gms | German Medical Science

Background: The decline in activity-related performance potentials, due to higher age, is often associated with health-stressing working conditions and the lack of opportunities to develop professionally and personally. Job-rotation between companies can counteract this process before health problems develop.

Aim: The aim of the project was to develop and to test models of cross-company occupational changes in regional corporate networks. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research funded the project “TErrA” from 2016 to 2019.

Method: Based on qualitative fieldwork involving companies, employers and stakeholders, specific consulting processes for employees and companies were developed and framework conditions described. Eight employees were counselled for one year and around 12 companies participated in the projects network-building process.

Results/findings: Results show that at the individual level, personal motivation, qualification and health play an essential role for such a preventive approach. Companies recognised the need for a long-term view of working-life biographies to prevent age-related mental and/or physical disabilities. Although the social insurance stakeholders have recognised the preventive potential of our model, they are currently unable to implement it, as legal frameworks only permit benefits if a health problem has already occurred.

Discussion and conclusions: For the implementation of preventive measures, a sensitisation for individual concepts of health and work is of great importance. Companies have a central responsibility to integrate anticipatory job analyses and qualification opportunities in human resources development concepts proactively. Regional networks can be essential to implement preventive measures. Financing possibilities for job qualification under a preventive perspective cannot be borne by the social security systems, yet.