Managing employee ability to work is a systematic process that plays an important role in company performance according to Antero Levänen of HOK-Elanto. Through structured employee surveys conducted annually in collaboration with Corporate Spirit, HOK-Elanto gathers data on factors influencing engagement to help determine measures that support employee well-being and productivity. The surveys show a connection between managing work ability and reduced sick days. When done properly through clear communication and attention to workplace issues, managing work ability can significantly improve workflows and savings through fewer absences.

1. Antero Levänen, Chief Human Resources
Officer at HOK-Elanto, says managing ability
to work requires clear objectives – as any other
systematic task aimed at making an impact.
These objectives should include improved
daily workflows, fewer sick days, longer careers
and better productivity.
HOK-Elantohasdevelopedastructuredconcept
for its employee surveys in collaboration with
Corporate Spirit. According to Antero Levänen,
modern employee surveys should provide
organisations with important data on features
influencing engagement levels. This kind of
data directly affects the measures to manage
and maintain the staff’s ability to work.
“Engagement, management and performance
ability are closely linked”, Antero Levänen
emphasises. “This can be seen at all organisational
levels and is also the reason why understanding
the big picture is so essential in getting the best out
ofeverysurvey.”
HOK-Elanto evaluates the staff’s ability to work
onan annual, unit-specific basis.The surveys
clearly show a genuine connection between
how ability to work is managed and the
amount of sick days. Regular surveys are also
perceived as a sign of staff appreciation. Since
HOK-Elanto introduced Corporate Spirit’s
PeoplePower® surveys in 2011, results have
improved annually.
Antero Levänen explains the opportunities to
use the process as a tool for better productivity:
“When carried out systematically, managing
ability to work is an efficient way to tell the staff
that their employer cares about their wellbeing.
This encourages people to commit to productive
work. The surveys – along with appropriate
measures – clearly improve engagement. This
significantly reduces leaves of absence and the
need for extra staff, resulting in notable savings.”
Ability to work should clearly be managed
not only by HR but also by the entire top
management. When done properly, it supports
all operations and significantly improves
workflow. As Antero Levänen emphasises, it
really comes down to paying attention to quite
simple issues at work.
“There are several small factors that enable
improvementineveryunit,suchasgeneralworking
arrangements, briefings on new duties, continuous
improvement of operations, managerial courage
to deal with all kinds of problems, as well as
uninterrupted communication. Attention to detail
enables remarkable achievements.”
Antero Levänen, Chief Human Resources Officer, HOK-Elanto:
TOMANAGINGABILITYTOWORK”
”BUSINESSSUCCESSISCLEARLYCONNECTED
HOK-Elanto aims to provide services and benefits for the wellbeing of its
members. With half a million co-op members, 6,200 employees and almost 300
retailers (including groceries, department stores, petrol stations and restaurants)
itisthelargestregionalcooperativeofSGroupandakeyemployerintheHelsinki
Metropolitan Area. Corporate Spirit Oy carries out S Group’s employee surveys.
Managing the staff’s ability to work is a continuous
process that plays a significant role in overall company
performance. It is a systematic way of handling daily
workflows and job satisfaction.
HR INTELLIGENCE TO SUPPORT BUSINESS SUCCESS.
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2. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENTDATA SECURITYEDITORIAL
As opportunities to mobile business management
keepevolving,theamountofbothusersanddata
increases more rapidly than ever. Security-related
tasksfromshoppingtoawidevarietyofbanking
issuescanbecarriedoutmucheasierthanbefore.
Also, tablet computers and mobile phones send
outmoresensitivedatathaneverintothedigital
universe.
Mobility is a powerful weapon when it comes
to improving user experience and operational
efficiency. But just as other weapons, it is
dangerous in wrong hands or when used
improperly. Shorter time frames and matters
handled on the go mean increased risks.
Security issues can get neglected, even
accidentally – and the consequences can
surprise everyone.
To ensure top-notch security, the best choice is
to have a watertight and bulletproof platform
that enables full mobility and potential.
With Corporate Spirit’s technology and
knowledge of mobile opportunities, we have
developed survey systems to fully meet today’s
convenience and security requirements.
The new and commended Cixtranet® feature
enables respondents to fill in surveys on mobile
devices. Data is securely stored in our own
controlledserverrooms.Theworldmaybemore
mobile than ever, but despite that – or perhaps
becauseofthat–thiskindofinformationisjust
too sensitive and fundamental to be stored in
cloud environments.
Kindregards,
JUKKA POHJOLA
Managing Director
HOWWOULDYOU
FEELABOUTYOUR
SURVEYDATABEING
STOREDINAN
AMERICANCLOUD?
In information security, a chain is indeed only as strong as its weakest link. The bad guys out
there put their effort in discovering that weakest link to attack. Users themselves have become
the weakest link – an unwelcome fact for security developers. However, pinpointing weak
links is essential to successfully create systems combining convenience in user experience
with unrivalled security features.
Information security has always been at the core of Cixtranet3® – which never has and
never will be subject to compromise.* All data is securely stored and used and all necessary
precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of information flow and communications.
In other words, every effort has been taken to prevent users from winding up as the
weakest link.
Minimising the room for human error
is key to ensuring comprehensive
information security. J-P Saarinen
reveals some of Corporate Spirit’s tricks
to stay a step ahead of the threat.

3. DATA SECURITY
STORING DATA
In Cixtranet3® all records are stored in a secure physical and
electronic environment. To protect the records against direct online
attacks, required data storage equipment runs in a standalone
internal data network. Both equipment and related systems are
continuously reinforced with the latest security updates. The
human threat is minimised by limiting the number of persons with
physical or network access to equipment containing sensitive data.
Lately, contradictions between global activities and local legislations
have raised attention. Though easily assumed, user rights to information
provided by EU are not subject to EU legislation if stored in U.S. cloud
services. Another concrete problem arises when physical data storage of
U.S. companies containing data on citizens of another country is placed
outside of the U.S. What legislation applies in this case?
EXERTING DATA
From an information security perspective, records need to be securely
converted for user comprehension. It is essential to ensure that users
only get to view authorised data. Cixtranet3® includes several built-
in restrictions that enable precise usage rules and are designed to
prevent human mistakes from happening. Privacy features prevent
access to other customer’s data.
SECURE COMMUNICATIONS
All communication between Cixtranet3® and user browsers is
secured to prevent eavesdropping (Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 3.0
protocol). For example, survey results forwarded as unsecure email
attachments would create communication vulnerabilities and
might even find their way to wrong recipients in perfectly readable
format. This brings us back to the issue of users and their role in
information security. Open workstations, data stored on flash drives
and printed survey forms left out on desks are just some examples
of situations that unfortunately contribute to humans being the
weakest link of information security chains.
JUHA-PEKKA SAARINEN
IT Manager
Corporate Spirit
In the words of Mikko Hyppönen, CRO at F-Secure corporation:
”Corporations should not store their data in
Americancloudservices–weknowforafact
that U.S. intelligence services have access to
them.Wecanonlyhopethattheinformation
theyareviewingdoesnothappentobeours.”
Cixtranet3® is Corporate Spirit’s web-based survey and reporting system, the state-of-the-art multilingual
tool for planning employee surveys and 360 assessments, designing questionnaires, mapping organisational
structure, collecting data, analyzing results, reporting, distributing results and action planning.
*

4. Valkjärventie 7 A, 02130 Espoo, Finland, ☎ +358 9 452 0730
Läntinen Pitkäkatu 33, 20100Turku, Finland, ☎ +358 2 274 3100
Birger Jarlsgatan 2, 5 tr, 114 34 Stockholm, Sweden, ☎ + 46 8 505 65 171
Dronning Eufemias Gate 16, 0191 Oslo, Norway, ☎ +47 2 389 8880
20 Broadwick Street, Soho,W1F 8HT, London, UK, ☎ +44 870 366 93 35
Av.GolfdeManquehue9750,LoBarnechea,Santiago,Chile,☎+56956288292
EMPLOYEE SURVEYS
360°ASSESSMENTS
INTERNAL CO-OPERATION SURVEYS
SOLUTIONS FOR UTILISINGTHE SURVEYS
AND ASSESSMENTS
www.corporatespirit.eu
Editor-in-chief:JukkaPohjola | Editor:MariKaarnavaara-Puutio | Layout:MainostoimistoDynastia | Printedby:TEMA-TEAM12554-14 | Circulation:7000
Corporate
Spirit
CSLtd
Corporate Spirit’s inaugural year in Sweden is just about complete. Now there’s a good reason
to celebrate! If you happen to be in Stockholm on 3 April, you are welcome to join us for our
Anniversary Lunch at the Finnish Embassy at Gärdesgatan 11.
Celebrations begin at 11 a.m. with a toast and reflecting experiences of our first year in Sweden. Buffet
lunch begins a bit after noon, followed by Mr. Oskar Henriksson’s keynote presentation. The guests
can also enjoy musical performances by the famous Scary Cherry band.The event ends around 2 p.m.
»RSVP by 25 March to malin.alm@corporatespirit.se
ONEYEAR IN SWEDEN
Time to clear that schedule and make room
for a comprehensive information package
on HR trends and expectations for 2014 and
beyond! Our annual Back-to-Basics seminar
will be held on 7 May. Keynote speaker
Kirsi Matero of Lassila & TIkanoja shares
her knowledge on how to make the most
of employee survey results. The subject will
also be addressed in small workgroups led by
Corporate Spirit’s professionals and discussed
further over brunch.
»RSVP by 25 April to info@corporatespirit.fi
TIME TO GET BACK TO BASICS!
ANNUAL EVENTS
WELCOME! 3.4.2014 Ettårsjubileum, Stockholm, Sweden
6.5. 2014 600Min Human Resources, Oslo, Norway
7.5.2014 Back-to-Basics, Helsinki, Finland
MEETUSAT