Riskienhallinta on menestyksen hallintaa – ennakointi ja rutiinit ovat kaiken A ja O
Kriiseistä puhuttaessa on helppo ajatella, että ne sattuvat aina jollekin toiselle. Riskienhallinta on kuitenkin tärkeää kaikille yrityksille toimialasta tai koosta riippumatta. Kun vahinko on jo tapahtunut, on liian myöhäistä alkaa miettiä, miten tilanteessa olisi pitänyt toimia. Tunnistamalla riskit ennakkoon ja tekemällä riskienhallinnasta yksinkertaisen rutiinin yritys voi sekä ehkäistä vahinkoja että turvata toimintansa jatkuvuuden.
Sampo Holm, Senior Manager of Risk Management Services at Fennia, knows from personal experience how quickly the circumstances surrounding a business can change. He explains how his own company initially grew rapidly but later faced unforeseen challenges that eventually led to the company's bankruptcy.
– When starting a business, it is common to be enthusiastic and get carried away by the momentum, Holm says.
The experience taught him how important it is to understand that risk management is not just about meeting statutory requirements and taking care of administrative procedures. Businesses also need to identify the risks that could genuinely threaten their operations. If the money runs out, the business comes to an end as well. Instead of viewing risk management as a necessary evil, it should be seen as an investment in the company's ability to succeed.
– Risk management is managing success, Holm says.
A good starting point is to consider what is absolutely essential for your business to operate. People, machinery, information systems, premises, raw materials, subcontractors and energy are all examples of resources that may be critical to business operations. Holm particularly highlights information management as an area that is easily overlooked. Many businesses store their information in cloud services but do not necessarily know how to restore it if it gets lost.
– You need to think about this in advance and test how to restore your information. That way, you will also know what to do if something happens, Holm says.
He points out that many mistakes are caused by human error and that criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated. This means that technical solutions alone are not enough. Businesses also need to consider how people work and what kind of information they handle.
Make risk management a routine
Pasi Hämeenaho from the security services company NYQS in Ostrobothnia emphasises that preventive measures must not feel too complicated for a business. Otherwise, there is a high risk that they will never get done.
– In practice, risk management needs to be easy and should not take too much time. Risk management requires routines, Hämeenaho says.
One practical way to ensure business continuity is to include risk management in the company's annual planning calendar. This makes inspections and follow-ups a natural part of everyday operations instead of something that is only addressed when a problem occurs. This may involve regularly checking equipment, testing alarm systems, reviewing access rights to information systems, updating instructions and monitoring any deviations. It is also important to clearly assign responsibilities. If only one person is responsible for a critical function, the business may become vulnerable when that person is absent.
To manage risks, businesses need to identify what could actually happen, what might enable an incident and what consequences it could have for the company's finances, operations, personnel and reputation. Identifying risks can be particularly challenging in a new business.
– In a new business, risks are often hidden. That is why it is important to organise workshops to assess what risks may be involved, Holm says.
Risk management also makes financial sense. Preventive measures can reduce the number of incidents, shorten operational disruptions, save working hours and limit repair and recovery costs. Risk management should therefore not be seen merely as an expense, but also as a way to protect the company's resources and make everyday operations more predictable.
Sampo Holm from Fennia and Pasi Hämeenaho from NYQS shared their insights at the event "Mitä jos jotain sattuu? Turvaa itsesi ja yrityksesi" (What if something happens? Protect yourself and your business), organised by Startia on 29 October 2026. They represent two of Startia's partner companies.
- Would you like to learn more about risk management and the preventive measures you can take in your business? Get in touch: Fennia and NYQS.
- Are you planning to start a business or do you have questions about your existing business? Book an appointment.
- Startia and VASEK regularly organise events for entrepreneurs at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey. Keep an eye on our event calendar for upcoming events!
