Social well-being is built together

Social wellbeing means feeling connected to others, a sense of belonging, and high-quality interaction. In the workplace, it shows up as trust between colleagues, open communication, and an atmosphere where everyone feels heard and valued.

One of the biggest concerns about remote work has been the decrease in social interaction. Casual hallway chats, shared coffee breaks, and spontaneous conversations tend to disappear when communication moves to Teams. Many people have noticed that while work itself runs smoothly, the sense of community may suffer. At Wapice, we think it’s important that everyone has access to our offices around Finland. We actively invest in our 11 offices by organizing breakfasts, events, and other ways to connect in person.

Two of Wapice’s three core values are Succeeding Together and Believing People. For us, that means everyone can choose where they work. Collaboration, sharing knowledge, and working together are deeply rooted in our culture – whether someone works from an office or remotely. Coming to the office is completely optional, but in our Turku office, around 70% of people still come in every week. I was curious to know why people at Wapice like coming to the office.

“I was studying for an online degree and changing careers during the pandemic. All my contacts with fellow students were virtual, and I realized I’m a social introvert. I enjoy coming to the office and seeing people. The best part is that I can choose whether to work from home or come into the city. When I come to the office, I always end up chatting with someone – about work or other things. Virtual coffee chats just aren’t the same as being in the same room. Playing games together during breaks is also a fun way to take your mind off work. I also like to plan other activities around office days, like meeting friends or going to the library.” – Heli Palomaa, ICT expert

“I mostly like working at the office. Coffee breaks and shared lunches lead to the funniest conversations about all kinds of topics – Wapice people are both smart and humorous! It’s important for me to know my colleagues beyond just their work roles, and that always supports better collaboration, too. Teams meetings just aren’t the same – face-to-face contact is a key part of my wellbeing at work. I also value the flexibility to work from home when needed, for example if something comes up with the family.” – Susanna Kytöharju, People & Culture Business Partner

“I come to the office almost daily, thanks to a great work community, a pleasant work environment, and a central location. The legendary Korona game we play at the Turku office during breaks always brings some joy to the day!”– Akseli Nuutila, Software Designer Trainee (Summium)

It’s still important that everyone has equal opportunities to experience social wellbeing – no matter where they work. Even if going to the office isn’t your thing, we also support social connection online. Our monthly company-wide coffee breaks bring Wapice people together from all over Finland to discuss interesting topics led by our skilled experts. Recent themes have included: Static Code Analyzers Clang-Tidy and Semgrep, Remote and Hybrid Work, Wapice AI TestPilot Replaces Human Testers?!, Secure Boot on Embedded Devices, and Security Enabled CI Systems (a Real-Life Example).

We also use the Mattermost platform to share thoughts in different channels – from home renovation tips to home automation, cycling, and travel. Teams also hold regular meetings online. Community doesn’t come from one person alone – it’s a shared effort across the whole organization. So, what have you done lately to support a sense of community? When’s the last time you asked a colleague how they’re doing?