UKWON

THE UK WORK ORGANISATION NETWORK

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• Supporting workplace innovation
• Working with policymakers
• Dialogue
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Working with policymakers

Working with policymakers

UKWON works with policymakers regionally, nationally, at EU level and internationally to promote programmes and initiatives which support enhanced competitveness, innovation and a better quality of working life.

Only a minority of public or private employers have systematically adopted ways of working that can bring sustained benefits for organisations and their employees alike.There is a long tail in the UK and Europe separating evidence-based practice from common practice. We all pay for this through reduced prosperity and the prevalence of poor quality working lives.

Evidence from several European countries (including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and Norway) shows that targeted intervention by public agencies and social partners can significantly reduce this gap. Yet successive UK governments show little sign of learning from this experience, and the EU itself could do far more to help disseminate good practice.

Our diverse range of experts and partners can work with policymakers to design and deliver measures that help employers and employees to work more effectively. For example we recently completed a comprehensive overview of workplace innovation policies and programmes in Europe for the Government of South Korea. A case study of the Finnish National Workplace Development Programme and an earlier report on a highly innovative pilot programme in Ireland are also available in our Knowledge Base.

UKWON's international experience has also contributed to the design and management of the Innovative Workplaces programme, developed in partnership with Acas and funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda). You can read Nottingham Trent University's independent evaluation report here.

Together with our Advisory Board, UKWON is also trying to engage the Coalition Government in dialogue about the practical policy implications of its "Big Society" agenda. If the Big Society is to be more than a passing political fad “with the resonance of a political epitaph" then there is a need for a robust policy framework that can animate and resource citizen engagement capable of renewing the public sphere. Our Thinkpiece tests this idea by examining two cases at the frontline of transformation: regional economic development and healthcare.

UKWON also maintains a long-term dialogue with the European Commission on the need for more effective intervention and leadership at EU level. Recently we issued a Response to the Europe 2020 Consultation, arguing that the workplace should have greater visibility. We followed this up with an International Workshop in Brussels which included participants from across the European Commission; the workshop report includes a succinct summary of the key policy issues. Peter Totterdill, UKWON's Joint Chief Executive, also facilitated a workshop on workplace innovation at the European Commission's Launch of the Social Innovation Initiative.

Previous engagement with the European Commission includes:

• Partners at Work? An analysis of organisational developments in over a hundred European Workplaces.

• The Development of Social Dialogue: heightening the impact of the Lisbon Strategy in securing competitiveness, quality jobs and employability for Europe. See also the brief flyer for this project.

• Developing New Forms of Work Organisation: the Role of the Main Actors. A scenario for the future of work.

• The Existing Policy Framework to Promote the Modernisation of Work: Its Weaknesses.