HIRES Public

Since 2008, the European Commission has been involved in research into the impact of restructurings in companies on workers’ welfare. It has set up three successive projects, for which Prevent is the Belgian partner: Hires (Health in Restructuring), Hires Plus and Hires Public.

 

Hires Public focuses on the role of social dialogue and its impact on employee health during restructurings in the public sector. Prevent analysed two cases of restructuring in the public sector, more specifically in the central government and healthcare. For each case, Prevent conducted interviews with the stakeholders involved (management, HR, line management, prevention officers and employee representatives) to examine the extent to which health questions were taken into account during the restructuring process.

The final report contains the cases as well as a theoretical part which will also identify the competencies that social partners need in order to minimise the impact of restructurings on employees’ health.

The project has been financed by the European Commission during 2010-2011. Other partners in the project are WLRI (London Metropolitan University), ASTREES, ISTC, LAND, IFB/IPG and BAuA.