Presentation Workstyle Augmentation Project -International Workshop (March 17, 2022), Organised by Human Augmentation Research Center National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa (Tokyo, Japan)

1. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 8222296.
Workstyle augmentation from the
viewpoint of workplace innovation
Workstyle Augmentation Project - International Workshop
March 17, 2022
Organised by Human Augmentation Research Center National Institute of
Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Kashiwa (Tokyo, Japan)

2. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 8222296.
Content of my talk
- What is workplace innovation
- Example of a Dutch high tech company
- Analysing the effect of technology on the quality of work: TIM
- Conclusion: your technological choice is based on what you value most
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3. Workplace innovation

4. Workstyle augmentation
• fosters human-machine collaboration, enables new skills and worker
experiences, and supports a work environment that is unbounded by
time/physical space (IDC, Japan)
Augmented telework
• embodies human-to-human physical interactions in the telework
environment by using technology to enhance human physical and
cognitive capabilities (AIST, Japan)

5. Workstyle augmentation
• fosters human-machine collaboration, enables new skills and worker
experiences, and supports a work environment that is unbounded by
time/physical space (IDC Japan)
Augmented telework
• embodies human-to-human physical interactions in the telework
environment by using technology to enhance human physical and
cognitive capabilities (AIST, Japan)

6. Workstyle augmentation
• fosters human-machine collaboration, enables new skills and worker
experiences, and supports a work environment that is unbounded by
time/physical space (IDC Japan)
Augmented telework
• embodies human-to-human physical interactions in the telework
environment by using technology to enhance human physical and
cognitive capabilities (AIST, Japan)
How can workplace innovation support this?

7. Workplace innovation
• Ensure that digitalisation and technological innovation (to improve the
economic performance) keep quality of work intact (or improve it)
• Enable employee voice with regard to the selection and
implementation of digitalisation and technological innovation
• Working definition: changes / innovations of work / workplaces (often
caused or in relation to digitalisation and technological innovation)
which sustain the quality of work (i.e. challenging, healthy, safe work)
• Normative management approach: humanisation and dignified /
decent work are the foundation of the society we want to live in

8. Example of a culture of
workplace innovation orientation

9. Example of a Dutch High-Tech firm: CTS –
Creative Technological Solutions (CTS 1)
• Advanced manufacturing
• Product portfolio: embedded computing, motion & mechatronics,
power conversion, automation control systems, vision & image
processing systems and internet of things products
• Ca. 2,000 staff
• Financially independent

10. CTS 2 – flat organisation structure, no formal
directors, organized around projects

11. CTS 3 – apply innovations to own company
• Strategy: standardize the production process and the production of
modules in order to copy the production process in other plants and
use the modules for other products
• Apply a digital replica of a production line which defines work
instructions, required equipment, machine files, required
competences and sampling
• Manufacturing and logistics is automated as much as possible

12. CTS 4 – Mission and human production
• Make ‘meaningful’ products; have a paperless company; have green
energy and waste management; keep innovation ‘in-house’
• Secure flat non-hierarchical structures, clear responsibilities, and
facilitate the ambitions of young talents, people are the most
important asset
• ‘conceptual thinking’ as a competence. “We are known for our young and bright
designers and engineers that look at things from a different angle. They come up with ideas to solve
complex problems with less parts, simpler and more robust structures and better maintainability. Gaining
on cost, quality and functionality is often the result of the fundamental choices that are made in the
design of a product, module or system”
• Multidisciplinarity, entrepreneurship, self-development

13. CTS 5 – Effects (of workplace innovation
orientation)
• Motivated and qualified staff (self-steering, high autonomy)
• Creating solutions that save costs
• Solutions by professionals which are often innovative
• Ongoing learning
• Contribute to society with ‘meaningful innovation’
• Possibility to become a shareholder as employee
• Value inclusiveness and diversity
“high road” perspective (Osterman)
“good jobs” strategy (Rodrik & Sabel)
[cited in Oeij, Dhondt, McMurray, 2021]

14. Other example: Solvay

15. Method to enhance Workplace innovation:
Technology Impact Method

16. General production process
Production
orders
Mode of
production
Job design
Products /
services
Technology

17. Technology
Product /
service
Mode of
production
Job design
choice choice
choice
feedback
Technology Impact Method
The ‘technological determinism’ perspective…..
Source: Oeij et al, 2019a

18. The ‘organisational choice’ perspective…..
• Product / service
• Which improvement is needed of your product / service?
• Which technology is required?
• Are there alternative technologies available?
• Can one modify the mode of production (organisation
design) to improve the product / service?

19. • Mode of production
• New technology implies a change in the division of labour between machines
/systems and humans; work processes and jobs may change: how?
• If technology supports a smooth process, do jobs remain challenging?
• If not, are there alternative technologies (or applications) available?
• Do employees have voice to make suggestions?

20. • Technology (incl. digitalisation)
• What is the problem that needs to be solved?
• Which technology solves that problem?
• Are there alternative technological choices?
• Are there alternative organisational design / job design choices?

21. • Job design / quality of work
• How does the technology affect changes in jobs?
• Does the technology augment humans or automate jobs?
• How does the technology affect new skill requirements?
• Are employees involved in technology selection and implementation?
• Can one modify the mode of production (organisation design) to improve the
job design?

22. • Suppose you reverse the question: how can we optimise the quality
of work and keep sustainable employment?
• Can one modify the mode of production (organisation design) to improve the
job design?
• What are the conditions the technology should meet?
• What are technological alternatives?
• Which technologies are excluded?
• What is the role you give to employees in this selection process? (informing,
consulting or decision making)
The ‘humanist’ perspective…..

23. Final remarks

24. Concluding remarks about workplace
innovation (WPI)
• HOW?: WPI emphasizes employee involvement
• WHY?: WPI improves business performance, employee performance and
innovative capability
• WHAT?: the kind of interventions are numerous, and stretch from strategy,
structure to culture / behaviour
• WHEN?: once you want to make a choice for humanised workplaces
[key message: there is always choice to humanise work]

25. References
-Howaldt, J. and Oeij, P.R.A. (Eds.) (2016). Workplace innovation – Social innovation: Shaping work organisation and
working life. Special issue of World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable, 12(1), 1-129.
-Karanika-Murray, M. & Oeij, P.R.A. (2017). The role of work and organizational psychology for workplace innovation
practice: From short-sightedness to eagle view. EWOP in Practice, Special Issue on Workplace Innovation(1), 19-30.
Oeij, P.R.A., Dhondt, S. & McMurray, A. (December 2021). Workplace innovation literature review: a converging or
diverging research field? A preparatory study for a research agenda (TNO Report R12732). Leiden, the Netherlands:
TNO Healthy Living; https://ap.lc/LZHDo
-Oeij, P.R.A., Preenen, T.Y.P. & Dhondt, S. (2021). Workplace innovation as a process: Examples from Europe. In: A.
McMurray, N. Muenjohn & C. Weerakoon (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Innovation across Developed
and Developing Countries (pp. 199-221). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
-Oeij, P.R.A., Preenen, P.Y.T., Van der Torre, W., Van der Meer, L., Van den Eerenbeemt, J. (2019a). Technological choice
and workplace innovation: Towards efficient and humanised work. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 4(1),
15-26.
-Oeij, P.R.A., Rus, D., Dhondt, S. & Van Hootegem, G. (Eds.) (2019b). Workplace innovation in the era of disruptive
technologies. Special Issue of International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation.16(3), 199-309.
DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2019.10021355
-Oeij, P. R.A., Rus, D. and Pot F.D. (Eds.) (2017). Workplace Innovation: Theory, Research and Practice, Series 'Aligning
Perspectives on Health, Safety and Well-Being’. Springer: Cham (Switzerland); DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-56333-6; ISBN
978-3-319-56332-9.

26. Thank You!
For more information:
Contact: peter.oeij@tno.nl
beyond4-0.eu
twitter.com/Transform_H2020