I joined VALA almost a year ago, and it’s been a fantastic experience! From the start, I could see the talent, drive, and the unique culture that makes this company what it is. But what really stood out was the group of people who are serious about their goals—not just talking about them, but actually making them happen.

Last fall, we took a big step and set a clear goal: to be the Greatest Quality Company in Finland. We didn’t just say it—we created a plan to make it happen. Now, seven months later, it’s time to look back and see how we’re doing.

Staying on Track

We knew from the beginning that a strategy isn’t something you just write down and forget about. It needs to be part of everything we do. We have worked in 5 streams/focus areas: Sales, Best place to be, Services & Competences, Wellbeing and Profitability. These streams have been working with their own task lists, and so far, we’ve completed more than half of all the tasks. At the same time, we’re constantly setting new ones. This way, we don’t just check things off a list—we keep pushing forward with purpose.

And it’s working. We’re making good progress towards our goals, and based on where we are now, we’re on track to meet them. Of course, there are always uncertainties in business, but right now it looks promising.

Keeping the Strategy Visible

A strategy only works if it stays top of mind. That’s why we follow up regularly—every two weeks with quick updates, and once a month with more detailed ones. Even when some of our goals haven’t gone as planned, we’ve been open about it. This transparency has helped build trust and created a culture where challenges too are faced together, not hidden away.

We’ve also added a special task list to our strategy dashboard. Everyone at VALA can contribute to it. The list includes things like generating sales leads, helping with marketing, improving satisfaction survey responses and writing reviews on platforms like Glassdoor (check out our Glassdoor score here). It’s a simple way for everyone to see how their actions contribute to the bigger picture.

Incentives and Shared Success

Hard work should be rewarded. That’s why we’ve linked individual rewards to our goals, offering personal ePassi money for every target we hit. Every win adds to our momentum and reminds us that we’re all working together towards the same vision.

Signs of Progress

The best proof of progress is results. Over the last few months, we’ve:

• Won the Great Place to Work award, showing our commitment to being the best workplace in Finland.
  
• Secured some big new partnerships, strengthening our position as the top quality company. Related to this, our KONE reference was published recently.
  
• Surveyed our clients, and the results speak for themselves: most of them consider us their preferred partner—a strong sign that we’re on the right track toward being the greatest quality company in Finland.
  
• Been featured in the media, including Talouselämä, Kauppalehti, and Tivi, boosting our brand recognition and proving that we’re relevant.

Still Much to Do

While we’re doing well, we’re not there yet. Being the best isn’t something you achieve once and stop; it’s a continuous journey. There’s still plenty of work ahead, and we’re far from done.

But looking at the last six months, one thing is clear: we have the discipline, the talent, and the drive to get there. And that makes all the difference.

There’s still a lot to do! Follow us on LinkedIn to see if we can keep living up to our words. If you have thoughts on our upcoming strategy update in the fall, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn. AI will be a focus 😉.

– Marcus Mattila, CEO at VALA

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