifying the social security system

Many Finns are worried not only about the state of the world but also their own finances. The current Government has made cuts to social security and tightened eligibility criteria.

Still, Antila notes that people should not worry that benefits will disappear, even as budget constraints will necessarily affect benefit levels.

“Over the last few decades, successive Government coalitions have taken the social security system in different directions. Still, by international comparison, the Finnish system remains quite strong. While many people are currently struggling, social security is being developed in the direction of a general benefit model, which would be simpler and better integrated,” Antila says.

The general benefit model proposed by a parliamentary committee on social security will initially merge the labour market subsidy and the basic unemployment allowance. Other benefits may be added later. Another strand of the reform is the single application model. 

“I first took up the idea of a single application model in spring 2020. The first version of the application is planned to be ready before summer. Five years is a realistic timeframe for a change of this magnitude. First, documenting the decision in the Government Programme takes some time. That step is followed by drafting the legislation and creating the necessary information systems,” Antila says.

From Kela’s point of view, the social safety net should be changed so that people would not rely on basic social assistance for extended periods of time.

“No one seems willing to take responsibility for persons on social assistance. For those relying on social assistance, getting an education and finding work can seem like a very hard task. By contrast, people who receive benefits for a specific contingency, such as sickness, rehabilitation or unemployment, typically find it easier to get the employment, social and health services they need, to access rehabilitation, and to register as a jobseeker,” Antila says.

The parliamentary committee on social security is currently looking for solutions to this.

“Kela’s role is basically to keep talking about the fact that our customers need access not only to the right benefits but also to the services necessary in their specific situation. Such services should be offered more actively and at the right time”, Antila says.

Close cooperation with other public authorities

Kela plays an important role in people’s daily lives, and many have an opinion about it.

“If you ask the average person, Kela sometimes comes across as a bureaucratic bulwark where you go in and queue for service. However, the average score we get from our customers is between good and satisfactory, and most are happy with the way we work,” Antila says.

As many as 83 per cent of Kela’s customers use Kela’s online services to conduct their business with Kela. Antila notes that customers have asked Kela for online services. Customers continue to have the option to contact Kela by phone, and Kela offers more services face-to-face than any other public authority.

“However, the way we provide our services is changing. We are in the process of reducing the number of our own service points and operating more in co-locations with other public authorities. Rather than spending money on physical assets, it is better to spend it on systems that help us serve our customers,” Antila says.

In the last several years, Kela has systematically developed its cooperation with national and local partner organisations. Well-functioning connections and information sharing with the wellbeing services counties, municipalities and other authorities can help streamline the process of offering services and paying benefits to customers.

The Director General makes decisions based on teamwork

Outi Antila has two months left in her term as Director General. Her goal is to see the most important ongoing projects and legislative reforms move forward by the time the Government starts its session on spending limits. After that, it is time to stand back and let others continue the work.

“In the last few weeks, it has become clear to me that there are certain matters I will not have time to address and bring to fruition before it is time for me to step down.

Kela’s Trustees will decide on the next Director General in April. Antila says she looks forward to the appointment with great interest but does not wish to give advice to her successor.

“Each Director General must shape their own role. I am convinced that Kela will have an excellent new Director General,” she says.

Antila sees unifying the Executive Team and opening it up to more dialogue as an achievement of her tenure. It is a good starting point for those who will carry on her work.

“It is great to have different opinions and different kinds of people represented on the Executive Team. There must be room for dialogue, but the Director General, who chairs the team, is in a way the conductor who makes sure that the ensemble plays well together,” Antila says.

After retiring, Antila will first take some time off. In the summer, she plans to do some fishing, and in the autumn, go hiking and explore the outdoors. She has no further plans beyond that.

“I have heard that it is a good idea to get involved in charitable and voluntary work. Let’s see if I have the capacity to take that on. I also expect to spend some time looking after my seven grandchildren,” Antila says.