For Jussi, the transfer was like a free fall in a safe booth

Jussi Kaumi, just under forty years old, has spent his entire life working in the logistics industry as a terminal manager, warehouseman and warehouse supervisor. Now he has taken on a new role as a supervisor at Transval.

 

Jussi, his thirty colleagues and the logistics operations of the industrial factory's warehouse were transferred to Transval by way of a transfer of business in autumn 2020.

- I have learned my job by doing. I studied mechanical and metal engineering, but the working world called for more. Now I'm studying and working as a line manager, with a team of around thirty people. The best thing about this job is that you get to solve things. The worst thing is that I would like to do more physical work - I feel a bit guilty sometimes when I don't have time on the floor to help this team. Fortunately, my own manager supports me and tells me that I'm focusing on the right things.

The move was a real surprise

After the transfer from an industrial factory to Transval, Jussi's physical workplace is still the same factory, the work team is the same as before, only the employer has changed.

- We are a good, diverse and skilled bunch in this factory warehouse. Some have been working in the same factory for 25 years, others started a few years ago. The age range is 23-60 years and everyone has their own special skills. We got a new foreman from Transval, for us it means new learning and continuous development opportunities for the whole team. Transval is an expert in the logistics sector and now we can develop in our own area of expertise, i.e. logistics.

Jussi feels that his own team has made good progress since joining Transval. Open discussion is much better and the whole team is responsible for maintaining a good team spirit. In autumn 2020, the mood was different. The news of the transfer of the business felt like a drop without a parachute.

- It came as a complete surprise. The first information session was a brutal experience. There was a feeling of disappointment that someone was making decisions for me. Then I wondered whether I would keep my job. The next thing I thought about was where and whose fault it was. The feeling was like dropping without a parachute. At the end of the day, however, feelings calmed down and by the evening I was already talking to friends about it. Perhaps the best comment was "Hey cool, you got a new job!"

The surprise was career advancement and managerial responsibilities.

After the first news and briefings, Jussi and the other transferees were working in the factory in a confused mood. Thoughts were swirling about what was going on.

- During the briefings and joint discussions, I got all the key information about what the transfer meant in general, and what it meant for me on a very practical level, such as when my salary would be paid, what would happen to my work clothes or whether there would be any changes to the occupational health services. We also received a comprehensive package about Transval, its values, its policies and the company itself.

Jussi stresses the importance of sufficient information, briefings, joint discussions, transparency and personal involvement during the change process.

- When I came home after a day's work, it felt good to read more about the new company and how things were progressing. However, the information about the change of employer is a surprise and it is at that moment of information that you don't necessarily think to ask about the things that are important to you.

When his assignment at Transval started, Jussi was offered a managerial position.

- It felt really good to have the opportunity to develop myself and my skills right from the start. I think my pro-activity, openness and curiosity about change was noticed.

My values and those of my employer meet - also in terms of safety at work

Transval was not a company that Jussi was familiar with before. The idea was that time would tell what kind of employer Transval was and how things would work out.

- I was proud of what a great factory I had worked in and the responsibility I had been given. When I moved to Transval, I wondered whether this was a drop or what. Now I've been working for four months in Transval, and I'm even more proud of my work than before.

Safety, reliability, respect for people and work, and openness were values that were important to Jussi personally.

- It was good to see that what matters to me personally also matters to Transval as a company and to its employees. In particular, safety at work is a top priority for me. Without a safe working environment and working practices, you can't do anything meaningful.

Moving with body and mind

Jussi's free time is as busy as his working life: his wife and two children keep his mind active and creative, as do his two bands: one for which Jussi composes the songs and both for which he plays guitar.

- I keep physically fit by lifting weights in the gym, and my commute from home to work is done by my body," says the native Turku resident.