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Eckerö Line Ab Oy is a Finnish shipping company providing passenger and freight services between Tallinn and Helsinki. Both of Eckerö Line’s vessels, M/S Finlandia and Finbo Cargo, operate under the Finnish flag on the Helsinki–Tallinn route. The company holds the Key Flag symbol, signifying Finnish service quality. S-Etukortti cardholders earn Bonus points from travel and onboard purchases. With up to 12 daily departures, Eckerö Line offers the first connections of the day from both Helsinki and Tallinn. The company has over 40 hotel partners in Finland and Estonia and operates a significant share of cargo traffic between the two capitals. More information: www.eckeroline.fi
Responsibility for its people is at the heart of Eckerö Line’s operations. Supporting employee wellbeing and work ability is a key part of the company’s sustainability strategy — and the digital HeiaHeia platform has brought a new, accessible way to promote these goals for everyone.
Work ability and sense of belonging as part of sustainability
Eckerö Line’s employees work across diverse environments: on two vessels (M/S Finlandia and M/S Finbo Cargo), in ports, and in offices in both Tallinn and Helsinki. Irregular shift schedules, multiple sites, and different roles make it challenging to support wellbeing through traditional approaches.
“In our sustainability strategy, one of the key objectives is to maintain work ability and promote wellbeing proactively. We wanted to find a solution that works anytime and anywhere — and that suits everyone, including those who might not consider themselves sporty,” says Minna Johansson, Head of Human Capital and Culture.
A digital solution connecting people across units
HeiaHeia has provided Eckerö Line with the flexibility it was looking for. Employees can take part whenever it suits them best — regardless of shift, location, or role.
The onboarding went smoothly, and enthusiasm spread quickly.
“We were actually surprised by how many joined right away. It became a talking point across teams and workgroups, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” Minna says.
Concrete and measurable actions for wellbeing
Eckerö Line has already organized two company-wide team challenges and launched a continuous individual challenge where employees can earn a paid day off by investing in their wellbeing. The staff have also voted on challenge themes themselves, which has increased engagement and excitement.
Key results:
– Over 300 million wellbeing points collected
– Tens of thousands of cheers exchanged between colleagues
– 2 company-wide team challenges completed
– Ongoing individual challenge where participants can earn a paid day off
“The sense of community has been the best part. It has created a positive atmosphere where people cheer each other on. We’ve also been able to reward employees in an encouraging way and bring more joy into everyday life,” Minna describes.
Looking ahead
Eckerö Line plans to continue its wellbeing program in the same spirit — open to all and part of everyday life. New team and individual challenges will be launched, and employees will be encouraged to take active breaks and move more during the day.
“This has proven to be a working model, and I believe we’ll continue on this path in the future as well,” Minna says.
Recommendation to other employers
Minna recommends HeiaHeia especially for organizations with distributed teams or shift-based work:
“It’s a fun and easy low-threshold way to support employee activity and wellbeing. You can join individually with your own goals or as part of a team. It’s suitable for everyone — and it works anytime, anywhere.”
