How to overcome the challenges of shift work fatigue in a factory employing 400 people? Nokia’s Oulu factory took on the challenge and succeeded. The well-being initiative embedded in the factory’s strategy was chosen as the most human-centered workplace achievement of the year in the Human Power 2024 competition.

When mining engineer Fredrik Idestam founded the pulp mill in 1865, he laid the foundation for Nokia’s innovation-focused business. Now, 160 years later, Nokia’s Oulu factory no longer produces pulp but high-level technology 5G base station products, operating around the clock in three shifts.

The staff is highly experienced and skilled. As years pass and age increases, night shifts and constantly changing daily rhythms put a heavy strain on the body.

What is the solution to the challenges of coping with shift work?

Energy for what matters most

At Nokia’s Oulu factory, employee well-being and coping have been evaluated from many angles for years. In addition to recreational vouchers and employee benefits, various shift model experiments have been tried to improve coping, but no breakthrough improvement in the strain caused by shift work has been found.

– We thought that if changes and experiments affecting everyone don’t produce results, maybe a more personal approach could work, says Jaakko Määttä, a member of the factory management team responsible for production.

– We understood that as an employer, we must enable people with all the necessary tools to manage their own well-being. At the same time, we must build a culture where they can take hold of these tools and take responsibility for their own coping, explains factory director Mikko Nissi.

They wanted an external partner who could strengthen employees’ feeling that the matter was taken 110% seriously. Nokia had previously participated, under the leadership of Tiina Ristamäki—responsible for Nokia Finland’s employee well-being—in scientific well-being research projects with Medical Center Aava and its sister company Aisti Health. Based on these, Nokia Oulu invited Aava and Aisti Health to jointly develop a completely new approach to solving shift work challenges.

The result was a coaching project whose clear focus was to provide employees with energy for the things that matter most to them. They also genuinely wanted to improve workers’ quality of life and work ability, as well as increase job satisfaction and motivation.

– In recent years, we have invested heavily in technology expertise, digitalization, and automation. These are investments in skills, but now it was time to bring the most important resource—the people—even more into focus, says Mikko Nissi.

A concrete goal was to improve coping in shift work, with one measurable indicator being a reduction in sick leaves.

”Now it was time to bring the most important resource—people— even more into focus.”

Research-based data at Aistii

The project started with a kick-off event held across three shifts. The launch was built and communicated so effectively that participation for the event reached an unprecedented high.

– When we reviewed the results, we found that about a quarter of respondents would benefit from coaching. Using Aistii’s clustering model, we divided individuals into individual and group coaching, says Annukka Katainen, unit manager at Aava Virta.

– Those struggling the most with coping were directed to individual coaching and, if needed, to Aava’s occupational health services. Based on the results, coaching groups were designed for those who would benefit from group support, with personal invitations sent according to each person’s specific challenges. The groups also took into account the differences between shift work and expert work by creating separate groups for each, she continues.

Aistii’s clustering model enables the early identification of different challenge groups and allows for targeted measures to be offered to these groups. One size does not fit all, which is why it is important to recognize the specific factors where an individual may face challenges.

– If a person is struggling with coping, it is important to examine the life stress factors more closely rather than jumping straight into, for example, intense gym training. Nokia’s coaching showed that with Aistii, we were able to identify target groups very accurately, says Mauri Honkanen, CEO of Aistii.

What was accomplished?

After the coaching sessions that began in September 2023, the first moment of truth came in December of the same year when employees completed the first follow-up assessment.

In addition to the follow-up assessment conducted with Aistii, effectiveness was also monitored through personal well-being plans, where individuals recorded a goal to be tracked with their coach at the start of the project. This provided subjective insights alongside the objective Aistii data from both the coachees and coaches.

The results were positive. The number of well-being employees increased significantly, while the number of those in very challenging situations decreased sharply.

– Some indicators showed improvement already after a short time, even though lifestyle changes always take time, says Tiina Ristamäki.

The eight-month project and the subsequent continuation project, which included both new and previous participants, produced well-being benefits for individuals as well as cost savings for the factory.

The euros invested in the project have paid off through reduced sick leave. Working with reduced capacity has also decreased and narrowed the productivity gap.

During the eight-month project, the savings from reduced sick leave can be calculated in the hundreds of thousands of euros.

– It was clear that after hearing about the great results, we wanted to continue even after the first eight months. Well-being management is an ongoing effort, so why slow down after a good start, says Mikko Nissi.

The well-being coaching has also led to positive side effects at the factory. Employees have independently formed WhatsApp groups to find companions for exercising. The workplace cafeteria has also been asked to provide more nutritious and healthier snacks.

­– They have found the spark for taking action and self-care. It has been realized that well-being is not just workplace wellness, but to cope in everyday life, one must feel well overall, Mikko Nissi happily notes.

The savings from reduced sick leave can be calculated in the hundreds of thousands of euros

Why did we succeed?

At Nokia, Aava, and Aistii, they have all reflected on what the secret to the project’s success was.

– The overall approach gained a new perspective, and the team felt that investment was being made in them. Even the start of the project was carefully planned and executed, and this was communicated in an engaging way beforehand, reflects Jaakko Määttä.

For those working at the factory, it was a big deal that participation in the coaching sessions could be counted as work time. The coaching was also made as easy as possible, with schedules planned so that no one had coaching during a night shift week.

– One key to the success has also been that the management has been very involved in this, says Tiina Ristamäki.

– In addition, the right target groups have been successfully identified and effective actions built based on them, says Mauri Honkanen.

– It would never have been possible to succeed if Mikko, Jaakko, and the entire factory management had not been so committed to this. The way they have invested time and money shows how important the matter is. Nokia had a clear determination and were open and willing to experiment. And of course, the success was also strongly influenced by the coaches’ expertise, trust-building, and seamless cooperation with occupational health, Annukka Katainen agrees.

Was it worth it?

The increased wellbeing of the factory workers has also been recognized outside of Nokia. The strategic wellbeing project was selected as the most human-centered workplace achievement of the year in the Human Power 2024 competition.

It goes without saying that investing in wellbeing was a worthwhile decision.

– This has been worth all the effort, and the return on investment has been good. At the same time, we also managed to train supervisors, which is extremely important, says Tiina Ristamäki.

– Even with weaker results, it would have been worthwhile. There is no going back to the old ways, as this is not just a passing wellbeing project. Our toolkit has expanded, providing a foundation to build on in the future, says Mikko Nissi.

– When a person feels well, they come to work in a better mood. This, in turn, shows in productivity and quality, and thus also in the bottom line over the long term, he continues.

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