A knowledge work-focused occupational health company, Heltti, is acquiring the Academy of Philosophy, specializing in coaching and consulting. Together, these companies can comprehensively assist knowledge work organizations in preventing burnout and mental health-related sick leaves, as well as enhancing work motivation and well-being.
Heltti and the Academy of Philosophy form Finland’s leading knowledge work expert company, offering services for individuals, supervisors, as well as leadership and organizational development. The new entity employs over 200 workplace experts, ranging from psychologists to doctors, occupational health nurses, organizational developers, and therapists.
In this business arrangement, Heltti acquires the Academy of Philosophy, with the partners of the Academy becoming shareholders in Heltti. Heltti will continue to be entirely Finnish-owned, with a significant portion of the company’s shares held by its employees. The combined revenue of Heltti and the Academy of Philosophy is estimated to be around 13 million euros in 2023.
“We share a common mission to help companies grow in a humane way. The research-based coaching expertise of the Academy of Philosophy complements our strong knowledge in promoting well-being at work very well. Together, we are better equipped to respond to the challenges of the rapidly evolving work environment. In that sense, we are going against the current, as consolidation in the occupational health sector often involves acquiring competitors focused on traditional healthcare and expanding geographically,” says Timo Lappi, Chairman of the Board at Heltti and one of the company’s founders.
Founding member of the Academy of Philosophy, Frank Martela.
Organizations need to ensure that individuals don’t become passive knowledge workers but instead grow into active knowledge professionals.
“Burnout and the constantly increasing mental health-related sick leaves particularly impact sectors and organizations where knowledge work is predominant. At the same time, there is a significant shortage of experts due to our country’s skewed age structure. Fortunately, an increasing number of organizations have begun addressing this challenging equation by investing in preventive measures. We offer solutions ranging from team coaching to organizational development and mental well-being services – without forgetting traditional occupational health care,” says Kati Sulin, CEO of Heltti.
Currently, pressures in the workplace stem from Finland’s sluggish economy and deteriorating employment prospects. However, what’s causing even more distress for many knowledge workers is the advent of artificial intelligence.
“The revolution of artificial intelligence profoundly challenges the workplace, as routine knowledge work is increasingly handed over to AI solutions. The ability for creative and critical thinking, as well as pushing the boundaries of thought, is emerging as the most crucial skill set in the workforce. Organizations need to ensure that individuals don’t become passive knowledge workers but instead grow into active knowledge professionals. With our new expert community, we have a unique opportunity to support the transition of the Finnish workforce from knowledge work to thoughtful work,” says Lauri Järvilehto, founding member and Chairman of the Board at the Academy of Philosophy.
Heltti and the Academy of Philosophy together serve a total of 1,400 client companies, employing tens of thousands of knowledge workers. “The synergy created by our merger translates into better and more comprehensive service for our clients. We are now even more closely attuned to the pulse of organizations, allowing us to address emerging challenges and root causes more comprehensively. Factors beneath the surface, such as unclear roles and responsibilities, poorly organized work, leadership that disengages employees, or a company culture eroding trust, can contribute to these challenges,” says Liisa Arponen, CEO of the Academy of Philosophy.
With our new expert community, there is a unique opportunity to support the transition of the Finnish workforce from knowledge work to thoughtful work.
Lauri Järvilehto, founding member of the Academy of Philosophy and Chairman of the board
More information:
CEO Kati Sulin, Heltti
040 585 8488, kati.sulin@heltti.fi
Chairman of the board Timo Lappi, Heltti
040 756 7809, timo.lappi@heltti.fi
Chairman of the board Lauri Järvilehto, Filosofian Akatemia
040 770 9771, lauri.jarvilehto@filosofianakatemia.fi
CEO Liisa Arponen, Filosofian Akatemia
044 230 5727, liisa.arponen@filosofianakatemia.fi
Additional material about the merger
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Get to know the two companies:
Heltti
Founded in 2013, Heltti specializes in enhancing the well-being of individuals and knowledge work environments.
Heltti serves both organizations and individuals. For workplaces, Heltti provides comprehensive occupational health services, expertise in knowledge work health, mental well-being services, therapy services, and leadership development services under the concept of “work ability as a service.” For individuals, Heltti offers extensive therapy services and mental well-being services. Additionally, Heltti’s mental health professionals produce free psychoeducational content on mental health and well-being on Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify almost every weekday, reaching hundreds of thousands of people each month.
Heltti employs approximately 200 experts from various fields: psychotherapists and mental health professionals with a background in psychology, organizational psychologists, occupational health professionals ranging from doctors to occupational health nurses, occupational health psychologists, and physiotherapists, as well as registered nurses.
In 2021, Heltti merged with Shortum, a pioneer in short-term therapeutic approaches and therapy services. Heltti’s business has experienced robust growth in recent years, with a turnover of 8.7 million euros in 2022.
Filosofian Akatemia / the Academy of Philosophy
The Academy of Philosophy Ltd, established in 2009, is an expert in organizational development with a mission to build a more humane work environment. The Academy provides coaching, consulting, and research services to organizations aiming to thrive and remain adaptable in a changing world.
The activities of the Academy of Philosophy are grounded in science and a view of humanity that believes individuals want to excel in their work given the opportunity. At the core of their expertise is an understanding of intrinsic motivation and the recognition of structures, practices, and leadership approaches that support employees’ autonomy, continuous development, and adaptability to change.
Annually, the Academy of Philosophy serves hundreds of client organizations, with thousands of employees and supervisors participating in their coaching sessions, along with hundreds of teams and executive groups. Additionally, through newsletters, podcasts, and free webinars, they reach tens of thousands of individuals interested in workplace events.
Contributors to the impact work at the Academy of Philosophy include Frank Martela (Ph.D., D.Sc., Associate Professor of Well-being Psychology at Aalto University), Karoliina Jarenko (M.Soc.Sc.), Lauri Järvilehto (Ph.D., Professor of Work Life at Aalto University), Iida Mäkikallio (M.Sci.), and Peter Kenttä (D.Tech.).
The company’s turnover in 2022 was 1.3 million euros.