The article discusses practical experiences with establishing conditions for employee participation in retailing. Social dialogue and human resource management perspectives frame the discussion. These are two different systems for organizing relations between employers and employees. Companies that do not have either are called ‘bleak houses’. There are many ‘bleak houses’ in retailing, and work conditions leave much to be desired. This increases transaction costs and has adverse effects on work climate and productivity. An innovative approach to employee participation was tried out through a series of R&D projects in a Norwegian retail chain. The research strategy was based on a participatory approach called ‘democratic dialogue’.
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