Professional kitchens and catering is one of the most physically demanding work environments. In addition to physical stress, they are often associated with cognitive and organisational stress, which often contribute to exacerbating physical stress: in a hurry, working postures and the use of assistive devices are often not given enough attention. As a result of this significant workload, sick leave and sickness absence rates in the professional catering and catering sector are significantly higher than in most other sectors. The sector is heavily female-dominated and increasingly employs immigrants. Another challenge identified is the low work efficiency in professional kitchens and catering. Although automation has been introduced in kitchens, productivity gains have not come close to those achieved in other sectors, such as engineering. This is partly due to the stress factors and absenteeism due to sickness already mentioned, but previous projects have also shown that the full potential of automation, even where it is available, is not being exploited. The potential of new, smarter equipment and solutions is not recognised and their potential is not integrated into more efficient processes. Based on previous professional kitchen projects, literature and background interviews, we have identified cross-factor process improvement as a key challenge for creating both truly more ergonomic and more efficient operating models. Ergonomics as such, especially in professional kitchens, has been much studied, with good measurement practices and task-specific recommendations, but because these recommendations are not linked to real work processes, they remain disconnected from the real work, and especially in busy situations, out of use. A similar challenge has been faced with automation: while e.g. smart ovens would offer many functions to simplify work steps, if their use is not embedded in the process, they will soon be forgotten after a short training period and will not add any value to the process. These challenges can be overcome through staff engagement. The project will use an employee-centred approach to performance development that has proven successful in other sectors, which engages staff, develops workplaces from their own starting points and context, taking into account the diversity and skills of employees. It strengthens staff learning and competence and supports the autonomous use of new ways of working and digitalisation. This project will focus on bringing together all the good practices identified and creating in companies the development skills to integrate all aspects of ergonomics into process development and automation. The aim is to create competences at all levels of the organisation, so that a similar cultural change to that which has taken place in the engineering industry, for example, is possible. This will take into account the specificities of the industry and will be based on models that will work in everyday practice. For example, in the catering sector in particular, the nature of the business means that momentary external rushes will continue to be the default, but meaningful (AI-based) digital solutions can be used to both anticipate and manage rush situations so that the stress (and errors) caused to employees by rushing can be minimised. The concrete objective of the project is to help the target companies to streamline their own processes in a way that helps reduce the physical and mental strain of work, increases efficiency, facilitates the adoption of new solutions and improves organisational performance. The measures to be implemented include a process mapping of the participating companies, an employee-oriented analysis of process problems, the selection of areas for improvement and the implementation of improvement measures. The measures will be based on a process modelling methodology, which has been used with good experience in other industries, ergonomics and stress measurement methods made possible by new AI solutions, and employee interviews. After the process analysis, the most effective improvement measures will be selected together with the company representatives and the necessary measures will be designed and implemented. The results of the project will consist of two separate elements. The first is the improvement of work processes, reduced workload and improved well-being at work as a result of the development measures taken by the participating companies. The second is the knowledge and experience generated during the project, which will be disseminated as widely as possible within the industry through publications, trade fairs and stakeholder engagement. The knowledge and experience gained during the project will be documented in such a way that the lessons learned and experiences gained can be used by parties other than the participating companies. Other potential beneficiaries include other educational institutions, consultants and industry associations.