Abstract

The planned interplay of many assets is needed for production. Efficient and effective interplay is enabled by human assets, social and technical skills, communication and leadership within the psychosocial work community, in addition to formal management. The above issues are herein dealt with in the context of an industrial case, a Finnish cluster of big companies employing the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Assessment Procedure (HSEQ AP, www.HSEQ.fi). The HSEQ AP provides a comprehensive picture of a supplying company’s capabilities, consisting of a description of management and systems, including many alphanumeric or categorised performance indicators and other information for managers and experts. One leadership approach emphasises the following drivers of excellence: (1) involving employees in management issues raises their motivation, competence and confidence; (2) this participation provides humans with many useful skills; (3) these skills are then available for employers’ needs. Therefore, more human-centred communication and participation are needed in work organisations, related to the HSEQ issues and contexts as well.