Economic affairs

Economic developments affect employment, workloads and employees’ prospects within the company. Your council needs to understand figures and plans at an early stage, question management’s reasoning and identify its options. We contribute economic expertise and present our findings so that your council can use them in consultations and negotiations.

External expertise for your council’s ongoing work

We support your council on specific questions and over an extended period. Ongoing cooperation allows us to compare successive reports and plans, follow up outstanding questions and identify changes in the company’s development.

The cooperation can be agreed as expert support for your council’s duties under Sec. 80(3) of the Works Constitution Act (WCA). Engaging experts for the Finance Committee is governed by Sec. 108(2) WCA. We define the questions and scope with your council, and the engagement is based on an agreement with the employer.

Analysing the company’s financial position and prospects

We analyse annual and consolidated financial statements, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and internal cost and management accounting data. This also includes budgets, forecasts and comparisons of planned and actual figures. We examine what these reveal about profitability, liquidity and business prospects, and where information is missing.

We interpret the findings in the context of the company’s development and industry trends. Where needed, we complement the analysis with industry research and written assessments or expert reports. We distinguish between the individual company’s position and developments or decisions at group level.

Preparing and supporting Finance Committee meetings

Together with your Finance Committee, we develop targeted questions for management, organise the available documents and identify further information needs. We provide support before, during and after meetings, particularly when management explains the annual financial statements under Sec. 108(5) WCA.

We help your committee interpret management’s answers, keep track of outstanding points and prepare follow-up discussions. We present the findings so they can inform the works council’s ongoing work.

Assessing investment, capacity and workforce plans

What assumptions underpin investment decisions, capacity plans or savings targets? How plausible are the projected staffing needs? We work with your council to assess whether market assumptions, workload, available capacity and workforce planning fit together.

We also consider rationalisation plans, new products and processes, and skills development needs. The aim is to test the economic arguments and assess potential effects on employment and workload at an early stage.

Developing your own positions and options for action

Economic information supports effective employee representation when it leads to concrete questions, priorities and proposals. Together with your council, we develop positions and assess alternatives to the employer’s plans.

Whether the issue is workforce planning, skills development, workload or safeguarding employment, we help your council link economic findings to employees’ interests and use them to support its positions in consultations and negotiations.

Training for Finance Committees

Alongside our advisory services, we offer training for Finance Committees. Your council explores the legal and business fundamentals, learns how to interpret business and financial documents, and develops suitable ways of organising the committee’s work. This helps your council assess company plans more independently and address economic matters with greater focus.