Expertise of the whole organisation lies at the core of corporate culture

In the survey, most thanks were received for the staff’s expertise, willingness to serve, and flexibility. The customers are pleased with the co-operation with vessel services, marketing and communication, and the Port’s management in particular. Overall satisfaction with the operations of the Port is at a high level, as up to 94 per cent of the respondents give a good rating for the functioning of co-operation. Thanks for the results of the survey go the whole personnel.

Initiated in the Port of Turku in 2021, the change of the corporate culture proceeded to practical measures the goal of which is to enhance the operating processes and strengthen the staff’s expertise to respond to the needs of the port of the future. The change of the culture strategy ranges from the development of leadership to the strengthening and diversification of expertise and practical professional skills. The tools used also included development discussions held with the employees as well as training, including water work card training completed by the Operative Department.

The charge also involves the new organisation structure that entered into force at the beginning of 2022 and in which the Port’s vessel services and maintenance services were concentrated into one unit under the Port’s Operative Services. The goal of the change is to condense and strengthen internal co-operation and also increase the flexibility of customer service. At the same time, maintenance switched to working in two shifts. During the year, a new HR administration system and a new internal information channel were introduced.

Alongside the development of expertise, the focal points of the Port’s HR policy include looking after the well-being of the employees. The Port’s new healthcare partner from the beginning of the year is Mehiläinen, and the agreement made with them is more comprehensive than usual, offering a new benefit compensation for dental care, too. Other key personnel benefits include exercise and culture benefits, Föli public transport cards and company bicycles which have been received well. Working capacity maintenance activities were restarted after the pandemic calmed down, and e.g. two personnel cruises were arranged for the staff, the goal of which was both to offer recreation and strengthen the team spirit.

Port of Turku Ltd had on average 53 employees during the financial year. The number of permanent employees in the parent company at the end of the year was 48, around half of them in the Port Administration. Change negotiations were held in the Port in late 2022 due to one of Tallink Silja’s ships being pulled from traffic. The negotiations were part of a cost savings package in a new situation in which transports to and from Sweden, important to the Port’s economy, fell by 25 per cent. As a result of the change negotiations, six people were made redundant in the Port’s administration organisation. 4 persons retired on pension from the port enterprise in 2022. At year-end, the Group had a total of 67 permanent employees.

Read the full annual report 2022 (pdf).

Text: Kari Ahonen
Photo: Jouni Saaristo