How can European organisations make workplaces more productive, resilient and human-centred? This question was at the centre of two events held in Brussels in October 2026: the EUWIN workshop Unleashing Workplace Innovation and the final conference of SEISMEC’s sister project, BRIDGES 5.0.
Unleashing Workplace Innovation: The Company Perspective
The EUWIN workshop brought together companies and workplace innovation experts to discuss how organisations can improve performance through employee participation, autonomy and supportive leadership.
Through practical examples from manufacturing, public services and employee-owned businesses, participants explored the benefits of involving workers in organisational change. Discussions also addressed the challenges of extending successful workplace innovation practices beyond individual companies.
A central message emerged: technology alone cannot create better workplaces. Meaningful change requires trust, collaboration and the continuous involvement of employees.
BRIDGES 5.0 Final Conference: From Research to Practice
On 2 October, our sister project BRIDGES 5.0 held its final conference in Brussels, gathering around 100 participants from European institutions, trade unions, employers’ associations, industry and education.
Judith Kirton-Darling (industriAll Europe) opened the conference by stressing the importance of collaboration between research projects and trade unions, particularly as European industries face increasing economic and social pressures.
Doris Schroecker (European Commission, DG RTD) reaffirmed the Commission’s support for Industry 5.0 and the need to translate its principles into practical changes within companies. Dominik Sobchak (European Commission) also addressed the importance of communicating the value of Industry 5.0 and supporting its wider implementation.
The conference included discussions with representatives of industry, trade unions and European institutions, including Roland Sommer, Martin Peter and Jacob Plat, moderated by Peter Totterdill.
Connecting European Research on Industry 5.0
Both events addressed issues central to SEISMEC’s work across its 17 pilot sites: employee participation, skills development and the human-centred implementation of new technologies.
The discussions provided opportunities to exchange experiences with European partners and consider how workplace innovation and Industry 5.0 research can support practical organisational change.