Page 169 - ePaper
P. 169
Chapter 3: The future of work in Europe: job quality and work organisation for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
such international workplaces pose work a severe and persistent socioeconomic of purpose, autonomy in managing one’s
organisational challenges. Local working cost for individual workers and for soci- time and control over the substance and
time will have to be aligned with work- ety as a whole (e.g. lower production methods of work tasks.
ing time in other time zones (i.e. 24-hour capacity, dependence on social assis -
reachability), resulting in more flexible tance). Such adverse outcomes can be More participative and empowering
and longer working times to participate counteracted by adequate labour mar- forms of work organisation should be
in digital teamwork spread across differ - ket policies and improvements in work developed to strengthen employees’
ent time zones. They can also increase organisation that benefit both employees involvement in innovation implementa-
stress from differences in work cultures, and employers and facilitate labour real - tion (and therefore understanding and
mediated communication and language location in a flexible but secure way. acceptance of tasks changes) and ena-
barriers and the fragmentation of work ble workers (especially the low-skilled)
organisation, which may generate fal- Active labour market policies, life-long to gain the abilities that enhance their
tering team dynamics and erode trust learning (including investing in the skills employability through life-long learning
between workers, potentially reducing relevant to knowledge occupations and (e.g. Totterdill, 2014). Loyalty and incen-
workers’ motivation and effort. Never- new tasks more generally) and mod- tives to acquire firm-specific skills should
theless, at the same time, they can also ern labour laws, complemented by an not be adversely affected as workers will
reduce longer work hours or shift work, increased forecasting capacity to antici- have to show more flexibility within and
as workers in another time zone can take pate, ‘locate’ the challenges and adapt between enterprises. Otherwise, work-
over the task. to change are important. Improving the place innovations may have a negative
link between education and the needs of impact on productivity, labour market
5.10. Conclusion: enterprises that operate in different time participation and job quality. Workplace
stronger employee zones, through linguistic education and innovations should also avoid perpetu-
empowerment matters enhanced cultural awareness, may prove ating or sharpening the existing gender
for productivity growth useful. The links between labour market segregation in the workplace( ).
96
policies and other policies will need to
The restructuring of global supply chains be strengthened, including in areas such Learning organisations have the poten-
combined with technology may ben- as the trans-European and international tial to foster intrinsic motivation, sup-
efit the resource-poor, skills-rich Euro- networks for communication and collab - port workers’ involvement and skill use/
pean Union as its skills structure may oration, and international cooperation on development, and therefore improve
have a comparative advantage in world security (including internet transactions). companies’ performance. Worryingly,
markets. Ongoing structural changes recent years have seen a reduction in
may bring changes to work organisa - Given the ambiguous impact of expand- the number of Learning organisations
tion that can improve job opportunities, ing global value chains on industrial and a move towards Lean organisations.
through greater mobility and skill match - relations, promoting productivity and A coherent and comprehensive policy
ing. These can in turn improve job quality inclusive growth may require the pro- response to support changes in work
(e.g. greater autonomy, responsibility and motion of a global social dialogue and organisation towards more effective
flexibility in the workplace, more flex- through it the negotiation of topics that and beneficial forms of work organisa-
ible working arrangements, which may are of direct interest for employees’ tion would be in the mutual interest of
entice/maintain older workers, workers working conditions, such as training, EU companies and their workers.
95
with disabilities and those with family health and safety and restructuring( ).
responsibilities in the workplace; higher This will contribute to ensuring a greater 6. Conclusions
earnings). acceptance of changes and that due
attention is paid to the most vulnerable Job quality and work
However, changes in organisation due workers (the low-skilled, older workers organisation are high
to technology and globalisation can and workers with family responsibilities). on the EU policy agenda
render skills, tasks and jobs obsolete at
a high speed (through automation and Under the ongoing structural changes, Since the Lisbon Growth and Jobs
relocation) and reduce job quality (more strengthening the EU’s productivity Strategy launched in 2000, the Euro-
flexitime and longer working hours to growth and labour market resilience calls pean Employment Strategy’s overarch-
fit diverse time zones). They will also for work organisations that make full use ing objectives have encompassed not
require specific skills to act in interna- of workers’ knowledge potential and that only full employment, but also the
tional environments (e.g. languages and increase the quality of their jobs. In this promotion of quality and productivity
ICT). In addition, the gains and losses context, work organisations, and nota- at work. In 2001, the Laeken European
may be unequally distributed between bly managerial structures, should be Summit agreed to a comprehensive
employees and employers (as it changes reformed to promote higher well-being framework on job quality, and appro-
the bargaining position) and between dif - and engagement of workers. Greater priate quality indicators were included in
ferent groups of workers (low- versus focus should be placed on intrinsic moti - the 2002 Employment Guidelines. With
high-skilled workers) resulting in further vation of workers that feeds on the abil- the Europe 2020 Strategy, launched
polarisation and inequity. ity of using one’s skills on the job, sense in 2010, it also became a priority to
Unless such challenges are addressed, ( ) See, for instance the case of GDF Suez ( ) See, for instance, http://www.genderportal.eu/
96
95
changes in work organisation due to launching an international social dialogue and http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/areas/
industrialrelations/dictionary/definitions/
in 2011 at http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/
technology and globalisation may carry eiro/2011/01/articles/eu1101011i.htm horizontalsegregation.htm
167
such international workplaces pose work a severe and persistent socioeconomic of purpose, autonomy in managing one’s
organisational challenges. Local working cost for individual workers and for soci- time and control over the substance and
time will have to be aligned with work- ety as a whole (e.g. lower production methods of work tasks.
ing time in other time zones (i.e. 24-hour capacity, dependence on social assis -
reachability), resulting in more flexible tance). Such adverse outcomes can be More participative and empowering
and longer working times to participate counteracted by adequate labour mar- forms of work organisation should be
in digital teamwork spread across differ - ket policies and improvements in work developed to strengthen employees’
ent time zones. They can also increase organisation that benefit both employees involvement in innovation implementa-
stress from differences in work cultures, and employers and facilitate labour real - tion (and therefore understanding and
mediated communication and language location in a flexible but secure way. acceptance of tasks changes) and ena-
barriers and the fragmentation of work ble workers (especially the low-skilled)
organisation, which may generate fal- Active labour market policies, life-long to gain the abilities that enhance their
tering team dynamics and erode trust learning (including investing in the skills employability through life-long learning
between workers, potentially reducing relevant to knowledge occupations and (e.g. Totterdill, 2014). Loyalty and incen-
workers’ motivation and effort. Never- new tasks more generally) and mod- tives to acquire firm-specific skills should
theless, at the same time, they can also ern labour laws, complemented by an not be adversely affected as workers will
reduce longer work hours or shift work, increased forecasting capacity to antici- have to show more flexibility within and
as workers in another time zone can take pate, ‘locate’ the challenges and adapt between enterprises. Otherwise, work-
over the task. to change are important. Improving the place innovations may have a negative
link between education and the needs of impact on productivity, labour market
5.10. Conclusion: enterprises that operate in different time participation and job quality. Workplace
stronger employee zones, through linguistic education and innovations should also avoid perpetu-
empowerment matters enhanced cultural awareness, may prove ating or sharpening the existing gender
for productivity growth useful. The links between labour market segregation in the workplace( ).
96
policies and other policies will need to
The restructuring of global supply chains be strengthened, including in areas such Learning organisations have the poten-
combined with technology may ben- as the trans-European and international tial to foster intrinsic motivation, sup-
efit the resource-poor, skills-rich Euro- networks for communication and collab - port workers’ involvement and skill use/
pean Union as its skills structure may oration, and international cooperation on development, and therefore improve
have a comparative advantage in world security (including internet transactions). companies’ performance. Worryingly,
markets. Ongoing structural changes recent years have seen a reduction in
may bring changes to work organisa - Given the ambiguous impact of expand- the number of Learning organisations
tion that can improve job opportunities, ing global value chains on industrial and a move towards Lean organisations.
through greater mobility and skill match - relations, promoting productivity and A coherent and comprehensive policy
ing. These can in turn improve job quality inclusive growth may require the pro- response to support changes in work
(e.g. greater autonomy, responsibility and motion of a global social dialogue and organisation towards more effective
flexibility in the workplace, more flex- through it the negotiation of topics that and beneficial forms of work organisa-
ible working arrangements, which may are of direct interest for employees’ tion would be in the mutual interest of
entice/maintain older workers, workers working conditions, such as training, EU companies and their workers.
95
with disabilities and those with family health and safety and restructuring( ).
responsibilities in the workplace; higher This will contribute to ensuring a greater 6. Conclusions
earnings). acceptance of changes and that due
attention is paid to the most vulnerable Job quality and work
However, changes in organisation due workers (the low-skilled, older workers organisation are high
to technology and globalisation can and workers with family responsibilities). on the EU policy agenda
render skills, tasks and jobs obsolete at
a high speed (through automation and Under the ongoing structural changes, Since the Lisbon Growth and Jobs
relocation) and reduce job quality (more strengthening the EU’s productivity Strategy launched in 2000, the Euro-
flexitime and longer working hours to growth and labour market resilience calls pean Employment Strategy’s overarch-
fit diverse time zones). They will also for work organisations that make full use ing objectives have encompassed not
require specific skills to act in interna- of workers’ knowledge potential and that only full employment, but also the
tional environments (e.g. languages and increase the quality of their jobs. In this promotion of quality and productivity
ICT). In addition, the gains and losses context, work organisations, and nota- at work. In 2001, the Laeken European
may be unequally distributed between bly managerial structures, should be Summit agreed to a comprehensive
employees and employers (as it changes reformed to promote higher well-being framework on job quality, and appro-
the bargaining position) and between dif - and engagement of workers. Greater priate quality indicators were included in
ferent groups of workers (low- versus focus should be placed on intrinsic moti - the 2002 Employment Guidelines. With
high-skilled workers) resulting in further vation of workers that feeds on the abil- the Europe 2020 Strategy, launched
polarisation and inequity. ity of using one’s skills on the job, sense in 2010, it also became a priority to
Unless such challenges are addressed, ( ) See, for instance the case of GDF Suez ( ) See, for instance, http://www.genderportal.eu/
96
95
changes in work organisation due to launching an international social dialogue and http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/areas/
industrialrelations/dictionary/definitions/
in 2011 at http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/
technology and globalisation may carry eiro/2011/01/articles/eu1101011i.htm horizontalsegregation.htm
167
