“An office doesn’t just reflect culture, it also shapes it” – Sofigate’s offices in Helsinki and Stockholm emphasize collaboration and co-creation
Sofigate’s new offices in Helsinki and Stockholm share the same Nordic DNA.
Sofigate has recently relocated both its headquarters in the Helsinki area and its office in Stockholm. In Helsinki, the new office is in Ruoholahti, within walking distance of the city centre. In Stockholm, Sofigate now occupies a new office space in a fully renovated old industrial building in the Hagastaden district.
Both moves reflect a changing role of the office. In the era of hybrid work, the most important reason to come to the office is to connect with other people: co-workers, clients, and partners alike.
That’s why both moves also share a common goal: to support a culture of collaboration and boost employee well-being.
“Our old office sprawled across four floors, which meant that people would spend the whole day without really seeing anyone. In the new office, there will be many more spontaneous encounters between people from different teams,” says Ulla Somerma, Office Lead at Sofigate Finland.
“Our new office still has some traditional desks and bookable meeting rooms, but it also has a terrace, several lounges, and a kitchen area large enough for quick meetings. In one word, it’s inspiring”, says Kristina Wikander, Operations Manager at Sofigate Sweden.
Office Manager Anna Torbjörnsdotter agrees. “On the first day after the move, everybody already seemed to be hanging out in the kitchen”, she says, laughing.
Making the office worth the commute
Before the moves, a survey was conducted asking Sofigators about what they need and want from their place of work. In addition, several workshops and informal idea sessions were held. In some of those, Sofigators were even encouraged to draw a picture of their dream office.
The new offices reflect these wishes and share the same Nordic DNA. Along with lounges and other areas for informal meetings and interactions, there are plenty of quiet rooms and spaces for more focused, solitary work. Most areas are flexible and can serve multiple functions––for example, one meeting space in the Helsinki office can be used for training sessions or after-work team gatherings.
Both offices are located in buildings that offer high-quality amenities, including restaurants, cafes and a gym, and are situated in areas with many other services. Just as importantly, they are easily accessible by public transport and provide safe bicycle parking.
“The main goal was to make the office welcoming and make commuting to the office worthwhile,” says Anna Torbjörnsdotter.
“It’s important that people enjoy being in the office and find it fun, but at the end of the day, it’s a place of work. It also has to be a place where people can be productive,” adds Kristina Wikander.
Next up: Co-creation with partners and neighbors
Both new offices meet high standards of sustainability. They have been furnished with high-quality Nordic furniture, using largely repurposed and refurbished materials.
Both offices also encourage meeting new people, not just within the office, but also outside it. In addition to the multi-purpose spaces within the office, both office buildings feature a variety of different places to hold meetings, to network, and to build new kinds of ecosystems across organizations.
“An office doesn’t just reflect culture, it also shapes it. We have several very interesting companies and organizations as our new neighbors, and I’m excited to see what kinds of collaboration and co-creation we can build together with them,” says Ulla Somerma.
Ulla Somerma
Office Lead, Sofigate Finland
Kristina Wikander
Operations Manager, Sofigate Sweden
Anna Torbjörnsdotter
Office Manager, Sofigate Sweden
There is a productivity leap hiding in Finnish companies – here's how to get started
Power to the people – Five things I learned about taking people along on the digital transformation journey
