Smartwork

ABOUT USERASMUS VIBESWork In TechRemote Working Badge

Established in 2007, Smartwork association (NGO) stands for smart and contemporary work practices. The Smartwork Association’s mission is to promote smart work, incl. remote work in Estonia to enable people to work in a form and place suitable for them. Through different activities we contribute to enhancing Estonia’s job market’s flexibility and adaptability to meet better with the demands coming from the external environment (e.g. globalization, development of technologies and ICT, changes in employee expectations, increased competition for talent, etc.). At Smartwork, we value:

  • Smart working practices in general, where the emphasis is on the work outcome, not the time and place where work has been accomplished;
  • Employee autonomy (including flexibility in choosing how, when and where work will be accomplished) 
  • Role, value & competence based management practices;
  • Maximizing the potential and benefits of the development of ICT;

Our main activities include:

  • Collecting best practices from different organizations around the world and sharing it with our local organizations;
  • Doing research in collaboration with Universities to map the current state in Estonian organizations regards using smart working practices; and the current and future needs regards employee competencies; 
  • Development of competencies of current and future managers and employees;
  • Running and participating in different international and local projects funded by EU, local government  and/or private organizations.

Our people

Ave is the founder of the association and member of the management board at Smartwork NGO. Ave`s main goal in the association has been to increase the balance between family and work within Estonian organizations. During her career at Smartwork NGO,  she has consulted several public and private organizations regards smart working practices, co-authored books, run bigger events and campaigns to enhance the awareness of smart working practices and collaborated with global organizations on several projects.

 

 

Sirja joined Smartwrk NGO in 2019. Her primary role includes developing the Smartworks activities in directions of research and consultancy/training. On the daily basis, Sirja works on her doctoral project in two Universities: Estonian Business School (in Estonia) and Turku University (in Finland). During her doctoral project she has mapped best practices of managing virtual teams as well as competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed from virtual team members. She has partcipated several seminars and trainings on the topics of competence development. She has worked as a university lecturer, where her courses got maximum feedback from students and recently as a consultant under Smartwork NGO. She has experience in educational program development, as at the university her responsibilities included developing  different educational programs on BA and MA level.

 

Marleen RootammMarleen has joined SWA recently. She has a Master’s degree in formal education leadership. She has been active in formal and non-formal education for more than 8 years, working both with adults and youth. She has acquired youth worker’s certificate thanks to her experiences. She has covered different roles – teacher/trainer, developing curriculums, developing learning materials and online programs, leading teams of youth and adults, studied the success of educational programmes, implementing upskilling programs for adults etc. She has experience in designing and implementing quantitative research design and operates with data-based decisions. She has experience with implementing both international (Erasmus+ KA1 and KA2) and local projects.

List of activities

  • ESSA (2022-2023): The European Software Skills Alliance (ESSA) aims to skill, upskill, and reskill individuals into high-demand software roles across Europe. It sets forward a sectoral approach to software skills development for systemic impact — reducing the shortages of software skills and professionals. Smartwork acts as an Associated partner, bridging the gap between the project and industry needs in Estonia.
  • WORK IN TECH (2021-2023) – Work in Tech is a reskilling program aimed at boosting jobs in future-driven industries for women in Estonia. During this program, more than 1000 women in Estonia will get access to: a) an online course developed by Google and Coursera to develop skills that enable to start a career in IT, b) a global & local community of learners, and c) job placement support.
  • ERASMUS K2 (VIBES) (2021-2023) –  A team of seven institutions from Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Belgium, and Switzerland develop and deliver study module for building virtual teams’ capabilities with process descriptions of the learning outcomes and methods as integrated processes, supportive tools, and assessment methods and criteria. A virtual collaboration space will be created for sharing of learning materials, experiences, and ideas in order to promote intercultural collaboration and exchange of teaching experience and knowledge. The learning module serves as a potential development resource for SMEs and educators.
  • “REMOTE WORKING” WEBINARS (Spring, 2020) – During the Covid-19 crisis, Smartwork collaborated with EEKRI (Estonian Enterprises Crisis Centre). We helped them in organizing and running several free webinars about developing effective remote teamwork.
  • REMOTE WORK FIRST AID (Spring, 2020) – During the Covid-19 crisis Smartwork, together with ELISA AS, opened a free remote work first-aid consultancy service for all who needed help and advice regarding remote work topics
  • REMOTE WORK BADGE (2017-…) – The aim of this project is to recognize organizations that are using remote work practices and raise the awareness and popularity of using remote work practices in Estonian organizations.
  • WORKING OUTSIDE DAY (2015-2016) –  Together with Microsoft, Smartwork NGO organized a day, where employees worked outside of the office.
  • E-EUROPE 2015: In 2015, Smartwork Association enhanced the skills of the younger generation for communicating through IT channels with the European Commission and the European Parliament.
  • GET ONLINE WEEK (2013-2017) – A project that was run over Europe, duration 1 week. The aim of this project was to raise awareness. competencies and courage among the young generation in Estonia to use different information and technology tools.
  • ESTABLISHMENT OF REMOTE WORKING CENTER (2009-2011) – The aim of this project was to establish a remote working center in different regions in Estonia and train the managers for those centers.

Contact details

NAME: Targa Töö Ühing, non-profit organisation

ADDRESS: Harju county, Telliskivi tn 46/2-10, 10611, Tallinn, Estonia

NB! we operate fully remotely, so for meeting us, please book a virtual meeting.

REGISTRY NR: 80251762

ADULT EDUCATION PROVIDER NR: 224903

GENERAL E-MAIL: info@smartwork.ee

 

Benevity sertificate ID: 233-5638945403419_cbd1,  valid until : 22.04.2023

NCAGE code : 014GJ

UEI: HWTQZJ764CL7

Bank account details

Swedbank AS, 8 Liivalaia Street, 15040 Tallinn, Estonia

IBAN: EE892200221037390494

Swift/Bic: HABAEE2X

NB! Although established in Estonia, we have been lately working hard to expand the range of our activities in Finland, to be able to exchange expertise between the two countries. Our work has been granted with the first success – as in 2023 we will be starting with IT-related re-skilling programs in Finland. More information will be coming out soon.

Get in contact with us through info@smartwork.ee