With the rise of the knowledge-based economy, Higher Education Institutions not only have to produce (under)graduates that are skilled in their profession but who also are competent as knowledge workers. This study focused on the enabling competences of the knowledge worker. Our aim was to develop a framework of enabling competences of knowledge work and to devise instruments to help undergraduate students create awareness of their own areas of competence in relation to knowledge work. We developed a Personal Priority Questionnaire (PPQ) that can be used in a one hour facilitated group discussion, and a Personal Mastery Questionnaire (PMQ) that can be used for individual awareness raising. We did a preliminary test of the PPQ within the competence-based educational program of a university of professional education in The Netherlands and found that facilitated group discussion seems to be an effective method of raising awareness in relation to the competences of the knowledge worker
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The Confederation of European Probation detects a clear need for a central record of training and qualification requirements, standards or curricula for probation and community supervision practitioners in EU Member States. Hogeschool Utrecht (UAS) has been commissioned to conduct a survey to collect an overview of qualification requirements and training of probation workers in order to set up a network to share knowledge, competencies and expertise among members’ states. The research question is: What kind of formation precedes the start of a career of a probation worker in the various EU Member states and how does it develop throughout his or her career? In order to answer this question, an online survey with closed and open questions has been send out among CEP members that provide or are responsible for probation services. Twenty of them filled out the questionnaire covering 18 different countries.
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Our ageing population is the result of two demographic trends: decreasing fertility levels and higher life expectancy. As a corollary to these demographic trends, the working population is ageing and shrinking at the same time. This development will affect the performance of organizations in the next decades. As today‟s economy and the performance of organizations is mainly based on knowledge, the ageing workforce will mainly affect the organizations ability to be knowledge productive. As current knowledge management (KM) and intellectual capital (IC) literature hardly addresses the issue of ageing, the aim of this paper is to explore this topic in order to formulate an agenda for further KM/IC research. Combining the temporary consequences of ageing (brain drain and talent gap) and the false assumptions about the capabilities of older workers (older workers contribute negatively to a firm‟s performance), the current ageing of the working population reveals two main risks for organizations and management: underutilization of older employees, and loss of knowledge. Based on the exploration of these two risks in this paper, several issues are proposed for further research. These issues focus on the specific competences of the older knowledge worker, the implications for talent development programs, the benefits of inter-generational learning, and effectiveness of knowledge retention strategies. Today, the main fear is that large scale retirement will lead to a shortage of skills, talents, knowledge. Although acknowlegding the risks and threats of this brain drain, the current temporary ageing of our workforce might also contribute to a structural better valuation of the potential of the older knowledge worker and its specific contribution to the process of knowledge creation. In an ageing knowledge economy, increased understanding about the abilities and distinct qualities of older workers will provide opportunities for organizations to enhance knowledge productivity and thus gain competitiveness.
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The Dutch hospitality sector is the 8th largest contributor to GDP, employing over 500,000 people, yet it remains heavily reliant on manual processes and human labor for service delivery. Structural staff shortages, rising labor costs, and increasing operational demands are pushing the industry to its limits. Hotels and restaurants, the backbone of this sector, are struggling with operational inefficiencies, high staff turnover, and the growing difficulty of maintaining high service standards. An overhaul of the traditional hospitality model is necessary to unlock sustainable growth. This Embrace IT project provides a structured, collaborative approach to solving these pressing challenges. Focusing on three critical areas—housekeeping services, food services, and reception services—the project will co-create concrete, tech-driven solutions together with hospitality businesses, technology providers, and knowledge institutions. These areas represent key operational cost drivers and are vital to revenue generation, making them priorities for industry leaders. By developing technology that complements human labor, the project ensures that operational efficiency improves while leveraging worker well-being and hospitality experience. Over four years, Embrace IT will establish a sustainable innovation ecosystem within the hospitality sector. Through iterative co-creation and field testing of automation, AI, and immersive technologies, the project will equip businesses with the tools and structures to shift from short-term, reactive strategies to long-term, sustainable digital transformation. Moving beyond the current "sensing" phase, where businesses recognize technological trends but are hesitant to act, Embrace IT will deliver concrete and scalable solutions that foster industry-wide adoption. Embrace IT aligns with key sector policy documents such as the 2024 Digital Destinations strategy from the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC), ensuring direct support of the broader vision for digital transformation of Dutch hospitality. This project will increase productivity of the sector while improving working conditions and leveraging hospitality experience – to ensure lasting societal impact.
Many companies struggle with their workplace strategy and corporate real-estate strategy, especially when they have a high percentage of knowledge workers. How to balance employee satisfaction and productivity with the cost of offices.This project focused on developing methods and tools to design customer journeys and predict the impact of investments and changes on user satisfaction with the work environment. The tools, including a game and simulation tool, allowed to focus on the needs of particular subgroups of employees while at the same time keeping an overview on the satisfaction and perceived productivity of all employees and guests. We applied Quality Function Deployment techniques to understand how needs of different types of users of (activity-based) office environments can catered for in smart customer-centric office design.
The Healthy Workplace monitor is being developed to monitor the health and well-being of knowledge workers in relation to the office space and their home workplace. Since the corona period, a lot has changed in the way knowledge workers work. Both offices and employees require more flexibility to carry out work in an efficient but also healthy and enjoyable way. It is important to identify office workers needs with regard to workspaces at the office and at home from a holistic view, in which mental , physical and social aspects play a role. A vital, happy employee is a productive employee.
