The 20-year period I have spent at Ensto is almost half of my 54 life years. As my position of Laboratory Manager has remained the same, I guess it shows that I have enjoyed my time here! This is not least because my work is super interesting and offers something new to marvel every day.
Before coming to Ensto, right after graduation I worked 13 years in a company in the electrification industry in a specialist position. At some time, I thought that I would not be interested in managerial tasks but actually, I like being a superior. For me it is important that the team functions well and the members of it work together for common goals in good spirit. Leadership requires time and that I truly dedicate for the personnel management. I think one can never be perfect as a superior, so I try to develop my leadership skills continuously. For instance, I am today a lot better at delegating than I used to be 20 years ago.
My work offers challenges, and the tasks vary a great deal. Along with managerial duties they cover a lot of coordinating, purchasing new laboratory equipment, managing the Quality System and different kinds of development projects, participating in the standardization work groups, supervising product certifications – to mention some. The internationality of Ensto’s business brings new aspects and exciting dimensions to everyday work: there are colleagues from 18 countries.
At Ensto I value that I have been able to develop myself and the operations throughout the years. The colleagues are very nice and competent, and I can always trust that everyone does their job. In a family business like us people know each other, and the owners and the management are present and visible in our everyday lives. The communication is open, the direction is clear, and we are all able to influence the way we do our work. These things are motivational for me, and I have noticed that commitment comes through motivation. And vice versa: actually, they go hand in hand.
Within time I have gained a wide and deep understanding of our business and its processes and that I find as an asset. That is thanks to our trust capital culture which enables participating in various projects be it related to software, enlarging testing premises or product development. I have learned a lot from my talented colleagues and their varied knowhow. Something new comes along every day!
Ensto has a wide range of in-house training programs, and we can attend also other training sessions and courses that support our expertise development. Lately, the human resources systems have taken a huge leap forward, which helps in conducting managerial tasks easier and quicker. As a superior I aim at enhancing my coaching skills and pay special attention to learning how to give feedback in everyday situations. Instead of just leading the team I try to understand individuals and their individual needs.
I live in Porvoo with my wife and two dogs; our two grown-up children have moved to live on their own. During the free time I walk outdoors with the dogs, go to the gym, or participate Ensto’s sports groups like cross training. There is also always something to be done in our house and garden and I find cultivation and gardening relaxing.
My favorite subject of continuous improvement at work is the constant development of our testing process. We find it important that it is easy for the stakeholders to find the test results and follow the testing progress. It increases the understanding on how long each phase takes and which kind of tasks are needed for a reliable test result.
Janne Lappalainen
The writer of the blog works as the Laboratory Manager at Ensto. Read more about Ensto Laboratory.