Customers’ requirements will most probably be even more complex in the future. One solution will no longer be enough for all..

Customers will want a unique, comprehensive experience – and they’ll want it quickly. This will require companies to make fast and flexible decisions at all stages of the value chain. However, decisions can only be made successfully if sufficient and correct information is available.

At many companies, Otava included, people are talking about a change in working culture. Some of these discussions deal with flexible working hours, paying better attention to employees’ personal life situations, changes in physical workspaces, and other very concrete issues. For me, this change in working culture is above all a question of information, and in particular the openness and availability of information.

At Otava, we are already working independently of at least place and maybe even time. Several studies have shown that giving employees freedom to choose when and how they work has a positive impact on both wellbeing and efficiency. At the same time, there are concerns as to whether everyone will have sufficient information. Information has traditionally been archived somewhere: recently in companies’ internal networks and previously in folders in archive rooms. Briefings have been held for personnel, and memoranda, guidelines and operating models have been sent out. And every company has no doubt had a walking encyclopedia that has been able to confirm information and the ‘right way to make decisions’. I would argue that there is still a need for these walking encyclopedias, but their work has been made easier by new digital services.

Office365 enables information to be produced communally and transparently through discussion. At Otava, we are increasing our use of cloud services and, in conjunction with this, have also launched interesting discussions about openness in Teams workspaces. I personally support openness. It enables information to be accessible to all functions and at all levels of the organisation. The responsibility for both finding and sharing information is being transferred to individuals. Closed environments always mean that information must be forwarded by someone, and that someone must also decide who will find this information useful. At worst, this can lead to bad decisions being made due to a lack of relevant information.

An understanding of information and how to share it is, to a large extent, a key theme of supervisory work.

Now that supervisors no longer manage information, their most important task is to ensure that every employee shares both their knowledge and expertise, and makes decisions.

Supervisors spar with employees to improve decision-making. Supervisors also ensure that every employee has the required competence to use information tools. In this area, supervisors should lead by example. Information can be generated in many different ways and everyone will no doubt find the way that is most natural for them. I have recently made my first videos and podcasts. Learning new things is motivating. I am happy to discuss and spar with you concerning changes in working with information, either face-to-face or virtually! So please feel free to contact me!

Mervi Korhonen

Publishing Manager, Sciences

Otava Learning

“I’m an education and publishing professional, and my goal as a manager is to enable people to succeed. Interesting tasks, great colleagues and permission for both personal and other development motivates me from year to year. Learning is my passion.”

mervi.korhonen@otava.fi