Workplace innovation : Europe's competitive edge : a manifesto for enhanced performance and working lives

Why a manifesto? Workplace innovation is an increasingly influential global movement. With strong European origins, it is increasingly recognised by policymakers and other stakeholders in countries across the world as a powerful tool in helping to achieve diverse economic and social policy goals, from inclusive growth and productivity to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. For enterprise leaders, managers and employee representatives, it provides an actionable framework for effective, sustainable and win-win organisational change, one solidly grounded in research evidence as well as practical experience. Yet we know from successive EU-wide surveys (most recently the 2019 European Company Survey) that there is a long tail between the less than 20% of European companies using workplace innovation practices systematically throughout their organisations and the majority. The EU misses out on potential gains in business performance, workforce skills and health. Several European governments have recognised the importance of workplace innovation within their economic policy platforms and actively implement measures to enhance awareness, promote dissemination and stimulate research. The European Commission itself adopted workplace innovation as part of its policy portfolio, creating the European Workplace Innovation Network (EUWIN) in 2013. Since 2013, EUWIN has been a consistent advocate for the broader adoption of workplace innovation policies and programmes at regional, national and EU levels. Now supported solely by its partners in ten European countries, EUWIN welcomes the European Commission's continuing recognition of workplace innovation but argues strongly for expanding related measures in its industry, employment and research policy fields. EUWIN also argues for the expansion of national and regional policy measures throughout Europe, and enhancing awareness amongst social partners and other stakeholder bodies. This manifesto addresses the European Social Pillar agenda as well as the broader policy priorities of DG EMPL and DG GROW. It summarises the nature, origins and policy significance of workplace innovation, making a case for enhanced recognition throughout Europe's policy eco-system