Workplace Innovation to achieve the EU2020 Strategy Frank Pot

1. Challenge Social Innovation Vienna 19-21 September 2011 Workplace Innovation to achieve the EU2020 StrategyFrank Pot

2. Conceptual confusion • Social innovation (EU) • Sociale innovatie (sometimes: working smarter) (NL, BE) • Social entrepreneurship (EU) • Non technological innovation (Eurostat) • Organisational innovation; new forms of work organisation • Workplace development (FI) • Innovative Arbeitsgestaltung (DE) • Workplace innovation (FI, IE, UK, USA, EF, EESC, EP) • Innovative workplaces (OECD, EESC) • Sustainable work (systems) (SE) • High performance workplaces (USA, UK) • High involvement workplaces (USA, UK)

3. Definitions • Social innovationof work and employment is about new responses to pressing social demands, which affect the process of social interactions. (aims: human well-being), including labour markets, social security, industrial relations • Workplace innovation is the implementation of new and combined interventions in the fields of work organisation, HRM and work relations.(aims: org. performance and QWL) • Non- technological innovation also covers dynamic management, new business models and marketing practices and external collaboration. (aims: org. performance)

4. Social innovation in EU documents • Development of new forms of organisation and interactions to respond to social issues, addressing: • Social demands not addressed by markets or existing institutions and directed to vulnerable groups • Social challenges of social and economic nature (climate, migration, ageing, poverty) • The need to reform society in direction more participative arena; empowerment and learning sources of well-being • Social enterprises: care for children, elderly, disabled; work integration long-term unemployed, disadvantaged groups; education (compare commercial companies in these fields) • Opportunity to enhance working environment (EP 2011) • Collaboration with companies possible (CSR); SME’s in CIP

5. ‘Social’ in ‘social innovation’ meaning: • Complementary to technological innovation • Addressing societal problems • Directed at society as a whole and well-being • Solutions: new behaviours, institutional arrangements • Agency: voluntary and community based civil society organisations • Opposed to business innovation or economic innovation Disputable: • Agency • Opposed to business innovation • Example: EU pilot ‘active and healthy ageing’

6. Workplace innovation subject of social innovation? • Regarding ‘workplace innovation’ there is probably a problematic match with EU social innovation. Opponents could say: • Although it could be considered to be a societal problem legislation and institutions (Labour Inspectorate, co-determination etc.) are in place • If workplace innovation implies a win win situation for organisations and employees why extra attention or subsidy would be needed? • This is primarily business innovation • Improving work organisation, working conditions and HRM is nothing new

7. Social innovation of work and employment • Societal demands that cannot be met by individual companies: inclusive labour markets including the ageing workforce, sustainable employability • Implementing workplace innovation is not self evident for organisations because of short-term perspectives, waiting for others to find out, fear to loose/share power • Responsibilities and logics of action are different for organisations and public authorities • To meet these demands cooperation is needed of public authorities, social partners, organisations, knowledge institutes • Supportive programmes help

8. Concepts used in documents EU • Social innovation: BEPA July 2010; Social Innovation Europe 2011; Marginal reference in Flagship Innovation Union 2010+ accompanying document 2010 and Flagship Skills and Jobs 2010; draft guidelines employment policies 2010; Resolution EP Innovation Union 2011 • Workplace innovation/innovative workplaces: opinion EESC 2007, 2011; workshop launch event SIE 2011; OECD 2011 • Non technological innovation: Eurostat; marginal in FS Innovation Union • New/innovative forms/patterns of work organisation: FS Innovation Union; FS Skills and Jobs; draft guidelines employment policies 2010; ESF 2010; OSH 2007-2012 • Job quality and OSH: FS Skills and jobs; marginal in employment guidelines

9. Workplace innovation and OSH • Workplace innovation and occupational safety and health are different policies with different objectives and instruments. So is ‘decent work agenda’. Do not mix up. • Workplace innovation is not directed at fewer occupational diseases or accidents or less absenteeism although it might help • The overlap between workplace innovation and OSH regards ergonomics and work organisation as well as the effects for well-being, learning opportunities, prevention of work-related stress and physical workload, work-life-balance. • EU OSH policy refers to ‘healthy and productive jobs’

10. Urgency for workplace innovation • Decreasing and ageing workforce – increasing labour productivity and including less productive people • Global competition and knowledge based economy – development of competences and skills • Making new technology work through innovative work organisation • Workplace innovation explains a larger part of innovation success than technological innovation does

11. ‘National’ ‘programmes’ • Finland: workplace development • Germany: innovative Arbeitsgestaltung; Innovationsfähigkeit • Belgium: socialeinnovatie; Flanders Synergy • Netherlands: socialeinnovatie; slimmer werken (working smarter); NCSI • Norway: value creation • UK: workplace innovation • Ireland: workplace innovation • Sweden: management and work organisation renewal • Non existent in many countries of EU

12. Conclusions • Distinction between social innovation and business innovation is untenable • Social innovation and technological innovation are complementary • Social innovation of work and employment on the level of society refers to societal issues such as labour markets, social security, vocational training and industrial relations • Social innovation of work and employment on organisational level can be called ‘workplace innovation’ • Workplace innovation refers to work organisation, employability and work relations • EU/national campaigns are needed and can be supportive