Executive in Finland claims that the main perk that keeps employees content at work is: "It's about the results, not the hours.”

 

According to a Finland executive, the main perk that keeps employees content at work is: "The outcomes are more important than the hours worked.”

Finland is the happiest nation on earth, and at one Finnish company, employee satisfaction is mostly attributed to one key benefit: flexibility.

This is the situation at Framery, a manufacturer of workplace space soundproof pods. The organization surveys about 400 employees annually to find out what factors most contribute to their job satisfaction and engagement.

The idea of work-life balance is always priority one or priority two, according to Anni Hallila, head of people and culture at Framery.

She also claims that business executives deliberately encourage flexibility in work schedules and break periods for their staff in order to create that balance.

When it comes to how you organize your workday and workweek, Hallila says, "it's completely normal that you can mix your personal life and work life." "You can start your day earlier if you have to take your kids to daycare in the morning, or you can come later if you have to pick them up in the middle of the day."

Although she notes that the Framery office is open around the clock, most visitors arrive between the hours of 7 and 9 a.m. and depart by late afternoon. "Leaving work at four o'clock is normal," she states.

By law, Finland’s standard workweek is 37.5 hours, but as Framery leaders see it, employees can work with their managers to figure out how that breaks down each day.

On the rare occasion that someone’s schedule is negatively impacting their team’s work, Hallila says it becomes a conversation with their manager to make adjustments.

If not, Hallila explains, "you can do six hours today, eight hours tomorrow, and that's completely fine." "People have a great deal of leeway in arranging their overall work schedules. We have faith in them to complete the task. The most crucial factor is that they will complete the tasks at hand. It's about the outcomes, not the number of hours worked.

Moreover, leaders advocate for scheduled pauses during the workday. For instance, according to Hallila, employees are urged to exercise for an hour once a week, whether it be by going on a walk or using the on-site gym of the business.

We don't assume that those who go for walks during the working are being indolent or slacking off, according to Hallila. "It's actually that they're managing their attention and practicing wise mental health balance.”