Minister Killeen publishes Workplace Strategy progress report

“Report highlights the important progress that has been made in achieving workplaces that are adaptable and agile and that balance flexibility with security” - Killeen

The Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr. Tony Killeen, T.D., today (Wednesday 2^nd August 2006) published the First Report of the National Workplace Strategy High Level Implementation Group. The report highlights the significant progress that has been made to date in implementing the Strategy’s recommendations.

The High-Level Group’s remit is to oversee the implementation of the National Workplace Strategy, the government’s blueprint to transform Irish workplaces into ‘Workplaces of the Future’, and build a highly competitive, innovative and knowledge-based economy. The Group is chaired by Minister Killeen and composed of representatives of Government departments, agencies and the Social Partners.

Minister Killeen said: “If we are to meet the challenges presented by the globalised 21^st Century market, our workplaces must be geared for constant change and innovation. All of the people involved – employers, employees, policy makers, and social partners - need to create a shared understanding of what needs to be done, most importantly at the level of the workplace.

“People and their skills are at the core of an organisation. A flexible workplace will identify and put in place the types of work arrangements that best facilitate a high level of worker involvement and that best meet the needs of the organisation. The National Workplace Strategy is the roadmap for producing workplaces that are adaptable and agile and that balance flexibility with security. This Report highlights the important progress that has been made in achieving this.”

Key achievements

Today’s Report outlines the progress made to date by the High Level Group in implementing key elements of the National Workplace Strategy since its launch in March of last year. Underlining the Strategy’s five priority themes, notable achievements to date include the following:

Promoting workplace innovation: Agreement in principle on a new Workplace Innovation Fund, committing significant additional resources to the practical implementation of innovative working practices in Irish companies and organisations across all sectors;
Promoting capacity for change: A number of funds and initiatives have now been put in place to support the promotion and development of leadership and management skills in the public and private sectors. In addition, new legislation on employee information and consultation has added to the momentum for change.
Developing future skills: At national level, the One Step Up initiative and the establishment of the National Qualifications Framework are evidence of a strategic response by Government. There has been significant increase in the investment in In-Company Training since 2004. Between the Competency Development Programme/One Step Up run by FÁS, the Training Networks Programme and ACCEL run by Skillnets Services Ltd and the Department’s first call for proposals managed by Enterprise Ireland, the investment across these programmes in 2006 will be approximately €52m, compared to €14m in 2004.
Access to Opportunities: The launch of a new Wage Subsidy Scheme to increase the employment prospects of people with disability, with 2006 funding increased to €10 million. Furthermore, valuable research is being carried out by the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) and the Equality Authority on the business case for managing diversity and equality in the workplace.
Quality of Working Life: Agreement has been reached on the need to enhance the debate and analysis of quality-of-working-life issues, based on improved empirical evidence. Collaborative projects involving the NCPP, the Health & Safety Authority, the Equality Authority and others are destined to address the current data deficit.

The Report, which was presented to Cabinet this week, is endorsed by many of the key elements contained in the draft national Social Partnership agreement, Towards 2016, particularly with regard to the need for greater workplace innovation, effective change management, future skills development and a better quality of working life for all.

“Adding significant value”

Minister Killeen commented: “In order to transform the Irish economy into a world-class, knowledge-based economy, we need to focus on where all of these characteristics can be honed – the Workplace. While the challenges we face will not be resolved overnight, I am convinced that the work of this Group has already added significant value to the efforts of Government and the Social Partners to stimulate greater levels of workplace innovation across the public and private sectors.

I am also particularly pleased with the innovative manner in which the High Level Implementation Group itself has operated. For the first time, it has brought together all the key stakeholders with a role in workplace development to oversee the implementation of Government policy, allowing the views and concerns of employers, unions and employees at enterprise level to be reflected in the implementation process. I look forward to continuing this co-operative approach as the Group progresses towards the full implementation of the National Workplace Strategy.”

ENDS

Note to Editors

National Workplace Strategy

The National Workplace Strategy emerged from the Forum on the Workplace of the Future, which was established by Government in 2003 to assess the readiness of Ireland’s workplaces to meet the challenges of our emerging knowledge economy. The Forum conducted an intensive examination of the issues facing workplaces in Ireland, based on extensive consultation, research and analysis. In March 2005, with the tripartite endorsement of Government, employers’ bodies and the trade union movement, the National Workplace Strategy was launched by An Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D. Its central proposition is that Ireland’s competitiveness as a knowledge-based economy will depend significantly on the capacity of organisations to achieve transformative change through innovative work practices. It also argues that workplace innovation is a key pillar of our national innovation system and should be treated as a strategic priority by policy makers. Focused on five priority areas – Workplace Innovation, Capacity for Change, Developing Future Skills, Access to Opportunities and Quality of Working Life – the Strategy contains 42 separate recommendations for specific action to transform the Irish workplace in the coming years.

High-Level Implementation Group

Established in March 2005 to oversee implementation of the National Workplace Strategy and chaired by Mr.Tony Killeen, TD, Minister for Labour Affairs, the High-Level Implementation Group is composed of senior representatives from the following entities: