I have worked at Kela for over 20 years, almost my entire career. During that time, digitalisation has slowly but steadily changed both our organisation and the wider society we serve. In the beginning, the change was not dramatic. It happened “quietly in the background”, step by step. Looking back now, the shift is huge: customer service, daily work, decision-making, and even the role of data has all been reshaped. In this blog post, I reflect on what digitalisation has meant in my field so far, what I think will happen next, and how an open digital society creates new risks. I also consider how the EU data protection reform, especially the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which entered into force in 2016 and started to apply in 2018, affects my working life and personal life.

In the early 2000s, Kela had many local offices, and most customers were served face-to-face or by phone. Applications were usually sent on paper. Still, some parts of the work were already digital: paper forms were scanned and then handled in electronic systems by staff. However, in some cases physical paper was still used during processing, and customers were used to receiving letters and benefit decisions by post. Digitalisation became clearly visible when people could apply for benefits online. Electronic applications moved directly into the processing system, ready for a staff member to handle. This was a major improvement because it reduced manual steps, made information move faster, and lowered the risk of documents being lost. For customers, online services also made applying easier, since forms could be filled in at home and sent at any time, not only during office hours.

Over the years, customer service has shifted strongly to digital channels. Today, we can say OmaKela is the main service channel. Customers can apply for benefits, send messages, and track the progress of their case. Chatbot-style services can answer simple questions, and phone services are still available when needed. The system is no longer centered on physical offices, but on digital self-service with professional support for complex situations.

A clear example is decision delivery. Earlier, decisions were always mailed on paper. From early 2026, decisions will mainly be sent electronically if Kela has the customer’s email address and the customer has not refused digital services. This can be faster, but it also raises concerns about customers who do not check email, do not understand the change, or cannot use digital channels.

Digitalisation inside the work community
In the past, many people worked mainly at the office, and remote work was only occasional, maybe a day or two at a time. Now the situation is almost the opposite: many of us spend most of our working time remotely and come to the office only a few days. This has advantages, such as flexibility, better work-life balance, and less commuting time. At the same time, it has changed the social side of work. Earlier, you could simply knock on a colleague’s door and ask a quick question. Today, we send messages through different digital channels. Cooperation still happens daily, but it feels different: It is less spontaneous, more planned, and sometimes more fragmented.

Even phone calls have changed. Customers used to be called with a normal landline phone, then with mobile phones, and today calls are handled through a digital system. In many places, mobile phones are being phased out. Digital tools make communication easier to track and manage, but they also make work more dependent on systems. If the system is slow or down, it affects everything.

Another important development has been automation. In Kela, “digital employees” (software robots) can handle simple routine tasks. This can free human workers to focus on cases that require judgement, empathy, and a deeper understanding of a life situation. In my view, this is one of the best examples of how technology can support meaningful work rather than replace it completely. Still, automation also requires careful governance: we must know what the robot is doing, why it makes certain steps, and how errors are detected and corrected. In a social security context, small errors can have large consequences.

Future ideas: how digitalisation may change work and life
In the future, I believe digitalisation will increasingly focus on proactive and personalised services. Instead of customers having to figure out what to apply for, systems could guide them earlier based on life events and data that already exist in public registers, within legal limits. For example, when a person has a child, becomes unemployed, or retires, the service could automatically offer clear information on what support is available and what the next steps are.

Another key direction is better use of data for developing social security. Kela collects a lot of data through benefit processes. If used responsibly, this data can support research, policy planning, and better decision-making. For example, we can understand which groups need support most urgently and how changes in society affect wellbeing.

However, to make this possible, the movement of information between authorities and service providers needs to improve. Today, legal and practical barriers can create unnecessary burden. Customers may have to submit the same information multiple times to different authorities, and staff may have to request documents that already exist elsewhere. I see clear benefits in making information flow smoother through legislation, secure technical solutions, and shared operating models. This would benefit customers, organisations, and society.

At the same time, I strongly believe we must keep alternative service channels available. Some customers cannot use digital services due to age, disability, language barriers, lack of equipment, or difficult life situations. Digitalisation should not become a new form of inequality. In practice, this means maintaining phone service, physical service when needed, and clear support for learning digital skills.

Kela is currently running a development program where systems are renewed step by step to support a “digital first” approach. This kind of long-term work is necessary, because old systems and old processes cannot simply be replaced overnight in a critical organisation.

An open digital society brings risks. Cyberattacks, system failures, or outages can stop important services like healthcare and social security. Privacy is at risk if data is used wrongly or if people do not understand what they agree to. Some people may be left out if services are not easy to use. Too much automation can make decisions unclear and harder to appeal. This can reduce trust in public services. Digitalisation is a social change, a technical one.

GDPR: effects on work and personal life
GDPR has affected my work by making data protection clearer and more organised. I must focus more on confidentiality, secure messages, and good documentation. It also adds extra tasks like checking permissions and writing privacy notices. In my personal life, I think more about sharing data. People have more rights, but privacy texts are often hard to understand.

Artificial intelligence
I asked ChatGPT: “How do I apply for Kela housing allowance?” and “What documents are needed for sickness allowance?” I also asked: “How long does Kela usually take to process an application?” The answers were clear and mostly correct, but sometimes too general and not up to date. The main problem is missing details and changes in rules. In general, AI is useful for quick guidance, but important decisions still need official Kela information.

Self-evaluation
Writing this reflection helped me understand more clearly how deeply digitalisation has changed my field and my daily work. Digitalisation is not only about new systems and online services, but also about equality, trust, communication, and people’s ability to use services in everyday life. I also understood better that data protection is not only a legal issue, but an important practical and ethical part of both work and personal life.

This assignment, among many other studies, has made me think more critically about artificial intelligence. AI can be useful for quick guidance and routine tasks, but in my field official information, human judgement, and responsibility are still essential. I learned that AI could support work, but its answers must always be checked. In the future, I would like to learn more about the safe use of AI in public services, transparent automation, and how digital services can remain accessible for everyone.

Blogs I commented:

DIGI SOCIETY – Tarja’s Journey in Digital Work

DIGI SOCIETY – Maria Tikkala’s blog