Vuorela says she does not manage through fear — YLE News
In Finland, Pia Vuorela, the head of the Central Finland wellbeing services county, said that she does not manage employees through fear. She responded to criticism of her management style that emerged less than six months after her appointment.
According to YLE News, Vuorela took over as head of the region at the end of April. During her first 150 days in office, she reduced the management group from 19 to nine people and launched new negotiations on possible staff reductions. The need for cuts could amount to 570 person-years.
Criticism of management style
Tuija Koivisto, the former head of services for elderly people and people with disabilities, said that she was transferred to another position a week after Vuorela began work. According to Koivisto, Vuorela said that she did not trust her ability to manage the service area in line with production and economic targets.
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Koivisto called the decision humiliating and said that the organization immediately developed a sense of a management culture based on fear. In her view, the unexpected transfer of a manager who had held the position for a long time could have caused concern among other employees. Until her retirement in about six months, she will work in the region as a special expert.
The head's position and financial tasks
Vuorela said she was aware of the perception that her management was based on fear, but that she did not recognize herself in these claims. She apologized if her actions had frightened anyone and said that such cases needed to be properly addressed. According to her, she had not previously received similar feedback and was ready to assess her own actions.
The Central Finland wellbeing services county has the worst financial situation among such regions in the country and must save more than €60 million next year. Jani Ylälehto, chair of the regional board, said that Vuorela was dealing with the issues expected of her, including implementing the recommendations of the Ministry of Finance assessment group. Emilia Koikkalainen, a member of the regional council, called for the goals of the reduction negotiations to be defined more clearly. Vuorela's probationary period ends on October 22.
