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On the fast lane from 2017! This is how the business story of Kotityö Turunen can be rightfully summarised. Over the course of six years, the entrepreneurial couple Inkeri and Taito Turunen have grown their company into a significant employer and a reliable servant of the residents of Heinävesi. There would still be room for growth if only they could find employees.
Growth and a vibrant home municipality
Heinävesi, with its approximately 3,000 inhabitants, became part of the North Karelian region in 2021. The transition from South Savo to North Karelia also meant that Kotityö Turunen Oy could access Business Joensuu’s services. For this growth-oriented company, recruitment is now the biggest challenge.
“This is what it’s like,” says Taito Turunen from Kotityö Turunen Oy. Turunen lets out a sigh as he answers a journalist’s questions on one phone, while simultaneously reacting to enquiries on two other phones. Taxi rides need to be confirmed to the right address and at the right time for the next morning. Reliable, helpful and friendly service is what Kotityö Turunen is all about – 24/7.
- We got the idea for setting up Kotityö Turunen when my spouse, Inkeri, needed to find a job. I already had a 20-year career behind me in car sales. In that time, I had managed to create networks and build cooperation based on trust, Taito Turunen recalls.
Kotityö Turunen Oy is Inkeri Turunen’s company. Taito Turunen is a silent partner and takes care of many practical matters.
Services as needed
The business description of Kotityö Turunen, which began its operations in 2017, includes “household services and all other legal business activities”. In the beginning, the company only provided cleaning services. The quality of work spoke for itself and the demand increased. From the cleaning of homes and businesses, the range of services expanded to property maintenance and janitorial work for summer cottages, as well as running errands and providing home help.
- The company employs 15 to 20 people, taking into account the summer season. We do cleaning for private customers as well as companies. For example, we take care of the cleaning of the Valamo Monastery, Taito Turunen explains.
Kotityö Turunen’s largest service sectors comprise cleaning and taxi services, which came along a couple of years ago. Alongside this, several other developments were taking place within the company at the same time. The business that had started as a limited partnership became a limited company. Necessary business premises for the growing company were found at the former office of Pohjois-Karjalan Sähkö in Heinävesi. According to Taito Turunen, the decision to purchase premises has turned out to be excellent.
Homewards
In addition to offering shopping services and running errands locally, Turunen’s taxi rides take customers to Joensuu, Kuopio and Varkaus. Most of the taxi services needed in Heinävesi are taxi rides reimbursed by Kela. Customer needs have been taken into account in the taxi fleet, and wheelchair and stretcher transports are also dealt with smoothly and effortlessly.
Heinävesi is the heart of the company’s operations. Ensuring the vitality of its own municipality is a value choice that can be seen and heard in the company’s range of services and communications. You do not need to go further afield for goods and services, when local companies in your own municipality have plenty to offer.
“We prefer to keep the euros in our home municipality,” Kotityö Turunen stated in its expression of gratitude in 2019, when the company was awarded the Heinävesi Company of the Year Award.
Welcome to Business Joensuu!
With its 3,000 or so inhabitants, Heinävesi joined the region of North Karelia and the sub-region of Joensuu in 2021. The transition from South Savo to North Karelia also meant access to Business Joensuu’s diverse services.
- The service has been really good! I have repeated many times to local entrepreneurs that it is really worth using Business Joensuu’s services. The organisation has a huge amount of knowledge, skills and experience, says Taito Turunen.
Turunen speaks from his own experience; with the advice and help of Business Joensuu, Kotityö Turunen has gained pace and streamlined its operations.
- Municipal adviser’s services, know-how for public tendering and also a lot of help in recruitment. Business Joensuu can also provide advice on financing and investments.
It was wise to formulate an extensive business description from the very beginning. Kotityö Turunen has been a growth company since the start. The company still has at least moderate aspirations for growth. The availability of labour is the greatest problem to solve.
- Recruitment is difficult. We had to start looking for new employees for the summer already at the end of the year. We could immediately recruit new permanent staff to the cleaning department. We have found employees abroad, and we also have very good experiences with the refugees who have arrived in Heinävesi. However, it is not possible to hire refugees on a permanent basis until they have completed the required language studies.
Text: Sirkka-Liisa Aaltonen/Viestintä Ässä Oy
Photos: Jarno Artika