{"id":20058,"date":"2025-05-23T13:30:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T11:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/?p=20058"},"modified":"2025-05-23T13:58:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T11:58:05","slug":"arbeitgeberattraktivitaet_kmu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/arbeitgeberattraktivitaet_kmu\/","title":{"rendered":"Employer Attractiveness in Focus \u2013 Sustainable Solutions for SMEs"},"content":{"rendered":"

When people hear “sustainability,” they usually think of environmental protection. But sustainability also plays a key role in business management: How can working conditions be made sustainably attractive? And how can SMEs enhance their appeal as employers?<\/p>\n

A Conversation About Possibilities<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Alexander Heidenfelder, Head of Corporate Services at PCT Austria GmbH<\/a>, shares his insights. Based in Thalgau, the company specializes in innovative construction chemical products. PCT also provides training for professional floor layers and ensures quality and safety in the screed trade. The company employs eleven people\u2014two women and nine men\u2014across three departments.<\/p>\n

For Heidenfelder, a positive work environment is key to long-term employee retention: \u201cWe focus on clear structures, personal responsibility, and a climate in which everyone feels comfortable.\u201d Motivated employees, he says, are essential for satisfied customers\u2014and therefore for business success.
\nHe sees open communication as a clear sign of employee satisfaction: \u201cOur team speaks up about what\u2019s going well and what could be improved\u2014and we value that.\u201d A strong sense of teamwork, solution-oriented thinking, and commitment are seen as important indicators. Challenges are addressed through dialogue, and employees are encouraged to bring up issues at any time.<\/p>\n

Remaining an Attractive Employer<\/h3>\n

Short decision-making processes, flat hierarchies, and a high level of personal responsibility make PCT Austria an attractive employer. The company\u2019s low staff turnover confirms that this approach is working. As a next step, PCT is planning a carefully considered employer branding strategy\u2014tailored to the size of the company.
\n
\nA concrete example of the short decision-making paths at PCT Austria:<\/strong> One employee proposed an internal training format. Just a few days passed between the initial idea and its implementation. Thanks to direct communication with the department head, content and scheduling were quickly coordinated\u2014a benefit that employees truly appreciate.<\/p>\n

The Magic Word Appreciation<\/h3>\n

As an SME, PCT Austria offers new employees a personal and straightforward preboarding and onboarding experience<\/a>\u2014without lengthy processes. This saves time and makes integration easier.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re close to our employees,\u201d Heidenfelder emphasizes. Investments in modern equipment and targeted professional development reflect this commitment. At the heart of it all is appreciation:<\/strong> employees are not seen as resources, but as people.
\n\u201cA fruit basket, yogurt and muesli, team celebrations, company outings, training opportunities, JobRad leasing, and modern tools like high-end laptops or premium company cars\u2014these things are a given for us.\u201d Diversity, equality, and mutual respect are also core values.<\/p>\n

Appreciation is reflected in communication, too: owner J\u00fcrgen Seebacher is personally approachable at meetings and company events. The three department heads are in daily contact with their teams. The Corporate Services team always has an open ear for all concerns\u2014built on mutual trust.
\nHeidenfelder is also responsible for HR matters. He dedicates around five hours a week to topics like recruiting, corporate culture, and employee development discussions\u2014supported by a colleague.<\/p>\n

Work Life Balance<\/h3>\n

Finding the right balance between work and personal life isn\u2019t always easy, but it\u2019s essential. Trust, clear communication, and reliability are key\u2014especially from leadership. \u201cOur managers see themselves as supporters of their teams,\u201d says Heidenfelder. Those who actively contribute are given room to shape their work. It becomes more challenging when someone doesn\u2019t fit the team or prefers to avoid change\u2014in those cases, open dialogue is crucial.<\/p>\n

Two examples:<\/strong> The JobRad program was introduced at the request of the staff. And one employee is currently organizing a PCT family event in collaboration with colleagues and management.\u00a0Despite many initiatives, one thing matters most:<\/strong> openness to new ideas. It keeps a company flexible and ready for the future.<\/p>\n

Many thanks to Alexander Heidenfelder for sharing his insights.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sustainability isn\u2019t just about the environment \u2013 it also applies to the workplace. How can SMEs create a positive work environment that lasts? Read on to find out how it can be done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":20054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-talent-attraction-companies"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20058"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20073,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions\/20073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-salzburg.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}