Improving working conditions in small and medium enterprises
A central goal of ILO is to secure decent, safe and healthy, working conditions for all workers, as reflected in its Decent Work Agenda. This means leading the way in shaping policies and practices that promote the development of sustainable enterprises, particularly SMEs, that can compete, grow and create decent work opportunities.
As a complement to a right-based approach to achieving better working conditions, the ILO has implemented a number of programmes that point to the economic case for better working conditions, pointing to resulting increases in enterprise performance. However, for many, this win-win scenario is not convincing, with concerns over the cost of improved working conditions being the main barrier to buy-in. If ILO wishes to shift perspectives, from seeing improved working conditions as a business cost to seeing them as a business investment with productivity and competitiveness returns, it is clear that empirical evidence supporting the win-win scenario is needed.
The objective of the Conference
1. To share and critically examine research findings, and identify relevant knowledge gaps on the linkages between working conditions and productivity, proposing future ILO research activities to address them;
2. To identify potential improvements in ILO tools and interventions to address the needs of those working with SMEs in the field;
3. To plan for the development, by the end of 2015, of an evidence-based intervention model that helps SMEs adopt practices that promote better productivity and working conditions on a scale that can make major contributions to economic development and the achievement of decent work.
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Source: ILO
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