Digital meeting places are one of the initiatives that can provide more innovative workplaces, according to new study.
Commissioned by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the social research team at International Research Institute of Stavanger (IRIS) and Norwegian University of Science and Technology has developed a handbook for employee-driven innovation.
The basis for this guide is the Norwegian Government’s Innovation Report from 2009 which points out that employees are a vital resource in promoting innovation.
Openness and cooperation Studying twenty companies, the researchers obtained excellent data on what companies do to involve employees in the innovation process. They have pointed out certain cultural characteristics that lead to success.
“Transparency and a good flow of information about daily operations and decisions are essential in bringing about good innovation processes with active employees,” project manager Kåre Hansen says, director of research at IRIS.
He points out that good interplay between management, employees and employee representatives will increase opportunities for employee-driven innovation.
