Introduction
National strategies are vital policy instruments to enhance the effectiveness of an OSH system by defining the key priorities and actions for improving workers’ health and safety.
The Commission called on the Member States to update and draw up their national OSH strategies in line with the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027 - in cooperation with social partners - to ensure that the new measures are applied on the ground.
According to the Work Environment Ordinance[1] the Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket)[2] is authorised to issue and enforce secondary regulations (directives). The secondary regulations issued by the Swedish Work Environment Authority are compiled in the Authority's own regulations (Arbetsmiljöverkets författningssamling, AFS) which defines more closely the requirements to be met by the work environment. The directive on Systematic Work Environment management (Systematiskt Arbetsmiljöarbete)[3] is an example of a strategic regulation enforced by the Swedish Work Environment Authority. The role of the Swedish Work Environment Authority is more closely defined in the Work Environment Authority (Standing Instructions) Ordinance[4].
More information on the OSH system can be found in the relevant OSHwiki articles on national OSH systems.
Basic Information
The current Swedish document is:
En god arbetsmiljö i ett föränderligt arbetsliv – regeringens arbetsmiljöstrategi för 2026–2031 (A good Working Environment in a Changing Working Life - The Government’s work environment strategy for 2026-2031)[5]
The Swedish document has not been published in an official English translation as of July 2026.
The work environment strategy sets out the Government’s long-term policy focus in this area over the next six years.
Previous strategy and their English versions are:
- En god arbetsmiljö för framtiden – regeringens arbetsmiljöstrategi 2021-2025[6] (engl. Version: A good Work Environment for the Future – the Government work environment strategy 2021–2025[7])
- En arbetsmiljöstrategi för det moderna arbetslivet 2016–2020[8] (engl. Version: A Work Environment Strategy for Modern Working Life 2016–2020[9])
Background and the perceived problem
The background of Sweden's work environment strategy for 2026–2031 is set by a changing labour market driven by new technology, a green industrial transition, and a need to reduce work-related illness, accidents, and fatalities. Decided by the Swedish government on June 2, 2026, the framework sets long-term political goals and tasks.
It is built on the government's work environment strategy for 2021–2025 by starting from the same vision and objectives and based on an analysis of the impact of the latest work environment strategy, current knowledge about the work environment in different areas and an assessment of how working life can develop in the coming years.
OSH legislation should contribute to a good and safe work environment and is based on prevention. The legal framework is of central importance for preventive measures and should be clear, accessible and relevant for employers and other stakeholders.
The Government's vision is a working life that offers everyone who works security, development and good health: No one should risk safety, life or health due to work
All workers in Sweden should have a safe workplace and the opportunity to work under conditions that promote safety, health and well-being.
A good work environment provides space for people with different backgrounds and abilities in working life. No one should be discriminated against in working life regardless of gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.
The strategy is in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EU strategic framework on health and safety.
Main characteristics and objectives of the OSH-strategy (activity plan)
The work environment strategy describes an overall vision, four sub-objectives and a number of targets (measures) that will apply until 2031.
The objectives of the OSH strategy are as follows:
- A sustainable working life: The focus is on ensuring that everyone is able to work for a whole working life, including through better use of the skills of older workers.
- A healthy working life: Increased knowledge about well-being, reduced mental illness and lower sickness absence through better rehabilitation.
- A safe working life: A vision of zero fatalities. The work must also combat occupational crime, violence, threats and discrimination.
- An innovative working life: Safety and health at work should follow the green transition and the introduction of new technology, such as AI.
Details of the strategy
A sustainable working life
A sustainable working life means that everyone should be able, and willing to work an entire working life.
Goals for a sustainable working life are:
- A good work environment and good conditions at the beginning of working life, along with opportunities for professional development and further training, lead to more people remaining in the workforce longer.
- The skills and experience of older workers are used more effectively in everyday work.
- A good supply of skilled workers, taking occupational health and safety into account, is important in strategic education/development of skilled worker.
- Occupational health and safety of pupils and students in schools and universities receives greater attention and is more extensively integrated into systematic occupational safety and health efforts.
- Awareness of the importance of occupational health and safety issues for individuals, companies, and society as a whole is increasing in social and professional life, in workplaces, and among the general population.
A healthy working life
A healthy working life means that working life should contribute to health, development and well-being.
Goals for a healthy working life are:
- Employers and employees are increasingly aware of what contributes to healthy workplaces and the importance of occupational health and safety for production, growth, and innovation.
- Employers and employees work together to create workplaces that promote health, development, and well-being.
- The number of people who die as a result of their work decreases.
- The organisational and social work environment improves. Mental health problems caused by a poor work environment decrease.
- The work environment for people with disabilities improves through increased awareness and knowledge among employers and employees, as well as through inclusion, adaptations, and measures to improve accessibility.
- Sick leave decreases due to a more strategic approach to rehabilitation and workplace adaptation.
A safe working life
A safe working life means that no one should risk their life, health, or well-being just to earn a living.
Goals for a safe working life are:
- Workplace crime decreases, leading to reduced risk to employees and healthier competition in the labour market.
- There are no fatal workplace accidents.
- Other workplace accidents decrease, among others, as a result of preventive and systematic occupational safety measures.
- Violence, threats, and harassment in the workplace - including undue influence on public sector employees - decrease as a result of preventive measures that promote awareness and safety in the workplace.
- Knowledge and skills regarding procedures for preventing harassment and discrimination in the workplace increase, leading to reduced risk and less occupational health problems.
An innovative working life
An innovative working life means that good working environments contribute to the change, development and transition of individuals, working life and society.
Goals for an innovative working life are:
- Knowledge about the impact of changes in working life on the work environment, as well as dialogue between the stakeholders involved, is increasing.
- Aspects of the work environment are being given greater consideration in the green transition in working life.
- The introduction of new methods for decision-making, organisation, and management using AI is taking place through dialogue, collaboration, and transparency between employers and employees.
- The awareness and knowledge of employers and employees about the importance of the cognitive work environment for health and well-being is increasing.
- Digital systems used at work are being adapted more extensively to people and the tasks to be performed.
- Teleworking is being used in a way that contributes to health, well-being, and productivity in working life.
The Swedish OSH strategy sets out specific targets and models for achieving its objectives.
The document explains how work will be aligned with the established objectives to strengthen the working environment in the changing world of work. The document mentions procedures for collaboration among the relevant authorities and stakeholders during the period 2026–2031.
Following action plans have been developed:
- Handlingsplan mot korruption och otillåten påverkan 2024–2027 (Action plan against corruption and undue influence 2024–2027)[10]
- Handlingsplan mot rasism och hatbrott (Action plan against racism and hate crime) [11]
Actors and stakeholders
Ministries and their departments and national authorities (particularly the Ministry of Employment), unions and employers organisations on a national and sectoral and professional level. The Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket ) and the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise (Myndigheten för arbetsmiljökunskap) have a particular role as government agencies in the work environment area. For this reason, the Government has decided to instruct these agencies to develop action plans to implement the strategy in their respective areas. From 2026, the Swedish Work Environment Authority will also handle research-based knowledge about work environment.
The Swedish Work Environment Authority is tasked with intensifying work to prevent fatalities and serious accidents, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable industries: construction, transport and industry. The Authority will also have a coordinating role in completing the strategy nationally.
The social partners play a central role in shaping a sustainable and developing working life in accordance with the intentions of the work environment strategy.
Resources and timeframe
The current OSH strategy applies to 2026-2031.
No specific resources are connected to the strategy however, governmental directives and an annual letter of appropriation guide the follow up of the strategy in the Swedish Work Environment Authority and the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise. Financing is controlled via annual state budget bills and government instructions.
As a result of the government's initiative through the budget bill for 2025 (prop. 2024/25:1), the Swedish Work Environment Authority's administrative appropriations have been permanently strengthened by SEK 100 million. In order to meet various challenges in working life, work environment policy remains of central importance
Evaluation
The government appointed an inquiry to analyse the impact of the work environment strategy 2021–2025, submit proposals for a new work environment strategy for the period 2026–2030 and propose continued measures that can contribute to achieving the goals in the long term. In accordance with the committee directive, the inquiry appointed a reference group with the aim of conducting a dialogue and gathering facts and views on the inquiry's proposals.
The inquiry submitted its report “A work environment strategy for a changed working life” on 10 June 2025. It is based on a broad dialogue with authorities and the social partners, as well as researchers in the field of work environment[12].
The inquiry analysed the impact of the current work environment strategy, with a particular focus on the four sub-goals, and assessed whether these sub-goals are designed appropriately. Based on this analysis and assessment, the inquiry submits proposals for a new work environment strategy for the period 2026–2030, including which subgoals should apply. In addition, the inquiry proposed continued measures for the period 2026–2030 that can contribute in a long-term and sustainable way to ensuring that the strategy's sub-goals have an impact on working life[13].
The analysis is based on an overarching question: How have the strategy's goals and priorities been operationalised in the Swedish Work Environment Authority's work?
The government intends to closely monitor the strategy's implementation and be prepared to consider adjustments to its direction during the strategy period, if necessary.
An evaluation of the current work environment strategy will start in 2030.
Relationship to EU Strategic Framework
The Strategy echoes the European Pillar of Social Rights and is in line with the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work.
Key objective 1 of the EU Strategic Framework (Anticipating and managing change) is covered in:
- Objective “A sustainable working life”
- Objective “A healthy working life”
- Objective “An innovative working life”
Key objective 2 of the EU Strategic Framework (Improving prevention of work-related diseases and accidents) is covered in
- Objective “A safe working life”
Key objective 3 of the EU Strategic Framework (Increasing preparedness – responding rapidly to threats)
Pandemic preparedness or new biological health risks are not addressed as a specific focus area in the national strategy “A good working environment in a changing working life - the government's work environment strategy for 2026–2031”. Health risks concerning biological risks and infections in the work environment are instead regulated directly via the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations and general guidelines on risks in the work environment, which apply independently of the national OSH strategy[14].
