unternehmensWert: Mensch (uWM) (REACT-EU)

The programme aimed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their staff in designing a staff-oriented and forward looking HR policy. In the framework of REACT-EU uWM was be extended by two new programme branches.

(1) Emerging stronger from the crisis - Gestärkt durch die Krise
The focus of the programme branch "Emerging stronger from the crisis" (in German: "Gestärkt durch die Krise") was on building and strengthening organisational resilience. This means that enterprises were to be supported in building a resilient corporate culture ready for innovation in order to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences well and sustainably, but also to be better prepared for further crises. The pandemic has demonstrated how enterprises had to adjust to profound changes, for example by complying with social distancing regulations and the need to work from home. At the same time, the pandemic has considerably accelerated structural changes in the world of work. Digital transformation as well as work independently of time and place would continue beyond the crisis and would increasingly become part of our daily working lives. Subsidised consultation in the framework of the new programme branch supported SMEs in improving their crisis management and identifying, helping shape and establishing changes in their organization of work and corporate culture caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Here, the focus was on the opportunities offered by virtual communication, remote personnel management as well as solutions for working from home.

(2) Women in Tech
The programme branch "Women in Tech" supported IT and tech enterprises in recruiting women for this economic sector and to retain them in the enterprise in the long term. In this way, the programme reacted to the fact that women are still clearly underrepresented and their employment relationships are less stable in this relevant sunrise sector of digital transformation. This is often linked to aspects of work culture, stereotypes and related career barriers. This is exactly where "Women in Tech" came in. In this programme branch, SMEs were advised how to guarantee more equality of opportunity and how to set up their staff management in a diversity-based manner across the entire enterprise. This includes explicitly LGBTI*oriented HR management (LGBTI stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex). The aim was to establish a diverse corporate culture - in the framework of a process together with the workforce.

Funding
As is ususal for uWM, both programme branches targeted SMEs with fewer than 250 staff and 50 million EUR annual turnover. Funding was 80 per cent.

• In the programme branch "Emerging stronger from the crisis" funding for counselling was provided for a maximum of five days. In turn, the programme may be claimed up to three times. An advisory cycle must be completed after three months at the latest.
• The programme branch "Women in Tech" comprised a maximum of 15 days of counselling and might be claimed only once. This counselling cycle had to be completed within nine months.

Interested enterprises received an initial consultation free of charge in one of the initial counselling centres available across Germany. These offices clarified general eligibility and issue consultancy cheques, where necessary.