HSL is undergoing a period of change: internal communication channels have been renewed, and remote work has permanently altered working practices. For this reason, there was a recognized need to clarify the importance of internal communication and corporate culture for every HSL employee. A more active and communicative approach to developing corporate culture starts with collaboration, and the development process was therefore carried out through co-creation, using service design methods and actively involving employees.
The work began with in-depth interviews and a light survey involving the entire staff. The aim was to better understand each individual’s role in workplace communication, the target state of corporate culture, and potential bottlenecks. In addition, current internal communication channels were observed, and further insights into the workday were gathered through diary methods. Based on this background information, communication journeys and communication profiles were mapped out to ensure that the workshops would identify the real internal communication challenges experienced within the workplace.
The intensive development work lasted a total of six weeks and involved dozens of HSL employees enthusiastic about improving workplace communication. During the workshops, participants generated ideas, tested them, and drafted guidelines for workplace communication, as well as agreed on the use of metrics. The steering group was actively involved throughout the process, offering guidance and encouragement.
As a result, HSL employees created inspiring workplace communication guidelines, which were visualized in a “This Is How We Communicate” guide. Feedback on the collaboration was extremely positive, with genuine enthusiasm and care evident in both the workshops and the project team’s work. The collaboration continues.
“At HSL, we are currently running a project to improve workplace communication and cooperation between departments. Our goal is to encourage and empower all HSL employees to act as active producers and sharers of information. We received valuable support for our project from the experts at Ahjo Communications. Under their guidance, we reflected on our own roles as communicators within the workplace—how, where, when, and to whom we communicate, and how we can engage our audiences. The atmosphere in the workshops was cheerful and encouraging—exactly the kind that inspires participation and the co-creation of ideas to improve workplace communication.”
– Tuija Ruoho, Communications Specialist