Improving business conditions in complex markets

Category: Best practice

SWP Case: Social Dialogue and Gender Equality

The Challenge The benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workplace are well documented. Such workplaces are associated with greater organisational performance, innovation, employee wellbeing and better recruitment and retention. Despite all these benefits, the International Labour Organization has noted that globally only 48.5% of women (compared to 75% of men) are in the labour […]

SWP featured in Global Deal Flagship Report 2022

The process of Social Dialogue is key for decent work and green transition. But to find the best solutions we must minimize threasholds for dialogue and create a inclusive environment at all levels of the labour market. But how to do it? Therefore SWP contributed with robust practical cases on how social dialogue can be […]

Workplace Cooperation – how is it done in practice?

Workplace Cooperation is proven to lead to more sustainable businesses and engaged employees. South African shop stewards and managers met in a joint close-out workshop following the year-long Upskilling Programme (UP!) for worker representatives. Sharing insights and experiences on cooperation, the common view was that the programme had shaped more and better dialogue across levels. […]

Strong Workplace Cooperation leads to Sustainable Business

Swedish Workplace Programme strengthens cooperation, dialogue and contributes to decent work together with its partners. In the workplaces where SWP engages, numerous initiatives have been carried out and companies have improved preconditions for dialogue. Please watch the video where Scania East Africa shares their journey to become social partners at the workplace. Read more about […]

Let everyone matter at the workplace

Companies with diversity and inclusion in focus create innovative results  Companies that embrace change to deliver business value are likely to be those that also support diversity and inclusion initiatives. Research shows that companies with more diverse teams surpass those with a more homogeneous workforce. A research report from McKinsey (Women in the Workplace 2020) […]

SWP and its partners challenge norms and support gender equality

The Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) and its partnering companies and organisations believe the workplace is a powerful arena for change where we can choose to challenge gender biases, norms and stereotypes so that together we can create a more inclusive and equal world of work. With our programme partners, we honoured International Women’s Day on the 8th […]

Team Sweden

Team Sweden is a network of government authorities, agencies and Swedish companies that support major infrastructure projects globally, with the aim to contribute to the development of sustainable projects. 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.

Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.

The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.

The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.

Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.

The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.

Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.

The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.