Nextmile, an Espoo-based start-up, and Mehiläinen, a major healthcare service provider, have teamed up to tackle the challenges associated with employees approaching retirement. They’ve introduced a collaborative platform service that aims to help organizations effectively manage the final years of employees’ careers. Nextmile’s platform offers engaging online content, peer discussions, and expert knowledge sessions for experienced employees and their supervisors, while also providing employers with a clear process to address end-of-career management issues.
The collaboration focuses on turning the retirement process into a competitive advantage for companies by leveraging the skills of experienced professionals. Mehiläinen will integrate the Nextmile service into its work-life services, aiming not only to impact the well-being of employees but also to enhance the measurement and monitoring of retirement-related services’ effectiveness. Overall, the initiative addresses the societal costs of premature retirements and supports the continuation of careers for aging employees.
Finnish company Nextmile has developed a collaborative platform service for experienced employees and their supervisors to clarify the final years of their careers. The service, aimed at employers, focuses on extending careers and resolving challenges related to retirement, benefiting both employers and employees. With the Nextmile service, seasoned professionals in the final phase of their careers can prepare for a new life stage with timely support from effective end-of-career management.
Nextmile serves employees with engaging online content, facilitated peer discussions, and expert knowledge sessions. For employers, the service provides a clear process for managing the final years of careers, generating up-to-date data on the needs, concerns, and plans of experienced employees. Additionally, it offers practical tools for supervisors.
Managing the final phase of careers has been identified as a challenge for organizations. According to the “Why We Leave” study conducted by the Lähtijät podcast, poor leadership skills among supervisors are the most common reason for departures across all age groups. The study found that the importance of leadership as a reason for departures increases with age. Premature retirement also incurs significant societal costs, prompting responses from government programs and policies.
“Retirement is the most significant change in a person’s work life, yet surprisingly few prepare for it. Leading the process leading to retirement is challenging for workplaces. Early retirements create costs for both companies and society. At the same time, experienced professionals can be a solution to skill shortages: a well-managed retirement process can turn into a competitive advantage for a company. This is the groundbreaking work we are embarking on together with Mehiläinen,” says Antti Harjuoja, Founder, and CEO of Nextmile.
For Mehiläinen, the collaboration with Nextmile provides an opportunity not only to impact the well-being of employees in the final phase of their careers but also to enhance the measurement and monitoring of the effectiveness of retirement-related work life services. As an occupational health provider, Mehiläinen aims to invest in proactive services and find ways to support the continuation of the careers of aging employees by promoting their well-being. According to a recent work-life study by Mehiläinen, 43% of Finns want to exit the workforce approximately 6 years before the official retirement age, posing a societal challenge as companies and organizations grapple with labor shortages.
“Our work life study confirmed our view that factors influencing career prolongation must be addressed early on. According to supervisors who participated in the study, investing in employees is worthwhile only up to an average age of 54. Yet, companies face challenges in workforce availability. The value of an employee approaching retirement, especially as a repository of tacit knowledge, was recognized and acknowledged. It is clear that organizations and supervisors need more support in managing the final stages of careers and work capacity,” says Andréa Alvarez-Tarjasalo, Director of Customer Relations and B2B Marketing at Mehiläinen Work Life Services.
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