Fit for Business Growth Erasmus Project

Project Title

Fit for Business Growth

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

Large companies and public sector organisations use Wellness and High Performance Work Practices to support organisation development, staff productivity and to support staff welfare. Small and medium sized enterprises (SME) rarely use such methods. Stress in the workplace, especially within ambitious, growth-oriented SMEs is a significant challenge to enterprises and is becoming a risk to economic growth within this part of the economy. As major contributors to job creation and economic growth, it is important that European actors (e.g. governments, VET and education institutes and economic development agencies) seek solutions designed to help SMEs develop and grow.

Stress-related absences impact on individual and organisational performance and tend to be longer than absences arising from other causes. EU-OSHA’s 2014 report argues the associated costs of work-related stress to individuals and employers are significant (e.g. lower income; reduced quality of life; absenteeism, presenteeism, reduced productivity, increased staff turnover. Work-related stress impacts on national economic performance and health costs. In the UK, it is estimated at £4billion per year (Employee Wellbeing 2011/CIPD 2010). Work-related stress impacts negatively not only the performance of individuals, SMEs, but also on national and European economic performance.

The F4BG project set out to contribute to improving the performance of SMEs experiencing or aspiring to develop and grow through the development of a high quality work-based VET intervention thereby contributing to the development of an important area of skills within the European economy. The project aimed to address four objectives (1) To contribute to improving the performance of potential and/or actual high-growth SMEs through the development of the Fit4BusinessGrowth Model; (2) To develop a new Fit4BusinessGrowth Model and VET course; (3) To build on the knowledge and results obtained from earlier and related projects; (4) To deliver an exemplar project which will act as a demonstrator project for future VET products utilising wellness and high-performance work practices.

Partners brought together three different bodies of knowledge (i.e. wellness in the workplace, High Performance Work Practices and High Growth Business Coaching) to synthesise a Fit4BusinessGrowth methodology. This enabled the development of the F4BG Model, a diagnostic tool and a set of coach and employer tools and resources to be prepared (IO1). These were trialed as with enterprises and VET teacher/trainers and resulted in the drafting of a strategy paper on the importance and longer term development of the F4BG Model and methodology. During the project, partners built on the results of earlier related projects and adopted many best project management practices, resulting in the delivery of a successful Erasmus+ project.

The project directly involved 103 enterprises from the main target group. They were engaged in the trialing of the project’s products and tools supported by a network of 62 trained F4BG Coaches. Partners created a Directory of F4BG Coaches and also prepared a set of 26 case studies showcasing the impact and experiences of both F4BG Coaches and SMEs. The project results and its impacts contributed to the drafting of a policy paper called, ‘A New Strategy: Fit for Business Growth’. The paper was presented at a series of national conferences (i.e. multiplier events) attended by over 350 people. Partners have also set out twenty four strategies to ensure the longer-term use and development of the F4BG Model including the integration of elements of the methodology within some VET qualifications in management and leadership.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 226307 Eur

Project Coordinator

Exponential Training & Assessment Limited & Country: UK

Project Partners

• BEST INSTITUT FUR BERUFSBEZOGENE WEITERBILDUNG UND PERSONALTRAINING GMBH
• Varna Economic Development Agency
• UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX
• Materada centar za njegu i odrzavanje tijela
• Pametan rast drustvo s ogranicenom odgovornoscu za poslovno savjetovanje/Smart Growth Limited Liability Company for Business Consulting