THROUGH ISLET BINOCULARS: JERE REINIKAINEN, HEAD OF HR FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND REPORTING
In what kind of organization do you work and what is your role there?
I work at the University of Helsinki, Finland’s largest and oldest university of science. Since 1640, it has been involved in creating a fair and equitable society, which is considered by many as the best in the world. Today, the multidisciplinary scientific community is solving problems that affect us all, also internationally. The scientific community of 40,000 students and workers is creating solutions that shape the future of our planet and Humankind.
The university operates on four campuses, but there are offices from Kenya to Lake Kilpisjärvi. Internationality plays a major role in all university activities. My role is within the finance and HR industry and in both financial and HR systems and reporting. My team currently includes 10 full-time people and in addition we use a lot of partners.
To which direction is your field developing?
The university world is undergoing a major transformation both in Finland and abroad. The value of research and education is permanent, although changes in trends can occur from time to time. In Finland, some kind of closer cooperation and concentration between universities will probably take place in the future. There are more than 17,000 universities worldwide and more will come. The University of Helsinki is ranked globally in a range of 50-100 between all universities. The different rankings are a bit like the stock market price of the university world, meaning they show the comparison and development between universities
It is interesting to see how universities will retain their academic freedom in the future that economic factors do not begin to control what is being studied. Big players like Google have set up their own training programs to train and hire top professionals. With digitalization, knowledge and courses become more accessible. The concern is that money gets too much control over what is being studied. The university has a solid history of researching where the economy is not even the top factor.
What is your organization’s key message to its stakeholders and customers?
The University of Helsinki is a top multidisciplinary and international university. Openness and globalization are at the heart. The goal is to change attitudes and society for the better in the world. The best solutions to global challenges come from cooperation. We invite alumni, foundations, communities and companies to join us in building a better future through education and research.
How does your organization retain top talents and what makes your organization a great place to work?
We have been able to create a good, positive atmosphere. The University of Helsinki has a lot of long careers and a lot of interesting things that the staff can get involved with. The University is a very versatile player.
We do not compete with salaries, but Finland and Helsinki are the strengths of the fierce competition in the world of academia, especially the opportunities for quality of life and the organizing conditions outside work.
What is the best part of your work?
We are working hard on systems and reporting at the moment. We are not jerky but constantly doing a lot of new things and developing the old. My role is quite independent and there is strong support from my employer for doing things. Although you work hard and do a lot, it is important to keep your well-being in balance. We strive to be pioneers in the development and use of digitalization.
How would you describe the partnership with ISLET?
We have a desire to utilize suppliers / partners extensively, both in implementation, sparring, and review. The partnership with ISLET is straightforward, open, and developmental and imaginative. This is a great way to work together and you can learn a lot both ways. It is genuine partnership and open to working together. Isletter is a flamboyant and knowledgeable person who truly wants to develop solutions. It’s been a pleasure working professionally with the Isletter. Every time you bring a new idea to the table, you get the feeling that you know what you’re talking about.
Own motto
I was involved in the EK campaign where I came up with the motto on the fly “Family is always family”. This comes from the fact that I feel our way of working is one where community and the role of our team are somehow behind this motto. Another thing that is linked to this motto in terms of my own work is that I can really glance over the whole thing in terms of the balance between leisure and work.
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