unternehmensWert: Mensch (uWM) (REACT-EU)

The programme aims 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 will be extended by two new programme branches.

(1) Emerging stronger from the crisis - Gestärkt durch die Krise
The focus of the new programme branch "Gestärkt durch die Krise" is on building and strengthening organisational resilience. This means that enterprises are 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 will continue beyond the crisis and will increasingly become part of our daily working lives. Subsidised consultation in the framework of the new programme branch supports 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 is on the opportunities offered by virtual communication, remote personnel management as well as solutions for working from home.

(2) Women in Tech
The new programme branch "Women in Tech" supports 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 reacts 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" comes in. In this programme branch, SMEs are 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 is 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 target SMEs with fewer than 250 staff and 50 million EUR annual turnover. Funding is 80 per cent.

• In the programme branch "Emerging stronger from the crisis" funding for counselling is 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" comprises a maximum of 15 days of counselling and may be claimed only once. This counselling cycle must be completed within nine months.

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