The Finnish Living Lab is proud to share exciting progress in strengthening supervisors’ ability to support employees’ career and competence development. Although supervisors play a key role in fostering skills and employability, many feel underprepared – prompting the creation of the Ohjaa osaamista (“Guiding Skills and Development”) program.
Designed to empower supervisors with practical tools for everyday leadership, the program offered two engaging 3-hour sessions built around peer learning, case discussions, and collaborative problem-solving. The training explored key themes such as:
- Supporting on-the-job learning
- Applying diverse competence development practices
- Motivating employees at different career stages
- Promoting collaborative learning
The three pilot groups held in Kokkola (June, October, November 2025) brought together 35supervisors from different sectors such as early childhood education, technical and environmental services, cultural services, cleaning and catering, and HR. Experts from FIOH facilitated all sessions.
Participants were highly engaged and contributed actively to discussions. A quasi-experimental study is underway, including surveys and interviews with supervisors and employees. Findings will be showcased at the EAOHP Conference in Helsinki in 2026.
Beyond the training pilots, the Living Lab strengthened its national visibility through active participation in the Finnish Social Policy Conference in October 2025. The event brought together leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners exploring innovative approaches to employment, inclusion, and social wellbeing.
In the session “An ecosystem perspective on the promotion of employment,” Mervi Ruokolainen (FIOH) presented fresh insights from the Synclusive project and highlighted the Living Lab’s growing role in building dynamic regional labour market coalitions.
