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16 | PEOPLE FLOW
“PEOPLE WANT TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THEIR COMPANY IS GOING.”
The business benefits of promoting employee well-being are undisputed.
With technology on their side, KONE US employees are being encouraged
to take responsibility for their health – and having fun doing it.
Participants in the Elevate Your Health wellness program are improving
their fitness with help from a surprising source: computers. Computer-linked
pedometers keep track of walking steps and calories burned, feeding this
data to a customized website, which tracks activity levels and sends targeted
motivational messages. Participants are also sent fitness facts, tips for
healthier eating and congratulatory emails for reaching their targets.
WISING UP TO WELLNESS
“Different issues matter to different
people, but there are certain common
denominators, mostly related to leader-
ship and communication. People want
to see the big picture and understand
where their company is going,” says
Tuomas.
“And everyone wants recognition
and feedback,” she adds.
MOVING ON UP
“Look at any study, and the most impor-
tant driver for engagement is the same
all over the world: career and growth
opportunities,” reveals Tuomas.
KONE is working on various fronts to
offer its employees new challenges and
personal growth opportunities. People
interested in developing their capabili-
ties are urged to broaden their compe-
tence by taking on new assignments
and participating in job rotation, coach-
ing, training and mentoring.
“At KONE, we’re improving the visibil-
ity of internal vacancies on our intranet
and noticeboards. We actively encourage
people to apply for new positions within
the company and take part in our train-
ing programs,” says Tuomas.
“Added to that, we have made a
massive investment in leadership train-
ing. Back in 2008, most companies
were cutting their training budgets, but
we did just the opposite. The people
that manage our biggest employee
group – technicians in the field – had
very little leadership training. They have
benefited enormously from our Super-
visor Development Program, which is all
about people skills.”
Over the past three years about
3,000 supervisors have taken part in the
program, helping them become inspir-
ing coaches and effective communica-
tors. Tailored courses are also arranged
for senior executives and middle man-
agement.
ELEVATED HEALTH
Safety has always been a high priority
on KONE’s corporate responsibility
agenda. All employees receive in-house
training to ensure that they can perform
their job safely and without risks to their
health. Basic training is supplemented
by refresher courses and workshops for
specific job roles.
One of KONE’s most innovative
health initiatives is the Elevate Your
Health program launched in January for
US employees, which Tuomas describes
as an excellent concept that can be ap-
plied in other countries, too.
“We’re always looking for best prac-
tices that we can ‘copy and paste’ glob-
ally. The key is to take a comprehensive
approach. A fitness program won’t im-
prove engagement if you neglect some-
thing as important as wise leadership.”
HEALTHY HEARTBEAT
Open dialogue is actively encouraged
within KONE to ensure that every em-
ployee understands exactly where the
company is going and the role they are
expected to play.
Performance discussions are held
twice a year to set personal targets,
evaluate progress and provide personal-
ized support.
But, as Tuomas emphasizes, these
semi-annual meetings are just the