Mehiläinen’s Experiences with [Remote] Team Builder Training: “This kind of psychological safety training is a perfect fit for the healthcare sector”
The healthcare sector is in a constant state of change, which highlights the importance of communication and listening. Regional Director Jaana Hilden wanted to provide her managers with tools to navigate everyday challenges:
“The experience was extremely positive. We need to carefully consider which trainings are worth our time, and this one genuinely benefited our managers in their daily work.”
In healthcare, workplaces often consist of people with diverse contracts: full-time and part-time employees, workers, and entrepreneurs. This is also true for Mehiläinen’s Southwest Finland units, which include a hospital, a medical center, occupational health services, and a dental care unit.
“Most of our doctors are not employees but independent entrepreneurs. Some visit Mehiläinen almost daily, while others may only come once a month. Meanwhile, most of our nurses are in permanent employment. This naturally impacts the work community—it requires constant adaptation to different individuals, and even those doctors who come infrequently need to feel welcome,” explains Jaana Hilden.
Hilden emphasizes that a good atmosphere and open communication are essential for such a work community to function well. This is also demanded by the constant changes in the healthcare sector.
“Our daily operations are in transition, particularly with the establishment of new wellbeing services counties. Trust and confidence in one’s work are more important than ever,” Hilden says.
An open and psychologically safe culture of dialogue does not, however, emerge on its own. Therefore, Hilden turned to the [Remote] Team Builder training, which was attended by unit managers and team leads.
“The primary goal was to provide them with tools they could use in their own units and teams.”
A psychologically safe workplace is a must to attract and retain healthcare professionals
Mehiläinen’s training began with an initial assessment, followed by a workshop lasting a few hours. After this, the training continued through weekly Learning Minutes delivered to each participant’s mobile devices. About six months later, a second workshop brought together reflections and insights from the training.
“The entire group came away with really positive feelings. The theme was a perfect fit for our daily work,” says Hilden.
Although Mehiläinen’s staff are experts in well-being and occupational health, the training offered plenty of new ideas for the participants.
“The experience was truly positive. We have to carefully prioritize which trainings we can participate in, and this one genuinely provided practical benefits for our managers. Psychological safety was explored in digestible pieces, ensuring everyone gained new perspectives and tools they could use in the future,” Hilden explains, adding that she is convinced this type of training is especially well-suited to the diverse work environments of the healthcare sector.
A testament to Hilden’s belief in the training’s success is the fact that shortly after the managers’ training, the entire staff of Mehiläinen’s Turku hospital unit began their own [Remote] Team Builder training.
“In this industry, it’s crucial for people to get the feeling of belonging and that the work community can be trusted. To attract enough young people to train for the profession and retain the current people, it’s vital that the workplace atmosphere is psychologically safe, trustworthy, and pleasant,” Hilden emphasizes.
The importance of listening and being present must be regularly reinforced
As Regional Director, Hilden herself also participated in the [Remote] Team Builder training. For her, the most significant insights were related to listening and presence.
“I have a bad habit of rushing dialogue forward. The training helped me realize the importance of listening and reminded me to avoid speaking over others or finishing their sentences. Instead, I aim to give space and time to the other person,” Hilden says.
She really valued how the themes were regularly highlighted during the training through short, weekly Learning Minutes.
“Since they arrived weekly on my phone, I could connect the ideas to recent events and interactions.”
The final survey conducted after the second workshop also showed that there was strong demand for training focused on psychological safety.
“We’ve already had a good and open culture of discussion, but the tools provided by the Remote Team Builder Team Psychological Safety training will certainly enhance it even further. Sometimes it’s essential to stop and focus on a specific theme,” Hilden concludes.
