EvMa Works Councils

We would like to give special attention to the Works Councils (WoCo) for they have a unique role and task in organisations. When we continue the analogy of the company being a micro society we could say that the senior management of the organisation is the government, the staff departments the ministries and the employees the population makes the WoCo the parliament of this society: it is the body that checks, monitors and influences the policies.

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor politiek den haag

(The Dutch Parliament)

This is quite some task to do: the members are matter of experts in their daily profession choosing to broaden their horizon and engage with the company further than their primary jobs. An employee plus so to speak. People do so in our experience because of their commitment for the company and because they are willing to invest extra time and effort for the bigger picture.

This is nog easy though. All of a sudden these matter of experts are being confronted with issues on the level of legal, business administration, organisational design, finance, pensions, collective bargains, labour benefits and so much more. Add to this complexity the emotional aspect that comes along with reorganisations for instance... All this hard work being fitted in the already busy agenda of the primary work.

Needless to say that a WoCo becomes a though hurdle to take when it is not or not sufficiently functioning. And the biggest hurdle is for the members their selves for this impacts negatively the work satisfaction, the pride and their own name.

Evolving Matters have translated its knowledge and experience into the field of work for the WoCo's. All the smart things we do for management and HR has been shaped into tools for the WoCo to help it manage to do its task: we enable the Works Council to be practically, pragmatically, effective and efficient. We support the Works Councils from their own practice and company specific circumstances in becoming a political and strategic counterpart with added value.

We do so by helping the Works Council becoming a modern participative body. Not by the old fashioned ways of being opposition, not by the classical battle of the classes, not acting because "the act says so" and most definitely not by putting your own interests first. Rather by the principles of:

  • The Dutch Works Council Act is a wonderful mean to achieve greater goals
  • The Works Council is a political and strategic body and knows vocalise it's aims
  • The members are skilled specialist, negotiators and lobbyists. They know how to tie the diversity of interest to each other form a win-win or a and-and perspective
  • The Works Council achieves measurable results and can make these tangible
  • With the membership of the Works Council comes great personal growth in knowledge, skills and competence which are also valuable outside of the council

Our services are specially developed for the modern participative body. Our services consist the following and we have added a few examples with it:

  1. Training: the Works Council Act, negotiation skills, operating political and strategic, communication with the constituents
  2. Advisory: specific requests for advice, request for approval (consent), right for initiative. On content such as reorganisations, mergers, acquisitions, dismissals. Also on processes and procedures in order to deal with cases in an effective manner.
  3. Coaching: on the job guidance both individual as well as for the group. During WoCo or consultation meetings, the general conduct of affairs meeting (section 24 meeting), the general shareholders' meeting, town hall meetings, chair/secretary/daily committee coaching or meeting with (external) strategic partners such as trade unions or fellow WoCo's.

A skilful Works Council is an important actor in a healthy business.

Do contact us to discuss how we can further elevate the Works Council, from good to better.