“We want to express our great concern about the operational management, the management system and the management of the organization.”
“Is there the right person with the right skill profile in the executive director’s position?”
“In our opinion, it is not possible to successfully implement the job description of the executive director with the current operating methods and resources.”
“The staff is very concerned about the executive director’s well-being at work.”
Last spring, the pressure cooker of more than 30 employees of the Finnish Ski Association really boiled over. The staff prepared a petition that strongly criticized the management of the organization and its commercial company Nordic Ski Finland. Urheilu has obtained the staff’s opinion. In Tikunnokka’s pleading, the tominna director is specifically mentioned Ismo Hämäläinenbut also his supervisor, i.e. the chairman Mark Aspen Strait as well as the other board of the union.
The letter emphasizes that it has been signed by a significant majority of the association’s office staff, as well as people working in elite sports, such as coaches and guardians.
The future is worrying
The person who started the petition, which can be interpreted as a cry for emergency about the future of the entire organization, will no longer work for the Ski Federation after the change negotiations, but for another sports employer. The things are known to have no connection with each other.
The protest mood was brought to the attention of the operational management, i.e. Hämäläinen, and the board of trustees, i.e. Haapasalmi, led by the union’s sales director and occupational health and safety representative Sensitive Mali. He did not want to comment on the matter to Urheilu.
The matter is considered so sensitive in the organization that the contacted employees of the union agreed to speak only anonymously. They said they understand why the staff ended up taking such a dramatic step.
– Everyone understands that such lists of names are not collected for nothing. It has not been so much about how the union has been managed, but about the fact that it has not been managed in any way. However, I cannot publicly say such things about my employer with my name, states one who works in elite sports.
– Sometimes it has taken an extraordinary amount of time to get hold of the CEO, and such a person does not succeed in this business when important things are on, says the previous colleague.
One person who has worked in the union’s office for years says that the general workplace experience is that “things have never been this bad”.
– The chairman believes that trust in Ismo will be restored by establishing a working group around the issue. It’s okay to doubt that based on the content of that petition.
Humble attitude
Urheilu presented the petition on Thursday to executive director Hämäläinen and chairman Haapasalmi. Hämäläinen emphasized that he treats the criticism he receives with humility and understanding.
– I have received very good support from my supervisor, i.e. the union leadership, but I admit that the workload has become impossibly large at worst. I believe that this reaction (letter) has also been connected to the association’s financially difficult year and the change and saving measures it caused, says Hämäläinen.
For example, last summer the director of speech and operations went completely without summer vacation in the context of the association’s 350,000 euro savings goals. The chairman is not employed by the union and does not receive monetary compensation.
After getting to know the staff’s reaction, Hämäläinen did not consider resigning:
– In my world, there is no immediate separation, but solutions and development measures are sought. The board of trustees then makes the decisions.
Serious illness
Hämäläinen, who previously worked as a national team coach in both Finland and Germany, started in the Ski Federation in 2019 specifically as a welcome recruit for Haapasalmi. He became very seriously ill after returning from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Hämäläinen does not believe that the later difficulties were related to the fact that he had returned to work recovered.
– I don’t think so myself, and neither do the doctors.
After the letter, Hämäläinen emphasizes that he received a lot of support from the trust management, his subordinates and also psychological help at work.
Haapasalmi says that the measures required by the situation are only just beginning in the Ski Association. Shortly after the petition, the summer vacations and layoffs began, which continued until the beginning of November.
– Yes, this staff exit was a surprise. But since it’s their truth about things, denying it would be completely stupid. It is also good that if there has been pressure and reason for this, that pressure will also be released, says the chairman.
He is sure that Hämäläinen will be successful in his work in the future.
– He has brought to the union a really respectful, humane and friendly way of meeting another person and communicating with him. We are very satisfied with the high ethical values we received with Ismo.