The staff of Faculty’s administration in December 2014.

In 2014, the Faculty continued to focus on two themes from previous years, namely cooperation and wellbeing at work. Quite often these two seem to intersect and lead from one to the other. The Faculty organised several events that were based on the workplace wellbeing survey and the areas in need of development that it identified. At first, the results of the survey were discussed by a steering group that drafted a plan for processing them. Summaries of the results were devised for each department, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Faculty Office. The traditional Faculty Day for the entire staff was held on 3 March 2014, this time at the Minerva Plaza in the facilities of the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences on Siltavuorenpenger. Efforts were made to recognise the areas of development that are common to the entire Faculty. The departments and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital concentrated on analysing their unit-specific results and the ensuing development measures. The Faculty Office and other administrative staff held their own seminar on 28 April 2014 at the Observatory, where they first heard an introduction by Merja Soosalu, the head of the Occupational Wellbeing Unit. Orientation emerged as the central theme of the day. Many felt that new employees are not properly oriented to their duties and the workplace, and that employees waste time searching for information on their own. Also, the instrument maintenance staff from Building EE, who work under the Faculty Office, held their own seminar which resulted in a series of meetings.

During Faculty Day, it was announced that a development seminar would be organised in June for the purpose of working in groups over shared areas in need of development throughout the Faculty and agreeing on concrete measures to be taken to enhance the

Faculty’s development day held in June. In the photo: Ritva Katsuno, Satu Sankari and Anna Hielm-Björkman.

situation. The seminar was held on 5 June 2014 in Karjala-talo under the leadership of educational manager Satu Öystilä from Eduta Ltd. Again, efforts were made to come up with ways to learn more about activities in neighbouring units and about opportunities for joint projects. Concern was also expressed about international employees and their integration into the work community. Small groups were formed to discuss practical measures. The groups suggested that more meetings and events be organised to offer opportunities to get better acquainted with other Faculty staff and their work. Much attention was given to the suggestion about acquainting oneself with the work of others: colleagues could visit each other’s workplaces to observe work practices for one day, for example. Mentoring was mentioned as a way to enhance the social integration of international staff members. Consequently, the Faculty invited human resources coordinator Jaana Nylund and international HR specialist Kirsi Korhonen from the University’s Central Administration to tell about the Buddy activities undertaken on the Kumpula Campus. The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine plans to launch Buddy activities in May 2015.

Maija Halme
Head of administration
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
University of Helsinki