Andries de Grip/Yvonne van den Berg

Prof. Andries de Grip, Chair of the Social Innovation Network (NSI) board at the School of Business and Economics
Yvonne van den Berg, E-miles Project Manager at Philips’ HRM Netherlands department

Having embraced the principle of lifetime employability, Philips recently devised a new HRM tool known as E-miles. This is a system of credits, in which the ‘E’ stands for Employability. In 2009, all Philips staff members will receive 1,000 E-miles, which they can spend at their own discretion on enhancing their personal development and employability.

“This is a brilliant example of the sort of social innovation that the NSI is keen to refine by working in collaboration with Philips”, Andries de Grip explains. “Philips asked us to perform a scientific study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of this new HRM tool. This type of systematic research project is highly interesting for both parties, placing Philips in a better position to offer customised benefits to staff, and giving Maastricht University access to a unique source of data for academic research. Human capital is a vital asset in today’s knowledge economy; by forging close partnerships with trade and industry, we can share our academic knowledge and insights with the private sector.”

Yvonne van den Berg adds: “E-miles are based on the principle of us investing in our own people, both to strengthen their sense of company loyalty and to ensure they continue to find their work intellectually stimulating. It’s absolutely vital that people work to their strengths and maximise their potential. Philips believes that this is a process in which professional development and personal growth go hand in hand.”

“We are working on a number of projects in partnership with Maastricht University. This is because Philips is keen to innovate and to keep up with all sorts of social and academic trends. Working with university researchers, young people whose research projects earn them the highest academic qualifications, also helps to keep us on our toes as a company.”

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