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WOrking Time Acceptance Model

Project description

Supporting the future of working time in Europe

Across Europe, working time reduction (WTR) is gaining attention, but its adoption varies between countries, as well as sectors and regions. In this context, the EU-funded WOTAM project is investigating the barriers and enablers that shape the acceptance of WTR. It explores how decisions are influenced not only by data but also by beliefs, values, and public discourse. The project will use historical analysis, case studies, expert interviews, and statistical research in order to develop new frameworks, an acceptance model, and a practical toolkit to assess the feasibility of WTR. By supporting informed dialogue among policymakers, employers, workers’ unions, and other stakeholders, WOTAM increases the possibilities for more effective, tailored, and evidence-based working time reforms across Europe.

Objective

The aim of the WOTAM (WOrking Time Acceptance Model)-project is to deepen the understanding of, and to clarify for policy makers, unions and other stakeholders how different types of barriers and enablers impact the possibilities for the implementation of Working-Time-Reduction (WTR) in different sectors and regions. By employing multi-methods including systematic desk research, statistical analysis of historical data, in-depth case studies and expert interviews, the project will produce new and contextualised knowledge and tools that will enable the development of more persuasive, tailored, agile, and targeted WTR initiatives. The WOTAM-project moves beyond present thinking about WTR, by building on the idea that material facts alone do not convince decision makers; discourses and beliefs do. Hence, we aim at first developing Conceptual Frameworks for understanding how material and discursive forces interact on societal and organisational level and shape WTR-adoption. Then, we will develop an Acceptance Model with a Toolkit that stakeholders may use to assess the feasibility for implementing WTR. The proposed project will not only deepen the understanding of WTR through a clearer conceptualisation of how facts are mobilized to encourage or block the uptake of WTR, or indeed, how facts may undermine dominant assumptions, and how these processes vary across regions and sectors. The proposed research will also shed new light on the different forms that WTR enablers and barriers can take, while also producing the necessary tools that may be used for assessing the feasibility of implementing WTR in different sectors and regions. Ultimately, the project will support stakeholders to engage a productive dialogue, increasing the possibilities of navigating the values attached to the topic. The consortium brings together a strong team of Academic partners, trade union-, employer- and professional associations, thereby maximising project performance and uptake.

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Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL2-2025-01

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Coordinator

MALARDALENS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution
€ 872 212,50
Address
UNIVERSITETSPLAN 1
722 20 VASTERAAS
Sweden
Region
Östra Sverige Östra Mellansverige Västmanlands län
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (9)

Partners (2)