“ Improving Diversity through

Supported Employment ”

Public-spirited entrepreneursin Switzerland

Public-spirited entrepreneurs

-successful companies

Dr Annelies Debrunner

hosted by:

In association with:

Content

1. Supported Employment (SE) in Switzerland2. Entrepreneurs and the tradition3. Project „Social Entrepreneurs – Work in progress“ -

Research Design4. Focus: Personalities5. Results6. Discussion

1. Supported Employment (SE) in Switzerland

Background:• Switzerland a „non-European“-member • 8.2 Million inhabitants• 4 National languages• A low unemployed rate• A high price level

1. Supported Employment in Switzerland

• Supported Employment is a young area in Switzerland.

• The association “Supported Employment Switzerland” has been founded in 2008 and has 80 corporate members. (www.supportedemployment-schweiz.ch)

• First SE pilot projects were started in Switzerland in the early nineties.

• In 2015, SE has still no legal backing.

SE ServicesGiving disabled, or unemployed people a fair chance of vocational integration into the general employment market is the objective and task of several organizations throughout Switzerland by offering SE services, which include: •Employment support•Vocational training assistance •Clearing •Job Coaching •Personal assistance at the workplace

2. Entrepreneurs and the tradition

• Switzerland has traditionally an abundance of small companies.

• Nevertheless, big companies and the globalisation of the labour market dictate the conditions of employment and of vocational integration.

3. Research Design

• In the triangle of vocational integration (client- job coach- employer) that characterizes Supported Employment, the employer is one of the players.

• This project focuses on the employer.

3. Research Design

Work in progress: research project 2013 – 2016

Method: 20 qualitative interviews with CEOs, 2 case studies (CEO, job coach, a vocationally integrated client), content analysis

3. Research Design

Main questions:

In which biographical periods were CEOs shaped most, and by what?

What are the stations in their daily work?

How do they claim their demands at the workplace successfully?

4. Focus: Personalities

Mr. A•Childhood in the Swiss mountains•Early involvement in farm work•High level of freedom between work and school•Parents endorsing the idea of an egalitarian society

4. Focus: Personalities

Mr. A: Daily Work•CEO of an international company in the high tech medical field (700 employees)•Giving his employees a chance ( a choice), whenever possible:•High level of options for leisure time•High level of options for part time jobs

4. Focus: Personalities

Mr. B•Childhood: Insight into social work, teaching and his father‘s work in the firm•High level of freedom as for the question of succession in the family company – late decision•Parents endorsing the idea of an egalitarian society

4. Focus: Personalities

Mr. B: Daily Work•CEO and president of an national building contractor (350 employees)•Opportunity for employees to do voluntary work; CEO doing voluntary work himself•Keeping a high level of ethical standards•Part time work in case of urgencies is possible.

5. ResultsCharacteristics of engaged CEOs:•Reasons for an egalitary view in the childhood•Often a technical and a social background of education and voluntary work in the social field•Open mind for social and political themes•An inquisitive person•Balance between money and immaterial values•Relation between economical and social aspects on their workplace/ company.

6. Discussion• ??• ??• How to disseminate ethical standards and

ideas of vocational integration for handicapped people?

obrigado – thank you –vielen Dank!debrunner@annelies-debrunner.chwww.annelies-debrunner.ch