THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC WITH A FOCUS ON THE NEED USE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

One of the basic prerequisites for the healthy economic development of the country is the development of small and medium-sized businesses. In Slovakia, small and medium-sized enterprises play an important role in job creation, creation of added value, have a positive impact on supporting the local economy and balancing regional development differences. Since 2010, the performance of SMEs in Slovakia has increased. In 2019, SMEs recorded a positive development, but their results reached the lowest growth in the last three years, which was caused by the slowdown in the growth rate of the Slovak economy. Starting in 2020, SMEs have to cope with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. In the contribution, we will focus on the state and development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Slovak Republic, their development in terms of legal forms and their regional distribution. We will evaluate the structure and use of human resources and employment in small and medium-sized enterprises.