Enhancing SME productivity and competitiveness in Jordan and Lebanon through responsible workplace practices

The International Labour Organization’s Regional Office for Arab States is implementing a project that aims to increase the productivity and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Jordan and Lebanon through responsible workplace practices and skills development. In collaboration with the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) and the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions (GFJTU) in Jordan as well as the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) and the National Federation of Employees and Workers (FENASOL) in Lebanon, the project seeks to build the capacity of employers’ and workers’ organizations to deliver workplace improvement and business management training sessions as well as improve SME workers’ skills using ILO enterprise development programmes such as Work Improvement in Small Enterprises (WISE) and Improve Your Business (IYB).

Objectives

• Build institutional capacity of employers’ and workers’ organizations in Jordan and Lebanon to deliver workplace improvement and business management trainings; and
• enhance workers' core and technical skills for workers in SMEs across Jordan and Lebanon.

Main Activities

• Conduct a baseline assessment of enterprises in the agro-food, printing and packaging sectors to assess SME productivity as well as competitiveness before and after the provision of technical assistance;
• develop and adapt training curricula on workplace improvement, business management as well as skills development using both WISE and IYB programmes;
• develop and deliver training of trainers sessions for enterprises and workers on workplace improvement, business management as well as skills development, using WISE and IYB programmes;
• conduct coaching visits to monitor the progress achieved after technical assistance; and
• draft a final report to evaluate the impact of the ILO intervention on SME productivity and competitiveness in Jordan and Lebanon.

Outcomes

• Produce a baseline assessment of selected enterprises in Lebanon and Jordan’s agro-food, printing and packaging sectors;
• develop training curricula on workplace improvement, business management and skills development;
• build the capacity of trainers, enterprises and workers in workplace improvement, business management and skills development; and
• produce a final report based on an integrated intervention combining workplace improvement as well as business management training and skills development aimed at increasing SME productivity and competitiveness.