From solid number crusher to knowledge magnet

The 300 employees in Kongsvinger with a high professional level give the sharing culture the main credit for making Statistics Norway (SSB) an attractive workplace. Very few quit, and there are great opportunities for job candidates seeking challenges.

We meet three employees who are passionate about their job and workplace. They welcome new colleagues and are looking for new resources in several different disciplines in the future. Statistics Norway is a knowledge organization with a strong professional environment and committed people. The employees deliver research, statistics production and analyzes. Statistics Norway will benefit the public sector in Norway, working life, the media and the general public. The social mission and community involvement are essential.

Company: Statistics Norway, Kongsvinger
Number of employees in Kongsvinger: approx. 300

Website: ssb.no
Instagram: ssbstatistics
Facebook: @statistisksentralbyra
LinkedIn: Statistics Norway

High trust

Statistics Norway has a total of 830 employees, of which approximately 300 in Kongsvinger. But the HR section works steadily with recruitment and profiling of Statistics Norway as a workplace.

- We have about 70 recruitment processes annually. There is a good application for the positions throughout, says senior adviser Runa Sørlie Rekstad.

Runa herself has worked at Statistics Norway for four years. After moving from Oslo to Kongsvinger in 2012, it was limited how long she wanted to commute back to work in Oslo. At that time, Statistics Norway was an attractive workplace to apply for. The high willingness to respond in the population, with as much as 86 per cent in the surveys, can be a confirmation of how people view Statistics Norway as a serious and important player in society.

The data collected for surveys and analyzes are the bedrock itself and the most sacred at Statistics Norway. Many important analyzes provide a basis for major and socially critical decisions made in Norway. This triggers many who apply for new jobs. The social mission itself is for many at least as important as a high salary. Statistics Norway is a central and very important competence workplace in Kongsvinger.

Important social mission

- We give our new employees opportunities and further development, and they are quickly "thrown into deep water", says the HR consultant and emphasizes that they offer interesting work tasks operationally quickly after new employment.

She herself has a master's degree in psychology, and there is a high level of education among her colleagues. A master's degree is basically a requirement for positions in Statistics Norway. Economics, data analysis, social sciences, science, communication and not least IT are fields of education that are often in demand. Section leader Erik Øvrum in the IT department is proud of the good grip the organization now has on IT.

- All companies are currently looking for the same expertise in IT. With us, we are looking for people who are just as much looking for the social mission as high pay. There are several IT professional areas where we are very far ahead, smiles Erik Øvrum.

Statistics Norway registers that the young super talents who previously went to large consulting companies are now more concerned with society and the benefits of the work they do in the larger context.

Value for your money

Many jobseekers who assess Statistics Norway also see that the cost of living is lower in Kongsvinger than in larger cities. House prices, for example, are significantly lower in Kongsvinger than in Oslo. More and more people are discovering this. Some are concerned with getting Statistics Norway as an important point on their CV, while the vast majority are looking for an interesting and lasting workplace where you can use your education and further develop for the future.

Big changes and good position

Arvid Lysø has an 18-year career behind him at Statistics Norway at Kongsvinger. He now works as director of method development and data capture. And is very enthusiastic and committed to recruiting and developing employees.

- I remember I got a job in Oslo 18 years ago, and that everything was arranged and ready for work in the capital. But then I opted for Statistics Norway here at Kongsvinger, something I do not regret at all. Here we have a good working environment and colleagues with high competence who are really passionate about the job, says Arvid Lysø.

He believes that the workplace has come to a very good position in the labor market. Especially considering how far Statistics Norway has come in digitalisation and the major changes they are facing. But also considering that the Kongsvinger region has a lot to offer eventually.

Facts about Statistics Norway (SSB)

Statistics Norway is responsible for collecting, processing and disseminating statistics on Norwegian society. Statistics Norway is also responsible for coordinating the development, preparation and dissemination of all Norwegian official statistics.
Statistics Norway's more than 300 statistics count and measure, among other things, population development, national accounts, consumer price index, housing prices, developments in the labor market, climate emissions, business and industry and name trends.
Statistics Norway ensures that the inhabitants of Norway can debate, plan and make decisions on the basis of reliable statistical information.
Statistics Norway is a competence company with approximately 300 employees in Kongsvinger, out of a total of around 830 employees.