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Great Place To Work builds a better world of work in VERK

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When speaking of pioneers of the Finnish world of work, Great Place To Work Finland immediately comes to mind. The company updated its premises in 2025, and the move was as short as possible: it found a new office in the familiar VERK property owned by Antilooppi — a place where the rhythm of the day emerges from encounters and surroundings that support good work.

Great Place To Work Finland helps organisations build successful workplaces through research and expertise. At the heart of its work lies the development of organisational culture and employee experience, together with a deep understanding of what truly makes a workplace great.

“We want to be a positive voice in the Finnish world of work,” CEO Kirsi Ilmasti says.

The company’s work has had an extensive impact on Finnish businesses for decades. Great Place To Work Finland forms part of the global Great Place To Work organisation and is particularly well known for its certification of the same name, which is based on an impartial employee survey. Each year it also lists Finland’s best workplaces in three different size categories. In 2025, it compiled its list for the 24th time.

The Finnish team has been happily based for years in Antilooppi’s VERK property in Kalasatama. Once an industrial district, the area is now known for its office towers, lively urban culture and excellent transport connections.

“VERK suits us perfectly. It’s easy to reach, and it’s also easy to invite customers here — both because of the location and because of our beautiful office,” Ilmasti says.

New office brings fresh start

In autumn 2025 the team moved to new premises within the building. The office move was not driven by necessity but by a wish to refresh everyday routines.

“We were happy with our old office, but we felt that a change would do us good,” Ilmasti says, describing the moment when the idea of new premises began to take shape.

The decision was sealed when the employees visited the new, larger Always Ready office on the ground floor of VERK. The turnkey premises came without the concerns of refurbishment and immediately felt like home.

“The space is bright and airy, with just the right amount of additional square metres. We immediately began to imagine together what daily work there would look like.”

It did not hurt that VERK stands next to one of the busiest roads into Helsinki, and that the Great Place To Work logo is visible every day to thousands of motorists and metro passengers. “That strengthened our decision to stay in the building,” Ilmasti says.

When a space offers everything you could hope for

Like other Always Ready spaces provided by Antilooppi, the Great Place To Work office has been designed with quality and functionality first. The hundred-square-metre office, largely arranged as an open workspace, unfolds around a communal kitchen. Careful space design allows for different ways of working, sofas invite people to gather, and the premises also include a large conference room with sliding partition doors.

“Comfort and functionality are our top priorities. Here we can signal to others, simply by switching place, when we’re open to meeting people and when we need our own space,” Ilmasti says.

The other facilities at VERK offer changes of pace during the day. The team often retreats upstairs to the POOL spaces for coffee and work, and has become familiar with the large event space downstairs through organising customer events. But when the work is done, it is time to leave the office. That is when Ilmasti often heads to the property’s gym. “For me, that’s an important part of my everyday routine.”

Office: where connection begins and continues

The office plays a special role in the everyday activities of Great Place To Work Finland. It is where the team exchanges ideas, supports one another and shares both good moments and bad.

“The office sustains our sense of connection, even when we’re working remotely. Many things also happen faster face to face — and that’s not to disparage the efficiency of remote work.”

A sense of community cannot be forced. Employees decide for themselves where they wish to work. On average, the employees spend around half of their time in the office. On Tuesdays the entire team gathers for the weekly team meeting and a shared lunch — often at favourite places in Teurastamo.

“Spending time together supports well-being. We’re happy to have an office that everyone wants to come to.”

Sunshine on the roof, values in everyday practice

Great Place To Work’s activities are built around responsible employer practices. The same values apply to the premises. Ilmasti says that energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and recycling are self-evident starting points. “For us, they’re must-haves. I couldn’t imagine working in premises where these aspects hadn’t been taken into account.”

At VERK, responsibility is visible both in the building itself and in everyday routines. The property uses carbon-neutral energy and has its own solar power plant. The solutions aim to minimise emissions and maximise reuse: for example, the POOL spaces are furnished with high-quality second-hand furniture. Ilmasti says choices like these matter.

“From a tenant’s perspective, the building’s energy choices, combined with refurbishment and remodelling, have the greatest impact on the carbon footprint. Here sustainability truly forms part of everyday practice. I’ve recently noticed that the lobby now has screens showing real-time monitoring of energy consumption,” she says.

Those shared values are visible when working with Antilooppi. Ilmasti describes Antilooppi as a personable and flexible landlord with whom working is easy.

“A good landlord–tenant relationship requires humanity and an understanding of the customer. From the very beginning we’ve felt that Antilooppi understands us and our needs. That’s a good feeling.”

“At its best, a new office brings fresh energy to your work. Our Always Ready office was everything we’d been hoping for – bright, spacious, and cozy. We discussed the idea of moving together and got excited right away. It was a new beginning for us. It is also a pleasure to invite our clients to our new office for coffee and meetings.”

Kirsi Ilmasti
CEO
Great Place To Work

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