The first 100 days: Sponda’s company culture as seen by new employees
Starting a new job is always a big step. In addition to the excitement, the transition from a familiar old environment to a new one raises questions about one’s future role and the new work community. At its best, changing jobs offers an opportunity to learn more, develop networks and develop as a professional.
In the autumn, Magnus Öster, Anna Väyrynen and Joni Rajaniemi, a trio with solid experience in the real estate industry and working with customers, brought their energy and well-honed skills to Sponda’s work community. It quickly became clear to all three that new employees received a warm welcome in the company. They feel that Sponda was particularly focused on making sure that newcomers were taken on board immediately and made to feel welcome.
“I was very warmly received. Sponda has a comprehensive and professionally prepared induction process which makes it easy for new employees to find their place in the work community. Everything went very smoothly,” says Öster, who is Leasing Director at Sponda.
The induction process focuses strongly on the new employee, which has a major impact on their first impression of the employer and the company culture. Sponda also made a positive impact on Väyrynen, who started as Senior Leasing Manager. She was quick to notice the expertise of her new colleagues, and how comprehensively new employees were taken into account.
Starting the new job was made very pleasant for me
“The extensive expertise of my new colleagues was clear from the very first day. I was also delighted that everything necessary had been taken care of in advance – the equipment I needed was ready, the process of introducing employee benefits was well underway, and the induction programme had been entered in the calendar. Starting the new job was made very pleasant for me.”
Investing in staff reflects the company culture
Giving a new employee sufficient time to adapt at the beginning creates a stable basis for their integration into the company. Induction is an interactive process in which the newcomer themselves play a big role by being active.
It has been great to notice that Sponda genuinely invests in its personnel
“I had enough time in the beginning, and I could get to know the new people and practices at my own pace. The atmosphere at Sponda is open and appreciative. You can freely express your views and get help from different teams for everything. Interactions are very straightforward, which in turn strengthens the team and community spirit. I’ve also been delighted to see that Sponda genuinely invests in its personnel through training, communal activities and other events. And all the equipment in use and the facilities at the new premises in Kukontori are top quality,” says Rajaniemi, Senior Leasing Manager.
Busy times after the induction process
The first weeks of a new job are often busy, as the employee gets to know the organisation’s working methods and the team dynamics. Patience, openness and a positive attitude are essential to building mutual trust. In Väyrynen’s view, solid experience in similar work helped in learning the organisation’s operating methods and processes, as well as in internal networking. Öster agrees.
“We started getting up to speed from the beginning, and work with customers got off to a really nice start. A proactive and systematic attitude has been helpful,” Öster says.
Establishing good long-term relationships with customers is one of the most important goals for those in the rental industry. The ability to listen to each customer’s needs, respond to them effectively and understand the customer’s perspective is vital.
“It has also helped a lot in my new job that I have good networks. And my broker contacts, for one thing, remained the same despite the change of job. We were given a fairly soft start to allow for induction, but there’s been plenty of work since then and a whole lot of viewings to arrange. And that’s the heart of what we do, of course!” Väyrynen says.
Sustainable operations in every way
Öster, Rajaniemi and Väyrynen all agree that questions of sustainability arise in every lease negotiation with customers. At Sponda, sustainability is an ever-present theme: it weighs heavily on business operations as well as on things like charity and volunteer work in the company.
“Nowadays, potential tenants always want to know how the property owner has taken sustainability into account. This is especially emphasised in searches for large office premises, and in these cases it’s a pleasure to be able to note that we have these things in order. Sponda is a forerunner in its field when it comes to sustainability,” Öster says.
As new employees, all three consider it important that Sponda meaningfully invests in this area – a fact which is reflected in the recognition the company has received.
“In Finland, sustainability is generally taken into account very well in real estate companies, but I consider Sponda a forerunner in this regard. Among other things, this can be seen in our ranking at the forefront of the global GRESB sustainability assessment in our industry for more than 11 years. The excellent results speak for themselves,” Rajaniemi says.