How is Nokia helping their employees during the pandemic?

This is a complex question as we have gone beyond helping just Nokia employees - but let's start with that. Flexible work, more sensitivity and understanding to way of working, family situation, tasks at hand. More collaboration and support in general - from team members and leaders. Awareness training for leaders to become better at leading virtual teams. Being there and offering help when needed - be it because of smaller children, family responsibilities, difficult location, infrastructure. Training, materials, webinars on mindfulness, remote work, physical and mental health, sleep, exercise....

Beyond that Nokia has offered donations, printed 3D masks, helped provide better connectivity and organized events like a global webcast to make us feel part of a Nokia that cares...

All those are important activities and we do those. Adding to this, we have been doing different virtual challenges. Virtual coffees in the mornings and even some fun events where we just feel connected. We share pictures about home office setups and different activities that we do. Gladly connections and connectivity are our core and heart and we are want to stay connected to each other. Showing care to each other helps in this situation.

For sure no company is going to be without the impact of the virus. But to me, one of the major enablers at Nokia to make it through the crisis is that we have very mature tools and a standardized way of working which enables remote working. We have been working remotely already for decades. So efficiency from that perspective is not impacted too dramatically. We have also a pretty flexible working culture that caters to employees' special circumstances quite well and is especially important to lean now in today's circumstances.

One activity that Nokia did is to organise bi-weekly all hands online call that includes all employees in the same office. Discussing current challenges, sharing news, tips, and ideas for remote working. It also includes online funny competitions. You feel engaged, connected and it definitely breaks the weekly routine.

Health and wellbeing are taking care of. We now have for example plenty of virtual fitness classes organized by and for our employees worldwide. This has been instrumental in staying in good shape and it's so refreshing to see these hidden talents in the company! Nokia is also offering a free, confidential, and external Personal support Service to all employees and their families.

Personally, I have been impressed by how the teams at Nokia have come together to launch new programs and initiatives to virtually re-unite. I love for example the virtual family gatherings via video conferencing. Strangely enough, this challenging time brings us closer as we care for each other... still ... hoping to physically meet each other sooner than later, of course!