By analysing current and planned company restructuring strategies in Central European Countries, the project aimed at promoting effective company decision-making on restructuring in order to optimise at the same time the competitiveness of companies in the global economy and workers’ adaptability to change. Knowledge, experience and good practices focused on effective management of restructuring were exchanged through national and transnational partnership for restructuring and skill needs, which would support positive and proactive approach to change.

Action raised the awareness among employers of the necessity of long-term strategic planning and adaptability as well as forward looking planning of employment and skill needs. Recommendations on effective company decision-making on restructuring in order to optimise at the same time the competitiveness of companies in the global economy and workers’ adaptability to change, including by finding ways to better identify and match sectoral and regional skills needs, were produced. In the spirit of cooperation among different stakeholders a positive and proactive approach to change was pursued. Action was supported by strong awareness raising, communication and dissemination campaign. Partnership exists for many years and involves experienced organizations. Partners have together implemented many projects thus they are experienced and could assure a high quality of project implementation.

The objectives of the project ProMCR were to:

• Establish a partnership of social partner organisations and the relevant public authority for proactive management of restructuring and change
• Carry out an analysis (survey) among companies of the main industry sectors in Slovenia, Czech Republic and Hungary for the anticipation of future restructuring
• Raise the awareness of stress factors and resistance to change during restructuring
• Produce recommendations to avoid or reduce the harmful consequences of restructuring and identify preventive measures and thus contribute to the creation of an EU framework of anticipation and management of change and restructuring

The project contributed to the development and dissemination of better expertise and capabilities among the actors concerned in the area of anticipating, preparing for and providing for a socially acceptable response when restructuring occurs.

We carried out a survey and in-depth interviews among the private sector companies in Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia on the anticipation of change and restructuring with a focus on future skill needs, established national and transnational partnership for proactive management of change and restructuring and future skill needs, produced recommendations to avoid or reduce the harmful consequences of restructuring and identified preventive measures (and thus contributed to the creation of an EU framework of anticipation and management of change and restructuring), developed recommendations for identifying needs and skills at sectoral and regional level and avoid or reduce the harmful consequences of restructuring, exchanged good practices and experiences, organised workshops and round table discussions and identified preventive measures.

Partners

Employer Organisations (EO)

• Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (SPCR)
• BUSINESSHUNGARY Munkaadók és Gyáriparosok Országos Szövetsége (MGYOSZ)

Trade Unions (TU)

• Slovenian Association of Free Trade Unions (ZSSS)
• Czech Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS)
• National Confederation of Hungarian Trade Unions (MSZOSZ)

Public Employment Services (PES)

• National Employment Service Hungary ( NFSZ)
• Employment Service of Slovenia (ZRSZ)

Ministry

• Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic (MPSV)

European partner organisation / International organisations

• BUSINESSEUROPE
• ILO – Regional Center Central Eastern Europe (Budapest)

Activities

• Transnational kick-off meeting in Ljubljana, November 2011
• Finalising survey questionnaire, January 2012
• Carrying out the Survey, February 2012
• Analysis of survey results, March 2012
• Preparation of national survey reports, April – June 2012
• Transnational partner meeting in Brussels, June 2012
• National activities, Transnational partner meeting in Budapest, July – September 20’12
• Final conference in Slovenia, October 2012

Project "Network ProMCR" is co-founded by European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS (2007-2013). The sole responsibility for the content lies with the author. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained.