European Social Fund Project (2016-2018)
Coordinator: Sirpa Syvänen
Consortium: University of Tampere, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Funding: ESF
The project aims at supporting and promoting the participating micro, small and medium-size enterprises’ productivity, quality of working life and the resulting economy, cost-effectiveness, competitive strength and effectiveness. The indirect purpose is keeping of work places, lengthening of careers and strengthening skills and competence, and sustainable working life. A long-term aim is to develop the cooperative development model further for enterprises and public organisations in other fields. A purpose is also to adopt cooperative development principles and structures, and make simultaneous development of quality of working life and productivity a part of everyday life and management culture in the participated enterprises.
The project is national and it is implemented in three Finnish regions: Tampere Region, Northern Savonia, and South Ostrobothnia. The project responds to development challenges and needs of the enterprises, target group, and fields. The enterprises’ development needs form the basis for the development work. Based on them, a tailor-made development plan is made for all the participating enterprises. The most common development needs related to productivity and quality of working life and wellbeing are mapped and solved based on the needs of different fields, regions and enterprises. Thus the development structure is comprised of thematic development of productivity and quality of working life phenomena in the enterprises, regions and network. The project focuses on development of work, work and service processes, and management in enterprises (learning in the enterprise), regionally (learning from one another) and nationally (learning network), development of new working methods in work communities and teams, and learning together.
The project aims at solving how to establish long-term cooperation and commitment between the staff and management, staff wellbeing, and digital and web-based productivity-related development structures in busy SMEs. Enterprises need external support for establishing the structures. The purpose of the project is also to find keys both to productivity and to quality of working life in order promote and enable growth and improve employment possibilities in the enterprises.
The project applies and develops a holistic quality of working life (wellbeing) and productivity development model. The development model also includes application and adoption of cooperative, activating and creative development structures and tools. The cooperative and participatory development approach increases and enables employees’ impact and participation possibilities in enterprise development. Participation as such increases wellbeing, motivation, and commitment to the enterprise and its development, both the employers’ and employees’ benefit. Sustainable development is realized through wellbeing, commitment and longer careers.