The way people work is changing fast. New technologies are becoming more disruptive. What was new yesterday, is today’s old news. Skills are required that are constantly adjusted and labour relations that support knowledge and innovation. At the same time, the economy is becoming more global and the population is ageing. How can organisations cope?
Business Developer Rob van der Maarel from TNO: “We help organisations to be and stay TOP fit. TOP stands for technology, organisation and personnel.”
Social innovation
Smart working requires innovation. However, technological innovations only succeed if they are well embedded in the work context. It is the personnel that must apply it and the organisation that has to be geared to it. Social innovation is therefore crucial. That is TOP: in turbulent times the organisations that flourish balance the technology with the personnel and organisation.
Offering insight
How can an organisation align its policy with all the changes? TNO offers insight. For example, we outline the effects of digitisation and robotisation on the human capital agenda of a sector. We show organisations what technologies they can use, what skills are necessary to do this and what this requires of the organisation. We also offer insight by evaluating methods: what works and what doesn’t?
TOP combinations
Organisations call on us to develop TOP combinations, that is a combination of technology, personnel and the organisation of work that is the most productive for a specific organisation. For example, the possibilities of combining robotisation and human work. What are the safety aspects of this and the effects on the employability of the personnel? We find out through research, experiments or field labs.
Tools and applications
We develop tools and applications that enable smarter working, such as the flextool that helps organisation to create an optimum mix of flexible and permanent labour.
Contact: Rob Van der Maarel (rob.vandermaarel@tno.nl)