Research: Improvement of Working Condutions Can Boost Overall Productivity
Changes in workplace practise can positively impact and improve the overall performance of employees and productivity of a company, according to new research from Eurofound, the Dublin-based EU agency for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Combining training, autonomous team work, flexible time arrangements, profit and ownership sharing schemes, and well functioning social dialogue, as part of a strategic approach will enhance the economic performance. Eurofound has looked into the relationship between working conditions and both, employee and company performance, using a three-pronged research approach, reviewing academic literature of the past two decades on workplace practices, an analysis of Eurofound’s second European Company Survey of over 27,000 European workplaces, and in-depth studies of practices in six countries. It has been found that while many companies introduce bundles of measures aimed at improving working conditions and enhancing economic performance, many do not have appropriate mechanisms in place to benefit from such measures. The very same result was found by the pan-European Work-Life-Practice survey (WLPS) in 2006.
Eurofound’s research on job quality also shows that workers are more satisfied and motivated when they have a say in their workplace, can organise work autonomously, work in a flexible manner, increase wages as a result of harder work, improve their skills, and have a secure job and a career perspective. Unfortunately, the reports also shows that the awareness among companies about these possible sources of improved performance is very limited; therefore determined joint efforts from all key stakeholders, including employers and employee representatives, is required.
