This document discusses non-response and motivation measures in Statistics Finland's EU Labour Force Survey from 1997-2013. It summarizes trends in non-response rates over time, with rates peaking around 2005 and declining since. Various motivation measures are discussed, including lengthening field work, improving contact materials, and interviewer training on the survey's importance. Response rates are shown to vary by region and subgroup, with lower response among those with less education or who are unemployed. Advancing information technology is noted as affecting response, though complete recovery is not expected. The need for quality indicators and better use of register data is emphasized to address non-response issues going forward.

1. Non response and motivation
measures in Statistics Finland's
EU-Labour Force Survey (LFS)
2013: the 30th anniversary of interview survey
Pertti Taskinen
Statistics Finland

2. LFS Non-response rate 1997-2013(Q1), all
waves, per cent
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS
0
5
10
15
20
25
30

3. Motivation measures
 Non response project
 Lengthening of the field work
 Reshaping of the letter and leaflet
 Follow-up of the field work
 Training
 Work motivation of interviewers
 Telling the importance of LFS
 Going through best practices
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

4. LFS non-response rate 2012 by Regional State
Administrative Agencies, per cent
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Other nonresp.
Refusal
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

5. LFS 2012 results in metropolitan area: net
sample and some sub-groups, per cent
0 %
20 %
40 %
60 %
80 %
100 %
Other nonresp.
Refusal
Response
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

6. Share of response by waves during three years
2010-2012
1st wave 2nd wave 5th wave
+ ad hoc
Net sample
Response rate 75.23 76.41 75.83 100
Non-Finnish/Swedish
native speakers
2.53 2.45 2.10 4.38
Basic education 20.86 21.12 20.67 29.14
25-34 year old 11.70 11.79 11.37 16.69
65-74 year old 10.85 10.72 10.73 12.96
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

7. LFS 2006-2012 response rate of registered job
seekers (Employment Service Statistics)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Employed
Unempl. < 6 m:s
Unempl. 6-12 m:s
Unempl. > 12 m:s
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

8. Average age of LFS respondents and non-
respondents and population aged 15-74 years,
at five year intervals 1997-2012
30
35
40
45
50
1997 2002 2007 2012
Respondents
Non-respondents
Population
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

9. Reflections
 Change in information technology has an obvious
effect on the matter
 Response will not bounce back, in spite of data
collection methods
 What is needed in the current situation
 Calculate quality indicators
 Taken account non response in the sample frame
 Register information has to tap even more
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS

10. Thank you for attention!
Additional information see paper
pertti.taskinen@stat.fi
21 August 2013Pertti Taskinen / LFS