Bridges 5.0

Industry 5.0: A new approach fostering social innovation?!
2023-09-22 14:00 - 15:30 UTC
Part of the conference’ Living Labs for an era of transitions – How human-centric innovation is changing our lives.’

Industry 5.0 is putting a new lens on the mostly technological perspective of Industry 4.0. By focusing on human-centricity, sustainability and resilience Industry 5.0 is offering a systemic integration of the social dimension of technological innovation. Combining technological and social innovation will open new pathways for the solution of societal challenges form shareholder to shared value. The session will highlight the relevance of human-centricity for a sustainable and resilient industry.

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WEBINAR: How to digitalise your future? Start with better organising.
2023-09-29 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Webinar Recording
A recording of this webinar is available on the recordings page.

The European H2020 Beyond4.0 project which ended in March produced several interesting results. One of the particular results is that companies which strengthen their ‘learning capacity’ perform better economically and socially as a result. Both the company and the employee benefit from such a strategy. The project produced even more interesting results. Steven Dhondt, as coordinator of the project, provides an overview of the main results in this webinar and outlines how different stakeholders can benefit from them.

Steven Dhondt is fascinated by how workers and companies can find a common ground to improve performance. His research and actions are focused on understanding this topic.

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Speaker:

Steven DhondtTNO, NL

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

I-SKILL Conference.
2023-10-13 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
I-SKILL Final Conference: “A European skilled labour force to navigate the green and digital transformations – The role of industrial relations and the social dialogue” – 13th October 2023, Brussels, Belgium.

The promotion of adult learning has been a key part of the EU policy debate since the Lisbon strategy in 2000 and over the last two decades, many binding and non-binding EU initiatives on lifelong learning have been launched. The topic has gained further momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, the European Commission released its ‘Communication on a European skills agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness, and resilience’ including 12 flagship actions to be achieved by 2025.

In 2022, President von der Leyen declared 2023 the European Year of Skills emphasising the importance of education, upskilling, and digital skills. Over the last three years, the ISKILL research project has contributed to advance understanding of how industrial relations and social dialogue can drive progress in adult learning in the EU as well as of ways in which workers can access quality learning opportunities to face the challenges of the green and digital transitions. This conference has the objective to disseminate the research findings, share country experiences and best practice and engage in a constructive debate about actual challenges and what policymakers can do to address them.

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Photo by Dimitri Iakymuk on Unsplash

WEBINAR: Workplace innovation in France: latest developments in Anact.
2023-10-27 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Webinar recording
A recording of this webinar is available on the recordings page.

At a time of ecological, economic and societal transitions, it is more important than ever to place work at the heart of social and professional dialogue. ANACT, the French National Agency for the Improvement of Working Conditions, has been acting for 50 years to improve the quality of working life through a concerted approach to changes in the workplace. Today, the agency continues to help companies and public organisations to cope with professional transitions with innovative methods and tools designed on the basis of pilot projects. In this webinar, we will focus on its gender mainstreaming approach, which enables companies to take into account the different work situations of women and men in order to integrate equality issues into organisational transitions, such as the introduction of hybrid work.

Ségolène JOURNOUD and Karine BABULE are in charge with international projects at Anact, helping companies improve their quality of working life.

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Speakers:

Ségolène JournoudAnact, France

Karine BabuleAnact, France

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Skills for the Future.
2023-10-30 00:00 - 2023-10-31 23:59 UTC
Skills for the Future: Navigating the Digital, Green and Social Transitions in European Labour Markets – 30th/31st October, Luxembourg.

Organised by the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) and co-funded by Luxembourg’s National Research Fund (FNR), the objective of the international scientific conference Skills for the Future: Navigating the Digital, Green and Social Transitions in European Labour Markets is to bring together leading national and international scholars in the social sciences to address the challenges of the digital, green and social transitions for the labour market, society and education.

The conference marks the first international conference of the ELMI Network (Network of European Labour Market Research Institutes) initiated in October 2022 by the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). The network is currently composed of 11 research institutes from all over Europe to facilitate the international exchange of best practices, ideas and people (for more information, see: www.elmi-network.eu). It promotes multi-disciplinary research collaborations, especially at the EU level, and the exchange of best practices in data management, data access and discussions with policy-makers and stakeholders.

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I-SKILL National workshop for Flanders.
2023-11-07 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
I-SKILL National workshop for Flanders (Belgium): “How to promote lifelong learning in Belgium in a context of the green and digital transition?” – 7th November 2023, Leuven, Belgium (In Dutch).

Although lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important in the context of the green and digital transition, participation in lifelong learning in Flanders appears to be too low and there is not yet a strong learning culture. The I-SKILL project studies how lifelong learning can be stimulated in the EU, both among employers and employees, and what policymakers and the social partners (can) do in this area. The project addresses the barriers perceived by employers and employees, including accessibility and quality of training provision, funding and motivation.

To conclude the part of the research that focused on Flanders, HIVA-KU Leuven is organising a workshop on 7 November 2023, with a keynote speech by Vickie Dekocker (Agoria, KU Leuven), presentations of own research on skills and lifelong learning, and a panel discussion with experts and stakeholders on the road to a workforce ready for the future.

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Photo by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash

WEBINAR: Workplace Innovation Industry 5.0 Style.
2023-11-24 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN programme of events.

Peter Oeij will present his vision on ‘workplace innovation’ and present the recently published book ‘Workplace innovation: the challenge of disruptive transitions’. Subscribed participants to this webinar will get a 50% discount voucher of the book, published by Edward Elgar publishers in the Elgar Research Agenda series.

Peter Oeij is associated with TNO Innovation for Life – the Netherlands, and motivated to improve the quality of work for all of us. He can be reached at peter.oeij@tno.nl

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Speaker:

Peter Oeij(TNO, NL)

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

WEBINAR: The Dual Transformation and Workplace Innovation.
2024-01-26 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
The Case of The German Automotive Industry

Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Workplace innovation has a long tradition in the German Automotive Industry. Inspired by Volvo’s experiments, German car companies throughout the 1980s and 1990s implemented various forms of participation-oriented forms of teamwork granting autonomy to shopfloor workers. Although work organisation has been modified during the last two to three decades, the automotive industry is still a stronghold of worker participation in Germany.

The webinar looks into current developments in the German automotive industry. How is the ongoing dual transformation of decarbonisation and digitalisation impacting workplace innovation for shopfloor workers? Based on case studies in German OEM and suppliers, the webinar will discuss a polarisation trend within workplace innovation. While the core workforces of OEM and large suppliers enjoy relatively stable forms of workplace innovation, the opportunities for contingent workers and the employees of suppliers are shrinking.

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Speakers:

Hajo HolstUniversität Osnabrück, Germany

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners. See https://bridges5-0.eu

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WEBINAR: Trade unions’ responses to Industry 4.0 amid corporatism and resistance.
2024-02-23 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN programme of events.

The Introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies opens up a new space of action for trades unions in influencing decision-making at firm level. This webinar will shed light on the role and influence of trade unions on the adoption of new technologies, drawing on evidence from the engineering and automotive industrial district on the outskirts of Bologna.

Valeria Cirillo is Associate Professor of Political Economy at the Department of Political Science of the University of Bari and is an external affiliate of the Institute of Economics of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa.

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Speaker:

Valeria Cirillo(University of Bari)

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

WEBINAR: Cybersecurity and Workplace Innovation.
2024-04-26 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Organisations experienced a 435% increase in ransomware in 2022, and the World Economic Forum’s cybersecurity report states that 95% of cyber incidents can be traced back to human errors. So how can organisations prepare themselves for cyberattacks, and what does a people-centred approach to cyber-resilience look like?

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) leads the national center for research-driven innovation in cyber security for critical sectors. The goal is to make Norway the most secure country in the world. Knowing that 95% of all security breaches are caused by human actions, organizational and innovation studies are important for the center. The talk will ask how a security breach will influence workplace innovation, and how to learn what to do in a critical situation. To illustrate this, the talk will concentrate on a real breach in a multinational company, giving the story more depth and a better understanding of the organisational mechanisms in play.

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Speaker:

Halvor Holtskog(Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners. See https://bridges5-0.eu

GI-NI Webinar: Reducing Inequality from Automation?
2024-04-26 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London)
Explore how automation impacts job markets and what this means for inequality in employment opportunities. This webinar will provide valuable insights into the dynamics of occupational networks and technological advancements including AI.

Even though automation does not cause mass unemployment for the economy as a whole, recent research shows that automation creates winners and losers from automation in the labour market. Joblessness is an important dimension how certain workers lose out in the short run, causing inequality in job finding. Based on data from Flanders, Belgium, we explore the capacity for certain displaced workers to adjust more easily to automation because they have alternative occupations available to them. We analyse whether this depends on the type of technology, including exposure to AI. Our insights can aid public employment services that want to provide helpful information to job seekers affected by automation

Join the session featuring:

Emilie Rademakers from Utrecht University (Netherlands) as the speaker

Laura Nurski of CEPS (Belgium) offering her thoughts as the discussant

Cinzia Alcidi, also from CEPS (Belgium), steering the conversation as the moderator

Work, Skill, and ‘the human’ at the Centre of Industry 5.0.
2024-05-31 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

This webinar will consider what it means to put the human at the heart of Industry 5.0 and why it has been so hard to move innovation beyond the 19th century paradigm of techno-centrism. Realising the strategic advantages of Industry 5.0 requires organizations to understand what makes work human, and what is distinctively human about work: skill and skilful practice. As well as making work meaningful, skilful practice can be a powerful source of innovation but too often managers misrecognise skill, undervaluing employees. Realising the benefits of Industry 5.0 will require an ‘upskilling’ of management to move beyond an efficiency paradigm to recognise, reward and develop the skills that matter strategically today.

Chris Land is a Professor of Work and Organization at Anglia Ruskin University and director of the Centre for Research into the Organization of Work and Consumption. His research is concerned primarily with work, how work is changing, and how it intersects with technology, consumption and culture. His current focus is on ‘the future of work’ as imagined in science-fiction, high-tech engineering and ‘Industry 5.0’ in practice and in academic and policy discourses. Other projects include: the quality of work in neo-craft industries like craft brewing; wellbeing and its intersection with work; the position of coffee growers in global commodity chains.

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Speaker:

Chris LandAnglia Ruskin University

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

WEBINAR: Industry 5.0: why should workers care?
2024-06-28 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

This webinar will focus on the workers’ view on Industry 5.0. Industry 5.0 represents a significant shift from the automation-focused Industry 4.0 to a model that prioritises human-centric approaches. IndustriAll Europe underscores the importance of the ‘human-in-command’ principle, which places human workers at the centre of any industrial process and technological applications. This principle is crucial in preventing job displacement and the intensification of work, common risks associated with digital transformation. Digital technologies should augment human labour, protecting workers from fatigue and maintaining their autonomy and skills. The transition to Industry 5.0 offers an opportunity to embed social aspects at the core of industrial policies, that will ensure that workers are at the centre of the digital and green transition.

Aurora Rossi is a Policy Adviser for industriAll Europe Trade Union which is a federation of independent and democratic trade unions representing manual and non-manual workers in the metal, chemical, energy, mining, textile, clothing and footwear sectors and related industries and activities. She is primarily responsible for the mechanical engineering, ICT and shipbuilding sectors. She is responsible for Artificial intelligence and Industry 5.0 from an industrial policy point of view. Other responsibilities include European mobility transition projects in the automotive and shipbuilding sectors.

IndustriAll European Trade Union is a federation of independent and democratic trade unions representing manual and non-manual workers in the metal, chemical, energy, mining, textile, clothing and footwear sectors and related industries and activities. We speak for 7 million working men and women united within 200 national trade union affiliates in 39 European countries.

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Speaker:

AURORA ROSSI​​​​IndustriAll Europe

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo by Nuno Silva on Unsplash

EUWIN CONFERENCE: The Future of Workplace Innovation.
2024-10-01 00:00 - 2024-10-03 23:59 (Europe/London) | University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastian, Carlos Santamaria Auditorium
Day 1 recordings can be found on our recordings page: https://bridges5-0.eu/recordings/

Conference Programme now available (Download here).

Conference abstracts (Download here).

We are delighted to invite you to the conference titled “The Future of Workplace Innovation,” organised by EUWIN, a European network dedicated to advancing workplace innovation across the continent.

The Conference creates a platform for diverse participants including researchers, practitioners and policymakers to contemplate the challenges and opportunities presented by current societal developments that impact the future of work, employment and society.

Conference Themes

The conference programme will span three days, combining theoretical and practical knowledge and experience. Thematic focus areas include:

Societal Challenges: Analysing the societal challenges that workplace innovation can help to address, with a deep dive into enabling strategies and potential solutions.

Conditions for workplace innovation: Investigating the key success factors, enablers, and barriers for innovative workplace practices, emphasizing the practical aspects of implementation.

Performance and Well-being: Striking the balance between improving company performance and enhancing working conditions for employees through real-world examples and best practices.

Conference Organisation

Keynote Speakers: The programme will feature renowned experts, practitioners, and policymakers, providing valuable insights and perspectives on the future of workplace innovation.

Scientific and Practical Insights: Presenting a diverse range of research findings, practical case studies, and success stories, fostering the hybridisation of theoretical and practical knowledge.

Parallel Session: Offering participants the opportunity to participate and learn, solidifying the link between theory and practice in three specific areas: green transitions, action research and public policy.

Conference Details

Conference Title: The Future of Workplace Innovation

Date: October 1st to 3rd, 2024

Location: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastian, Carlos Santamaria Auditorium

Promoter: European Workplace Innovation Network (EUWIN)

Organisers:

Sinnergiak Social Innovation (UPV/EHU) (Spain)

University of Agder (Norway)

Workplace Innovation Europe CLG (Ireland/UK)

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway)

Conference Partners: The conference is endorsed by the EU Horizon Bridges 5.0 project.

In collaboration with the European Journal of Workplace Innovation

Publication

Conference proceedings will be published in a special issue of the European Journal of Workplace Innovation (EJWI), edited by the University of Agder, Norway. See https://journal.uia.no/index.php/EJWI for details.

Fees

We are pleased to announce that the conference is entirely free of charge for all attendees. Participants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and subsistence costs.

Organising Committee

On behalf of the European Workplace Innovation Network:

Egoitz Pomares – University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU (Spain): epomares@sinnergiak.org

Prof. Hans Christian Garmann Johnsen – University of Agder (Norway): hans.c.g.johnsen@uia.no

Prof. Peter Totterdill – Workplace Innovation Europe (Ireland/UK): peter.totterdill@workplaceinnovation.eu

Prof. Halvor Holtskog, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway): halvor.holtskog@ntnu.no

BOOK YOUR PLACE

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

WEBINAR: Enhancing Job Quality in the Digital Age.
2024-10-25 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Businesses are increasingly embracing new technologies to enhance their effectiveness and resilience. These technologies offer the potential to improve business processes and job quality. However, this endeavor presents significant challenges for organizations, as the same technology can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. While designed to innovate and enhance, technology projects can also fail or negatively affect job quality. Ultimately, success depends on how the technology is deployed.

This webinar explores the impact of work organisation, HR management practices, and employee participation on changes in job quality brought about by digital technologies. Drawing from 22 Belgian case studies, key conclusions highlight the role of work organisation in shaping digital transformation outcomes and the necessity of a tailored approach to digital transformation, acknowledging the varied effects across different organisational contexts. Special attention is given to the changing role of line managers amidst digital transformation. Digitalisation not only alters their responsibilities and often increases their workload, but also positions them as key players in shaping job quality outcomes for other employees.

This research was part of the Sustainable Employment in the Age of Digitalisation (SEAD) project, which ran for four years and concluded in the spring of 2024. For more information, please visit www.sead.be.

Ezra Dessers, Ph.D., is a Research Manager at HIVA – Research Institute for Work and Society, KU Leuven (Belgium). Ezra holds graduate degrees in sociology, spatial planning and information technology. His research is focused on the relation between work, organisation and technology, in various societal domains. Ezra’s most recent books are Designing Integrated Care Ecosystems (2019) and Robot Zoekt Collega (‘Robot Seeks Colleague’) (2022). Ezra has an extensive experience in research, teaching, consultancy and project management. He is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Care Coordination, and of the European Journal of Workplace Innovation.

Ine Smits is a Senior Researcher at HIVA – KU Leuven, specialising in the impact of technology on work. She has participated in various research projects, investigating new forms of employment arising from technological change, such as platform work, and examining the effects of new technology on organisations and the quality of work. Her work offers valuable insights into how digital technology affects workers’ conditions, with a particular emphasis on the role of line managers. Ine’s contributions are intended to inform both academic discourse and policy-making in the field of labour and technology.

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Speaker:

Ezra Dessers

HIVA KU Leuven

Ine Smits

HIVA KU Leuven

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

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WEBINAR: Bringing companies and researchers together for workplace innovation – Action Research in practice.
2024-11-29 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

It is a well-known fact that many businesses struggle to get the solutions developed in various projects into use and implemented. Action research meets this challenge in that development, testing and implementation go hand in hand in a co-created learning process.

In Norway, action research as a research strategy was introduced and adopted early on through the Industrial Democracy project in the 60s, where companies and trade unions tested new work forms with the aim of increasing efficiency in parallel with improving working conditions. The organizational psychologist Kurt Lewin has been given the honour of coining action research as a research tradition. Subsequently, action research as a philosophy and through methodological choices has developed in different directions, where various choices have been emphasized differently.

In this presentation, we will rely on a pragmatic approach to action research as described and developed by, among others, Davydd Greenwood and Morten Levin. Through dialogue and reflection, presentation of new research and theoretical perspectives and testing in the various organisations, the researchers and the participants (problem owners) develop a common learning community with the aim of developing knew practice as well as new theory.

Hanne Finnestrand is an Associate Professor in Organizational Theory at the Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management. She has a major in Organizational Sociology from 2003 and a PhD in Organizational Development and Action Research from 2011.

From 2003-2016 she worked as a Research Scientist, and later Senior Research Scientist, at SINTEF Technology and Society, Technology Management. As a commissioned researcher, she has collaborated closely with company managers, shop stewards and employees in several (primarily manufacturing) companies over several years.

Theoretically, she positions herself within Socio-Technical Systems Theory (STS) and Action Research. She is the co-founder of STS Kompetansenettverk and cooperate with the international STS network, Global Network for SMARt organization design.

She is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Systemic Practice and Action Research (Springer).

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Speaker:

Hanne Finnestrand, PhD

Norwegian University of Science and Technology – NTNU

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash

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WEBINAR: Action Research for Workplace Innovation: Cogenerated Methodology/Method to Develop the Meaning of Work in Firms.
2025-01-31 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Zoom. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Firms in the Basque Autonomous Community is Spain are facing global challenges like the need to evolve into more sustainable modes of production, the effect of demographic change and technological transformations that affect their present activities as well as their expectations about the future.

One of the features of the Basque Autonomous Community, and specifically Gipuzkoa, where the case presented has developed, is the relevant weight of SMEs, as 20% of the industrial employment is in firms with less than 20 employees, and 53% in firms with between 20 and 249. Regional governments have assumed that their policies must generate conditions for SMEs to be able to transform to adapt to these challenges, as they might not have, on their own, resources that bigger firms might.

In this context, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the government of one of the three provinces of the Basque Autonomous community, initiated in 2020 a deliberative process using action research to determine, through the discussion with representatives of firms, firm associations and universities what the core challenges of work would be in the future. The main conclusion was that the government should initiate innovative policies to help firms make work meaningful, as this would be a key dimension of the wellbeing of individuals and the competitiveness of firms.

From that moment on action research has been used to co-generate with firms and intermediate agents that work with them a methodology and method to develop the meaning of work. Intermediate agents in this case are county development agencies (there are eleven in the province), the chamber of commerce, an association of vocational training centres and the association of work societies. They are named as intermediate because they have direct connections with firms and also with the provincial government and play a bridging role between them. As a result of this process 39 firms have been working on processes to improve the meaning of work in 2023, and there are around 40 working on it in 2024. The government has institutionalised programs for intermediate agents and firms to continue getting support for these processes in the future.

In the presentation we will elaborate on action research as a methodology for this process, the collaborative governance arrangement to facilitate the collaborative work of government with firms and one specific case of a firm that has worked with this methodology.

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Speakers

Unai Elorza Mondragon University

Miren Larrea Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, University of Deusto

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

Photo credit
Photo by Anna Tarazevich

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WEBINAR: Twin Transition as a Transformer of Work and an Opportunity for Development.
2025-02-28 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

This paper examines how the digital transition and the green transition togetherconstitute a twin transition, and looks at the potential effects of this twin transition onworking life. The twin transition is considered a comprehensive socio-technical change,which brings opportunities to develop the quality of work and working life. The paperalso presents various ways in which working life research can increase ourunderstanding of the transition and contribute to it.

Besides opportunities, the paper also highlights tensions and contradictions regardingthe twin transition. These arise, on the one hand, from the fact that the transitionconcerns a large group of actors who may have intersecting, different and divergentgoals and interests. On the other hand, the relationship between the development ofdigital information technology and the green transition is also tense and contradictory.While it is possible to promote the green transition with the help of artificialintelligence and other technologies, technological development can have significantside effects that increase the consumption of energy and natural resources.

According to forecasts, the overall effects of the twin transition on employment at thelevel of the national economy are expected to be moderate, and rather more positivethan negative. However, the positive and negative effects on employment can impactdifferent industries, different regions, different occupations and different organizationsin very different ways. The twin transition will probably further accelerate the ever-increasing growth in demand for professionals. The infrastructure investments requiredby the transition will likely also increase the demand for labour especially inmanufacturing, construction and various maintenance activities.

The twin transition is not only about strengthening ecological sustainability by utilizing new technological possibilities, but also involves an important social dimension. The social dimension particularly concerns different stakeholder groups’ opportunities to participate in the transition and how just the effects of the transition are perceived to be in working life and in society at large. The paper highlights the themes of working life research, with an additional focus on how research can contribute to the implementation of the twin transition in a socially sustainable way.

Twin Transition as a Transformer of Work and an Opportunity for Development: This publication is a study commissioned through the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s research project “Understanding and supporting the twin transition as part of well-being at work”.

Download the Full Paper

Discover the full programme and book your place.

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Speaker

Tuomo Alasoini (Research Professor) Finnish Institute of Occupational HealthTuomo Alasoini is a Research Professor at the Digitalisation of Work Unit at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) and an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the University of Helsinki. Before moving to FIOH, he worked for the Ministry of Labour and the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes). Tuomo has a PhD in sociology (1990) and industrial engineering and management (2016). The main themes of his current research projects include the future of expert work, occupational change and digital divides among employees, and fairness in platform work.

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo by ThisIsEngineering

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WORKSHOP: Employee Participation in Irish Workplaces
2025-03-07 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Dublin) | Liberty Hall, Eden Quay, North City, Dublin, Dublin 1, Ireland
Why does it matter? What does good look like? And how can we make a difference?

More than 70 years’ worth of evidence shows that workers with greater control over their own jobs are more productive and less likely to be sick than those in traditional hierarchical organisations.

They bring ideas to work, contribute to improving the business, and help to build agile and resilient organisations. They also learn and develop on the job, and experience significantly greater wellbeing and satisfaction.

Yet too many Irish companies have yet to realise the full potential of employee participation. Drawing evidence from Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, this interactive workshop is your opportunity to learn from leading practice and identify practical steps to achieving win-win outcomes for organisations and their employees alike.

Invited Speakers include:

The Workshop is a joint initiative by SIPTU’s Ideas Institute and Workplace Innovation Europe as part of the BroadVoice project, funded by the European Commission to explore the role of trade unions and worker representatives in supporting more productive, healthier ways of working in European enterprises.

The Institute for the Development of Employees Advancement Services (IDEAS) promotes the introduction of new thinking and new services into the workplace for the benefit of employees and the enterprise through workplace innovation, education and research.

Workplace Innovation Europe CLG is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to stimulating and resourcing workplace innovation through research, professional development and consultancy.

Programme

10.00

Arrival, registration and refreshments

10.30

Welcome, Aims of the workshop and IntroductionsBrian McGann (IDEAS)Peter Totterdill & Rosemary Exton (Workplace Innovation Europe)

11.00

Keynote speech – Gerry McCormack (European Officer, ICTU)

11.20

Direct participation and why it is importantStavroula Demetriades (Eurofound)

11.40

BroadVoice: a call to actionPeter Totterdill (Workplace Innovation Europe)

11.55

Group discussion and feedback

12.30

Lunch

13.15

How IDEAS unleashes direct participation in the workplace – Tony Murphy

13.30

Short films: FSW Coatings and Kirchhoff Automotive

13.45

Panel discussion with a manager and employee representative from FSW Coatings and Kirchhoff Automotive.

14.30

Group discussion and feedback:What are the obstacles to direct participation? What can be done?

15.00

Closing PanelStavroula Demetriades (Eurofound)Rosemary Exton (Workplace Innovation Europe)Gerry McCormack (ICTU)Tony Murphy (IDEAS)Damian Thomas (NESC)Facilitated by Peter Totterdill (Workplace Innovation Europe)

15.45

Close

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Project No. 101126433

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them

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Photo by Anna Tarazevich

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WEBINAR: Direct and representative worker participation: exploring areas for their interaction.
2025-03-28 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

After introducing the meaning and key dimensions to classify worker participation, the webinar will focus on the direct and representative channels for worker voice, their history, traditional objectives and boundaries. Despite the widespread perception of an incompatibility between these two forms of worker voice (on the one hand, due to fears of marginalisation of worker representatives following the introduction of direct participation practices, and on the other hand due to the alleged irrelevance of direct participation in unionised contexts), they have proved to coexist in many workplaces.

The webinar will therefore show the dynamics of coexistence and relations of direct and representative participation, primarily in Italian workplaces albeit with insights into other European countries, by also considering the different institutional frameworks. It will also consent to explore the distribution of competences between these two forms of voice as well as the areas where they prove to fruitfully interact, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their functional combination.

Discover the full programme and book your place.

View the programme

Speaker

Ilaria Armaroli (Senior Research Fellow) ADAPT – Association for International and Comparative Studies in the Field of Labour Law and Industrial RelationsIlaria Armaroli is Senior Research Fellow at ADAPT – Association for International and Comparative Studies in the Field of Labor Law and Industrial Relations. She received a Ph.D. in Human Capital Formation and Labour Relations at the University of Bergamo (Italy). Within the framework of her Ph.D. experience, she worked as action researcher at a local branch of an Italian metalworkers’ federation (FIM-CISL), in a view of developing her research project in English language, focused on the role of trade unions as promoters of direct employee voice within traditional businesses. Her research focus is specifically related to industrial relations, trade union representation and employee voice. Thanks to her propensity to field research, she has developed experience in getting along with workers’ representatives and cooperating with them. She has an international profile, since she has been working in 12 research projects co-funded by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), by producing articles and reports in fields of industrial relations and social dialogue, organising and delivering training activities for trade unions and coordinating and relating with international consortia of partners. She is member of the Editorial Board of the ADAPT International Bulletin.

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo by Agefis on Unsplash

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WEBINAR: Come and codesign our next conference on Industry 5.0!
2025-04-25 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

On June 16-17, three projects (BRIDGES 5.0, BROADVOICE and SEISMEC) are collaborating to bring a major conference on Industry 5.0. Help us codesign this conference. We will have some of our keynote speakers in this webinar to discuss with you what should be in the Conference. In this true spirit of collaboration, you have the responsibility to think with us! Steven Dhondt and Allison Dunne are your hosts and will channel your input into the conference programme.

Hosts:(speakers to be announced)

Steven Dhondt TNO

Allison Dunne HIVA-KU Leuven

Book your place using the button below and remember to include your questions for the webinar panel discussion.

Book your place

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Futures Conference
2025-06-10 00:00 - 2025-06-12 23:59 (Europe/Dublin) | Logomo, Junakatu 9, Turku, 20100, Finland
FUTURES OF TECHNOLOGIES – Mutual Shaping of Socio-Technical Transformations

VENUE: LogomoAddress: Junakatu 9, 20100 Turku

Futures Conference 2025 will create a cross-sectoral platform where participants can meet, share, and discuss the futures of technologies. The conference program will consist of plenary lectures, parallel paper and panel sessions as well as participatory workshops.The conference will aim to generate multidisciplinary, stimulating and critical discussions that promote networking between people interested in futures issues from different backgrounds and perspectives.

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CONFERENCE: Advancing Industry 5.0
2025-06-16 00:00 - 2025-06-17 23:59 (Europe/Dublin) | Irish College, Janseniusstraat 1, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
Building Skills, Enhancing Employee Voice and Driving Workplace Innovation

This event is FREE to attend and in-person only.

VENUE: Irish College, Janseniusstraat 1, Leuven, 3000 Belgium (Google Map)

Registrations are now closed. Thank you!

HOTELS

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. A list of hotels within an acceptable distance of the venue can be found here.

Draft Programme available here.

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Industry 5.0 represents a new paradigm in which human-centric workplaces, advanced technologies and sustainability converge to create a more resilient and inclusive industrial landscape in Europe. A skilled and empowered workforce lies at the heart of this vision, together with workplaces where employees at every level use and develop their full range of knowledge, skills and creativity in pursuit of high performance, long term competitiveness, and a greener economy. Participative forms of work organisation and workplace innovation play a central role, supported by enabling forms of representative participation in the workplace and partnership-based industrial relations at national and international levels.

In association with EUWIN, the BRIDGES 5.0, BROADVOICE and SEISMEC projects are delighted to announce a conference on the future of work, employee voice and Industry 5.0, to be held at the Irish College, Leuven, Belgium, on the 16th & 17th June 2025.

Programme

16th June

12.30

EUWIN General Assembly (for EUWIN subscribers only)

13.30

Registration

14.00

Opening Plenary Employee Voice at a time of Transformation

Keynote speakers:

David GuestKings College London

Miguel Martinez LucioUniversity of Manchester

Sissel C. TrygstadFafo (independent social science research foundation)

15.30

Break

PARALLEL SESSIONS

16.00 – 17.45

Topic: Human Centricity

Track 1: Employee Participation and the Transition to Industry 5.0

Papers:

Dessers, E – Enhancing employee wellbeing through participative workplace innovation and technology: a persona‐based approach

Nijland, K – Exploring assistance system needs of production workers: a multiple case study at manufacturing SMEs

Zhu, D – An Ecological Approach to Hybrid Workspace Creativity: Expert Opinions

16.00 – 17.45

Topic: Industrial relations institutions and trade unions in the face of technological, organisational and environmental transformations

Track 3: Strengthening Employee Voice at the Workplace

Papers:

Marc van der Meer (SBI Foundation, Jaap Jongejan (SBI Foundation), Jytte Glissenaar (SBI Foundation) – The hesitant institutionalization of the Council for Sustainable Participation: evidence of a manifesto, a survey, and six case-studies on the renewal of co-determination in the Netherlands

Johan Røed Steen (Fafo Institute), Anne Inga Hilsen (Fafo Institute) – Industry 5.0 and social dialogue: the case of Norway

Nicolas Vispi (ANACT) – Giving substance to technological social dialogue in the context of the deployment of AI in the workplace: How to ensure that we are in a position to discuss incontrovertible innovation

Pulignano V, Frangi L, Vereycken Y, Dor L., Rutherford T., Vermeerbergen L – Trade Union Power and Quality of Working Life Amid Industry 4.0: Bargaining Outcomes in Truck and Car-Component Automotive Plants

Jan Johansson (LTU), Kenneth Abrahamsson (LTU) – The trade unions and worker representatives’ approach towards direct worker participation across different EU countries

Francesco Gentilini (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) – Digitalisation, working conditions and the role of industrial relations: the case of the Motor Valley in Emilia Romagna, Italy

17.45

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17th June

09.00

Registration and refreshments

09.30

Welcome and plenary Advancing Industry 5.0: Building Skills, Enhancing Employee Voice and Driving Workplace Innovation

Opening words:

Diana Ognyanova (Policy Officer)European Commission

Keynote speakers:

Luca Marcolin (Empirical economist)Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at OECD.

Laura Nurski (Associate research fellow)CEPS Future of Work trends – the interplay between people and technology in jobs.

Roland Sommer (Managing director)Austrian Platform Industry 4.0

10.45

Break

PARALLEL SESSIONS

11.00 – 12.45

Topic: Technology & People

Track 1: Employee Participation and the Transition to Industry 5.0

Papers:

Von Axelson, J – System evaluation for people-centred technology implementation

Warhurst, C – From value proposition to value creation: everything you always wanted to know about Industry 5.0 but were afraid to ask

Wolffgramm, Milan – How Human-Centric is Your Technology Implementation?: Developing a Practical Quick Scan Based on Core Design Principles

Costello, S – People, Culture and Skills as Drivers of Digital Maturity and Sustainability – An Industry Peer-to-Peer Assessment

Cantini, G – Employee Participation and the Transition to Industry 5.0

11.00 – 12.45

Topic: Identifying future skills needs

Track 2: Developing Skills and Creating Learning Organisations for Industry 5.0

Papers:

Pelucchi, M – The Career Bridge to Industry 5.0: Mapping Job Transitions and AI-Driven Skill Gaps for the Future of Work

Zirnstein, E – Beyond the Data: A New Framework for Skill Forecasting

Mezentseva, A – Foresight Scenarios for Future Work Skills: Supporting Human-Centric and Sustainable Digital Transformation in Central European Industries

Hernandez, I – Skills for the Transition to Industry 5.0: Leveraging the Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in Human-Centered Work Environments

Curci, Y – The Path Toward a Human-Centric Digital Transformation: What the Learning Capacity of Organisations Can do for Jobs Skills Matching

Thil, L – The future of Europe by 2040: A foresight exercise

11.00 – 12.45

Topic: Learning pathways and skill development

Track 2: Developing Skills and Creating Learning Organisations for Industry 5.0

Papers:

Rupp, K – A Methodology to generate new Learning Pathways for Industry 5.0 needs

Ziarsolo, U – Adaptation of the High Vocational Education and Training Specialisation programme “Smart Manufacturing” for Industry 5.0 requirements

Ituarte, I – Advancing Learning Factories for Industry 5.0: A Human-Centric Approach to Workforce Transformation

Papacharalampopoulos, A – Industry 5.0 interventions: towards an approach for behavioral Teaching Factories

Winkelman, L – Igniting the engines of skill development: A meta-ethnographic exploration of contextual triggers and enablers of learning among production workers

11.00 – 12.45

Topic: The interplay between representative and direct worker participation and influencing factors

Track 3: Strengthening Employee Voice at the Workplace

Papers:

Roy Peijen (TNO) – The importance of measuring voice for human-centric technology

Yennef Vereycken (KU Leuven) – Stronger together? On the interaction of direct and representative employee participation in technological change

Clément Ruffier (presenting author), Ségolène Journoud (ANACT) – Integrating Social and Work-related Dialogue: A Critical Factor in Work transitions

Francesca Sgobbi (University of Brescia) – Joint Decision-Making in Employee Participation: The Complementary Roles of Bargaining and Participative Decision-Making

Ilaria Armaroli (ADAPT) – Embedding direct participation into industrial relations: enabling conditions across different EU workplaces

Vassil Kirov (IPS-BAS) – Why has direct employee participation failed in Central and Eastern Europe?

11.00 – 13.00

Seismec stakeholder meeting

12.45

Lunch

13.30 – 15.15

Topic: Organisational Learning & Workplace Change

Track 1: Employee Participation and the Transition to Industry 5.0

Papers:

Keller, M – Empowering Shopfloor Employees: Integrating Workplace Learning and Knowledge Capturing for Human-Centric Industry 5.0 Transformation

Confurius, D – Solution directions for human-centred implementation of digital technologies in industry: insights from the SEISMEC project

Schartinger, D – Recent trends in industrial transformation: A literature review and a process framework

Bak, V – Redefining Success: Competing Perspectives on Workplace Technology Adoption

Oeij, P & Krause, F – Human-centricity as a driver of workplace innovation

13.30 – 15.15

Topic: Workplace transformation and technological integration

Track 2: Developing Skills and Creating Learning Organisations for Industry 5.0

Papers:

Hulsegge, H and van der Torre, W – Own Rhythm or Algorithm: the impact of algorithmic management on job quality and skills

Saatçi, B – Balancing Tradition and Innovation Amidst Industry 5.0: The Evolving Skills and Work Practices in European Manufacturing Industry

Visschedijk, S – Crafting the Future: stimulating technology appropriation in SMEs through learning communities

Rhomberg, W – Exploring the link between Industry 5.0 adoption and innovation performance in manufacturing

Bal, M – Bending and welding the service triangle.” A case study on the cascading effects of organizational redesign and technological innovation on service work

13.30 – 15.15

Topic: Case studies – Regional and sectoral transitions to Industry 5.0

Track 2: Developing Skills and Creating Learning Organisations for Industry 5.0

Papers:

Clarke, L – Contrasting social relations of production, vocational education and training, and use of technology in different European countries: the case of scaffolding transitioning to Industry 5.0

Ivory, C – Industry 5.0 as an emergent, contingent practice amongst manufacturing firms in the UK, Germany, Italy and Sweden

Birkeland, T – Transformational leadership in preparedness for economic and societal transformation: A case of regional upskilling in Norway

Sinkeldam, I – The Human Capital Community: strengthening HR capacity and learning in SMEs through a practice-based, regionally embedded approach

Ferrulli, I – Unfolding Smart Specialisation Strategies: Structural Change and Labour upgrading across European regions

13.30 – 15.15

Topic: New avenues of development for collective bargaining and worker participation: some interesting company cases

Track 3: Strengthening Employee Voice at the Workplace

Papers:

Armanda Cetrulo (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa) – Negotiating working time reduction while preserving job quality? Analysis of the bargaining process and outcomes of collective agreements in two large manufacturing firms in Italy

Lara Obereiner (Helex Institute) – The agile transformation of companies – redefining skillsets and remuneration systems?

Angela Zaniboni (University of Siena) – Direct and Representative Participation: An Integrated Model at Automobili Lamborghini

Karolien Lenaerts (KU Leuven) – Challenging conventional narratives on trade unions’ attitudes towards decarbonisation – a case-based analysis

Francesco Lauria (Centro studi CISL) – Comparative Report Methodology of 14 Manufacturing Cases

Silvia Napolitano (Lecnam) – Industry 4.0 Technologies in French Collective Agreements: Assessing Digital Practices through an Industry 5.0 Framework

13.30 – 15.15

Topic: Panel discussion with companies embedding human centricityTrack: Company panel – This session aims to bring company and worker perspectives into the conference proceedings. We’re planning as interactive a session as possible including short presentations, video, facilitated discussions and audience participation.

Matteo Fedeli (Infineon, Austria)

Tony Murphy (IDEAS, Ireland)

John Roulstone (Kirchhoff Automotive, Ireland)

Roy Werkman (ASML, Netherlands)

Facilitator: Peter Totterdill (Workplace Innovation Europe)

15.15 – 15.45

Coffee and Posters

The use of artificial intelligence in personnel selection: impact on access to employment for women at risk of exclusion

A laboratory experiment to test the efficacy of a human-centric organization in the context of vocational education and training program

A systematic review: Under the microscope, the Collaboration Ecosystem – what has been hiding in plain sight?

Skill assessment: Mapping Individual Needs for Upskilling and Reskilling in Battery Industry

From Smart Specialization to Creative Collaboration

Upskilling for Industry 5.0 Transition – The CTO 5.0 Training Program

15.45

Closing Plenary

Stavroula Demetriades (Eurofound)

Linda Clarke (Westminster Business School)

Paul Ligthart (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Bart Vandensande (ATLAS Copco)

Aline Hoffmann (ETUI)

Harmut Hirsch-Kreinsen (TU Dortmund)

Closing remarks: Steven Dhondt

17.00

Close

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Project No. 101126433

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them

Photo source
Photo by Artem Podrez

WEBINAR: Measuring Industry 5.0 Adoption: an innovative data-driven approach
2025-09-26 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London)
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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

In this webinar, we explore an innovative data-driven approach to assess how companies incorporate Industry 5.0 principles, combining vacancy data, ESG scores, and company descriptions. By building a composite index and examining skills demand, the analysis offers fresh insights into workforce development challenges and the shifting priorities of companies embracing human-centric, sustainable practices.

Speaker:

Jeisson Cárdenas-Rubio Warwick Institute for Employment Research

Dr. Jeisson Cárdenas-Rubio is a labour economist who works at the Institute for Employment Research in the United Kingdom He has worked as a consultant for the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank, among other institutions. With extensive experience in skills and occupational change, green labour market, big data analysis, labour market forecast and public policy design. His research interests focus on analysing big data sources and development of labour market information, skill shortages identification and labour market forecasting. Utilising his skills in web scraping and understanding of labour market indicators, he has developed web-based models for analysing skill mismatches where labour statistics are limited. He is also contributing as a Co-investigator to the development of a standardised Skills Classification for the UK.

Book your place

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo credit
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

WEBINAR: The European workplace, the basis for competitive advantage?
2025-10-31 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
Please note: webinar starting time is 11:00 am CET and 10:00 am BST.

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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Steven will discuss the European Union’s evolving transition from a regulatory to a more interventionist approach to governance, characterised by the European Green Deal and Industry 5.0. This new industrial vision promotes human-centricity, resilience, and sustainability, moving away from the mass production mindset of Industry 4.0.

Although there is mounting political resistance to green and social regulation, notably in the US, evidence shows that ESG performance positively influences corporate financial performance. The skilled labour and tacit knowledge embedded within the European workplace are recognised as unique resources that can drive competitive advantage. Worker empowerment and autonomy are key to unlocking productivity, especially from digital technologies, whilst green investments often yield high returns through learning effects and service innovation. Steven will explore the importance of integrating human-centric principles into industrial policy and the potential of workplace-oriented policies to enhance international competitiveness, necessitating the design of tools that deliver these outcomes more widely.

Five years after its introduction, Industry 5.0 stands as a call to reimagine both industrial policy and the nature of work in Europe. It is up to us to ensure that the human factor becomes central—not only in theory, but in practice.

Industry 5.0 promotes human-centricity, resilience, and sustainability, moving away from the mass production mindset of Industry 4.0.

Download the Full Paper

Speaker:

Steven Dhondt TNO

Steven Dhondt is a research scientist at TNO and a part-time professor of organisational change at KU Leuven. He is coordinator of the Horizon Europe Bridges 5.0 project.

Book your place

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo credit
Photo by the Bridges 5.0 Project

ONLINE WORKSHOP: Flip the script: Powering worker participation in the design and implementation of technology
2025-11-11 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Brussels)
Please note: webinar starting time is 11:00 am CET and 10:00 am BST.

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Organized under the SEISMEC project (funded through Horizon Europe, Grant Agreement No. 101135884), the workshop is dedicated to exploring the benefits as well as challenges of the workers participation in technology design and implementation in all types of organisations while also providing participants with agile guidelines and real-world case studies.

Key topics of discussion will include:

Human-centric approach to technology design and implementation

What is worker participation in technology design and implementation and why does it matter

What are the challenges and as well as possible solutions for workers participation

Agile guidelines for workers participation – a SEISMEC tool to help organisations efficiently involve their workers in technology design and implementation

Real-world examples of companies applying the provided guidelines

This workshop is also an exciting opportunity to co-develop solutions for workers’ participation and share your perspective on human-centricity.

Agenda:

✅11:00–11:10 – Welcome & introduction

✅11:10–11:35 – Worker participation in technology design: benefits, challenges & the AGILE approach, speakers: Veronika Bak & Chantal Ho – researchers at the Erasmus University Rotterdam

✅ 11:35–11:40 – Introduction to the SEISMEC AGILE guidebook, speaker: Vladimer Kobayashi – researcher at the Erasmus University Rotterdam

✅ 11:40–11:55 – Exploring real-world scenarios – presentation of case studies for SME and large corporation, speakers: Vladimer Kobayashi & Veronika Bak – researchers at the Erasmus University Rotterdam

✅ 11:55–12:15 – Co-creation Lab: Agile solutions and strategies to solve real-world scenarios

✅12:15–12:25 – Reflection: How can you empower workers in your organisation / ecosystem?

✅12:25–12:30 – Closing & next steps

More details and registration

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Photo credit
Photo by the SEISMEC team.

WEBINAR: Future-oriented occupations in the EU: main features, employment conditions, and job strain
2025-11-28 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
Please note: webinar starting time is 11:00 am CET and 10:00 am GMT.

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Webinar
This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

The way we work is changing due to developments associated with the digital and green transition as well as demographic change, as a driver of current and future labour shortages. As these transitions impact job content, tasks and processes, they will change how people work, the skills needed to carry out jobs, employment conditions, and, ultimately, dimensions of their job quality. This paper aims to shed light on job holder profiles, their employment conditions, and some aspects of job quality experienced by workers in occupations of relevance for these transitions.

It looks both at job groups relevant for one single transition, which are termed ‘occupations of interest’, and relevant for two or more of the three transformations, which are defined as ‘future-oriented’ occupations. Furthermore, as part of the digital transition, we also specifically consider occupations more likely to be exposed to the impacts of AI.

Thereby the analysis aims to provide an early indication of the types and characteristics of jobs and subgroups of workers that may be affected by these technological advances.

Using the 2021 European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) and 2021 EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) data, we analyse the job quality, employment conditions, and demographic characteristics of workers in occupational groups of interest and those identified as ‘future-oriented occupations’. This report analyse data collected by the EWCTS, which covers six dimensions stemming from Eurofound’s job quality index based on the OECD Job Quality Framework,

Based on the paper’s data analysis, the following findings emerge. In terms of workforce characteristics, gender segregation is identified in most future-oriented occupations and (residual) occupations of interest. Most future-oriented occupational groups and residual occupations with higher digital skills intensity and certain green jobs are largely male-dominated. On the other hand, occupations of interest relevant for critical labour shortage occupations, as well as to a lesser extent jobs with medium to low digital skills intensity, have a higher proportion of women.

Regarding employment conditions, future-oriented occupations generally are found to have stable employment conditions.A high proportion of workers in future-oriented occupations are employed on permanent contracts. On the other hand, only 50% of workers in (residual) occupations experiencing labour shortages and in green in-demand jobs, reported being in a position to predict accurately their earnings in the next three months.

Focusing on job quality, job strain in future-oriented occupations is found to be heterogenous. Job strain is above average in green and digital occupations experiencing labour shortages and less digital skills intensive green in-demand jobs. Job strain is also above the EU average for critical labour shortage occupations. Improving job quality for residual labour shortage occupations, including those relevant for care work, could increase their labour supply, including by encouraging workers to be employed full-time rather than part-time.

On the other hand, occupations with higher digital skills intensity also have much lower job strain, including as compared to the EU average. Predictability of earnings is also highest in occupations with higher digital skills intensity and AI-exposed occupations. Given that these occupations are currently (and likely in future) in high demand, increased access and availability of relevant education and training would equip more workers with the skills to participate effectively in the digital transition, fill related shortages in the EU economy, and potentially enable workers to move into these higher quality jobs. Similarly, occupations with higher AI exposure have below-average levels of jobstrain. Given the exponential pace at which digitalisation is taking place, uncertainty remains high on the type and level of impact that AI will have on the number of jobs, the extent of task restructuring within jobs, and the quality of jobs. This highlights the importance of monitoring the labour market effects of AI use.

Employment and Social Developments in Europe. Future-oriented occupations in the EU: main features, employment conditions, and job strain.

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Speakers:

Agnès Parent-Thirion Eurofound

Nora Wukovits-Votzi DG EMPL

About Agnès Parent-Thirion
Agnès Parent-Thirion is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound, tasked with the planning, development and implementation of working conditions research projects, in particular the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) and its analyses. She is responsible for the EWCS 2024 questionnaire and is co-leading the overview report together with Jorge Cabrita. Her research interests include working conditions, job quality, the monitoring of working conditions, work organisation, gender, the future of work and time. She has been working in the area of European comparative surveys for more than a decade, in all aspects including design, questionnaire development, fieldwork, quality control and analysis. She is a graduate in economics and management from Paris IX Dauphine and Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne universities and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics from Trinity College Dublin. She has recently completed online courses on artificial intelligence: inquiry-driven leadership with MIT Sloan Executive Education and ‘Les grand enjeux de la transition: re-ouvrir l’horizon, comprendre pour agir’ with the Campus de la Transition. Before joining Eurofound, she worked for a number of years in the European Commission.

About Nora Wukovits-Votzi
Nora Wukovits-Votzi is an Analyst at the European Commission’s DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion in the Unit for Analysis and Statistics. She obtained her PhD at the European University Institute (EUI) focused on the growth of non-standard forms of employment and the associated labour market and social policy settings within EU countries. Previously, she has worked as a Policy Analyst at the OECD for several years and was affiliated as a researcher at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies. Her educational background includes a Masters of Science in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Psychology, and Sociology from the University of Cambridge.

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EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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BRIDGES 5.0 MASTERCLASS: How to build a human-centric workplace
2025-12-12 10:30 - 12:00 (Europe/Brussels)
Please note: webinar starting time is 10:30 am CET and 09:30 am GMT.

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What can we learn from research and practice about companies can unleash workforce talent and engagement as they face the twin challenges of digitalisation and net zero?

As Industry 5.0 calls for a new balance between technological advancement, human wellbeing, and environmental sustainability, this masterclass brings together leading researchers and company representatives to explore the practical steps towards achieving these goals. The session will explore how organisations can design environments that place people at the centre, fostering purpose, inclusion, and resilience alongside innovation and productivity.

Bringing together policymakers, company representatives, workers, researchers, and educators, this interactive masterclass will enable participants to learn from evidence-based practice, exchange views, identify shared challenges, and examine effective human-centric approaches that can be scaled or adapted across sectors.

Registered participants will be invited to share their questions, challenges and experiences on the Industry 5.0 platform before the Masterclass, and responses will be addressed directly by the expert speakers.

Moderated by Peter Totterdill Workplace Innovation Europe CLG

Panel members

Peter Oeij TNO

Roland Sommer Plattform Industrie 4.0

Martin Welsh Booth Welsh

Aimee Doole Booth Welsh

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This webinar is part of a series of Bridges 5.0 Masterclasses leading to the Final Bridges Conference which will take place in person on 2nd October 2026 in Brussels.

Upcoming Bridges 5.0 Masterclasses:

February 13 2026: Community of Practice

March 13 2026: Social Partners

April 17 2026: Workforce diversity in I5.0

May 15 2026: VET

June 12 2026: Masterclass for managers: Good Practices/Initiatives in Industry 5.0 OR Sustainability in Industry 5.0 (final topic to be confirmed)

September 11 or 18 2026: Session on Identifying the big questions/challenges for the Final Conference

Interested in the final conference? Express your interest here.

More about EUWIN

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

More about Bridges 5.0

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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Photo credit
Photo by cottonbro studio.

Industry 5.0 in Theory and Practice: What have we learned, and what’s next?
2026-01-29 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Brussels)
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Interactive online roundtable
This is an online event and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams.

Please note: starting time is 11 am CET and 10 am GMT.

Join us for an interactive online roundtable, bringing together leading voices from the EU HORIZON projects AI REDGIO 5.0, BRIDGES 5.0, PROSPECTS 5.0, SEISMEC, SKILLABILITY, and UPSKILL to explore the evolving landscape of Industry 5.0.

This multidisciplinary session will foster a common understanding of Industry 5.0’s core pillars -human centricity, sustainability and resilience—while delving into cross-cutting themes that shape the future of European industry. In a facilitated conversation, panel members will share insights from their projects and examine how actionable strategies are emerging to make Industry 5.0 a reality for companies, employees, social partners, and policymakers.

Discover how workplace innovation, skill development, and digital transformation are converging to build greener, more inclusive, and resilient workplaces. Be part of the conversation that is redefining the role of technology, empowering people, and driving sustainable change across Europe.

Panel members:

Sergio GusmeroliAI REDGIO 5.0

Steven DhondtBRIDGES 5.0

Roland SommerBRIDGES 5.0

Ziga ValicPROSPECTS 5.0

Siobhán O’NeillSEISMEC

Simona AcetoPROSPECTS 5.0

Sullivan BrendanSKILLAIBILITY

Diane ConfuriusSEISMEC

Chris IvoryUPSKILL

Moderator

Peter TotterdillWIE CLG

More about Bridges 5.0

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

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WEBINAR: Empowerment, Participation and Democratisation - the Prospects for Industrial Work
2026-01-30 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Brussels)
Please note: webinar starting time is 11:00 am CET and 10:00 am GMT.

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Webinar
Special 90 minutes edition! This is a webinar and it will be delivered via Microsoft Teams. This webinar is part of the EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 programme of events.

Starting with a broad perspective on the role of workers in socio-ecological transformation processes, the webinar will explore recent research results and case study evidence relating both to the relationship between civil society and workers, and to workplace innovation at company level.

Programme (the following times are CET)

11.00

Welcome / Introduction

Peter TotterdillWorkplace Innovation Europe

11.05 – 11.20

Skills for the digital, green and social transformation: Practical perspectives on empowerment, participation, human-centricity and skill development

Antonius SchröderTU Dortmund University, Centre for Social Science

11.20 – 11.35

Short Q&A / Discussion

11.35 – 11. 50

Between appropriation and democratisation: employee participation in the decarbonisation of industry

Dr. Stefan SchoppengerdHans-Böckler-Stiftung / WSI-Mitteilungen

11.50 – 11.55

Short Q&A

11.55 – 12.10

Industry 5.0: making workers and civil society strong – a comprehensive approach for skill-based human centricity and stronger focus on social challenges

R. Kopp & A. SchröderTU Dortmund, Centre for Social Science

12.10 – 12.15

Short Q&A

12.15 – 12.30

Panel Discussion

Speakers:

Ralf Kopp TU Dortmund

Antonius Schröder TU Dortmund

Stefan Schoppengerd Hans-Böckler-Stiftung

Book your place

EUWIN (the European Workplace Innovation Network) is a community of researchers and practitioners from business, public policy, research and social partner organisations. Its remit is to promote workplace practices that lead to simultaneous improvements in organisational performance and quality of working life for employees. First established by the European Commission in 2013, EUWIN is now funded and managed by a network of international partners.

Bridging human & digital potential. Bridges 5.0 creates a unique consortium based on active collaboration between researchers, 8 EU industrial companies, 9 Industry 4.0 ecosystems, and the main EU social partners.

Please share

Photo credit
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash
