Defining the Employee Journey to Bring Every Voice Forward 

When two communication agencie, Kaiku and Cocomms joined forces, Kaiku’s number of employees doubled overnight. The merger created both excitement and new challenges: there was a clear need to build an HR function, clarify HR roles and responsibilities, and strengthen the foundation for sustainable growth. 

At the heart of this development work was one guiding principle: listening to people. One of the key tools for doing so was defining the employee journey, a process that gave everyone a voice and helped identify the right focus for improvement. 

From merger to momentum 

The merger brought with it a range of HR needs: administrative processes, well-being practices, and statutory requirements all had to be reviewed, adapted, or created from scratch. 

To build a strong HR foundation, Kaiku partnered with our experienced HR consultant. The starting point of the collaboration was very open – Our first step was to explore what kind of organization would best support growth and the people driving it. 

The project soon took shape around three key words: structure, listening, and execution. 

Listening first, acting with purpose 

We began by interviewing team leads to understand their needs and expectations. Next, everyone was invited to participate in two open workshops, each focused on mapping the employee journey. 

The goal was to define what key moments, such as recruitment, should look and feel like at Kaiku. The workshops created space for open and honest conversations, including topics that can sometimes be difficult to bring up. 

“We didn’t just look for what was missing, we wanted to recognize what already works well. The goal wasn’t to create rules for the sake of rules, but to build clarity where it’s truly needed.” 

These sessions revealed that much of what Kaiku was doing was already working. The focus, then, was to protect the good while identifying areas where leadership and employee support could be strengthened, for example, how leaders can respond when someone starts to lose motivation in their work. 

Turning insights into lasting structures 

The findings from the employee journey workshops became a roadmap for HR development. Together, we shaped and prioritized clear next steps: 

• Defining processes for key HR areas such as recruitment, onboarding, long-term absences, and offboarding 
• Creating a new employee handbook 
• Clarifying HR roles and responsibilities 
• Developing checklists for future needs, including equality planning and early intervention models 

The goal was to support leaders in their everyday work and make HR easy to use, not harder to manage. 

All the work was carefully documented, ensuring that the knowledge, structures, and insights remain within Kaiku for the long term. 

A partnership built on trust and shared progress 

Through close collaboration, we achieved both clarity and momentum. The consultant brought structure, perspective, and valuable hands-on support, while Kaiku’s strong commitment ensured that development turned into real progress. 

“The consultant brought both an extra pair of hands and fresh insight. The collaboration helped us move faster and gave us access to the kind of experience we wouldn’t have found through a traditional recruitment process.” says Kaiku’s Chief Operating Officer Katariina Ahonen