SWOPS: Human Resources Strategy Oriented Towards Structural Changes in the European Union

Modern, competitive companies – especially SMEs – require competent well-prepared employees and managers. Attractive employers are able to provide their employees equal career opportunities as well as proper working conditions. For example, the reconciliation of professional and family life, in addition to the implementation of diversity measures within their company. Due to the demographic change and the increasing demand for well-trained professionals, an in-house based structural change is the key factor to successfully master the challenges of demographic changes. The central concern of BPW Club Berlin e.V. as the initiator of SWOPS is to achieve more opportunities for the filling of decision-making positions through the introduction of a structural change-oriented human resources strategy. Together with the RKW Berlin and our international partners from France, Austria and Sweden, we are developing a strategy based on an analysis of the situation and a development of effective instruments in the company. Barriers for operational structures and processes of selected SMEs in Germany, France, Sweden and Austria are being identified. The aim is to find out which explicit and implicit barriers in the human resources strategy exist that hinder decision-makers within the company to provide equal opportunities for the advancement to management positions for both women and men alike. During consultancies in selected SMEs, the obtained findings are being applied to initiate change processes and thus to initiate a structural change in the companies.