Succeeding together: HR Specialist Tarja Leinonen and Education Manager Jonna Ojala handle everyday life with knowledge and knowhow

No one is born as a leader. The thought thrown out by Tarja Leinonen feels comforting. No matter how convincing your career may be, we still have to admit our shortcomings every day. What matters is how we approach it. Do we dare to ask for help or do we struggle with the problems alone?

In recent years, the question has also been considered in the HR services of the University of Oulu, as new types of training and coaching models have been developed for supervisors. The aim has been to reduce the workload of supervisors and identify situations in which they need support.

"We now have our own HR partners and HR managers in each faculty, from whom you can ask for help in practical everyday life at a low threshold. We wanted to make HR services more accessible, so that people would also dare to turn to us," Tarja says.

"With the help of HR, leaders can focus on their work better."

Jonna Ojala has experience of supporting HR partners. When she started as education manager at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering's Study Services last autumn, she encountered new situations that took time to resolve.

"I have worked at the University of Oulu for more than ten years, but in different units and positions. As a researcher, the work was independent and more straightforward. On the study administration side, the work is guided by laws and ethical principles. In practice, my working days involve a lot of complex juggling that requires a solution-oriented approach."

Good conversations

Jonna and Tarja have good conversations together. Their career paths also have a lot in common. Both have two degrees, experience as researchers and backgrounds in private companies.

"The best thing about my job is these kinds of encounters with people, because I also learn something from each conversation. The university is such a huge organisation that it can accommodate the whole spectrum of human life. In managerial work, this means that everyday interaction skills are emphasized."

As an organisation, the university is also clearly different from companies.

"In smaller companies, an idea invented in the morning may end up being implemented in the afternoon, but our processes are slower and we need to consider different points of views. On the other hand, it has taught me lot. Everything doesn't have to happen right away," Jonna says.

Wide range of training

The University of Oulu's training offering for supervisors is unparalleled. Jonna says that during the past six months, she has participated in work supervision, UniLead coaching and various coaching processes. A training course is currently underway to consider how supervisors can intervene in difficult situations at the workplace and give constructive feedback.

"It has been nice to notice that I have done many things right in my supervisory work. Even though we are here as experts, it is acceptable to lead people with emotion. That is not something that takes away from executive leadership. In the end, it all starts with people's well-being and coping."

Tarja also advocates for a more humane working life. She is currently studying to become a work supervisor in order to be able to provide more concrete and personal coaching.

"In the academic world, we sometimes tend to forget that, despite self-directed expert work, we are just ordinary people. No one can survive without sleeping, eating or alone. You need guidance at work, and you need to have enough free time and rest to balance the work."

WE

Jonna Ojala

Job: Education Manager, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Study Services. Worked at the University of Oulu since 2014.

Education: Doctors degree in Process Engineering and Master of Science in Environmental Engineering.

Motto: "There is nothing to worry about. Things tend to work out."

Tarja Leinonen

Job: Senior HR Specialist. The special area is supervisory work and management support. Worked at the University of Oulu since 2018.

Education: Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration and Master of Education.

Motto: "Humanity is needed in working life."

This article is part of the "We succeed together" series produced by the Communications teams of University of Oulu. The series introduces university members who work together in different roles. Editor Sanna Wallenius & photo Mikko Törmänen.