Quality, peace of mind and team spirit

Machinist Joonas still enjoys working at Sako after seven years

There is a severe shortage of machinists on the market, and there is constant competition for skilled people in the field. Joonas, who works as a machinist at Sako, has now built up a total of seven years’ history with the company. Joonas works in Sako’s barrel department, where the core of the work is precision and uncompromising professional skill.

In the current labour market, many wonder what makes an experienced professional commit to their work and enjoy it year after year. In Joonas’s case, the answer lies in five strong themes: financial strength, quality, the work community and pride in one’s own work.

Financial strength brings peace of mind to everyday life

In the current state of the world, an employer’s stability is a value whose importance is heightened. Joonas emphasises that Sako’s long history and financial position are directly reflected in the employee’s everyday life.

It does bring peace of mind. The market has some effect, of course, but on the whole Sako is a financially solid employer. It gives peace of mind in the sense that you don’t have to wonder whether there will still be work in a month’s or a year’s time.

Joonas

This stability creates a foundation that lets you focus on what is essential in your work. When the basics, such as wages being paid on time, are a given, an employee can focus fully on what they do best.

Quality brings clarity and pride to the work

Sako’s products are world-famous, and this quality standard shows concretely on Joonas’s workbench every day. In barrel machining, there is no such thing as “roughly there”. The work has to meet exact criteria one hundred per cent. No compromises are made, and if a product does not meet the quality requirements, it is not passed on. It is either repaired or sent straight to scrap. Strict quality requirements make the work clear, because there is no need for interpretation. The end result has to be perfect. What inspires Joonas in his work is precisely the making itself and achieving high quality, through which he feels pride in his own work. When you know you are part of a manufacturing process that results in a high-quality product, it is great to do the work.

Becoming a master alongside masters

Over seven years, Joonas has developed enormously as a professional, and his core skills have grown by leaps and bounds. At Sako, developing competence is strongly present in the everyday work culture. After the comprehensive initial onboarding, the biggest learning has come on the job from more experienced colleagues. Sako has an open, mistake-preventing culture of asking questions, which especially supports new employees.

I’d rather ask a stupid question for the sake of quality than not ask and then make a mistake. New employees are given – and we dare to give them – time to get to grips with the work and learn, even if it takes longer. You are not left alone with difficult things.

Joonas

Fair supervisory work and colleagues behind the job satisfaction

For Joonas, a key reason he has enjoyed working at Sako for seven years is the team. Five machinists work in the barrel department’s own shift. The team gets along excellently and everyone pulls in the same direction. Even though a machinist does a lot of work independently and with a robot, colleagues are always close by. If someone needs help or challenges come up with quality, they put their heads together and solve the problem as a team. With some colleagues, the connection continues into free time through a shared shooting hobby.

A good work community is also supported by easily approachable and fair supervisory work, which according to Joonas is another important reason for his job satisfaction.

My own supervisor is fair to everyone. There is no favouring one way or another. He also encourages you to ask questions with a low threshold. You can grab him by the sleeve in passing or send a message.

Joonas

Who is Sako right for?

Joonas’s message to anyone considering Sako as an employer is clear. If you get along with people, you have good starting points to succeed here. You don’t need to worry about having some supernatural, ready-made skills, because the company teaches the work hands-on. Sako offers a rare combination of future security, finely honed professional skill, and a crew that is easy to join.