How is business continuing for the industry now working from home is the new normal? Source talks to Kalle Törmä, ceo and founder, about how Flowhaven has adapted.
With the licensing and related industries all working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns, Source talks to key companies across the spectrum to find out how they are keeping business going.
Today: Kalle Törmä, ceo and co-founder, Flowhaven.
How is the team’s day now structured, with everyone working from home?
Our team’s daily structure/dynamics have not been upended by the shift to working from home. To maintain productivity, we’ve emphasised the value of constant communication and refined our workflows to continue to meet our goals.
I’m proud to see my team working together to find solutions to new challenges including establishing daily departmental update calls and manager one-on-ones to provide clarity on given tasks. These initiatives help us maintain the transparency and optimism we strive on.
Could you provide a (very) rough timeline of your day?
• 7 am: Coffee ready. Laptop open!
• 9am: Check Emails. Catch up on industry news.
• 10 am: Daily call with Flowhaven cco and co-founder, Timo, to identify three goals for the day and engage in fun, supportive chatter.
• 12 pm: Video chat lunch or a quick video game break with coworkers
• 1pm: Back to work!
• 3 pm: Walk my dog. Take a breath of fresh air (safely) in the great Finnish outdoors.
• 4pm: Back to work with our US team.
• 6pm: Find ways to spend time with family and friends including video chats, video game battles on my PS4 or games with the family members I’m in quarantine with.
How is communication with licensees and retailers continuing? How important is it to continue keeping these lines of communication open during this time?
We are actively talking to our customers and their internal teams in various ways (emails, blog posts, video chats, group video game battles, etc.) to help them stay motivated and optimistic as well as help them solve operational challenges during these unique times.
Effective communication lies at the heart of our business. When we built our solution, we knew that licensing pros should have easy, digital tools to help them communicate internally, externally, clearly and quickly; real-time data to know where they stand and; resources to encourage learning and conversation. COVID has reinforced our message.
Which projects are you able to move forward on right now?
We’re currently focused on research and development. All teams, from marketing to sales, customer success and development are running their business operations well with an eye to the future.
What piece of advice would you give about how best to continue to feel like a team while WFH?
Talk to each other, keep chat channels and video-calls more casual and fun. Encourage everyone to have a voice and tell stories from their day even if that means going a bit overtime.
How are you keeping up morale?
We celebrate each and every team win including major milestones and competed for tasks and spotlight the individuals who helped to make it happen. Our leadership team stays tuned into the needs of staff and are working overtime to ensure that everyone has the resources and support they need to thrive. That can range from having their favourite desk decorations delivered to having department happy hours.
Best thing about WFH?
Working from home affords us the opportunity to make plans and stick to them. While I miss the unexpected halfway chats and coffee breaks at the office, being indoors allows me to focus on the tasks at hand, learn and read more as well as make bolder decisions about the future.
What’s the one thing you’ve discovered about each team member since WFH that you didn’t know before?
A lot of people in our team have pets! They’ve become welcome guests on our video calls.
What advice would you give to people in the business who are worried about the future?
Just follow Master Oogways wise words: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”
If you or your team would like to take part in this feature, simply email Samantha Loveday on saml@max-publishing.co.uk.
