The positive employment impact of the Liideri programme

Abstract

The Finnish TEKES and later Business Finland invested in the Liideri programme. This programme supported firms to improve workplaces with the idea that better quality of work would enhance the performance of these firms. The programme was conducted in the period 2012-2018. After finalisation, an external evaluator looked at possible benefits. This evaluation showed the positive impact of the programme in general on turnover and employment. It is unclear what the programme meant for quality of work. This article digs deeper into the employment impact. The evaluation in 2020 undervalues the societal benefit of the programme. A closer look at this employment impact shows that Liideri delivered a positive return-on-investment during the programme's lifetime. Even with many issues still not understood, the evaluation shows the importance of conducting such major workplace innovation-driven initiatives.