The Finance and Administration Department’s core responsibilities include invoice processing, payments, support services, reporting and human resources. The department employs a Director of Finance and Administration, Finance Manager, Administrative Coordinator, Accountant, Financial Planning Officer and two HR and Payroll Specialists.
Staff wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do
The Helsinki City Theatre Finance and Administration Department takes care of everything related to finances and personnel. The department manages all incoming and outgoing funds, from box-office settlements and various purchases to payroll. It also looks after staff wellbeing.
There is certainly no shortage of work. Once a week, everyone in the department gathers for a weekly meeting to review the week ahead, share information and exchange ideas.
The team works closely together, supporting one another with their respective expertise.
Payroll in all its forms
Helsinki City Theatre’s six stages and around 15 premieres each year employ a vast number of people across a wide range of professions.
For HR and Payroll Specialist Karoliina Luukkonen, the diversity of the workforce is reflected in the many different collective agreements that apply. Luukkonen handles payroll for hourly paid employees, guest artists and musicians.
“You have to be meticulous when handling payroll for people working in so many different fields. We have costume makers, actors, musicians and metalworkers, each covered by their own collective agreement,” Luukkonen explains.
Paying salaries involves a great deal of investigative work, as the information Luukkonen needs often arrives piecemeal. First, one person sends an employment contract, another submits an employee details form, and later a third matter may need clarification and discussion.
In a large organisation, practices for submitting payroll information vary between departments and individuals. The standard procedure is to enter payroll information into the Theatron system, but as the payroll deadline approaches, handwritten notes may still appear on Luukkonen’s desk.
“Sometimes someone brings a sheet of graph paper to the office with an employee’s name and hours worked written on it,” Luukkonen says.
As the payroll deadline approaches, schedules can become tight and work can pile up. But closing the door or switching off the phone is not an option. “When you’re processing payroll, you have to be a bit of a chameleon and be able to handle many different things in the course of a single day,” Luukkonen says.
Wellbeing comes first
Sometimes employees need to stretch and be flexible, but the employer is flexible too. “It is important that people have the energy and wellbeing they need to enjoy coming to work here,” Luukkonen says. In her HR role, she works to make Helsinki City Theatre the best possible workplace.
Working life can sometimes be demanding, and the irregular working hours in theatre bring their own challenges. That is why the theatre works closely with occupational health services, holding meetings and exploring ways to keep staff as healthy as possible.
“Our principle is that occupational health services should be easy to access, even for minor concerns,” Luukkonen explains. This means looking out for one another and taking notice if a colleague appears exhausted or is subjected to inappropriate treatment.
Luukkonen’s responsibilities also include workplace accidents. If an actor injures their ankle during rehearsals, Luukkonen meets with them to discuss what happened and what caused the accident. Every accident is investigated, and the theatre considers what could be done better to minimise the risk of future injuries.
