Verisure conducts annual employee engagement surveys to identify development needs and improve performance. Managers are trained to utilize the survey results to support employees and help them perform their best. Through annual surveys, involvement of all managers, and following up on implementations, Verisure has seen improved employee performance. It is important for organizations to commit fully to the whole process, as behavioral and structural changes take time, even in a fast-paced business environment.

1. HR INTELLIGENCE TO SUPPORT BUSINESS SUCCESS.
Henrik Heslyk, HR Director, Verisure:
“TAKE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PEOPLE SERIOUSLY
For the past six years, Verisure has been conducting annual
employee engagement surveys (EES) in collaboration with
Corporate Spirit. Recently, even more effort has been put into
utilising the results in daily work. The results of the EES work
are an important contributor to Verisure’s annual performance
management process. Hence, it is important that there is a
clear and fast way for managers to carry it out and that the
HR personnel supports them. Henrik Heslyk emphasises, that
managers need to take ownership of the process in order to
be successful. They need to understand and see the EES as a
development tool, not only for themselves and for their teams,
but also for their superiors and for top management.
Getting everyone’s attention and commitment has been an
interesting journey. Obviously, it takes a while to get everyone
on board and make all managers see the potential and feel
comfortable with the process.
“Along the way, we have learned that openness and transparency
are the key elements for success. It also goes without saying that we
need to communicate clearly”, says Henrik Heslyk. “The EES has
helped us recognise the development needs of our organisation.
Our goal is to remove any obstacles that prevent our employees
from having the best prerequisites to perform. That includes
highlighting best practices, teams and countries that have shown
clear improvement.”
By conducting the EES on an annual basis, by helping
everyone understand the value of it, by making it part of the
performance management process and by following up on
the implementation, Verisure has been able to improve the
overall performance level of its employees.
According to Henrik Heslyk, it is important for the organisation
to manage to pull through the entire process, which
sometimes can be lengthy and even complicated. Behavioural
changes, structural changes and improvements take time and
patience, even in today’s hectic business environment. On
the other hand, success creates engagement and willingness
to make an effort. Especially the younger generation expects
development, so a company needs sufficient tools and
processes to fully utilise its high potential and to make the
most of this kind of investment.
Verisure is Europe’s leading provider of
professionally monitored home alarms
and connected services for smart homes.
Offering both home security solutions –
primarily professionally monitored intrusion
and fire alarms – and smart home services,
Verisure helps its customers stay in touch
with home and family, making their daily
lives that little bit easier and more pleasant.
With 6,500 employees serving a total of 1.6
million customers, Verisure is number one in
Europe and growing fast in South America.
3
2014
AND CREATE AN EFFICIENT PROCESS FOR IT”

2. EDITORIAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
BROAD PERSPECTIVE
FOR BUSINESS
In my role as Corporate Spirit’s regional
representative in South America, I’ve had the
opportunity to familiarise myself with the
local working culture and to make observations
about the differences between South American
and Northern European business life.
In order to understand customer needs in
their key markets, companies attempting to
expand their operations abroad need to be
well prepared. An exceptional product or a
skilfully designed marketing campaign, or
even a combination of these two, is seldom
enough to break through the barriers of global
competition. When hiring local personnel and
setting up operations abroad, companies tend
to think that the same kind of practices can
commit people to their employer and to do
their very best anywhere in the world – as long
as the local language is spoken and understood.
In South America, the attitude towards
employees significantly differs from the
European attitude. Terms such as “employee”,
“personnel” and “workforce” all have specific
implications and even connotations. In
particular, the sense of the word “engagement”
is not quite the same over here as it is, for
example, in the northern parts of Europe. A
gradual understanding can be achieved through
systematically asking customers detailed
questions about their perceptions of things.
Apart from linguistic differences, however based
on cultural variations, a company entering a new
market also needs to study and understand the
local business culture. Personal relationships
and networks are crucial in creating partner
networks and closing business deals. Keeping
an open mind, establishing an extensive level
of cultural awareness, attending events and
utilising social media channels are useful tools
in establishing connections in new market areas.
Kind regards,
VERONICA GUSTAFSON
Regional Director, Chile
A LOOK BIG
AT THE
PICTURE
In a large group of companies, high employee
engagement makes a big difference in
performance. With everyone’s involvement,
willingness and sufficient expertise, the results of
an employee survey can be efficiently utilised.

3. BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
Helsingin Energia is one of Finland’s largest energy companies, providing
electric power to about 400,000 customers and district heat to more than 90
per cent of properties in Helsinki. With numerous additional services, such
as district cooling, maintenance, outdoor lighting and planning – and more
than 1,300 employees – it goes without saying that the ability to engage
and encourage employees in the right way can make all the difference to
operational efficiency.
Every other year, Corporate Spirit carries out an employee survey to
discover how main development points have been tackled – and what
the employees would consider the next ones in line. The latest survey was
supported by specific training sessions directed to all managers at Helsingin
Energia. According to Corporate Spirit’s trainers and consultants Annukka
Väisänen and Esko Piekkari, the CS utilisation model is a useful tool to carry
out significant changes throughout large and complex organisations. »
TANJA PARVIKOSKI
HEAD OF REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT UNIT
“Utilising the results in a meaningful
way is the best way to protect our
most valuable asset – the people.”
Story continues on the backpage
“Personally, having participated in several training sessions of this type, I would say we now have
better tools at hand to make the most of our employee survey. After training, we went through
the developmental focus points with every manager in my unit individually. We wanted to make
sure that everyone understood the task at hand – what needed to be done and how everyone
could contribute. The company’s targets were kept in mind at every stage of the process, especially
when working with results from the best and worst areas. The open answer fields in the survey also
provided valuable insight that we were able to compress and analyse. Seeing concrete change may
take a while, but at the moment I feel that we have what it takes to make it happen. It all begins with
realising that people are the most valuable asset of any organisation. Their well-being is in direct
relationship with the organisation’s ability to perform.”
VIRVE VAAHTERA
GROUP MANAGER, POWER PLANT CHEMISTRY
“The training has helped our team to
establish the right kind of objectives and
to discover ways to reach them.”
“The training helped me interpret the results and to see the importance of clear expectations
towards employees in order to help them to do their work better. This is what we are emphasising
on a regular basis – and the results are clearly visible. Based on the group’s objectives, everyone
sets their own development targets and defines steps that are required for reaching them. People
are encouraged to voice opinions and take action. The new practice has been very well received.
Intermediate goals and schedules were created, along with a performance bonus system – and the
work began. My group goes through all on-going projects, including development projects, regularly
– how they are proceeding and when they seem to reach a stage where they affect everyone’s work.
Regular follow-up is seen as important – it helps everyone stay on track. Furthermore, it shows that
the development work is appreciated.”

4. THE PASSPORT
TO HIGHER
PERFORMANCE
Airport Leadership and Change Management
Summit & Exhibition in Munich
Continued from previous page
Corporate Spirit takes pride in the company’s proven ability to not
only produce relevant information about employee well-being
and engagement, but also in the fact that its expertise can help
organisations to interpret and utilise the outcome in a correct way,
keeping the business priorities in mind at all times.
All managers were invited to the training sessions, as everyone’s
involvement is needed to achieve changes in large organisations.
When the contents of training are similar for managers who lead
teams of different size and nature, the overall idea goes through the
organisation in a uniform way, even though the implementation in
daily work may vary according to specific circumstances in each team.
”Utilisation training empowers change. Change – when
carefully designed, executed and managed – supports the
organisation to reach its business objectives.
The entire organisation needs to be aware
of what we are out to achieve – and of
what is expected of everyone. Managers’
commitment to change is key, but without
the entire personnel’s involvement, only
a little change can actually take place”,
says Corporate Spirit’s Senior Consultant
Annukka Väisänen.
INCREASING EFFICIENCY
WITH INTERNAL CO-OPERATION
FACES & PLACES MEET US AT
Editor-in-chief: Jukka Pohjola | Editor: Piia Aalto | Layout: Mainostoimisto Dynastia | Printed by: TEMA-TEAM 12374-14 | Circulation: 7 000
Valkjärventie 7 A, 02130 Espoo, Finland, ☎ +358 9 452 0730
Läntinen Pitkäkatu 33, 20100 Turku, 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. Golf de Manquehue 9750, Lo Barnechea, Santiago, Chile, ☎ +56 9 5628 8292
EMPLOYEE SURVEYS
360 ° ASSESSMENTS
INTERNAL CO-OPERATION SURVEYS
SOLUTIONS FOR UTILISING THE SURVEYS
AND ASSESSMENTS
www.corporatespirit.eu
Corporate
Spirit
CS Ltd
Airport Managers from around the world gather to Munich in the
beginning of December to change ideas and best practices on
how to create The High Performing Airport. Corporate Spirit is, for
the third time, present as a sponsor. The company’s AirPeopleTM
employee engagement survey gives detailed information about
how to create the high performing airport culture. More information
about AirPeopleTM concept is available at www.airpeople.aero
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
14.10.2014 600Min HR, Stockholm, Sweden
13.11.2014 600Min HR, Munich, Germany
1.–3.12.2014 Airport Leadership and Change Management Summit
& Exhibition, Munich, Germany
28.1.2015 600Min HR, Helsinki, Finland
CORPORATE SPIRIT HAS APPOINTED THE FOLLOWING SPECIALISTS:
Katja
Louhema-Santasärkkä
Research Director
Espoo office
»
We are re-designing our Internal Excellence concept to match with
companies’ diversified needs and business requirements, and would like to
interview you about what you see essential. Help us gain understanding
about today’s complex, co-operational challenges by sharing your insight
and experience with us. Your input will be more than highly appreciated!
Contact us and we will tell you more » send email to info@corporatespirit.fi