Case: Tapiolan Lämpö – Asking questions

Creating management culture by asking questions

“We wanted to turn the traditional management model upside down: instead of issuing top-down orders for tasks to be completed, we wanted our employees to take more responsibility for their own work and develop their own job descriptions while taking Tapiolan Lämpö’s service offering forward,” says Tapiolan Lämpö’s Maintenance Business Director, Antti Nevalainen.

Systematic change support

Managers and supervisors were regularly trained on new ways of managing people and actions. The training programmes created concrete tools for supervisory work and implementing new actions. Supervisors were able to influence weekly management actions and the execution of the forthcoming change. Monthly War Room meetings focused on addressing challenges that were obstructing the execution of change, such as carrying out difficult feedback discussions.

“We monitored the implementation of key actions using the BEAT-change management platform and it provided the systematic framework that we needed to support change. Alongside this collaboration, I sought fuel for my own thoughts by completing Trainers’ House’s Leadership Path Training Programme, which was perhaps one of my best learning experiences so far”, Nevalainen continues.

Verifiable results

“Since we began collaborating, the EBITDA margin has increased by 7%. In euro terms, that translates into a 30% improvement in the result. And it also says something that the quality control points for our largest customer account increased by more than 60% over the same period. It has been a joy to see how our employees have raised their professionalism and respect for their own work. Everyone is constantly developing their own work and serving our customers better than before. Everyone should use external sparring from time to time”, Nevalainen says.