Essi Raatikainen has served in the ranks of Serres for 17 years already. During her years at the Serres Saarijärvi factory, she has served in various roles and has been able to develop her expertise from ground up. Essi’s career at Serres began as a machine operator on the factory floor when the Saarijärvi factory was first established, and she has watched the operations at the site grow and develop with time.
“After a few years as an operator I was appointed to supervise the operators and take care of organizing the production with other supervisors. I had a passion for quality and whenever I got the chance to take part in audits and participate in courses, I took it. Eventually, after being a supervisor for 12 years I got a chance to join the quality team in the role of a Quality and Safety Specialist”, Essi tells.
Serres offers opportunities for growth and fosters an atmosphere of honesty
Nowadays she is responsible for preparing the factory for both internal and external audits, taking part in supplier audits and supervising workplace safety, to name a few tasks. According to Essi, the possibility to develop and to advance within Serres has kept her work interesting. She appreciates the fact that Serres tends to hire internally whenever possible and offers opportunities for growth for the employees.
At Serres, there is an atmosphere of honesty and openness, says Essi. People encourage one another and issues like quality and safety are seen as everyone’s responsibility. What Essi also thinks is positive, is the fact that Serres is a stable employee with a prosperous business – especially in times of uncertainty this brings a sense of peace for the employees.
“Employee concerns are being listened to and met with improvements. I find that there are various channels for us to voice our opinions”, Essi adds.
Free time with family and knitting help Essi relax
After her workdays the Quality and Safety Specialist, Essi likes to relax with her family and by enjoying exercise such as aqua jogging, which she does indoors during winter and outdoors during summer – making the most out of Finnish lakes while doing it.
Another passion of hers is knitting. Essi says that a project she finished lately, a skirt for her friend, required a lot of patience. Luckily, she can use the same skills in her hobby as she does in her work – both require precision and an attention to detail.
