Acculturation and Work Culture: Lived Experiences of Foreign Hospitality Workers in Finland

Abstract

This thesis looks into the lived experiences of foreign workers in the Finnish hospitality sector, focusing on how both cultural and structural factors shape their sense of integration, identity, and satisfaction with their jobs. As the industry becomes more dependent on migrant labor, it also continues to face persistent issues, such as language difficulties, social isolation, and heavy work demands that do not seem to go away easily. The goal of this study was to understand how these foreign workers deal with such challenges in their daily lives, and what their stories might say about how acculturation plays out in the Finnish workplace.

The framework for this study is mainly built on Berry’s (1997) ideas about acculturation and Hofstede’s (2010) work on cultural dimensions. The approach was interpretive and phenomenological, with the analysis shaped through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants from five different national backgrounds all working in Finland’s hospitality field.

Findings revealed that although many participants aimed to integrate, their efforts were often held back by informal language rules, misunderstandings rooted in culture, and unfair or unclear dynamics in the workplace. The differences between collectivist and individualist values seemed to play a big role in how workers felt about their relationships and expectations on the job. Some individuals adjusted quite well and even felt comfortable within Finnish norms, but others found themselves dealing with emotional distance and a feeling of being pushed to the side. Basic workplace issues, such as unstable hours, low wages and no much room for growth, also had a big influence on how people thought about their future. Several were unsure whether they would stay in the industry or even remain in the country.

The study concludes that improving the retention and well-being of foreign hospitality workers in Finland requires more than raising salaries. It calls for a cultural shift in how inclusion is enacted in everyday workplace interactions: employers must recognise that integration is a two-way process, foreign workers can adapt, but they also need to feel valued, supported, and included.