Studied sociology, politics and law at the University of Heidelberg, graduating under M. Rainer Lepsius. Doctorate in business administration (HF) and economics (NF) at the University of Trier under Prof. Dr Dieter Sadowski and Prof. Dr Hansjörg Weitbrecht with an empirical thesis in the German chemical industry on human resource management and industrial relations in companies.

From 1992 to 1996, various tasks in teaching and research in the field of industrial and organisational sociology with a focus on human resource management, industrial relations and justice in organisations at the University of Heidelberg with Prof. Dr Hansjörg Weitbrecht, Prof. Dr Bernd Wegener and Prof. Dr Uta Gerhardt.

From 1996 to 2009 founder and board member of O&P Consult AG with consulting projects in the areas of human resources and organisational development (competence management, change management, process organisation, corporate strategy, potential analysis, etc.) with a focus on medium-sized companies.

From 2002-2005, he was a member of the advisory board of Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, a globally active company in the field of measurement and control technology in Ingelfingen, responsible for human resources management and human resources and organisational development.

From 1999-2005 lecturer at the Institute for Sociology at the University of Heidelberg and co-initiator of the additional study programme POP (Professionalisation in Organisational and Personnel Development).

Since 2006, lecturer with examination authorisation at the Institute of Educational Sciences at the University of Heidelberg in the Master’s programme “Occupational and Organisational Guidance Science”.

Since 2014 scientific advisor at O&P Consult in Heidelberg and since 2015 scientific advisor at HR Pioneers in Cologne.

Human Resources Competence CenterHe has been teaching in the Business Administration/Human Resources Management (Bachelor) and Master of Human Resources Management (M.Sc.) degree programmes since 2009. Since July 2013, he has been Dean of Studies in the Master’s programme in Human Resources Management. Together with Prof. Dr. Günther Bergmann, Prof. Dr. Cathrin Eireiner, Prof. Heinz Fischer, Prof. Dr. Fritz Gairing and Prof. Dr. Markus-Oliver Schwaab, he represents the Human Resources Competence Center of Pforzheim University (HRCC), which combines teaching and research activities in the fields of human resources management. Read more here.

His most important professional memberships

Baden-Württemberg Center of Applied Research (BW-CAR)
European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP)
German Industrial Relations Association (GIRA)
HRM Study Group of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA)
Head of the event series “Business meets Science” in Pforzheim
Current teaching and research interests of Prof. Dr. Fischer

Stephan Fischer is currently working on the topic of sustainability in HRM. Here he uses his own empirical studies to record how HR must adapt its practices in order to act sustainably itself, how it can support other corporate divisions in becoming sustainable themselves and, finally, what contribution it can make to a culture of sustainability in the company. All HR dimensions that can contribute directly or indirectly to the topic of sustainability in the company are relevant here. On this basis, individual focal topics are considered, such as the question of appropriate personnel selection, taking into account dispositions for sustainable action.

In addition, he examines the effects of the changed professional values of Generation Y and their impact on HRM. He deals with methods of potential analysis and potential development, whose effects he considers once against the background of increasing complexity in the company and once against the specific question of life phase orientation in competence and potential management. Finally, he deals with questions of outsourcing in HR (HR BPO) and works in particular on the topic of RPO – Recruitment Process Outsourcing.

Excerpts from his publications:

Fischer, S., Zimmermann, A., Weber, S., (2015): Talententwicklung 2020 – Die Generation Y im Unternehmen, in Jahrbuch der Personalentwicklung 2016 (forthcoming).
Eireiner, C., Fischer, S., (2015): Nachhaltiges HRM in der Unternehmenspraxis: Erste Erkenntnisse einer explorativen Studie In: Jost, N., et al. (eds.): 50 Jahre Personalmanagement an der Hochschule Pforzheim – Jubiläumsband, Beiträge der Hochschule Pforzheim Nr. 151, pp. 39-56.
Eireiner, C., Fischer, S., (2015): Nachhaltiges HRM in der Unternehmenspraxis: Erste Erkenntnisse einer explorativen Studie In: Jost, N., et al. (Eds.): 50 Jahre Personalmanagement an der Hochschule Pforzheim – Jubiläumsband, Beiträge der Hochschule Pforzheim Nr. 151, pp. 39-56.