Vaisala was founded in Finland in 1936 and is now a global leader in the fields of weather, environmental, and industrial measurements. Their 2,200 employees are stationed across 25 offices worldwide and their operations cover an enormous breadth of sectors – from government to energy companies, from pharmaceuticals to space agencies. To give some idea of its reach, “Vaisala operates on two planets and in every country on earth.”

Innovation, Research and Development at Vaisala HQ

29% of all Vaisala employees work in Research and Development (R&D) and this team includes professionals from many different fields – from physics to AI and machine learning. Of this total R&D staff, 67% of them (300 people in total) work at the new R&D and Innovation Center which opened in 2021. It’s sited next to the company HQ and production facilities in Vantaa, Finland.

Vaisala technology is used in the most inhospitable environments on earth – from the Sahara Desert to Antarctica. For this reason, as well as building custom designed testing equipment that mimics real-world conditions, the 7,900m2 R&D Center contains 37 custom-made laboratories. These range from an EMC (electromagnetic compliance) lab, a rain tower that simulates natural rain, a vibration and freefall laboratory, environmental chambers where instruments can be tested under extreme temperatures and humidity, and system testing laboratories.

Virtual Campus Tour attracts top talent and showcases scope of the organisation

This is a world-class and truly one-of-a-kind campus. To give a flavour of the facilities and operations on-site and what it is like to work there, Vaisala designed a virtual intro to their site by which the curious online visitor can take a self-guided tour. The tour was designed jointly by the company’s Communications, Brand and Talent Acquisition teams, accordingly with three main purposes in mind. These were:

• Primarily, to attract new talents from across the globe to join its international team, and subsequently to act as part of the onboarding program for those who start.
• To showcase the full scope of Vaisala’s operations to their customers and partners, either directly or via their sales and marketing teams.
• To give an insight into daily life at HQ for for employees at the regional HQs and many small Vaisala satellite offices worldwide who may never visit the site in person.

The tour below was launched in September 2023. It was shared on social media, was shared with all global employees via intranet internal news, has been added to the Vaisala website careers page and is used by sales teams worldwide at events and industry shows, and shared with regional customers via local offices.

We highly recommend that you activate full screen mode to fully appreciate the extraordinary spaces within the campus. The EMC lab is particularly worth a visit: there you can watch videos about how Vaisala technology is used on Mars.

Navigation around the tour

The public tour starts with a 360 aerial map which gives an overview of the location of each building. They include a brand video which gives a flavour of the company and their vision and values.

As with all ThingLink media, in each scene you can choose what to learn more about, or which area to move to next, via the clickable tags or hotspots.

From the initial aerial view you can choose to visit the factory or the R&D building. Within R&D you can visit the EMC lab, the “clean room” and many other rooms that give a fascinating insight into the unique, high tech and genuinely space-age environments at Vaisala.

Results of the virtual tour

External results: High engagement and visibility

• In its first 2 months the tour has had almost 7000 views. As well as being a marketing success, this is also a far higher number of guest visits than the campus can normally accommodate in a year – roughly 450.
• It was one of the most popular posts this year on LinkedIn for Vaisala, with about +30% views, +50% reactions, as well 10 times more shares compared to a usual LinkedIn post.
• Sales teams have reported back that it is an invaluable tool for industry shows and events, demonstrating the breadth and reach of Vaisala’s expertise to customers who may only be familiar with one specific application or vertical.

Internal results: Increased employee engagement

When it was shared to employees worldwide via company internal news, it got ca. 50% more views compared to a piece of average internal news. Feedback has been extremely positive, summed up by this example below:

“Thanks to the whole team for a great job with the virtual visit! It will be a really good tool in many ways, some of our people here outside the Vantaa Campus have never had the opportunity to see our head office production and R&D facilities, now they can visit virtually!”

Employee feedback

The educational legacy and vision that inspired the tour

This English language version was based on an original tour in Finnish created in collaboration with Otaniemi High School to support STEM education, which has now been expanded to high schools nationally. Vaisala is third-generation owned and has continually striven to support scientific education via engagement, awards, sponsorship and collaboration, so this project was a fitting reflection of their founding values.

The learning content was designed to directly link specific areas of Vaisala’s operations and research to related areas of the curriculum, to help students better understand how their school subjects can be applied in the real world. The content has also been used in ThingLink’s Scenario Builder to create thematic learning journeys and we will explore this educational project in more detail in a separate case study.

Pro tips for virtual tour creators

We break down exactly how Vaisala took this virtual tour to the next level with thoughtful content creation and simple but clever design of the component elements. These are all methods which even a complete beginner to ThingLink could easily replicate!

• Candid short interview clips with Vaisala employees help to paint a picture of the work environment and the work that goes on in all parts of the site – from the factory to the labs and beyond. These personal stories bring the tour alive and give a strong impression of an international workplace, and the passion which the employees have for their work.

• The variation of media types. As well as 360 scenes and static or interview type videos, there are also video walkthroughs of some of the areas within the tags, and tags containing simply text and images.
• Vaisala have used static text labels instead of tags, to highlight what is at each tag before you open it. Read how to do this here.
• Anchor points have been used so that the text labels don’t obscure the important elements. Read more on these here.
• A map in the top right corner assists navigation. This feature allows you to add a floorplan or map to any ThingLink content and helps the users see exactly where they are and/or move to a new location. read more on this feature here.
• The Vaisala virtual tours can also be viewed in VR so can be used with virtual reality headsets for a really immersive experience!
• Finally, for advanced ThingLink creators: notice the structure which they have applied within all the lightbulb tags. A Video ThingLink, embedded in a tag in a 2D image ThingLink, which is in turn embedded in a tag within the main 360 image ThingLink! Click on any lightbulb to see how well this structure works and consider using in your next creation!

Creating your own virtual tour

Whether you manage an international organisation, a small business or anything in between, virtual tours like these are an ideal way to demonstrate the working environment to potential candidates as well as new joiners. ThingLink is the easiest way to create a 360 tour like this, with no need to download virtual tour software. Simply access our cloud-based solution via your browser and share to anyone via a simple link or embed!

You don’t even need a 360 camera to create impressive, high resolution 360 images. The amazing – and completely free – Pano to 360 by ThingLink allows you to convert any panoramic image to a 360 photosphere in seconds.

Further virtual tour examples for you to explore

• How to create a Virtual Lab
• How to create an interactive virtual tour
• Hyria create a virtual recruitment forum
• Carmanah creates interactive content for trade shows and website
• How to create a virtual exhibition or art gallery
• How to create virtual tours for real estate
• Using ThingLink virtual learning environments in healthcare

Need help in creating your own tour?

• Go to our YouTube channel for easy-to-follow tutorials and webinar recordings

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For FAQs and advice from our experts, go to our helpful Support pages.

Hyria – aiming for employment

Hyria is a Finnish educational and training organisation which provides vocational training, workforce development, coaching and rehabilitation services for students of all ages. The choices range from sustainable development to management and from catering to healthcare and logistics. Hyria aims not only to create graduates, but above all to help them secure jobs that inspire them. Organizing a diverse, engaging recruitment forum is particularly in line with Hyria’s values. This year’s virtual event made it easy for students to compare different fields, chat with employers and study mentors, and work on their CVs with the help of professionals.

ThingLink spoke to Heidi Heikkinen, Recruitment Coordinator at Hyria, who has been involved in implementing the Hyria Recruitment Forum for many years, traditionally been held on-site at Hyria. In 2021, the event could not be held on campus due to the pandemic, which led the team to look for virtual ways to hold the event. 

The Challenges of an In-Person Careers Fair

The onsite recruitment forum has always experienced challenges with the long distances that students have to travel. Hyria has several offices in Hyvinkää and Riihimäki (50km and 69km north of Finland’s capital Helsinki respectively), as well as operations in Helsinki, Hämeenlinna, Lahti, Lope and Hausjärvi (all located in southern Finland). 

In the past, the recruitment forum has been held for two days at the Riihimäki and Hyvinkää campuses. This has required a lot of time from the exhibiting employers and other organisations, and a lot of organisation from Hyria’s own staff. 

Another challenge has been to find suitable dates for the event. It has been difficult to coordinate the schedules of employers and students, and to guarantee access for all students.

Previously it was also difficult to attract non-Hyria students when the event was held in the school’s sports hall. Outsiders had assumed that the event was only for Hyria’s own students only. So in previous years, the forum was also held in shopping centers to attract other job seekers. But conversely, this made it more difficult for Hyria students to attend due to other commitments. 

Live webinar and virtual career fair

In 2021 Hyria decided to try a virtual recruitment forum hosted on ThingLink for the first time as a response to these challenges. According to Heidi, the organizers (Hyria’s communications and marketing services team, Joni Leimu, Milla-Miia Luosujärvi and Katja Pudas) were quickly inspired by how easy it was for visitors to navigate the virtual event. Exhibitors’ information was grouped into clear sections with tags that included company descriptions, videos, links to further information and opportunities to chat with employers. It was also linked to the Instagram accounts of Hyria’s different sectors, which provided students with additional information and practical tips for their everyday studies.

The 2022 careers fair

The second virtual fair in 2022 was based on the first event. The event link was published on the Hyria website on 14 February and was open for 5 days. Students, jobseekers and other interested parties could participate at their convenience without registration, wherever they were in the world. The target groups were Hyria’s own students and trainees who were considering further studies and future job opportunities, secondary school students who were in the process of making joint application choices, plus all other job seekers and those considering study options. This year, nearly 40 employers and several educational institutions from all over Finland were involved. The virtual event featured companies from a wider area than was possible at the on-site event.

Work-life training opportunities

The event additionally provided an opportunity to learn more about Hyria’s Nousussa-service, which organizes work-life training for young people. One department showed how easy it is to describe your skills and look for vacancies using their Tiitus service. Teachers were advised to visit the event with students first, after which students could explore the fields and jobs that interested them in their own time.

Widening access – open to all and open all hours

The organisers wanted to make the event easy to attend – so they lowered the threshold for joining by removing the need for registration. 

One main advantage of a virtual event is that it can be partly real-time and partly time-independent. Visitors are free to move around the different stands to see the employers’ presentations. The Recruitment Forum featured a live webinar with presentations by the various exhibitors, which could be followed in real time on Zoom or watched afterwards. Both the video recordings and the links to Zoom were easily added to ThingLink – ensuring that visitors could easily find the presentations. The virtual event also included a job search workshop, providing tips on how to find a job. 

“ThingLink made it easy to jump between the webinar and the different exhibitions”.

Heidi Heikkinen, Recruitment Coordinator

Increased Visitor Numbers Defy Expectations

Heidi was initially worried that the virtual fair would not attract enough visitors. Fortunately, this concern proved to be unfounded, as the number of visitors to the virtual implementation broke all records.

The recruitment forum normally attracts a few hundred visitors. But in 2021 the number of visits to the platform was enormous: 6100 in 5 days. The average visit to the platform lasted 104 minutes, which shows that visitors also spent time watching videos, reading more information and chatting with exhibitors.

Main benefits of holding virtual hiring events

When the 2022 event was being considered, it was not yet known whether a live event would be possible. According to Heidi, even if a live event could be organised, the benefits of a virtual event would be greater than a live event.

Heidi has concluded that she is in favor of virtual version of this event even after the pandemic. Here are the main reasons why:

• ThingLink lends itself very well to content production because the interface is really easy to use – for people of all ages, including those with no previous experience of creating materials. 
• ThingLink makes it easy to organise an event, even in the evening from the comfort of your own couch. 
• You don’t have to know or learn how to use graphic design packages to use ThingLink. You can create materials using software you are familiar with – such as PowerPoint.
• “Simply take a screenshot of a PowerPoint slide, add it to ThingLink as a background image and create a few tags, which can be easily embedded with YouTube videos and school websites. The same background can easily be used in many different sections – just change the background image and tag information.” Heidi Heikkinen, Recruitment Coordinator
• ThingLink saves employers a lot of time. “Previously, they had to attend a two-day recruitment event; now all they have to do is submit their materials at registration and we create a section for them in ThingLink on their behalf.”
• Ease of cloning and editing a previous virtual event. Heidi says that although it takes time for an event organiser to build a virtual event, the work is much faster now that last year’s work can be used as a base.
• Event material is available on-demand 24/7 so can reach job seekers living anywhere in the world who would not travel to attend your event. 
• Students and employers don’t have to travel long distances to attend the event. It is also easier to attend for students with limiting physical disabilities, providing more equal opportunity for all.
• You can look at the materials anywhere – at the bus stop or in the school canteen, alone or with friends or family, for example. 
• You can send a friend a link to interesting job openings and contact information at the upcoming event.

Top Tips for Virtual Event Content Producers and Event Organisers

“Collect materials from exhibitors at the time of registration. It saves time for both exhibitors and event organisers if companies upload their presentation materials to the cloud themselves, removing the need for email attachments. It’s then easy for event organisers to upload and create content in ThingLink.”

Heidi Heikkinen, Recruitment Coordinator

Positive student feedback to the virtual event

Heidi reports that employers liked the platform and gave positive feedback on the virtual event. Students were also enthusiastic:

“I love that it felt like a gamified experience!”

(Hyria student feedback)

Other feedback included:

• It was easy to navigate the platform without registering 
• Heidi had added a Messenger link to her welcome video in ThingLink. Students appreciated being able to message her on Messenger when it suited them and ask for advice or more information.

Other uses

As a recruitment coordinator, Heidi has also considered and tested other ways of using ThingLink. 

• She has prepared CV tips material to help students in their job search. She used PowerPoint to simply create a background image in ThingLink and add tags. 
• Along the same lines, Heidi has also created an Alumni Stories package, which allows students to see descriptions of the careers of graduates and their tips on the application process for current students. 

We can’t wait to see what other initiatives and uses for ThingLink the team at Hyria come up with.

Other ways ThingLink is used at college, university or school: case studies and real-life examples

• Teaching transferable skills to high school students
• The ultimate guide to creating your first virtual field trip
• A guide to creating amazing immersive learning resources
• How to create virtual training environments for students
• How to create a virtual lab
• Creating Virtual Escape Rooms for Medical Students
• Using ThingLink to Develop Virtual Team Building Activities for Nursing Students
• Award-Winning Virtual Field Trips for Post-Grads at Queens University Belfast
• Virtual Workshop Tours for Construction Students