Procemex’s Experiences with [Remote] Team Builder Psychological Safety Training: “The training has helped us open channels for communication”
At Procemex, a technology company, the number of employees has rapidly multiplied. Teams work extensively remotely, and there’s plenty of travel involved. For these reasons, fosteringpsychological safety requires conscious effort.
When an organization grows relatively quickly from a small team to a company of nearly 100 people, the way of working must evolve too. This doesn’t happen automatically but requires deliberate action—a reality acknowledged by the leadership of Procemex, a provider of intelligent camera technology solutions for the pulp, paper, and printing industries.
“Although in some respects we still operate as if we were a smaller and agile community, physical distances have increased. Our staff is spread across the globe, which means a lot of remote communication. People also travel a lot, so managers don’t regularly meet their team members in person. Yet — or perhaps especially because of this—it’s even more important to know how people are genuinely doing,” explains Ari-Pekka Räisänen, who leads Procemex’s customer service, project management, and product development teams.
To address this need, Räisänen decided to try the [Remote] Team Builder training.
“Some leadership changes had recently occurred in my teams, so I wanted to offer additional tools to support and develop our managers’ work. At the same time, I’m updating my own skills,” Räisänen says.
Addressing Issues Early is Crucial
The training for managers began with a workshop focusing on psychological safety and people management. After this, the digital Learning Minutes were introduced, providing concise weekly guidance and reminders on training themes, delivered directly to everyone’s mobile devices. About six months later, the team reconvened to reflect on the thoughts and insights gained from the training.
“Psychological safety is a simple concept in principle, but incorporating it into everyday practices can be quite challenging: You need to discuss problems and challenges—but how? How do you get everyone involved? What is each person’s responsibility? How do you create an open and constructive dialogue?” Räisänen considers.
He believes that the [Remote] Team Builder training provides valuable tools for day-to-day management, handling challenging situations, and addressing difficult topics.
“Sometimes, issues aren’t discussed early enough, and they build up. By the time they finally surface, there’s no longer a willingness to address them, or communication becomes cynical. The training has enabled us to foster open communication and has provided a basis for everyone to take ownership of these issues,” says Räisänen.
“When everyone works toward the same goals, we can achieve much more together. Together, we can shape tomorrow, grow, and take ownership of advancing things—if we want to.”
When a team has a psychologically safe atmosphere, it allows for questioning and critically analyzing ideas and innovations in a constructive way.
“This refines ideas into even better ones. Open discussion also facilitates collective learning,” Räisänen notes.
Open Discussion Promotes Psychological Safety
As a leader, Räisänen wants to lead by example and demonstrate that the training has tangible effects on daily operations. For instance, he initiated weekly discussion sessions, with the main purpose of meeting people and talking about whatever happens to be on their minds at the time.
“We’re still in the practice phase, of course, but the reception has been cautiously positive. These meetings have a very loose agenda. I’ve asked for feedback for myself and inquired if there’s anything I can help with, how the week has been, and what plans are in place for the future. At the same time, I aim to create space for open conversation,” Räisänen explains. He mentions utilizing insights from the [Remote] Team Builder training, particularly in contexts such as providing and receiving feedback.
“By having regular discussions, we get to know each other better, which reduces the need for assumptions and speculation.”
Procemex’s focus on advancing psychological safety is reflected in their choice to expand the training beyond managers to include approximately twenty specialists.
“Under me and the managers I lead, there are over 50 people altogether. With the [Remote] Team Builder training and the resulting initiatives, the aim is to make the group more unified and aligned toward common goals.”
The training has been well-received. Managers, in particular, have appreciated how [Remote] Team Builder has introduced new perspectives and ideas in an inspiring and engaging way.
“What I find especially appealing is the continuity of the training. Since it’s not just a one-time event, the topics and themes of the training stick in your mind much better. Through repetition and assignments, the topics remain a constant part of our daily work,” Räisänen says.
