FREE WEBINARS featuring researchers and practitioners from across EUWIN and Bridges 5.0 networks.
Background
Since 2021 EUWIN has been running a very successful series of webinars focused on important topics for workplace innovation, with participation from several European countries. These were invitation-only events, but in 2023/4, in association with Bridges 5.0, we’ve decided to strengthen and expand our community of workplace innovation practitioners and researchers by making our webinars open to everyone..
Here is the current programme. If you have further ideas for speakers or topics, please let us know.
All webinars run for one hour starting at 10.00 (Dublin; Lisbon; London) / 11.00 (Brussels; Madrid; Rome) / 12.00 (Athens; Bucharest; Vilnius).
The Programme
2026
April
Friday 24th
10 – 11:00am UK
11 – 12 CET
Job quality in a turbulent era
Speakers: Agnieszka Piasna (European Trade Union Institute) and Janine Leschke (Copenhagen Business School)
This webinar is as an opportunity for a broader discussion on topics covered in the book ‘Job quality in a turbulent era‘. This timely book explores job quality in contemporary labour markets, investigating how rapid transformations such as digitalisation, the green transition, fragmentation and shifting demographics are reshaping the world of work. Presenting fresh perspectives and updated tools in the context of challenges related to gig work, AI, algorithmic management, multiple jobholding and the environmental crisis, it reevaluates the definition of what makes a good job in the modern era.
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May
Friday 29th
10 – 11:00am UK
11 – 12 CET
Hard At Work. Job Quality, Wellbeing and the Global Economy
Speakers: Francis Green, Emeritus Professor of Work and Education Economics at UCL Institute of Education
Social scientists now find that the quality of our jobs is one of the most important factors contributing to our wellbeing and health. But how has job quality been faring in recent years across the developed world? Is it fair to assume that, as economies grow, so the quality of our jobs will improve? Or are working conditions largely independent of how rich we are? In this presentation Francis will introduce a wide-ranging review of the latest social science of job quality, as revealed in his latest book: Hard At Work.
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PAST EVENTS (click to reveal)
2026
January
Friday 30th
10 – 11:30am UK
Empowerment, Participation and Democratisation – the Prospects for Industrial Work
Speakers: Ralf Kopp (TU Dortmund) Antonius Schröder (TU Dortmund) Stefan Schoppengerd (Hans-Böckler-Stiftung)
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.
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February
Friday 27th
10 – 11:00am UK
11 – 12 CET
Methodology and Results from the Digital Maturity and Sustainability Assessment and Skills4sight in Ireland
Speakers: Gareth Clarke, Head of Data Science and Analytics at InnoGlobal
People, Culture and Skills are the key enabling technology. Findings from the Industry 5.0 Lighthouse Network in Ireland on what makes digital and green transitions succeed, and how an early warning system using AI-powered analysis will support Energy Intensive Industries meet their emerging skills needs.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
2025
January
Friday 31st
10 – 11am UK
Action Research for Workplace Innovation: Cogenerated Methodology/Method to Develop the Meaning of Work in Firms
Unai Elorza (Mondragon University) and Miren Larrea (Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, University of Deusto)
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.
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
February
Friday 28th
10 – 11am UK
Twin Transition as a Transformer of Work and an Opportunity for Development
Tuomo Alasoini (Research Professor) Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
This paper examines how the digital transition and the green transition together constitute a twin transition, and looks at the potential effects of this twin transition on working life. The twin transition is considered a comprehensive socio-technical change, which brings opportunities to develop the quality of work and working life. The paper also presents various ways in which working life research can increase our understanding of the transition and contribute to it.
Besides opportunities, the paper also highlights tensions and contradictions regarding the twin transition. These arise, on the one hand, from the fact that the transition concerns a large group of actors who may have intersecting, different and divergent goals and interests. On the other hand, the relationship between the development of digital information technology and the green transition is also tense and contradictory. While it is possible to promote the green transition with the help of artificial intelligence and other technologies, technological development can have significant side effects that increase the consumption of energy and natural resources.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
March
Friday 28th
10 – 11am UK
Direct and representative worker participation: exploring areas for their interaction
Ilaria Armaroli (Senior Research Fellow) ADAPT – Association for International and Comparative Studies in the Field of Labor Law and Industrial Relations [ BOOK ]
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
April
Friday 25th
10 – 11am UK
Come and codesign our next conference on Industry 5.0!
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
May
Friday 30th
10 – 11am UK
Framing the use of AI for a Flourishing Workplace: A Taxonomy for Human Centricity in an Industrial Context
Speaker: Jason Pridmore Erasmus University Rotterdam
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into workplaces, concerns arise regarding its impact on employees’ well-being, productivity, and job satisfaction. This session will review how a human-centric approach to AI can ensure that technological advancements align with the broader goals of Industry 5.0 and promote a more equitable and inclusive work environment. To do this, this presentation gives a conceptual analysis of human-centric approaches to AI in the context of Industry 5.0, emphasising the democratization of the workplace and the holistic integration of technology with human well-being.
Human centricity in AI should not be merely seen as adapting technologies to humans but as promoting broader objectives such as ongoing employee participation in decision-making, continuous learning, and intervention in technological processes.
This presentation will focus on a taxonomy of categorises that demonstrate different approaches to human centric AI, specifically Environmental Design, Technology Accountability, and Human Infused Design. Each of these approaches to human centricity leads to particular solution pathways, including transactional, interventionist, and participatory orientations. This taxonomy serves as a tool for guiding human centric responses to AI implementation in industrial settings, contributing to the development of a more humane and equitable future of work, where technological advancements in AI support, rather than hinder, human flourishing.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
June
Friday 27th
10 – 11am UK
Advancing Industry 5.0: the Sequel
Speakers: Stavroula Demetriades (Eurofound), Karolien Lenaerts (KU Leuven), Frank Pot (Radboud University)
Join Stavroula Demetriades (Eurofound), Karolien Lenaerts (KU Leuven), Frank Pot (Radboud University) and others for an interactive discussion on critical themes arising from the conference, including operationalising Industry 5.0 principles in practice, connecting insights to EU-level policy developments, and stimulating dialogue between researchers, policymakers, companies, trade unions, and civil society.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
September
Friday 26th
10 – 11am UK
Measuring Industry 5.0 Adoption: an innovative data-driven approach
Speakers: Jeisson Cárdenas-Rubio (Warwick Institute for Employment)
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
October
Friday 31st
10 – 11am UK
The European workplace, the basis for competitive advantage?
Speakers: Steven Dhondt TNO
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
November
Friday 28th
10 – 11am UK
Future-oriented occupations in the EU: main features, employment conditions, and job strain
Speakers: Agnès Parent-Thirion (Eurofound), Nora Wukovits-Votzi (DG EMPL)
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
2024
January
Friday 26th
10 – 11am UK
The Dual Transformation and Workplace Innovation The Case of The German Automotive Industry
Hajo Holst, Universität Osnabrück, Germany
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
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February
Friday 23th
10 – 11am UK
Trade unions’ responses to Industry 4.0 amid corporatism and resistance
Valeria Cirillo (University of Bari), Italy
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
April
Friday 26th
10 – 11am UK
Cybersecurity and Workplace Innovation
Halvor Holtskog, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
May
Friday 31st
10 – 11am UK
Work, Skill, and ‘the human’ at the centre of industry 5.0
Chris Land, Professor of Work and Organization at Anglia Ruskin University and director of the Centre for Research into the Organization of Work and Consumption [ BOOK ]
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
June
Friday 28th
10 – 11am UK
Industry 5.0: why should workers care?
Aurora Rossi – Policy Advisor – industriAll Europe
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
October
Friday 25th
10 – 11am UK
Enhancing Job Quality in the Digital Age
Ezra Dessers and Ine Smits (HIVA – KU Leuven)
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
November
Friday 29th
10 – 11am UK
Bringing companies and researchers together for workplace innovation – Action Research in practice
Hanne Finnestrand – (Norwegian University of Science and Technology – NTNU) [ BOOK ]
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
2023
September
Friday 29th
10 – 11am UK
How to digitalise your future? Start with better organising.
Steven Dhondt (TNO, NL)
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
October
Friday 27th
10 – 11am UK
Workplace innovation in France: latest developments in Anact.
Ségolène Journoud & Karine Babule (Anact, France)
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.
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
November
Friday 24th
10 – 11am UK
Workplace Innovation Industry 5.0 Style.
Peter Oeij (TNO, NL)
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
A recording and presentation are available on the recordings page.
To book your place please fill in the form below.
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
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. See www.euwin.net
Funded by the European Union under grant agreement No 101069651. The contents of this publication are however the sole responsibility of the BRIDGES 5.0 project consortium only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor HADEA can be held responsible for them.
