We are often asked which training programmes for European Works Councils are most in demand.

Here it comes: the top 10 of all times!

1. Do’s and don’ts of EWC members

Being an EWC member is no easy task by any means. It requires extensive knowledge of the culture and structure of the company you are working for, being familiar with your duties in the EWC, a thorough understanding of the EWC directive, … but also what you can do and not do when you are operating in an EWC.

This training helps people to address these issues and to be fully prepared to play their role.

2. Understanding the EWC agreement: basic concepts and definitions

When you are an EWC member, you need to juggle with some key terms of the EWC Directive such as transnational, information & consultation, ... and you need to understand how they relate to your agreement as well as what your agreement lays down in terms of operating principles of your EWC.

3. Understanding the EWC Directive: what is an EWC and what is it not?

Being an EWC member requires a change in mindset. How do you juggle between local, national and European priorities? What if they are in outright contradiction? It is fair to say that it is not easy to think European... In this session, we provide EWC members with tips and tricks to do exactly that.

4. What is the EU?

European Works Councils did not just materialise out of thin air. There is a lot of background to the EU Directive that lies at the basis of this whole process. Understanding the wider picture is what this is all about, so that you know that what you are doing deeply matters and is anchored in our European culture and mindset.

5. Finance for non-finance people

Often the CFO of the organisation proudly says that the information he or she is presenting is top-notch as it was also shared with financial analysts. But what if you are not a finance-savvy person? How can you digest the complexity of the information? We all know that what we do not comprehend we tend to distrust so the aim of our trainers is to make sure EWC members understand exactly what is important for them. Moreover, the session is based on the financial information of your organisation and – believe it or not – it makes finance fun as our trainers use examples that resonate with everybody.

6. EWC dynamics

European Works Councils are very diverse groups: they are at the crossroads of many different cultures and languages. And they have to make them all work together for the common good of the employees and of the organisation. But this is easier said than done as there are so many countries and sites EWC members need to represent. On top of this there are personal differences as the EWC does not work with typical “Germans” or “Belgians”,.... but with the people who are really sitting around the table. The EWC dynamics highlights this diversity and helps people to respect and to understand each other. It also allows for the EWC to give the right tasks to the right people based on their personal preferences, skills and talents but also on the structures of representation that exists at the local level.

7. Cascading communications

How can European Works Councils communicate efficiently? And how can they reinforce communications at the local and the national level? How to make sure that all employees get the same information in all the sites of the organisation? And how to do this across language barriers? If you struggle with these issues, then this training is definitely for you. The aim is nothing less than to make your EWC a valuable communication channel for all stakeholders.

8. Exploring new meeting formats

Why are European Works Councils meeting in a U-shape? Nobody collectively decided on that and there is certainly nothing in the EWC Directive that states that this has to be the case. It seems a rather strange phenomenon that all EWC have spontaneously adopted the U-shape. But meeting formats are not just innocent: they determine the mood and outcome of the meetings more than people imagine. What if you change the format to round tables? Or to any other configuation? In our experience, the results are just amazing! When you allow EWC members to interact differently amongst themselves but also with management, you get an entirely different European Works Council. Curious? Let us try and see what we can do with your group.

9. How can your EWC make a real difference?

Often, both EWC members and management would like the European Works Council to be more relevant and to lead to more value. So much money, time and effort are invested in the organisation of the meetings of the full body and of the Select Committee but the forum seems to be just “going through the motions” and nothing much else.

We make sure your EWC is unique and is adapted to the culture and needs of your organisation by building your EWC Roadmap. It is only by knowing why your EWC exists and where you want to go that you can create value. But making a map is not enough as that tends to be forgotten about all too easily. What you need is to make it happen; in other words, to walk the road. Hence, we prefer to use the term “roadmap” as it expresses exactly that.

10. Understanding trade union structures in the EU

One of the main hurdles any European Works Council has to deal with is the diversity of representation throughout the EU. EWC members who represent countries with a strong trade union tradition and structure have a lot more means at their disposal than people from countries where trade unionism is low or even non-existent. Nevertheless, EWC members need to work together, no matter their local background or local reality. This is why it is vital to understand how trade union structures work at both local and EU levels. This training involves EWC members and trade union representatives to help make this clear for everyone.

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