In December 2023, the ERASMUS+ project “STAY OK – Rethinking Wellbeing at Workplaces in the European SMEs” started, in which Munich Business School (MBS) is participating as a partner. The aim of this project is to support managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in formulating and implementing activities to promote well-being at work, thereby increasing their attractiveness in the labor market. A webinar presenting the research results has already taken place in spring 2024. Today, we would like to provide further insights into the final stages of the project.
Project STAY OK – Actual Status
The STAY OK project has reached the second half of its duration. All of the promised materials are already developed in English and most of the work till the end of the project will be to translate all training material to carry out the test trainings and to do several dissemination events like a VET trainer workshop and a multiplier event in each partner country.
The third transnational partner meeting took part in Copenhagen in Danmark and was pretty organized by the Danish partner “We are entrepreneurs- WAE”. The meeting was organized as a one-day meeting on the 27th of March 2025.
TRAINING COURSES
The STAY OK training material was published in March 2025. Publication events were held in various countries:
STAY OK Training Course Launches at Munich Business School
On March 15, 2025, Munich Business School (MBS) hosted the launch of the STAY OK Training Course with two consecutive sessions. Dr. Giulia Parola kicked things off by introducing the STAY OK project, showcasing the Digital Toolkit and e-learning platform, and walking participants through the training curriculum, badges, and certification.
Dr. Wolfgang Spiess-Knafl led a session on Module 3 “Artificial Intelligence for Worker Management,” exploring AI models, labor market trends, and their impact on workforce management. Rather than offering definitive answers, the sessions sparked meaningful discussions on the evolving role of AI in the workplace, providing valuable insights for future conversations. With 40 participants, the event saw strong engagement from the start. Enrollments on STAY OK e-learning platform increased during and after the pilot, and early feedback was positive. More than 60% of survey respondents found the training engaging and interactive, with many recognizing the trainers’ expertise.
Training Course in Austria
Brainplus carried out a training course on the 14th and 15th of March 2025 in cooperation with the FH Joanneum, an University for applied sciences in Austria.
FH Joanneum is an University of applied science located in the region of Styria in Austria. FH Joanneum offers studies in the fields of construction, IT, management and health. The cooperation partner of brainplus was the IT department located in the town of Kapfenberg.
Brainplus carried out the course totally online. On the first day a general introduction on the project and the theme on the project on wellbeing for SME´s was done by Mag. Wolfgang Schabereiter MA from brainplus.
On the second day, especially the module on hybrid working was presented by Wolfgang Schabereiter. The participants got the theoretical inputs from brainpus and worked on the e-learning platform on their own. In total nine participants took part in the course and the feedback underlines the high quality of the developed material.
FURTHER RESULTS
Manual for VET-players to integrate theh STAY OK program in their training offer
The purpose of this handbook is to facilitate the inclusion of the VET curriculum STAY OK in their training offer. The Open Guide for VET Providers is a structured, digital manual designed to assist vocational education and training (VET) providers in implementing effective, innovative training focused on workplace well-being for small business leaders. This guide serves as both a foundational framework and practical tool for designing, managing, and delivering training that addresses crucial skills in the workplace, especially around the areas identified in the STAY OK project.
Digital self-assessment tool on wellbeing in a company
STAY OK Digital Tool Kit (PR5), an innovative digital tool to support small business leaders in self-assessing the level of workplace well-being in their company.
FURTHER ACTIVITIES
Multiplier event
Final multiplier events, will take place in all partner countries and will be addressed to the target groups and the general public. The main objective is to inform the public about the activities carried out, the results achieved and the follow-up initiatives. It´s planned to invite participants of the pilot training (WP3 -T3.13) as speakers, so that they can present their experiences and provide feedback. Furthermore, the MOOC (PR4), one of the main sustainability tools, will be launched and promoted together with the Digital Tool Kit (PR5).
The multiplier events will take place in September 2025 in each participating country.
Workshops for VET teachers
The main objective of the workshops are to inform the VET provider community about the STAY OK curriculum (and the related piloting activities), to introduce the Handbook (PR3) and to launch the permanent help desk service in order to provide comprehensive support to these players so that they can easily integrate the project results into their training portfolio.
The workshops will take place between June and August 2025 in each participating country.
Further Information on the Project
STAY OK – Rethinking wellbeing at workplaces in the EU SMEs [2023-1-IT01-KA220-VET-000154571]
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
