Safety and opportunities in food service

After high school I planned to study history and go on to do something related to that field, such as archaeology, but after working over the summer I changed my mind and decided to try food service.

Over the summer I had worked at a summer camp as a chef preparing food for people at the camp from children to the elderly, local people and people who were visiting from other countries. We prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week. I loved the experience so much that it totally changed my ambitions. In fact, I returned to work at the same camp for several summers also during my studies.

I completed two vocational training courses specializing in food service and graduated in the spring of 1990. I went on to work as a supervisor in a company restaurant in Vantaa, Finland where my main focus was coordinating meeting and conference catering, preparing lunches, as well as maintaining the invoicing and reservation system.

Opportunities and happy customers

I joined Sodexo in 2002 when the catering services at the restaurant I worked at was outsourced to Sodexo. I stayed at the same location initially but then was offered an opportunity at a new location as a kitchen manager for Sodexo.

After returning from maternity leave, I had the opportunity to cover the paternity leave of a chef at a different location. Staying with the same contract, I was then able to take a permanent position as chef and restaurant manager.

I left Sodexo in 2014 but was back again in 2016 as a unit manager at a different contract. As a unit manager, I’m responsible for organizing the team to ensure food services are delivered to the highest standards. I’m responsible for two manufacturing kitchens and three distribution kitchens, one of which is normally open every day of the year. I say normally because things are a little different due to Covid-19 at the moment.

Every workday is different and every day my goal is for our customers to be happy. I work across three different locations where the customers and their expectations are hugely varied. I consider the range of expectations to ensure our customers experience a consistently high standard of food service.

Safety is the first priority

One expectation, which is consistent across every location, is that safety is the number one priority. We continually audit our health and safety performance, report our findings to the client and take corrective measures immediately to eliminate the risk of accidents.

Safety is something I take extremely seriously. I lead my team by example, following safe working practices and ensuring I report all safety observations.

Every employee has a key role to play in achieving a safe working day. Supervisors can ensure proper distribution of workload, ensure that all equipment is in good working order (taking corrective measures when needed), minimize potential risk factors AND lead by example with their own behaviors. As a manager, I’m always checking every team member, including myself, has appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), has completed all appropriate training and has the right equipment to do each job.

I also prioritize creating an open working atmosphere where all employees are treated equally. Safeguarding the well-being of my team is essential, and I think creating this type of atmosphere is a really important step to achieve this. I want every team member to feel comfortable to speak frankly so that any problems can be resolved before the situation escalates.

For me, a real focus on safety not only ensures the whole team is working in a safe way, but that we also protect the safety of our customers. For example, as a team providing food services, food allergies are a serious matter and are given special attention.

I feel very proud that Sodexo is committed to health and safety in the workplace. Help and support is always available quickly and special attention is always paid to ensuring that any areas of concern are fixed straight away. 

Focused on developing safe working practices

I feel I’ve benefited from some great opportunities to move around the company and try new roles with Sodexo. I remain focused on the continuous development of safe working practices, working closely with our client, and have become a health and safety agent at my location. I feel that every day I learn something new. Believe and trust in yourself and your team!

Outside of work, my family is everything to me; I get support and strength from them every day. Can there be anything better than two little happy girls saying with bright eyes: ‘Granny, I love you!’

I would like to wish all readers strength with the challenging Covid-19 pandemic; I believe in a better tomorrow.

Find out more about a career at Sodexo! Sodexo Finland

This article was created by Hannele Henttonen, Unit Manager for Sodexo Finland