promoting workplace innovation to foster learning … · 2019-11-13 · surplus. skills in shortage...

PROMOTING WORKPLACE INNOVATION TO FOSTER LEARNING AT WORKKatharine MullockLabour market economistDirectorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD

Demand for jobs and skills is changing.

Technological change

Population ageing

Globalisation

Changing skill demand

Increased need for up-

and reskilling

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High risk of automation Significant risk of change

The impact of technology on jobs is sometimes exaggerated, but

many jobs will change.

Share of jobs with significant (50-70%) and high risk (>70%) of automation

Source: Nedelkoska and Quintini (2018), Automation, Skills Use and Training, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 202; Data for 2015 or latest available

Information-processing and problem solving skills are in shortage,

while skills associated with manual and routine tasks are in

surplus.

Skills in shortage and surplus, Canada, 2015

Source: OECD Skills for Jobs database.

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Knowledge Abilities Skills

Alignment with labour market

needs

Training that has the desired

impact

Adequate financing

OECD Priorities for Adult Learning dashboard

High coverage

Inclusive participation

Flexibility & guidance

Urgency of investing in adult learning

• Assess how well skills are used in workplaces in Canada.

• Review and showcase initiatives by workforce development bodies to promote better skills use and learning in workplaces in Canada. – Ontario: Local Employment Planning Councils

– Newfoundland: Workforce Innovation Centre

• Develop recommendations on how examples of international good practice could be adapted to Canada

Objectives of Canada adult learning review:

Skills use is associated with higher productivity.

Labour productivity and the use of reading skills at work (adjusted for literacy and numeracy proficiency)

Source: OECD Skills Matter (2016); Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012, 2015).

… higher wages,…

Wage returns to education, skills proficiency and skills usePercentage change in wages associated with a standard deviation increase in skills proficiency, skills use at work and years of education


… and higher job satisfaction.

How education, skills and skills use relate to job satisfactionPercentage-point change in job satisfaction associated with a standard deviation increase in skills proficiency, skills use and work and years of education


• Tight labour market, aggravated by

population ageing

• Record high job vacancy rate (3.3%)

A growing share of employers report difficulty filling vacancies,

and many of them report that applicants lack required skills.

Manpower Talent Shortage Survey, 2018

About 52% of adult workers train annually, which is high by

international standards.

Participation in formal or non-formal job-related learning, adults age 25-64, OECD countries, 2012

Source: Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012, 2015)

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Canada also has the most highly educated labour force among

OECD countries, but 38% of workers are over- or under-qualified

for their jobs.

Share of adults aged 25-64 who are mismatched to their jobs


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Underqualification Overqualification Field of study mismatch

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Use of reading skills at work, 2012

Adults also need opportunities to use their skills in the workplace.

Canadian provinces and territories

Source: Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012, 2015). Note: 16-65 year old population.

OECD PIAAC countries

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How work is organised, jobs are designed and people are

managed matters for skills use

High Performance Workplace Practices

(HPWP)

Work organisation and job

design:

• Teamwork

• Autonomy

• Task discretion

• Mentoring

• Job rotation

• Applying new learning

Management practices:

• Employee participation

• Incentive pay

• Training practices

• Flexibility in working hours

Also referred to as “workplace innovation”

Without exception, workers who benefit from any degree of HPWP make greater use of numeracy, writing, reading, ICT and problem-solving skills than those who do not.

HPWP explain a large portion of variance in skills use across

individuals

Contribution of High-Performance Work Practices and other factors to the variance of skills use at work


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Use of reading at work Use of writing at work Use of numeracy at work Use of ICT skills at work Problem solving skills atwork

Firm size Occupation Industry High-Performance Work Practices (HPWP) Skills proficiency Country fixed effects

HPWP is associated with 12% higher likelihood

of employees engaging in informal learning,

and higher returns to training.

(Fialho, Quintini and Vandeweyer 2019)

Some 28% of firms in Canada employ HPWP at least once a week,

with variation across provinces and territories.

Share of jobs that employ some type of HPWP on a weekly basis, 2012

Source: Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2012,2015)

Canadian provinces and territories

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45

OECD PIAAC countries

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• Low awareness among employers of innovative practices and their benefits

• Poor access to evidence-based methods and resources capable of

supporting organizational learning and innovation

• Time and cost limitations

• Managerial skills gaps

Firms face various challenges to implementing HPWP

International examples: Raising awareness about benefits of

HPWP and building the evidence base

• Support research to develop the

evidence base around workplace

innovation

• Showcase benefits via online databases,

learning platforms and diagnostic

surveys

• Offer seminars and conferences for

employers

Europe: The European Workplace Innovation

Network (EUWIN) is a Europe-wide network

that disseminates evidence-based reports on

the benefits of workplace innovation via online

tools and platforms, regional workshops and

social media.

Finland: The Liideri Programme funds

development and research projects focused on

employee-driven innovation, new forms of work

organization and management practices.

International examples: Funding projects within firms

• Provide tailored consulting services to

individual firms

• Provide consulting services to networks

of employers (e.g. in the same sector or

supply chain)

• Target support where most needed or

where most potential for uptake

Scotland: Scottish Enterprise recruits a

network of ten firms and equips them with

expert consultants who guide them through a

process of workplace change from diagnosis to

implementation.

Australia: The Partners at Work Grants

Programme offers competitive grants to firms

to fund consultancy services to support

workplace change and training programmes.

Singapore: Under Enterprise Training

Scheme, firms apply for public subsidies to

support consultancy projects to improve skills

utilization.

International examples: Role of social partners

• Instrumental in building support for

HPWP initiatives

• Collaboration between employers and

unions in promoting HPWP is often

voluntary but sometimes mandated in

legislation

Denmark: The Danish Confederation of

Trade Unions (LO) compiled a report of best

workplace practices that support employee-

driven innovation as a source of inspiration for

companies and political decision makers.

New Zealand: The Workplace Productivity

Reference Group which consists of

representatives from unions and employer

groups was set up to advise government on

workplace productivity issues and to help

implement its HPW strategy.

Questions

• What challenges do employers face in creating positive learning

environments within workplaces?

• How does the NLWIC support employers in overcoming these

challenges? What do you see as the strengths of the NLWIC?

• To what degree are employers, government, education and training

institutions working together to promote learning and skills use in

workplaces?

• Do employers participate in networks to provide collective training

solutions or to share best practices?

Thank you

[email protected]

Find us on:

Website - http://www.oecd.org/employment/skills-and-work.htm Blog - https://oecdskillsandwork.wordpress.com/

Find out what the future holds for your job:

http://www.oecd-futureofjobs.org/

Productivity growth in Canada lags behind competitor countries

Annual growth in GDP per hour worker, 2003-2018

Source: OECD Statistics; OECD Productivity Database

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Canada United States G7 OECD

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promoting workplace innovation to foster learning … · 2019-11-13 · surplus. skills in shortage...

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