Fresh Thinking Labs
Fresh Thinking Labs the international open source movement for workplace innovation is your pathway to the best workplace practices and latest thinking from across Europe and beyond.
LinkIntroduction
We began in 1997 because there were too few spaces where enterprises, employers’ organisations, trade unions, policymakers, professional bodies and researchers could come together, both to explore the future of work and organisations and to address the persistent “long tail” of those not making use of workplace practices that engage and develop the full talent and creativity of employees at all levels.
Since our foundation we have created a series of joint initiatives and projects involving diverse stakeholders, held regular pro bono events to share evidence and good practice, and has been a persistent advocate for national government and EU policies to promote better ways of working.
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Research and Evidence
Two things are clear.
Firstly there is a vast and growing body of evidence to show that workplace innovation practices which empower employees to make day-to-day-decisions, challenge established practices, contribute ideas and be heard at the most senior levels of an organisation lead to better business results as well as enhanced workforce health and engagement.
Secondly it is equally clear that most businesses are either unaware of this evidence, or that they are unable or unwilling to act on it. Successive surveys demonstrate a substantial gap between research evidence of “what works” and common workplace practice.
We work with diverse stakeholders to:
- Undertake high quality research into leading practice and emerging challenges relating to work and organisations. Current and Past Projects
- Build bridges between research and practice through publications, events and the creation of the EUWIN Knowledge Bank as the leading European source of case studies, articles and other learning resources on workplace innovation.
We have also established Workplace Innovation Limited as a consultancy arm to help companies and public sector organisations create new and better ways of working which build on a vast body of research.
Explore the site to learn more about our surprising range of activities.
the essential fifth element
The Essential Fifth Element is Workplace Innovation’s practical programme of support for building high performance and high levels of engagement. It draws on all the research evidence embodied in The Fifth Element, conceived by Peter Totterdill and Rosemary Exton as a means of building a bridge between theory and practice in workplace innovation.
The Essential Fifth Element is an integrated approach to workplace innovation, creating high performance, engagement and great places to work. It builds workplaces where people at all levels can use their knowledge, talent and creativity to the full.
It starts with the organisation as a whole, recognising that practices and cultures in one area inevitably have an impact on other areas.
The Essential Fifth Element brings together individual job design, teamworking, relations between different teams and department, systems and procedures such as performance management, opportunities for shared learning, improvement and innovation, how employee voice is heard in strategic decision making, and the role of leadership.
It draws on day-to-day experiences of the workplace, recognising that the stories people tell each other about their working lives can represent a fantastic, if often untapped, resource for improvement and innovation.
It also recognises that there is often a discrepancy between the ways in which senior managers see their organisations and the ways they are experienced by frontline employees.
Finally The Essential Fifth Element inspires, drawing on experiences and practices from some of the most exciting organisations in Europe to stimulate new ways of looking at workplaces and organisations, raising aspirations about what can be achieved.
It is The Essential Fifth Element. Talk to us at contact@goodworkplaces.net about how The Essential Fifth Element can transform performance and engagement in your organisation.
Knowledge Bank
EUWIN’s Knowledge bank, created by UK WON, is a rich resource for practitioners and researchers alike, including articles, case studies and practical guides.
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Workplace Innovation is an international company that bridges the gap between research and practice, spreading more productive and better ways of working across the UK and Europe.
We are the originators of The Fifth Element, an evidence based approach to workplace innovation and how it can transform your organisation.
Forthcoming Events
Latest News
Workplace Innovation Limited is proud to support Scotland’s pioneering initiatives to promote better, more productive workplaces. Since the beginning of 2016 we have been working with Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and Highlands & Islands Enterprise to promote and resource workplace innovation in a diverse range of companies. Highlights include the Workplace Innovation Engagement Programme, a series of Workshops, and a Workplace Innovation Toolkit. Read more (http://www.goodworkplaces.net/Scotland-leads-the-way) Interested to learn more? Fresh Thinking Labs is the international platform for company networking and workplace innovation, On Line and In Person: www.freshthinkinglabs.com (http://freshthinkinglabs.com) Please contact us for further information!..
In early 2016, Scotland’s Fair Work Convention set out its vision for the future of work which included a practical blueprint for Fair Work and a new type of dialogue between employers, employees and trade unions, public bodies and the Scottish Government. The aim was to support the Scottish Government's objectives of increasing sustainable economic growth and reducing inequality through the promotion of greater diversity, innovation and equality in the workplace. Rarely in the UK has the role of policy-makers in creating a vision of the workplaces of the future been so decisive and catalytic. The challenge was taken up by Scottish Enterprise, the country’s main economic development agency, who began to work with partners in the public and private sectors to identify and exploit the best opportunities to deliver a significant, lasting effect on the Scottish economy. Read more (http://www.goodworkplaces.net/scotland-the-brave) Interested to lea..
As part of its commitment to enhancing economic competitiveness and growth, Scottish Enterprise, the country’s main economic development agency, appointed Workplace Innovation Limited to deliver an innovative but practical Workplace Innovation Engagement Programme (WIEP) to participating businesses. The programme’s objective was to help businesses across a wide spectrum of sectors identify and critically assess existing workplace practices through a specialist diagnostic tool, and to support them in uncovering new ways of working to make the best use of talent across the entire workforce. It was important to deliver an approach that was relevant and practical for all types of organisation, all types of employer and all types of employee. Read more (http://www.goodworkplaces.net/Workplace-Innovation-Engagement-Programme) Interested to learn more? Fresh Thinking Labs is the international platform for company networking and workplace innovation, ..
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Registered in Ireland and the UK
Tel: +44 (0)115 933 8321