On the basis of successfully implemented project “WIM: Workers involvement for better and sustainable management in undertakings in Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia”, which identified the current situation and existing legislation on employee involvement in undertakings in Candidate Countries, as well as initiated actions to familiarise the social partners and actors at company level with the content of EU law on employee involvement, project partners expressed their interest to participate in the follow-up project WIM 2. The project WIM 1 opened some interesting issues in the companies and directed them to address employees’ involvement as an integral part of their corporate policies.

To address all challenges we are facing in an increasing global competition, the productivity and competitiveness of our economies must be enhanced in order to make EU a more attractive place to invest and work in. The Europe 2020 strategy lays out an integrated framework to bring about all important factors enhancing innovation, entrepreneurial activity, productivity, and finally growth and jobs.

Employee involvement and stronger link between pay and performance can be possible ways to reform the labour markets, to encourage workers to be productive and adaptive to change and to provide for a consultative relationship between management and workers at all levels of the organization. Employee Involvement can be an important tool within a sector or activity, ensuring social peace, strengthening the motivation of workers and thereby creating a favorable environment for profitable activity. Method of worker participation is an expression of HRM, while quality social climate within the company has positive implications for productivity.

This project will help to deepen the understanding in participating countries of an importance of workers' participation schemes, and will serve employers' and workers' representatives as a tool for the exchange of know-how and best practice. It will be helpful to familiarize all relevant stakeholders with EU law and policies, as well as serve as a facilitator for new developments in order to prepare/improve new/existing legislation on employee involvement, taking into account EU law and policies.

Objectives of the project:

• making the social partners and actors at company level acquainted with the relevant content of employee involvement and instruct them on the importance of effective employees’ representation bodies to contribute to company decisions reinforcing business competitiveness and results and more efficient coping with the challenges of global competition;
• initiate transnational actions and co-operation for improvement of current situation of employee involvement in New Member States and Candidate Countries;
• promote the EU law and policies on employee involvement in participating countries, namely through exchange of information, expertise and good practice, as well as creating favourable conditions for the setting up of mechanisms and national information, consultation and participation bodies;
• examine the feasibility of adaptation and implementation of the Acquis Communautaire (EU law and standard) and prepare recommendations/starting point for the legislation on employee involvement;
• adaptation of relations between employers and employees to changes in employment and work related challenges, such as the modernisation of labour markets, quality of work and decent work in order to increase employment and remain competitive.

Project partnership:

• ZDS - Association of Employers of Slovenia
• HUP – Croatian Employers’ Association
• BCM - Business Confederation of Macedonia
• UPCG - Montenegrin Employers’ Federation
• CPM – Centre for Participatory Management
• BDA – Confederation of German Employers’ Associations

Expected Deliverables:

• recommendations/starting point for legislation on employee involvement;
• workshops to raise awareness on EU law and policies on employee involvement;
• Study tour to Berlin:
• E-Leaflets on employee involvement;
• Tailor-made survey to receive the response/suggestions from companies and other relevant stakeholders for improvement to proposed solutions;
• Publication on employee involvement;
• national round tables to present the project results and to discuss with the responsible bodies further steps;
• Websites on employee involvement, changes in employment and work, modernisation of labour market, etc.

With finacial support by the European Union.