CAMS
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1) Policy Recommendation graphic representation:
HIRES_v10 final.pdf
Public sector employees across Europe are now facing major restructuring in response to the 2008-10 financial crisis and recession. In the workplace the consequences are often experienced in increasing open or covert conflict and/or greater stress with impacts both on employees and their managers. The project funded by the European Union DG Employment explores how social partnerships manage the health risks associated with restructuring in the public sector across seven EU countries. Each partner will undertake two case studies exploring how the health risks associated with restructuring have been addressed
Restructuring refers to any organisational change that has effects on the composition and workload of the workforce. In most cases restructuring implies some form of transition or change on the individual level, most often a transition to another job, within or outside the organisation. There can be different types of restructuring. It can be closure of a workplace with relocation of the workers elsewhere, workforce reduction, or dismissals. Public sector restructuring can also occur for different reasons, for example because of financial budget cuts, or changes in the organization of work, downsizing in the framework of continuous rationalisation, or through privatisation or outsourcing.
It is known there is a link between restructuring and the incidence of health problems in both ‘leavers’ and ‘survivors’. The MIRE ESF project, the HIRES, ‘Psycho-Social Risks, services and social dialogue’ and HIRES+ DG Employment-supported projects, have brought together evidence from the private sector to suggest the negative health impacts of restructuring may be mitigated through employee involvement in the processes of change and by employers taking responsibility for their employees’ health and future employment prospects throughout the transition period.
The public sector is the sector that in most EU member states now has the highest proportion of workers reporting trade union membership and continues to have extensive social dialogue. Linked to this and to the public service obligation to provide positive examples of service provision and of staff engagement, the sector is clearly important as a potential example of the benefits of effective social dialogue.