Innovation

Innovation is an important driver of improved competitiveness, productivity and the growth potential of companies, strengthening their position to compete internationally. Alongside technical innovation in products and processes, non-technological innovative practices can also have a positive effect on the innovation capacity of companies. Examples include designing jobs that give employees autonomy, invite problem-solving and encourage teams to organise themselves and their work. These practices include promoting employee participation in decision-making and inviting suggestions for new products and improvements in production and service delivery. It is important for innovation that companies new methods and practices of organising work and decision-making, collecting employees’ views on production or service quality, developing the talent of the workforce but also motivateing and rewarding their employees. Such practices and approaches can also be associated with mutual gains for workers and businesses but also more broadly for the European society.