Location matters – nShift thrives in the Heimola house in the heart of Helsinki
Located at the end of the busy Yliopistonkatu, the Heimola house brought the staff of nShift to the heart of the city after years of working remotely, to a central location that combines accessibility, versatile services and comfortable, adaptable spaces. Such a location is not just a practical or logistical advantage – it is a strategic choice where visibility and accessibility support business goals.
nShift is a leading European provider of delivery management software, helping ecommerce, logistics, manufacturers and wholesalers optimize shipping, tracking, and returns. With over 400 employees across Europe, nShift’s solutions enable the smooth delivery of nearly 1 billion shipments globally each year.
“Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, our old premises in the centre of Helsinki became rather cramped and impractical. This is why, as the pandemic eased, we decided to return to a new and more suitable office after years of working remotely. After searching, we found Yliopistonkatu. For us, the most important things were modern solutions, spacious premises, accessibility, acoustics, flexibility and, above all, location,” says nShift’s Strategic Carrier Partnership Manager Sebastian Vinberg.
The building’s location in the heart of the city is outstanding. Kaisaniemi metro station is literally around the corner, the train station is only a minute’s walk away, and practically all buses and trams stop by the office. According to a recent survey commissioned by Sponda, 93% of respondents consider the location of an office space to be important and especially those with an office in the centre of Helsinki come regularly to the office.
Our office anchors us as part of the heartbeat of the city centre
All services right on the doorstep
Thanks to the city centre location, all services in the centre of Helsinki are at your fingertips. Kluuvi’s restaurants, cafes and brick-and-mortar shops are just a stone’s throw away, and there are also banking, cultural and accommodation services in the area. According to Sponda’s survey, up to 68% of the respondents also consider it important that the office day can be combined with other things, such as hobbies or meeting friends. According to Vinberg, breaks and customer meetings during the working day are indeed easier to arrange when everything that is needed is nearby.
“At our office, we are right at the beating heart of the city centre. The neighbouring Porthania building, owned by the University of Helsinki, adds to the youthful energy of Yliopistonkatu. There are numerous lunch restaurants on the street, and the Helsinki Central Railway Station and the metro station right next to the office allow our staff to commute conveniently by public transport,” he sums up.
The building houses a diverse array of companies and organisations operating in various sectors. Vinberg has also become acquainted with history of the Heimola building as part of Helsinki’s growth.
“It is exciting to read about the birth and development of the independent Finland. We are in the centre of history – our conference room overlooks Kluuvikatu to the south and towards Esplanade Park further back, where the Runeberg statue stands. As a company, we have created some of our best memories in our conference room, which has witnessed both tight business negotiations and fun evening gatherings between the staff.”
Adaptable and bright spaces were created to meet the needs of the company
Completed in the 1970s, the property offers modern premises that are easy to adapt according to the user’s needs. The premises suitable for hybrid work can accommodate communal spaces for encounters and workspaces for work that requires concentration. Large windows bring plenty of natural light to the premises, and the open layout offers freedom for interior design and the development of working methods. Vinberg thanks Sponda for the quick performance of alteration work, smooth information flow and an excellent attitude to customer service.
The Yliopistonkatu office is the meeting point for our international company in Finland
“The adaptation of the premises to suit our needs occurred swiftly after the contract was concluded with Sponda. Only a few months after the alteration work began, we were notified that the premises were ready for us to move in. In addition, we were regularly provided information on the repairs by the contractor, so that we could plan and schedule our move as efficiently as possible. The conduct of Sponda’s customer service and account managers was professional and created confidence.”
Sustainable choice by an international company
The Heimola property has been awarded the BREEAM In-Use Very Good environmental certificate, which attests to the property’s energy efficiency, responsible solutions and sustainable way of thinking – values that more and more companies consider important.
“Sustainability is an important value for nShift, both in terms of our facilities and the innovation of our software products. We want to contribute to a more sustainable future in our own field, and to us sustainability means a way of working based on the company’s operations and values. Our personnel’s personal principles also broadly support sustainability as part of a sensible way of doing things,” says Vinberg.
For nShift, an office is a place where a company can provide its employees with a comfortable, ergonomic environment that fosters focus on work tasks. It serves as a meeting place for an international company in Finland – as a space where employees come together, get inspired and work together to share ideas and strengthen common understanding. The company’s European office network in different cities relies on central locations, and the company wants its offices to be an asset for recruitment, regardless of country and city.
“The central location increases staff satisfaction and enables our company’s international visitors to easily arrive on site and to find accommodation in a hotel right opposite our office, when necessary. Visitors often praise our location and the surrounding district,” says Vinberg.
