"I think I got bitten by some kind of Dynamics bug 15 years ago", laughs Janne Santanen. "For some reason, I always find myself back with Dynamics – this time, however, from a slightly different side of the table."
Janne, who started at Efima in the summer of 2024, previously had a long career at the service center Sarastia, which is jointly owned by municipal companies and wellbeing areas, where he was involved in acquiring and developing software solutions for public administration. Efima was one of Sarastia’s strategic partners, responsible for delivering and continuously supporting and developing Sarastia’s Microsoft Dynamics 365-based solution.
Janne was involved in selecting Efima as the system supplier and recalls that the company stood out from others with its genuine interest in the customer's business and success. "Efima was interested in the success of Sarastia's long-term goals and had the ability to look further ahead. We appreciated that", Janne recalls.
In the spring of 2024, a position for a Dynamics 365 team leader opened up at Efima, sparking Janne's interest. Having worked in management positions, Janne had been dreaming of a job where he could get "hands-on" again in developing and utilizing his diverse skills in people management, sales support, and customer satisfaction.
The job offered the possibility to engage in expert tasks according to the applicant's interest alongside supervisory work, and this understanding was reinforced as the recruitment process progressed. “I had always thought that I wouldn’t go to Efima”, Janne says, explaining that he wanted to avoid any misconceptions about conflicts of interest. Eventually, however, curiosity won over, and Janne decided to send in his application along with others.
"I had explored job opportunities with a few other employers, but none of them completely clicked. Then I started thinking about what kind of work community I would really like. After some thought, I realized that it would probably be Efima." In addition to the corporate culture and interesting job description, Janne was also attracted by the company's growth phase. "In a 300-person organization, people can still know each other, and the team spirit is genuine", Janne describes.
In his first weeks, Janne's assumption has already proven true: he has gotten to know many new colleagues at various events and orientation sessions. The weeks have included, among other things, a development day for Dynamics 365 experts, a summer event for staff, getting to know fellow supervisors, and one-to-one discussions with his own team members. "It's uplifting to be with people and meet in a more relaxed setting. It has been nice and easy to join the group", Janne shares.
From the very first days, Janne's calendar has been filled with hour-long introductions with colleagues relevant to his work. "This orientation has clearly been well thought out and involves more than just my supervisor and department head", Janne reflects. "There are certainly many very busy people here who spend an hour of their time chatting with me. For me, it's been a big deal, as changing jobs was a bit nerve-wracking after a long career at the same workplace." With pleasant encounters, the nervousness has already faded, and the decision to jump into something new feels right.
This orientation has clearly been well thought out and involves more than just my supervisor and department head.
Alongside getting to know people, Janne has also been oriented to Efima's tools, client accounts, and ongoing sales projects over the summer. Efima's supervisory work practices have also become familiar while covering for colleagues during the summer holiday season. "At this stage, my workdays have still involved a lot of getting to know things and settling in. I'm starting to feel a good hunger, and in the fall, I'll be able to get more into real action", Janne rejoices.
Efima also has much to learn from Janne, as his previous experience as a customer gives him valuable customer understanding. "I believe that through my experience, I can put myself in the customers' shoes and bring more understanding of their wishes and concerns to Efima", Janne considers.
Janne's first workday coincided with a joint development day for Dynamics 365 experts, where he immediately met many new colleagues.
Although work takes up a large part of Janne's time, he also finds time for his hobbies, which keep his mind alert and provide energy for everyday life. Janne enjoys fishing, hunting, and mushroom picking – activities that take him close to nature and provide a counterbalance to work life.
Optimal conditions for this are in Pori, which, according to Janne, is close enough to everything and far enough from everything. From there, he can easily take train connections to Efima's two offices, in Tampere and Helsinki, both located next to the train station. On the other hand, Efima's remote work policy allows nature-loving Janne to work from home – from where he has good opportunities to pursue his hobbies and where he also co-owns a holiday home with his brother.
Born in Pori, Janne shares the same hometown as Efima's CEO Tero. Both have a Pori dialect, but it’s hard to associate the gentlemen with the Pori mindset. "Pori pessimism is when even going to the market, you ask the merchant, 'You wouldn't have any fish, would you?'", Janne smiles. He himself has learned to see the world through positive lenses, and in his new job, he says he is most looking forward to successes. “I look forward to helping customers, my team, and succeeding together. I believe that with the history Efima has and what I have seen and heard, those successes are to be expected.”