Meira as a good workplace is our strategic priority

We are a company in where today’s technology, robotics and sensorial quality assessment as well as craftsmanship are combined in our daily work. In the green coffee cellar and packaging hall, robots do their job and grinding levels is assessed with a laser meter – but modern technology is not the whole truth. The craftsmanship and senses of professionals cannot be replaced by any machine: we taste dozens of cups of coffee every day and the most delicate spices are still packaged by hand. Our brands are in our own hands, and more than 98% of Meira’s products are still developed, manufactured and packaged in the heart of Helsinki at our Vallila plant. In 2021, we employed about ca. 190 professionals from marketers to purchasing managers, laboratory and logistics workers, production foremen and operators.

In 2021, we employed about about 190 professionals from marketers to purchasing managers, laboratory and logistics workers, production foremen and operators.

Well-being at work, foremen coaching and improved internal communication

A good workplace has been raised as one of Meira’s strategic goals, and a lot of work is being done for it. In the beginning of 2021, we launched our updated values, which are: Professionalism, Transparency, Customer Orientation and Attitude. The renewed values were created and implemented together with meirans by surveys, team discussions and communication materials.

We also updated the scope and tasks of a task force, that is responsible for occupational well-being activities and benefits. The aim of the new “Good Workplace” task force is to make proposals on the use of the budget, and to better listen the personnel’s opinion in the planning. Existing benefits are also made more visible. The “Good Workplace”  task force conducted, for example, a survey on employee benefits, and as a result, e.g. massage and commuting were added to our “Smartum” occupational benefit service.

During 2021, all our supervisors went through a coaching module, which aimed to improve our skills in e.g. giving constructive feedback and coaching leadership. We also launched “supervisor afternoon coffees,” where a current topic is reviewed with supervisors each month, such as discussing Meira values ​​in teams or the themes for next year’s supervisor training. We also created work performance evaluation model and developed our reward system.

Meirans are especially satisfied with the work of our supervisors, opportunities for develop one’s own work, as well as the fact that the company and individual goals and targets are clear.

Well-being at work is measured every two year in an extensive personnel survey, and every six months with the so-called pulse survey regarding key variables and HR department’s performance. In the survey conducted at the end of 2020, we identified couple of key development themes; internal communication, transparency and equality. These have been improved during 2021, e.g. regular production rounds of the management team and a clear increase activity level in internal communication, e.g. through info screens and meeting procedures. On the positive side, Meirans are especially satisfied with the work of our supervisors, opportunities for develop one’s own work, as well as the fact that the company and individual goals and targets are clear.

Occupational safety is our top priority

Occupational safety is our top priority, and we still have room for improvement. The number of lost time accidents per million hours worked (so called “LTA”) was 18.60 last year, when our target is, of course, zero accidents, and our intermediate target is LTA 10. The accidents were luckily not severe, but e.g. slips on icy roads on the way to work. This winter we’ve been distributing ice grippers to our entire staff to prevent the commuting accidents as much as possible.

During 2021, the number of sick leaves remained at a lower level than the food industry average. The main reasons for absence were related to musculoskeletal disorders.

Comprehensive occupational health services are available for Meirans. Last year, we also introduced “Chat and Sparr for mind”, a digital service package for mental well-being. Mind Chat and Mind Sparring are easy-access mental health-enhancing, preventative services.

Work continues

This year, we will continue the development projects started in 2021, e.g. the introduction of a renewed reward system, the development of performance evaluations and related coaching, and the design and implementation of a new recruitment system. In addition, autumn is again the time for a personnel survey. Going through the research results and identifying areas for development is an important part of doing the coming fall.

As a new theme for us, we are also taking diversity & inclusion under a closer loop. We started this work with self-assessment and identification of areas for improvement, which are e.g. trainings for meirans on this theme. During the spring, we will launch the Meira Ethical Principles, which deal with e.g. ethical business practices and non-discrimination as well as themes related to diversity & inclusion.