Oeij, Peter

Workplace innovation (WPI) refers to practices that enable employees to participate in organisational change in such a way as to improve the quality of their working life and organisational performance. This report examines the motives behind the adoption of WPI and describes its implementation across companies in Europe. It analyses the impacts of WPI from the perspective of the different players – organisation, management, employees and employee representatives – in 51 companies across 10 EU Member States.

The report examines working time flexible arrangements implemented in five companies of the retail and automotive sector in Hungary and Belgium and the Netherlands using the case study methodology. The main aim of this research was to explore and show whether and under what conditions working time flexible arrangements in companies are implemented and can increase productivity and at the same time preserve or improve quality of work in general and especially with regard to work–life balance.

This report sets out to contribute to the present debate on the need for European companies and their workers to become more flexible and adaptable in the face of ongoing economic change and business restructuring. The guide should therefore provide useful and practical tips for company-level actors concerning the potential benefits of developing more flexible internal workplace policies. Equally, it has been developed to assist practitioners and social partners wishing to review and/or learn more about developing such initiatives. An executive summary is available.

In order to remain competitive, the European Union Member States have to adopt new work organisations which are innovative and create a high quality of work. What impact have the new forms of work organisation had on workers and companies? Has it led to greater control over work and more flexibility? Or has it resulted in increased pressure and loss of control? This report focuses on the relationship between new forms of work and working conditions and the impact on the quality of work. It looks in particular at the effects on workers’ physical and mental health, safety, working time, lifelong learning, job security, job satisfaction and job control. It concludes that satisfaction with working life in Europe is determined by factors such as the pattern and duration of working time, the pace of work, job content and job autonomy. The literature used for the report is drawn from a variety of sources, including Foundation studies.