I would have needed Soberisti's services myself at the time, says Ira Koivu.
TRADITIONALLY, workplaces in Finland have offered help for alcohol problems only when the issue has become visible and requires intervention. Treatment options have typically included referral to occupational health services and, in some cases, detachment from work or institutional care.
AT THE SAME TIME, there are many people at workplaces who have become dependent on alcohol, but the problem is not yet visible. Few of them dare to go to occupational health and talk about it before it becomes absolutely necessary. As a result, the problem often worsens for a long time before the employer notices it and has to intervene.
NOW the time is ripe for change. In June, a law came into effect requiring employers to take preventive actions. Employers have also become aware of this regarding alcohol-related issues.
THE FIRST employer clients adopted Soberisti’s work ability service in the spring of 2023. The calendar of Soberisti’s founder, Ira Koivu, has been so full of service presentations for employer clients that eventually she had to outsource the work to a partner.
Holistic wellbeing service
THE new service has been enthusiastically received. The Soberisti service is a holistic well-being service that helps employees sleep better, find healthy ways to relieve and prevent stress and burnout, boost creativity, and foster a positive atmosphere in the workplace. Absenteeism will decrease, as ‘sick days on Mondays’ will no longer be an issue.
– SO FAR, there has not been a sufficiently low-threshold service in Finland for addressing alcohol problems, says Ira Koivu, CEO of Soberisti
HERE, “low threshold” means that a person whose problem is not visible to others and who is functioning well in their daily life can get help without being labelled or stigmatized. When Ira Koivu realized she had an alcohol problem, she was active in sports, performing well at work, and maintaining a healthy diet—while drinking a bottle of wine every night.
– I didn’t even consider going to occupational health services, because then my records would show an alcohol-related issue, and I would have been branded as an alcoholic.
A work ability service that is easy to implement
KOIVU developed a method for self-directed, high-functioning high-functioning alcohol dependents like herself, drawing from her own experiences, the best practices in change management, and research-based knowledge. The service was developed and piloted in the fall of 2020, and by 2021, it was launched to consumers. Today, the service has helped hundreds of Finns achieve sobriety.
AT THE beginning of this year, Koivu, together with business partners, founded Soberisti Oy, which launched the work ability service for companies in the spring. It is an extremely low-threshold service: employees can receive help truly anonymously, without being stigmatized at the workplace or elsewhere. Soberisti’s work ability service can be implemented on the same day the agreement is made.
THE CORE of the service includes an online course with assignments, expert lectures, a support community, and peer support meetings via remote connection. Additionally, users receive a daily encouragement email that provides not only motivation but also information on what to expect. For example, fatigue or sugar cravings that are common in the early stages could otherwise come as a surprise and hinder progress. The encouragement emails and peer support help users get through difficult moments.
IN FINLAND, there are around 600,000 heavy alcohol users, and the majority of them are employed. Only a small portion are in a situation where alcohol has already cost them their job.
Elina Talvio
25.9.2023
