Business success and working environment have lasting benefits from the promotion of equal opportunities
- During the EU project SWOPS, 16 SMEs in four European countries were accompanied over the period of two years. This resulted in an open consultation model for Human Resources (HR consulting model), a comparative country analysis and a Good-Pratices catalogue.
- SWOPS recommends sustainable change in mentality at senior level for SMEs to be able to respond to demographic change implications with the help of gender equity.
Berlin, 12 July, 2016. Over two years, the EU project SWOPS accompanied CEOs and leaders of 16 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in France, Sweden, Austria and Germany, to examine and optimize opportunities in decision-making positions. The aim of the high-scale quality analysis was based on the results and experiences within the EU project to develop concrete recommendations for companies and recruiters. Given skill shortages and demographic change, gender equality is not only a question of justice or a fashion keyword, but of great economic importance for SMEs.
Main conclusion of SWOPS: A sustainable change in mentality at senior level is essential to mitigate the consequences of demographic change and especially to also benefit from it. A greater gender justice positively affects the medium term on the company’s success and the working atmosphere, and often provides the decisive competitive advantage.