Gapps: Occupational health that supports knowledge workers and the rapid growth of the company
Case Gapps
Typically, we only think about reaching out to occupational health when things are tough. In many companies, it’s seen as a necessary evil, something you have to deal with because it’s required by law. “People often believe that the less we use occupational health, the healthier we must be. But I see it differently. The more Gapps employees take advantage of Heltti’s services proactively, the better”, says Kasper Pöyry, CEO of Gapps.
At Gapps, an IT service and digital transformation expert, they realized that their ambitious team of knowledge workers sometimes faced such demanding workloads that their own well-being was occasionally neglected. This prompted Gapps to seek extensive occupational health services from a partner dedicated to addressing the needs of knowledge workers and offering proactive support, not just when someone is already unwell.
Collaboration in a nutshell
Starting point
At Gapps, the main challenge in finding occupational health services was that most service providers didn’t understand the needs of a company consisting mainly of knowledge workers. They sought a change in this situation and looked for a health partner who could efficiently handle illnesses like flu and other healthcare matters while also providing broader assistance and support for promoting the well-being of their staff.
Why Heltti?
For a thriving growth company like Gapps, mere statutory occupational health or a distant partnership wouldn’t have sufficed. In Heltti, caring goes beyond the basics, providing employees with comprehensive support, with a special focus on nurturing mental well-being.
A glimpse into our collaboration today
The collaboration between Heltti and Gapps is active and transparent. “Heltti understands the essence of our culture and business. Besides occupational health, we receive coaching, information, and comprehensive assistance from Heltti – including support for leadership and supervisor development.”
Services in this partnership
- Forerunner -occupational health package
- Mental well-being support
- Coaching for leaders and executives
- Work Ability Management support
Occupational Health that’s present
in the everyday life of Gapps’ employees
“We have tried various service providers, and the biggest stumbling block has been that they don’t understand the needs of a company consisting of knowledge workers like us and our way of being an employer. The collaboration was distant, statutory, and I was looking for more than just an annual Kela report,” describes Nina Uhlenius, responsible for HR and culture matters at Gapps, based on her previous experiences. The solution was found close by – within their own customer base. Heltti, specializing in knowledge workers, has been a customer of Gapps since its inception, so now the assistance is mutual.
“Heltti understands the essence of our culture and business. Besides occupational health, we receive coaching, information, and comprehensive assistance from Heltti – including support for leadership and supervisor development.”
“It has been a pleasant surprise for employees that occupational health is more present in daily life than before. The kick-off held by Heltti on-site provided a good foundation for collaboration and made it clear that Heltti is a partner that fits our style and is easily approachable. Connecting with Heltti is easy in many ways, both in person and remotely, and no one has to wonder how to get in touch and whether they can be in touch”.
“I believe that without this kind of collaboration, sick leaves would be more significant for us. I am confident that with a different model, the situation would be different.”
Nina Uhlenius, HR-manager, Gapps
Dive deeper into this collaboration
Gapps streamlines business practices and builds digital solutions using Google Cloud technologies. Gapps has a strong expert culture where individuals have the freedom and responsibility to decide and organize their work. Self-directedness is the key. Although Gapps produces digital solutions, it is the expertise of the people that makes Gapps’ business possible. Their well-being is a top priority.
Gapps’ corporate culture is built on caring. There is a genuine interest in colleagues and their well-being, not just in terms of work performance. When you care about people as individuals, it’s easier to build on that foundation.
“We have a family-like work community. While families can sometimes be stuck in routines, in this family, there is always enthusiasm and a desire to learn new things. We are happy to try new things and want to shake up the traditional IT industry through a human-centric approach. Heltti feels like a good match because they also shake up the traditional occupational health industry in the same way,” says Pöyry.
At Gapps, too, it has been noticed that the strong work engagement of ambitious experts can sometimes lead to neglecting one’s own well-being.
“Gapps is not a traditional IT coding house; in addition to engineers, our employees include humanists, business professionals, educators, and even those with a background in food science. What unites us is that we are nerds in our own lives, interested in technology and especially in how it can make life easier,” says HR and Corporate Culture Manager Nina Uhlenius.
“For a growth company like ours, mere statutory occupational health or a remote partnership is not enough. We wanted comprehensive occupational health services from a partner who focuses on the needs of knowledge workers and who also helps preventatively, not just when someone is already ill. In addition, we wanted a partner who supports us in the development of leadership and supervisor work and who has expertise in supporting mental well-being.”
“The most important tool for a knowledge worker is their mind. While ergonomic work conditions and physical well-being are essential, equally important is the so-called brain ergonomics or mental well-being. In today’s working life, it is more likely to take sick leave due to mental health reasons than, for example, musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, support for mental well-being must be available.
Kasper Pöyry, CEO of Gapps, aims to normalize visits to a work psychologist and encourages other Gapps employees by setting an example.
“I have personally seen a work health psychologist and benefited from it. I want to, by my own example, reduce the stigma associated with this topic. I hope that the recent discussions about therapy would increase openness on this matter. It should be commonplace to talk to a psychologist, especially when working in knowledge-intensive roles. Mental well-being affects everything.”
“For Gapps, it’s essential that the collaboration with occupational health is active and transparent. With an easy-to-read dashboard, Gapps HR manager can see the progress of the Heltti collaboration, and the numbers are reviewed monthly. In addition, well-being measurements and surveys help keep track of how the company is doing, and if something is flagged as a concern at the company level, Heltti addresses it quickly.
“Some might think that reduced sick leave is a good indicator of occupational health collaboration. Personally, I don’t necessarily see it that way. If someone is sick, it’s preferable that they genuinely take sick leave and don’t work. In expert work, it’s easy to prioritize work over one’s well-being. From an employer’s perspective, sometimes less would be enough,” says Kasper Pöyry.
“As the only HR person at Gapps, it’s very rewarding to receive coaching from Heltti professionals for my work and the development of leadership at Gapps. I’m also grateful that Heltti provided an introduction for employees on how Heltti occupational health works and what it includes, so it didn’t become solely my responsibility among all other tasks. Heltti’s leadership coaching has also been found very useful. When Gapps employees succeed, I consider that a success for myself,” describes Uhlenius her role.”
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Katriina Kanto | LinkedIn
katriina.kanto@heltti.fi
044 712 9505
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