Social innovation puts more focus on unknown talent
Too much labour potential is left untapped. A missed opportunity, from a social as well as an economic perspective, says Joost van der Weide(opens in new tab). On Thursday 24 October he will be inaugurated as UAS Professor of Social Innovation(opens in new tab). In his inaugural address, he will discuss the opportunities offered by social innovation to tackle major social challenges.
Labour Market under Pressure
The Netherlands is getting more crowded, greyer and more mixed. This is putting more pressure on the labour market. New types of collaboration are needed in a complex interplay between businesses, governments, institutions and citizens. At the same time, we are facing major social challenges, such as sustainability, our energy supply, tackling polarization and inequality of opportunity.
Using Talents
Technological innovation is often hopefully expected to provide solutions to these issues. However, according to Joost that expectation is a bit reductive. It makes sense to focus on social innovation as well. This concerns other ways of working, organizing, managing and collaboration. “It means we must make optimal use of the special talents of all those willing and able to work. At present, we’re not doing that enough in our society.”
Unknown Talent
On Thursday 24 October Joost will be inaugurated as UAS Professor of Social Innovation. In his inaugural address he will discuss the crucial role of social innovation in creating an inclusive and resilient labour market. “We have to shape the employer-employee relationship in such a way as to allow unknown talent to thrive optimally.” By unknown talent Joost means groups of people that employers often do not focus their attention on. For instance, young people who are psychologically vulnerable, adults with a burn-out, those with a physical disability, non- Dutch speakers, and older people. But also talent already available inside the organization, is not always recognized. Joost: “Too many people are left on the sidelines and do not participate fully in the labour process. And that’s such a shame! Leaving this labour potential untapped is really a missed opportunity from a social as well as an economic perspective.”
Human Capital
Having good employees is essential for many organizations to achieve their goals. They are the organization’s human capital. But the labour market is tight. Finding and retaining enough employees with the right expertise and experience is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for labour organizations. All the more reason for all parties involved to join forces in building a future where everyone gets the opportunity to fully develop and use their potential. Joost: “I also view this as a strategy to achieve better operating results and a thriving society. This is what I want to stand up for, together with my UAS research group staff.”
Collaboration in the Regional Area
Tapping as yet unused potential is not easy. Collaboration is the key to a resilient and inclusive labour market, especially at the transition moments. For instance, the transition from school to a job, from being unemployed to having a job, but also from an old job to a new one. The collaboration should be between employers mutually, but also with the educational sector, social organizations, local governments and funders. The UAS research group of Social Innovation conducts practice-based research into these transition moments and how such a regional ecosystem can be adequately set up. In doing so, they want to accomplish together with the partners in the regional ecosystem that vulnerable jobseekers and workers can continue to participate in the labour market.
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About the UAS Professor
Joost van der Weide studied Economics at Tilburg University. In 2007 he received his PhD at the same university, based on a leadership study of middle managers in the public sector and in business. He worked as a management consultant for nearly 10 years. Subsequently, in 2014 he switched to higher professional education (hbo) to focus on practice-based research and education. Initially as a lecturer-researcher in the UAS research group of New Labour Relations in Almere and later as Associate UAS Professor of Social Innovation. The recurring theme in his work is that together with organizations he searches for (new) ways to make optimal use of the available human capital.