The world of work is evolving rapidly, and businesses are increasingly expected to take a more strategic approach to human resources. Digitalization, new work models, and constantly changing legislation challenge organizations to update their HR practices to stay competitive. Developing HR expertise is no longer just a benefit but a critical investment in the success of businesses. In this spirit, Seasons HR Management and the University of Vaasa are collaborating with the goal of strengthening the skills of HR professionals and providing even more impactful training sessions.

The Evolving Role of HR in Companies’ Success

The role of HR in organizational success is crucial, and companies are increasingly expected to adopt a more strategic approach to human resources. According to Petro Vaitiniemi, CEO of Seasons HR Management:

“Staff is one of a company’s most important resources, and investing in it will become even more central. We believe our collaboration with the University of Vaasa will directly reflect on our client’s success as well.”

This partnership allows Seasons and the University of Vaasa to offer training programs that not only cover theoretical knowledge but also provide practical solutions to real-world challenges in the workplace. Harry Linnarinne, CEO of the University of Vaasa, sums up the significance of the collaboration:

“Seasons is our client, and this collaboration provides valuable direct feedback from HR professionals on the impact and content of our training. This helps us improve our HR training programs, ensuring they better meet the changing needs of the workplace.”

HR Expertise as an Essential Resource for Companies

HR training can have a broad impact across various industries, as every organization requires strong human resource management. The partnership with Seasons helps the University of Vaasa better understand the needs and challenges of HR professionals. This is directly reflected in the client organizations’ daily operations, as Anniina Saarni, Service Manager at Seasons, explains:

“Customer companies vary greatly in terms of industry, size, and workforce. Through the University of Vaasa’s training programs, we can apply the skills we’ve learned to directly improve their HR processes. The training brings new perspectives, challenges existing practices, and helps us think more broadly.”

Through this collaboration, HR training remains practical and supports the needs of different organizations.

Strengthening Employer Brand Through Training

The importance of HR training extends beyond just improving internal processes. Investing in employee skills also strengthens a company’s employer brand. Linnarinne comments on this:

“Quality HR training not only develops a company’s internal processes and strengthens HR functions but also has a significant impact on the company’s employer brand. When organizations invest in the skills and leadership of their employees, it’s reflected outwardly as a more attractive and competitive employer image.”

This is especially important for Seasons, as its own HR Partner service is expanding in the coming years. Saarni believes the partnership with the University of Vaasa will support this growth and further strengthen the company’s expertise.

“Collaborating with the University of Vaasa supports our values and further enhances our expertise. We want to invest in our staff’s professional skills, and we believe this will reflect in high-quality service for both our internal customers – our employees – and our client companies.”

Next Steps: Training and the Ongoing Development of the Partnership

The collaboration between Seasons and the University of Vaasa will not be limited to traditional training offerings. The goal is to build a long-term partnership that benefits the broader development of the HR field. Future plans include offering open training sessions for client companies’ managers, helping spread HR expertise throughout organizations.

The University of Vaasa believes this partnership offers valuable added value to both the training participants and organizations. Linnarinne summarizes the long-term significance of the collaboration:

“Our partnership with Seasons allows us to be part of building the best practices for the future of work. This is not just a one-time project, but a step toward long-term development that will benefit the entire workforce sector.”