Sirpa Rouhiainen is a pensioner who is full of life. She wanted to postpone stepping away from work when she reached retirement age. Her work at PKO includes making offers and arranging customer events with the rest of her colleagues in PKO’s travel and hospitality business.

My name is Sirpa Rouhiainen, I’m a pensioner, and I work in the sales service for PKO’s travel and hospitality business. This is my second year of working here since retiring, and I’m still happy to come to work. My colleagues are great, and I feel that everyone has really welcomed me to the team. I really feel I’m part of something here.

Originally, I came here to Joensuu by coincidence. I had never even been to North Karelia. Hotel Kimmel had been opened a few years earlier, and I came to work there in the restaurant and conference team. From there, I quickly transferred to reception, where I became more excited about sales and marketing work.

I have a business education, because I went to a business college after upper secondary school, and I also studied sales and marketing for three years at the Marketing Institute in Helsinki while working. I was inspired by my studies and eventually transferred to PKO’s sales service when they had a vacancy.

The work I do in the sales service is varied. I make offers and manage the planning of customer events with our customers and my other colleagues in PKO’s travel and hospitality business The travel and hospitality business’s sales services handles sales for all PKO’s restaurants and hotels and the associated services. I mainly work two to four days per week. In the busiest seasons, such as during the Christmas party season and biathlon events, I’ve been working up to five days per week.

The best part of my work is the feeling of success – it’s so nice to receive thanks from customers and booking agents for a very successful trip, and to hear that they’ll be happy to come back another time.

Over the years, my appreciation of PKO has only increased. PKO takes good care of its units and other places by renovating its hotels and restaurants, as well as building new ones. Our products are in good condition, and it’s a joy to sell good products.

Yes – I can say this workplace suits me perfectly!