EUWIN Bulletin Archive

How Workplace Innovation is embedding itself within research, policymaking and practice

EUWIN’s first Bulletin of 2024 contains several insights into how workplace innovation is embedding itself within research, policymaking and practice – and not just in Europe. And the year ahead promises to be full of opportunities for shared learning and collaboration, not least in exploring how workplace innovation is central to the ‘twin transformations’ of digitalisation and sustainability.

Ten Years of EUWIN – What Next?

Workplace innovation must play a key role in Europe’s future, not just in enabling more productive organisations and better, healthier places to work but in the transition towards a digital, greener and fairer economy and society.

And EUWIN lies at the heart of the workplace innovation movement, a network of researchers, policymakers and practitioners focused on inspiration, knowledge sharing and advocacy.

The Future of Work

It’s almost a cliché to point out that many workplaces – and perhaps the future of work – have been transformed by the pandemic. Walking through the centre of London recently during what used to be called ‘the morning rush hour’, we found relatively quiet streets and rows of empty desks glimpsed through office windows. Something has definitely changed.

One UK survey showed that over 70% of respondents did not want to return to the office full time, and nearly a half preferred to work from home permanently. At the same time, the survey showed that around 40% had experienced mental and/or physical health problems as a result of homeworking.

This clearly presents employers with a dilemma – not least because they have a duty of care to ensure that their employees work in a healthy environment. Moreover, many companies have told us that innovation and creative thinking fall away without face-to-face contact . . .

One thing is clear however. Everything we know from decades of research evidence and practical experience about what makes a productive, innovative and healthy organisation cannot be put aside because of the pandemic.

Workplace Innovation: A Positive Investment Decision

Our Spring Bulletin reflects the amazing richness and increasing abundance of workplace innovation initiatives in Europe, with case studies from Spain, Bulgaria and Belgium, important evidence from Poland and from the iconic Liideri Programme in Finland, updates on EU policy, plus thinkpieces, research findings and news of forthcoming events.

EUWIN itself is also bursting into life, and our new Manifesto makes a compelling argument for the importance of workplace innovation – for businesses, for workers, and for the achievement of major European policy goals.

A Workplace Innovation movement

This second edition of EUWIN’s relaunched Bulletin shows the strength and breadth of the workplace innovation movement across Europe. It includes important new research on workplace innovation’s impact on organisational performance, capacity for innovation and employee wellbeing, together with reviews of public policy and articles on topical developments in Hungary, Italy and the railway industry.

We want the Bulletin to continue to bring fresh insights and news about workplace innovation to our large international community of practitioners and experts – and we need your help! Please send us your ideas for articles, case studies or discussion topics on any aspect of workplace innovation for the Spring 2021 edition.

A New Takeoff for EUWIN!

We’re delighted to be relaunching EUWIN’s well-respected Bulletin, bringing fresh insights and news about workplace innovation to our large international community of practitioners and experts. As the first article below shows, this is part of a new ‘takeoff’ for EUWIN, now led by an international consortium of public and not-for-profit institutions. We’re looking forward to some exciting times ahead!

This issue of the Bulletin has something for people involved in positive change in their own companies, policymakers and other stakeholders concerned with economic growth and jobs, researchers, and a wide range of others.

European Workplace Innovation Network (EUWIN)

EUWIN was established by the European Commission in 2013 and is now entirely supported by contributions from an international network of partners co-ordinated by HIVA (University of Leuven). EUWIN also functions as a network partner for the H2020 Beyond4.0 project.

Contact: Workplace Innovation Europe CLG (contact@workplaceinnovation.eu).