Measures to combat long-term unemployment vary in their effectiveness and are mostly based on mechanisms to change economic incentives or reactivate human capital. Previous measures have hardly taken socio-psychological and non-cognitive factors of reactivation success into account, although it has already been scientifically proven that elements such as self-regulation, motivation and goal setting have a major influence on success in the labor market.
Together with our partner, the Gesellschaft für Projektierungs- u. Dienstleistungsmanagement (GPDM) in Paderborn, we are pursuing an interdisciplinary research concept: using field experiments, we are intervening in a targeted manner in a labour market activation program with the help of behavioural training. The aim is to increase the effectiveness of the labor market program and make it more cost-efficient. This should lead both to an improvement in current measures and to a better understanding of the problems associated with unemployment. Furthermore, the socio-psychological, non-cognitive and health factors associated with long-term unemployment are to be investigated in order to support successful reintegration into the labor market.
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This project was financially supported by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung: See http://www.fritz-thyssen-stiftung.de