The job satisfaction of Finavia employees is a result of many different factors. Finavia has been paying attention to leadership and different leadership styles for a long time. Finavia’s CIO Leyla Akgez-Laakso, who started working in Finavia’s IT team in 2019, feels that motivational leadership promotes an appreciative corporate culture.
“Open communication is at the core of all trust, and the efficiency of operations comes from personnel daring and wanting to share their observations. At its best, participative leadership makes the corporate culture more appreciative, and this is where job enjoyment and job satisfaction largely stem from,” Akgez-Laakso says.
A friendly atmosphere increases dedication to work
Akgez-Laakso, who has done supervisory work in various IT departments, acknowledges that she was very fact-oriented early on in her career. Since then, she has discovered that communication and genuine caring are key.
Finavia’s IT department has about 60 employees. Six of them are immediate subordinates of Akgez-Laakso. They are also part of the IT management team.
“As a supervisor, I want to create an atmosphere of listening and caring. In addition, open communication is key so that everyone has a good overall idea of how Finavia is doing and what is being done. It increases dedication to work and allows everyone to feel like they are working towards the goals of the whole company and not just performing a single task.”
Akgez-Laakso feels that the atmosphere of Finavia’s IT department is very friendly.
“People feel comfortable enough to say what they’re thinking. Also when they disagree. It’s important that everyone can voice their opinions. Equally, I feel that I can express my opinions to Finavia’s management.”
Akgez-Laakso also reminds us about the importance of humour, as it makes the atmosphere more relaxed and increases the sense of belonging.
“When you are relaxed, it becomes easier to think, solve problems and learn. We laugh together – even at mistakes.”
Finavia’s IT department is involved in many things
IT has grown increasingly important in Finavia’s operations over the past few years.
“We are closely involved with all development efforts in which automation or data play a role. We serve as a partner and a facilitator of strategy for Finavia’s various businesses.”
As the tasks of the IT department have expanded and become more diverse, different kinds of people have joined the department.
“There is a fairly equal number of men and women working at our department. There are long-term Finavia employees as well as many new ones, and the age range is also diverse. Not everyone needs to be cast in the same mold, and people with different educational backgrounds can all become very good IT experts,” says Akgez-Laakso, who has a background in the humanities.
Further reading
Finavia is a workplace with long careers
