Wellbeing Superstars June 26, 2024
Provinciassa , a fast-growing HR and financial services company, is serious about everyday wellbeing. In a specialist organisation, managers are at the heart of the whole team’s wellbeing.
Provincia is a provider of HR and financial management services to public sector organisations, and one of the company’s key strategic drivers for sustainable growth is to become the best employer in the market, and to develop long-term employee wellbeing. Over the last years, Provincia has experienced a period of very rapid growth, and in 2024, the number of Provincia employees will double. Investing in development and improvement is a must because rapid growth is not sustainable without satisfied customers and employees.
In a fast-growing specialist organisation, managers’ role in building wellbeing at work is paramount, which is why supporting them has been at the heart of Provincia’s and Wellbeing Superstars’ collaboration during the spring of 2024 – not least because some of the managers are also new to the company.
“For us, it’s hugely important that our employees feel well,” says Provincia’s HR Director Sanna Nieminen. “We want to be an employer providing great working conditions, and that’s why we put a lot of effort into coaching our managers, too.”
A workshop for managers run by Provincia and Wellbeing Superstars is part of a larger coaching package for managers. The topic of the workshop was planned together with Wellbeing Superstars’ Head Coach Tiina Ven, and the first session on management and engagement hit straight to the heart of what it is to be a manager.
”The most important thing is to raise any issues, start a conversation, and reflect on our experiences. This all serves to support the work of our managers,” says HR Director Nieminen. “The themes and issues we explored at the workshop were not new to our managers, but they had not been discussed before with this group of people working at Provincia as managers. In particular, we reflected on what it means to work and interact with colleagues as a manager responsible for Provincia’s teams and activities. It’s great to have an external expert to lead the discussion, and Tiina is good in this role. It’s also an advantage that Tiina already knows our organisation well. The best part of the workshop was the time spent together on an important topic, and the chance to be able to reflect on topical issues within a peer support group. These discussions give us food for thought and something to take into our own work as managers.”
Service Manager Jenni Leppänen is one of the new recruits in Provincia’s growing specialist organisation. “I’ve received a very warm welcome. Even though I’m new to the team, I still feel that my opinions matter, too. There is a lot of development going on, and the organisation is evolving. It’s great to see how things are moving forward and how plans are being implemented, not just left lying around as ideas on paper,” says Leppänen.
For Leppänen, the topics covered in the manager training were familiar, but important and topical. It’s not a bad thing to go back to the basics every now and then, as there is no such thing as a fully-trained manager. For Leppänen, the coaching also gave a different perspective, and the courage to examine her own ways of dealing with issues based on familiar patterns.
“The main takeaway from the workshop was that we should remember to enjoy the successes and the good things that happen, and not dwell on what could have been done better, or what still needs to be done,” Leppänen sums up the session. “Each of us has succeeded and will succeed in something. It just takes a little bit of thought sometimes to remember that. It’s easy to praise a friend but sometimes really difficult to pat yourself on the back, and say that you did well today.”
Provincia’s HR and financial management experts are highly skilled professionals in their field. With demanding work and sometimes hectic schedules, it’s important that wellbeing and a great employee experience are not just idle words. Management is part of a broader, long-term approach to supporting and developing staff wellbeing at Provincia. In 2024, wellbeing coaching will include themes such as year-round good working atmosphere, interaction and engagement, rest and recovery, and empowering a winning team.
In May 2024, the Provincia team got together for a team afternoon at the Pajulahti Training Centre, where Wellbeing Superstars’ Tiina Ven hosted a discussion on dealing with change and the emotions it brings – both negative and positive. CEO Anna-Kaisa Packalén summed up Provincia’s rapid growth and the challenges it brings: “This year we are recruiting dozens of new, talented colleagues, and therefore, for us, employee satisfaction simply can’t just be idle talk. It’s a strategic decision that has to be kept even in the middle of change. We have been awarded the Most Active Workplace in Finland Award, and talking about wellbeing as well as taking actions that support our wellbeing have become an important part of our everyday life at Provincia. It has been a pleasure to work with Wellbeing Superstars on building this approach to holistic wellbeing, and we look forward to continuing the collaboration!”
And the results speak for themselves. In 2023, Provincia’s ArkiOn wellbeing programme, implemented in partnership with Wellbeing Superstars, achieved a 16-fold return on investment, in connection with the streamlining of internal processes and roles:
77% felt that their job satisfaction had improved
Sickness absences decreased by 35 %
Staff turnover decreased to less than 10%
The benefits in euros exceeded 380 000 €
When everyday life is in balance, the mind and body have enough power both at work and outside it. At Provincia, everyday wellbeing is an important, shared work issue.
Provincia’s HR Director Sanna Nieminen and Wellbeing Superstars’ Head of Coaching Tiina Ven