Change is refreshing at work too

Hybrid work has established itself in recent years and offers a welcome change of pace. Most work at the office or at home, but a few people in Hansel have also tried other places to work.

Katja Reinikainen sometimes works at her summer cottage in Tahko, Lasse Ahonen heads to the ski slopes of Lapland for a few winter holiday weeks and Pasi Tainio escapes the darkening Finnish autumn to the light of the south. They all emphasise three factors that make such working periods possible: a flexible employer, a suitable work situation and a good internet connection.

More outdoor activities while working at the summer cottage

For a year now, Katja has worked for one week each month at her summer cottage, as her life situation as the mother of young adults allows it.

“The change of scenery is always really refreshing and gives me a wonderful feeling of freedom,” Katja says.

She says that her work situation has a big influence on how she organises her days at the summer cottage home office. Whenever possible, Katja goes skiing at the end of the day. The skiing tracks start right at the front door. Born in Savo, Katja appreciates the opportunity to occasionally work in Nilsiä. There are no chores to do at the cottage, and a large tourist centre offers a nice range of services such as lunch.

“The drive to the cottage is so long that I certainly wouldn’t be able to go there as often at weekends if I wasn’t already there after the working week,” Katja says.

Nature and the opportunity to get more exercise are what entice Lasse Ahonen to work in a more remote location. He says that he feels refreshed and even physically lighter once he has enjoyed more fresh air than usual during his weeks in Lapland.

“I might go to the ski resort restaurant for lunch and then ski down to the cottage. Even one descent is invigorating,” says Lasse, who enjoys winter biking in the fells in addition to skiing.

Lasse feels that a few working weeks in the north combined with a skiing holiday has been just the right amount of guaranteed winter weather for him. Even when working at the office, Lasse spends three hours working remotely on the train, as he lives a little further away from the city. In the summer, he sometimes combines his hobby with his commute and cycles to the office.

Hybrid work improves quality of life

Having worked twice in the warmth of the Mediterranean in October and November, Pasi admits that it is the Finnish climate that makes him want to work remotely. He praises the first-class tools provided by the employer and the IT support that is available when needed, which has enabled him to work smoothly from anywhere with a good internet connection. Pasi also feels that it is easier to concentrate on work away from Helsinki, as his normal daily routines are interrupted for a while. He says that being able to work abroad at times is important to him.

“It’s great to be able to go out in shorts after the working day, and I can start a weekend of hiking immediately after finishing work on Friday,” Pasi says.

All three employees who make use of the flexible hybrid model praise Hansel for giving them the opportunity to take different types of breaks from their daily life whenever the work situation allows, and emphasise that this makes it much easier for them to cope at work. For most of the year, Katja, Lasse and Pasi frequently work at Postitalo, and Katja says that it’s especially nice to see colleagues in person after a period of remote working.

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