Digital dilemma: When the government throws a spanner in the works for the digitalization of Norway

Alas, the plight of independent IT consultants in Norway – a tale of bureaucratic tangles and the shifting statements related to labor regulations that would have given Kafka competition. Diving into this, it’s clear that the government’s new landlord rules have thrown a wrench into the gears of digital transformation. According to Finansavisen, these rules have left thousands of IT consultants in the lurch, unable to secure work due to strict requirements for staffing agencies.

For an assessment of the current rules, I recommend an excellent explanation provided by Mette Nygaard of Lexolve: She provides insight into the understanding of labor relations, the nuances of these landlord rules, and provides a context for why so many are frustrated. Their guidance outlines the legal landscape, but also highlights a growing mismatch between the policy and practical aspects of modern freelancing in the tech sector. RECOMMENDED!

Now, let’s take a look at the government’s current popularity, or perhaps more appropriately, their lack thereof. There is no doubt that a large part of the electorate is frustrated with the government’s policies, not least in relation to inflation, the krona exchange rate, energy policy and empty shelves in stores for essential goods such as eggs. What’s worse is that those who control our digital future appear totally disinterested and, as a consequence, we fall on digitization barometers – from winner to loser in the Nordic region in just a few years. In fact, we are now outside the top 10, according to Cisco’s renowned Digital Readiness Index, by a good margin. All polls and barometers are signaling a decline for the ruling parties, with the Labor Party and the Center Party experiencing historically low numbers. Deservedly so, of course.(Poll of Polls)(Faktisk Partibarometer)(NRK)(NRK). Is getting Trine back the best we can hope for? Could she at least play Pokemon(NRK)?

Let’s dissect the government’s approach, shall we?

Here we have a scenario where highly skilled professionals, crucial to driving technological innovation, are sidelined by legislation that seems to be more in tune with the industrial era than the digital age.

Imagine, if you will, a world where these consultants, instead of using their skills to improve Norway’s digital infrastructure, are forced to navigate a labyrinthine bureaucracy that rivals the complexity of the very systems they are trained to simplify. The irony, that is!

Fingeren går til Støre-regjeringen og til Tonje Brenna spesielt.

And let’s not forget the recent popularity polls – a testament to the fact that, in the grand tradition of democratic governance, dissatisfaction with those who govern is expressed through the subtle art of polling. The government’s support among the population is non-existent and appears to be in free fall. Which is a clear signal that voters’ patience for policies that are perceived as outdated (nicely put) is running out!