Title: An ageing workforce: a major challenge to German SMEs

Authors: Frank Leyhausen

Addresses: MedCom international medical and social communication GmbH, Bonn, Germany

Abstract: The focus of this article is the result of a 2006 survey on the ageing workforce at German Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The topic of demographic change has to become a higher priority at the HR-management of SMEs. Therefore SMEs have to know more about the needs of an ageing workforce. Due to strong employer brands by German blue chips, SMEs have to be proactive to manage the effect of demographic change on their business within the next three years. Consequently SME managers need to identify the impact of ageing on every single unit in their company to set up the appropriate tasks.

Keywords: survey; ageing workforce; Deutsche Seniorenliga; demographic change; Germany; SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; HRM; human resources management; workforce demographics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2009.023460

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2009 Vol.9 No.2/3, pp.312 - 315

Published online: 24 Feb 2009 *

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