INQA coaching: popular nationwide support programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement agile digitalization processes / Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI) as a central point of contact in the region
The digital transformation poses major challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular. To make it easier for them to take the step into a digital future, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, together with the European Social Fund Plus, launched the New Quality of Work Initiative (INQA) and the associated INQA Coaching consulting program in 2023.
To inform companies about the INQA coaching process and guide them through the entire support process, 40 INQA advice centers (IBS) have since been set up across Germany. There are a total of three such offices in the metropolitan area Rhine-Neckar (MRN). They are all united under the umbrella of the Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI) at the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society.
Support on the way to a sustainable corporate culture
The task of the advice centers is to accompany SMEs from the assessment of eligibility for INQA coaching to the final interview and to guide them through the process. Certified coaches work with the companies to identify their need for action and introduce tried-and-tested measures with the involvement of employees in an agile setting.
"The special thing about our work is being able to see how companies develop in agile processes and that employees who can help shape the future of their company become more loyal to each other and to their employer. These are added values for companies that cannot be quantified in monetary terms," says Marion Büffor, consultant at IBS MRN.
IMI contributes to securing skilled workers with INQA coaching
More than 1,000 companies across Germany have now taken advantage of INQA coaching. Having issued more than 100 coaching cheques, IBS MRN is not only one of the largest contact points in Germany, but has also made a significant contribution to the success of the support program.
With its economically diverse cities and regions, the Rhine-Neckar triangle faces particular challenges: "The digital transformation is affecting companies in both urban and rural areas in equal measure. As an INQA advisory centre, we are also feeling this, because not only three federal states come together here, but also the needs and wishes of a very diverse corporate landscape," summarizes consultant Marion Büffor and adds: "We are all the more pleased that the Institute for Management and Innovation has already helped more than 100 organizations to develop a future-oriented corporate culture and thus contribute to securing skilled workers in the metropolitan region."
About INQA-Coaching
INQA-Coaching is an employee-oriented SME consulting program of the Initiative Neue Qualität der Arbeit (INQA). It supports small and medium-sized enterprises in finding tailor-made solutions for digital change. The program is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the European Union via the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus). The INQA advice centers (IBS) are the first point of contact for companies for INQA coaching in the regions.
Further information can be found at www.inqa.de/inqa-coaching
Specialist contact
INQA advice center metropolitan area Rhine-Neckar
Phone: +49 (0) 621/5203-374
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