New Campaign Urges Greater Levels of Change and Innovation in Irish Workplaces – Jun '07

Transforming Irish workplaces into high-performing, high-quality places of work is the focus of a new Government public awareness campaign launched on 11th of Junewhich will feature television, radio, outdoor and internet advertising.

The campaign's primary target is Ireland's 2 million-strong workforce. It aims to encourage employers, managers, employees and trade unions to be more open to the benefits of partnership and innovation in the workplace, regardless of size or sector.

The key message is that the 'status quo' in Irish workplaces is no longer a viable option if Ireland is to sustain competitiveness and improve the quality of working life for all.

Based on the theme of being 'OPEN' to new ideas in the workplace and new ways of working, the advertisements are designed to encourage individual employers and employees to consider how they can make their own places of work more innovative through partnership, for the benefit of all concerned.

The campaign, in support of the National Workplace Strategy, is being overseen by the National Centre for Partnership and Performance. The National Workplace Strategy is the Government's blueprint to transform Irish workplaces into 'Workplaces of the Future', based on the principle that the levels of innovation and change within our workplaces are critical to Ireland's transition to a more dynamic, knowledge-based economy.

It focuses on stimulating workplace change and innovation, and recognises the critical role that partnership can play in this process. The key message of the National Workplace Strategy is that the quality of Irish workplaces - and the levels of innovation and change in them - are critical to Ireland's ongoing transition to a more dynamic, highly skilled and knowledge-based economy. Building commitment to workplace change and innovation is as relevant to the public sector as it is to the private sector. There is no size threshold for harnessing the potential benefits of improving levels of workplace innovation, since it can deliver real gains for small organisations as well as larger ones.

By involving everyone with an interest in the workplace and focusing increased attention and resources on managing workplace change and innovation, Ireland can gain an important advantage in terms of international competitiveness. Improving organisational performance across all sectors of the economy will not only sustain and increase competitiveness but will also support the wellbeing of workers generally.

The National Workplace Strategy has identified five strategic priority areas in which action is currently being concentrated:

Spanning these themes, 42 recommendations for action are currently being implemented under the guidance of the High-Level Implementation Group.

Examples of workplace attitudes and practices that have been targeted include:

Leadership and capacity for change

The capability of managers, employers and trade unions to proactively champion and manage change needs to be built upon.

Up-skilling and workplace learning

In order to maintain competitiveness across all sectors and enhance workers' employability, barriers to work-related learning and training must be removed. This is especially true in the case of workers in lower-skilled jobs and those with narrow skill sets in vulnerable areas of the economy.

Promoting diversity and work-life balance

For the benefit of businesses and employees alike, diversity and worklife balance need to be promoted as an integral part of every organisation's culture and management.

Practical approaches to partnership and employee involvement

Workplace partnership and employee involvement need to be acknowledged and recognised as the best mechanism for tackling the challenges facing workplaces.

Achieving the goals set out in the National Workplace Strategy will make a major contribution to competitive enterprise, high-quality public services, access to employment opportunities and a good quality of working life for all.

Speaking at the launch, Lucy Fallon-Byrne, Director, National Centre for Partnership and Performance, said:

"This campaign is about changing mind-sets in our workplaces. It's about persuading employers and employees to be more open to the benefits of change and innovation. That means dispensing with traditional approaches to the way our workplaces are organised and rethinking everything from communication and consultation right through to workplace learning, equality and diversity."

She continued:

"There is compelling evidence that companies and organisations with high levels of employee involvement and participation are far more likely to enjoy greater levels of productivity, profitability and a better quality of working life for all. We want to encourage individual employers and employees to consider the very real benefits that can accrue from a more collaborative, partnership-based approach to work organisation and working practices."

A comprehensive 'Fact Pack' has also been compiled to explain the content and context of the National Workplace Strategy and its key themes. It will be distributed to workplaces around the country, in collaboration with the Social Partners - the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), Construction Industry Confederation (CIF) and Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

The Fact Pack is also be available for download on the Strategy's new website http://www.workplacestrategy.ie