The “Retention Shifts” program offers free expert support to small and medium-sized enterprises that wish to manage employee turnover, labor shortages, and organizational challenges related to employee retention more effectively. The program is an important opportunity for manufacturing companies operating multiple shifts in Baranya and the South Transdanubia region.
A stable, committed workforce is no longer merely an HR issue, but one of the most important factors in a company’s competitiveness. This is especially true for manufacturing companies and those operating on a multi-shift basis, where the absence of even a single experienced employee is immediately felt in production, quality, meeting deadlines, and internal operations.
The “Retention Programs” initiative offers a practical solution to this challenge by providing free expert support to small and medium-sized enterprises selected for the program. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that companies do not merely react after resignations have already occurred or workforce attrition has begun, but rather recognize in a timely manner those organizational, management, and employee factors that weaken retention in the long term.
The program is primarily aimed at domestic SMEs employing between 20 and 250 people, particularly manufacturing, production, logistics, or other businesses that operate on a multi-shift basis. This is also a relevant target group for Baranya County: the county’s industrial and manufacturing companies, supplier firms, and businesses in the machinery, metal, light, and food industries often face the same problem. Not only do they need to find new workers, but they also need to retain their existing, trained employees who possess local knowledge and are familiar with company procedures.
One of the key messages of the Employee Retention Workshops is that employee retention is not solely a matter of pay. Employee turnover is often driven by communication issues with management, unresolved workplace conflicts, burnout, psychosocial risks, mental health challenges, or substance abuse problems. In many cases, companies do not have their own internal tools to address these issues, especially if they lack a dedicated HR department or an organizational development specialist.
This is exactly where the program can help. Selected companies can receive a business assessment, customized development recommendations, executive feedback and consultation, organizational development support, as well as expert counseling on mental health and addiction. The goal is to ensure that problems are not treated as isolated incidents, but rather that businesses gain a comprehensive understanding of their own operations, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
The market value of the service package ranges from 800,000 to 1 million forints, and selected businesses can access it free of charge with 100 percent funding. Nationwide, only 40 businesses can be accepted into the program; selection is based on the order in which applications are received and how well they align with the program’s objectives. The application process is brief, taking about 3 minutes, and the deadline for applications is August 7, 2026.
Companies can register for the program directly through the Megtartó Műszakok application portal. After submitting their application, program experts will contact the company to discuss the details, and then the diagnostic and consulting process can begin.
In Baranya, retaining the workforce is a particularly important economic issue. In many sectors, businesses are no longer simply talking about labor shortages, but rather about how retaining employees with the right skills, reliability, and corporate experience has become a strategic priority. Hiring, training, and onboarding a new employee takes time and money, while employee turnover can directly undermine productivity and the workplace atmosphere.
The Retention Workshops are therefore not just a consulting program, but also an opportunity to shift mindsets. They encourage companies to treat workforce retention not as a reactive crisis management measure, but as a conscious corporate management task. Where leaders recognize organizational tensions early on, communicate more openly, and are able to support their employees, the team is more likely to remain stable and operations more predictable.
The program is being implemented on behalf of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Development Project, with the support of the Government of Hungary. Through the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, businesses in Baranya County and the South Transdanubia region can also take advantage of this opportunity.
The question in the coming weeks will be how many companies in Baranya County take advantage of the program. For those who act in time, the program can provide practical assistance in reducing staff turnover, ensuring more stable shifts, and transforming the workplace from merely a place of business into a supportive community.
Registration:
Registration Portal for Retention Shifts
Sources:
Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Retention Shifts, July 8, 2026.
Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Job Retention Programs—Crisis Management Instead of Layoffs, June 5, 2026.
