10 tips for working more productively - compiled by bexio, the leading provider of web-based business software for small businesses.

1. Organize your tasks and your workday. When planning your day, pay attention to your performance curve: morning people, for example, are most productive early on and should therefore complete important tasks then. They use the performance low after noon for routine tasks.
2. Use to communicate with your work colleagues Slackto exchange text messages, files, and links. This way you avoid internal emails with long CC distributors. The advantage: You save nerves and time.
3. Work with web-based services from the cloud, such as Dropbox for documents or bexio for small business administration. This way, you can access your data anywhere and at any time: whether at home in front of the TV, on the road with your smartphone or in the office with your laptop.
4. For example, does your phone provider send you separate bills for cell phone, Internet and landline? Talk to the biller and ask for a collective bill. This saves you time because you only have to pay and file one bill.
5. For bosses: Motivate your team. Give each individual personal responsibility, regular feedback and public recognition. Young entrepreneur and bexio co-founder Jeremias Meier also knows this : "Only motivated employees are efficient employees!"
6. Plan your tasks and projects with the free online software from Trello. You can easily record work and goals and assign them to each other in the team. This way you work efficiently together with your colleagues. And since you have to spend less time coordinating within the team, there's more time for a round of football together.
7. HomeOffice: Also work from home - if possible. Not only will you save on commuting, a different work environment will ensure creativity, more productive work and a better work-life balance. Give it a try!
8. Thanks to Slack (tip 2), you'll have fewer emails. For those that remain: Most don't need to be answered directly. It's best to schedule three fixed times when you read and answer emails. The rest of the time, you'll be undisturbed, more focused, and more productive.
9. Ideal for small businesses and the self-employed: send Invoices by e-mail. The recipient can pay directly online. This helps both sides: More convenience for your customers and you get paid faster.
10. Don't reinvent the wheel for every letter or e-mail, but use text modules for all documents. This way you save time every time and also avoid annoying typos.

Source: www.bexio.com

"I have the impression that our budget is our strategy" and "For me, it's energy-sapping when I have to implement things that I can't stand behind" were the words recently expressed by two key SME executives. Both companies are currently in the process of strategy implementation and change.

Such change and development projects are complex. But complexity is manageable. Success depends to a large extent on systemic interventions. These accelerate and anchor the implementation in the entire organization.

We focus on the 3 engagements. In the dictionary, commitment is defined as follows: Activity, effort, participation, involvement, commitment, zeal, dedication, energy, devotion, exertion, involvement, participation, attachment, obligation. It makes your heart swell, doesn't it?

1. commitment to the organization and the cause: "I'm excited."

Deeply felt visions are carried. Once the meaning of the activity and the company has been emotionally understood, it releases enormous forces for change. But this cannot be decreed from above. Enthusiasm arises from being interested in something that has a benefit and is accompanied by good feelings. If we succeed in awakening enthusiasm in our employees, they will develop a desire to learn. We need communicative and dialogic interaction, debate and digression to create an open culture of discussion. We strengthen trust, co-responsibility and personal responsibility, which is enormously important in order to use complexity as an opportunity and not to run into a dead end when overwhelmed.

2. commitment to own growth: "Lifelong learning."

This means that everyone is committed to always developing personally and unfolding their potential as far as possible. In concrete terms, this means setting one's own goals, reviewing one's basic assumptions, correcting prejudices, making self-experiences, reorienting oneself and expanding one's own options for action. Everyone learns with their situation and grows from it.

3. commitment to female colleagues: "My female colleagues are successful."

This is the acid test, because good relationships are strengthening and significantly promote the change project. Team spirit comes from co-creation. Everyone is committed to the success of the other, you get to know points of view and perspectives, build bridges and tear down walls. From EGO to ECOSystem. We only learn to develop our full potential when we are in relationships that are meaningful to us. And then team learning means first of all listening and understanding the others. If we can create a safe, dominance-free place where everyone participates with trust and welcomes the unexpected, then the new will emerge almost by itself. The procedure requires selected methods and appropriate interventions, which we put together in a tailor-made way.

Conclusion

• Complexity is manageable
• Meaning releases enormous will to change
• Everyone is committed to their own growth
• Team learning means listening first

Text: Jörg Meerholz, EMBA, Professional Certified Coach/ICF, Practicioner Logosynthesis®, Operating Technician, Owner of merik unternehmensentwicklung & coaching gmbh. Develops SME,NPO, organizations and leaders in strategy-, OE, change and innovation processes. Jörg has 15 years of direct management experience as COO. www.merikentwicklung.ch

The East Switzerland Personnel Day 2016, organized by the Freie Erfa-Gruppe Personal Ostschweiz and the FHS St.Gallen in collaboration with Freicom, featured an innovation: During the stand-up lunch, various "topic islands" were available so that visitors could discuss their questions with experts there. However, these would have been more popular, as Karin Egle, President of the Free Erfa Group Eastern Switzerland, regretted at the beginning of the "official part". Perhaps this idea simply needs some more time to develop.

"Work "Smart

But then the guests were soon in the midst of the actual conference topic: personnel management in the digital age. Petra Schmidhalter and Bianca Gatschet from Swisscom talked about what this "digital age" already means and what it will bring in the future. Bianca Gatschet, 19 years old and thus fully part of Generation Y, convincingly explained what has already happened in terms of "Work Smart": Anyone who regards e-mail as the ultimate in digitization is already part of the grandparents' generation... Today, knowledge is shared via open platforms, people are networked both internally and externally, they are spontaneous, independent and can work from anywhere, and the demands for security and balance in terms of work-life balance are high. For managers, this means no more "demand and control" but a transformational management style. Bianca Gatschet, although fully at home in the world of "smart work," admitted at the end that she, too, first had to learn how to deal with this great flexibility.

More marketing skills for HRM

The fact that the digital transformation has a direct influence on HRM then became clear from Jörg Buckmann's presentation. He showed a number of examples of how HRM is working "digitally" today - both in a negative and a positive sense. Above all, however, Buckmann would like to see a paradigm shift in recruitment: more creative marketing than rigid formalism and target group-oriented thinking. After all, applicants are nothing more than customers who want to be addressed in the right way. HR management therefore needs to relearn how to communicate, especially with regard to social media.

Management consultant and bestselling author Anja Förster could only agree with the comments of the previous speaker. She continued the thread accordingly: She regretted that the drivers of digitization come primarily from IT and engineering, but not from HRM. "HR managers are not driving the change in the world of work enough," she said, pointing to the danger that many opportunities are being missed here. Today, employees need initiative, creativity and passion - and this cannot be demanded with "normal" management. Rules and prohibitions are understandable, but they only create "followers. Anja Förster also advocates "tearing down fences" to create more freedom. This is what an effective leadership culture and HR work for the digital age looks like.

Human quality is becoming increasingly important 

Sibylle Olbert Bock from the University of Applied Sciences St.Gallen approached the topic from a quasi scientific perspective. She notes that the discussion surrounding Industry 4.0 is currently being conducted primarily at the technological level, but not with reference to human capital. Technological developments mean that the degree of networking and task diversification of the workforce is increasing. Even the so-called digital natives are sometimes overwhelmed here because they lack long-term experience in self-organization. Ultimately, the goal of every organization must be to ensure that strategy, technology and people remain on an equal footing.

Patrich D. Cowden, a pioneer in the field of leadership, concluded by teaching the audience the art of building trust. And once again, the terms often heard that afternoon were mentioned: People, creativity, passion. According to the speaker, these three concepts must be brought together, and only then can quality be achieved. And in the quality of togetherness there are no limits. By means of a small exercise with the audience, he was able to prove right away that this works. In just six minutes, it is possible for people who have never met before to establish a functioning collaboration - assuming communication and the will to cooperate.

Direct dialog with the speakers

All in all, this year's Personnel Day in Eastern Switzerland, which has long been able to attract audiences from other parts of the country to St.Gallen, was once again able to provide the visitors with practical impulses. The fact that the audience was able to enter into a direct dialogue with the speakers also contributed to the success of the event - the moderation by Marco Fritsche played its part. The next Personnel Day will take place on June 8, 2017, again in St.Gallen.

Text: Thomas Berner. Further information: www.personaltag.ch

Jörg Buckmann, Anja Förster, Sibylle Olbert-Bock, Patrick D. Cowden (Photos: thb)

Buy your own car or become a member of a car-sharing provider? Purchase conventional electricity or spend a little more on solar power? Stuff everything in the trash bag or drive to the recycling center and dispose of the goods separately? If you want to use a sustainable service, you have to change your behavior - and, in most cases, take on an extra expense. "That's why the design and marketing of sustainable services is particularly challenging for companies," says business economist Uta Jüttner of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

What do the companies have to pay attention to? What expectations do customers have? The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the HTW Chur University of Applied Sciences and Arts have addressed these questions in a research project.

Benefits, emotions and values - all three levels must be right

The research team conducted 52 interviews with customers, members of management and employees in customer contact at all four partner companies. Then the statements were verified in writing in a survey with over 620 customers of the project partners. Finally, three points emerged on how to motivate customers on the levels of "benefits," "emotions," and "values" - all of which are equally relevant:

First of all, the benefit, i.e. the so-called core service, must be right. "Consumers don't make any compromises here," says project manager Uta Jüttner. For car sharing, this means that customers want to get from A to B quickly and conveniently. And they also demand an uninterrupted supply of solar power. The benefits also include good customer service with personal advice. On the other hand, they are more willing to compromise on price. However, the study did not determine what differences customers are willing to pay.

Secondly, it is important that customers associate positive emotions with the offer: They need to trust the company - this can be achieved with trial subscriptions, test opportunities or cooperation with a well-known partner. But it is also about the emotions of the customers when they use the service: For example, the feeling of belonging to a group can be strengthened when other customers report on their positive experiences on social media. At the same time, this exchange helps to generate enthusiasm and eliminate any doubts. Finally, the principle that surprising marketing measures can be used to generate enthusiasm also applies to sustainable services: For example, starting in the summer, the partner company Schwendimann will reward particularly committed "recycling behavior" on the part of its Werkhof visitors: A disposal point system with benefits for customers is to be introduced.

Thirdly - and as an obvious feature of sustainable services - it is central that companies address customers' understanding of values. "Customers want to see their personal values confirmed: By using sustainable services, they want to make an active contribution to society and to environmental protection," says Uta Jüttner. It is not only altruistic values that need to be taken into account. The study shows that customers want to express their openness to innovations by using sustainable services. "The offers should therefore by no means be charged with the image of 'fun and games spoilers'; rather, they must confirm the customers' self-image as innovation-promoting consumers," says the project manager.

Design service according to the needs of customers

Based on these findings, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the HTW Chur have developed a toolbox to support companies in designing their sustainable services according to the needs of their customers. At the center is a web-based self-test for companies. This shows them whether and on which of the three levels "benefits", "emotions" and "values" there is a need for action. To enable the companies to improve their offering, they are then provided with tools to accompany the service design processes.

The "service wheel" is used by companies to generate ideas on how the functional benefits of sustainable service and customer service can be improved. The "emotion map" is used to determine the extent to which customers trust the company and the service and whether it succeeds in arousing their enthusiasm for the offering. The "value house" management tool, in turn, aims to establish the relationship between the service and the values of the target group.

The web-based test for companies to self-assess the quality of sustainable services is freely available at www.sustainable-services.ch.

Prix SVC Central Switzerland 2016: Impressions (all pictures: thb)

Coffee with perfect milk foam is the core competence of Thermoplan AG, whose success story once began with foam whippers. Today, Thermoplan is one of the global market leaders in the segment of fully automatic coffee machines and special equipment. These are used in catering establishments and well-known coffee houses on all continents. At its headquarters in Weggis, 260 employees work on new and further development of products in order to offer customers the perfect coffee experience. The Weggis showcase company is led by CEO Adrian Steiner and more than convinced the 11-member jury of experts of the Prix SVC Zentralschweiz. In his laudatory speech, jury president Niklaus Bleiker emphasized: "The jury is very impressed that Thermoplan continues to rely on Switzerland as a high-price location for both research and production. This is more than admirable for a company with an export share of around 98%." And he continues, "One of the main reasons for the great success of the family-owned company is its great innovative strength, in addition to the Swiss quality it lives by." And Adrian Steiner himself dedicates the prize to all the employees of his company: "The prize belongs to all of us!"

Second and third place for Alfred Müller AG and Frank Türen AG

Second place goes to Alfred Müller AG, a real estate company that covers all services along the real estate life cycle. "The jury is impressed by the way Alfred Müller AG has successfully faced up to a very fluctuating market environment for more than 50 years with great economic success," emphasized jury president Niklaus Bleiker in his laudatory speech. The sustainability with which the Baar-based company looks after its customers is exemplary, as is its social commitment to environmental protection and development aid. "The award is a great honor for us and our employees," says David Hossli, Chairman of the Management Board, pointing out that competition in the real estate business has become tougher.

Craft, high-tech and the diversity of a material

Frank Türen AG was awarded third place. Founded in 1897 as a carpenter's workshop, the company, now run by the fourth generation, is a supplier of special doors such as fire protection and security doors. The variety knows hardly any limits: The latest products allow access with a palm vein reader that replaces the key. This shows that the carpentry trade is undergoing major changes and that high-tech is increasingly finding its way in, as Managing Director Marcel Frank explained during the presentation round in conversation with moderator Nik Hartmann.

Other winners of the Prix SVC Central Switzerland 2016 are the Obwalden-based muesli producer bio-familia AG, the Müller-Steinag Group, which specializes in concrete products, and the telecommunications network provider Network 41 AG. These three companies are also characterized by a leading position in their specialties and have economic appeal far beyond Central Switzerland. With the products of bio-familia AG, the term "Müesli" became known worldwide. However, Managing Director Peter Odermatt continues to focus on regional roots and has so far turned down all takeover offers: "We have a great responsibility for the region". Müller-Steinag's products are becoming increasingly popular with architects: the company has managed to give the material concrete a great creative variety that goes far beyond sewer pipes. And Network 41 AG is now not only active in the catchment area of Central Switzerland, but also has branches in Germany and Austria.

Meeting place for the Central Swiss economy

This is the sixth time that the Swiss Venture Club (SVC) has awarded the Prix SVC Central Switzerland to exemplary small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region that impress with their products and innovations, their corporate culture, the quality of their employees and management, and their sustainable track record. The award ceremony was hosted by Nik Hartmann. Around 1,200 guests from business, politics and society were impressed by the diverse and often little-known strengths of Central Switzerland's top companies. "People are the most important thing" emphasized SVC President Hans-Ulrich Müller with regard to what ultimately constitutes entrepreneurial success.

www.swiss-venture-club.ch

Staff Finder was the only Swiss company to make the list of the top 100 companies playing a central role in the upheaval of global markets. Among other things, the Disrupt 100 jury was impressed by Staff Finder's success rate in filling 98 percent of requests for short-term work assignments in less than four hours with qualified personnel from its pool. Staffing is one of the most important industries in the world, with a market value of approximately $400 billion. Staff Finder's on-demand marketplace answers the current need for flexibility and for the cost-effective recruitment of short-term and short-term staffing assignments.

Smart platform promotes disruption

Over two billion smartphones are in use globally today. They are accelerators of comprehensive change - 55 percent of all companies honored by Disrupt 100 rely on mobile solutions. Staff Finder AG is no exception. Its fully automated recruitment platform, which finds staff for the hotel & catering, retail & logistics, promotion & event, and commercial and administrative sectors, went online in 2011. In the meantime, more than 80,000 employees and over 5,000 employers have registered with the leading Swiss staff leasing company. The young company would also like to make its experience in peak management available internationally. With the planned expansion, Staff Finder AG is realizing its potential to influence the global market in recruiting and thus to change it in a needs-oriented and future-oriented way.

UK, USA and Israel with the most disruptive companies

The ranking also provides interesting information in other respects: Most disruptive startups come from the UK (35) followed by the US (22) and Israel (11). From the EU, only Germany (1 company), France (1), Luxembourg (1) and Portugal (1) are represented. Norway is another European country on the list, and all other startups rated as particularly disruptive come from Asia, Africa, Australia, and North and South America (Brazil).

Sources: Disrupt 100; www.staff-finder.jobs

Sidarion AG has brought on board another expert for network and security projects in the person of Dirk Hofmann. As Key Account Manager and Senior Consultant, Hofmann complements the dedicated team in the Account Management division. He is responsible for supporting existing customers and establishing new customer relationships. The long-standing sales expert with profound IT expertise wants to focus primarily on long-term customer loyalty. He has worked in the IT industry for 27 years and has specialist knowledge in the areas of networking, security, storage, backup and data center. As a senior account manager, he was active in the infrastructure sector in well-known multinational companies and manufacturers of IT solutions, where he looked after numerous nationally and internationally active customers. At Sidarion, Hofmann appreciates the pronounced focus on networks and IT security as well as the large number of outstanding IT engineers: "At Sidarion AG, I can place and drive forward highly specialized projects in complex network environments thanks to the comprehensive know-how of the employees. I find this extreme focus extremely exciting. I was also impressed by Sidarion's corporate philosophy. For Sidarion's employees, the customer and his needs are absolutely central. Excellent services, efficiency, team spirit and a constant striving for innovative, sustainable solutions are a matter of course here."

www.sidarion.ch

Why transformation? Digitization, increasing competitive intensity, price collapse, the commoditization of products and the demise of traditional business models - the challenges for companies that marketing pioneer Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Manfred Bruhn are multifaceted. Those who are not capable of change will fall by the wayside.

Ubiquitous topics - but few goal-oriented discussions

The professor from the University of Basel, together with his colleague Karsten Hadwich, professor at the University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart), will give the opening lecture at the joint Forum Service Management at the University of Basel. Bruhn criticizes the fact that the discussion on topics such as disruption and digital transformation is ubiquitous, but not very purposeful: "Buzzwords such as disruption and digitalization do not provide concepts and solutions per se. That's why it's difficult for companies to deal with the multifaceted changes in a targeted manner. Many know that they have to change. The question is how!"

At the heart of successful transformation is service, explains Manfred Bruhn. It is about creating new forms of interaction, new business models and new service offerings. Together, the two professors show the development steps and phases of the transformation from product provider to service company.

This development brings with it numerous opportunities, but also many challenges. New pricing models are required, customer relationships are changing fundamentally, and change is also needed internally. Technology must not take center stage: "Digitization is an enabler for these developments. But if you focus solely on this, you run the risk of missing out on the customer. Digital is not automatically better," says Karsten Hadwich.

Examples from practice

Afterwards, representatives from the field will present their experiences to date. Pharmaceutical giant Novartis is experimenting with new, outcome-based pricing models. Process automation company Endress+Hauser is also evolving from product provider to solution provider through co-engineering and plant asset management. Fashion startup Outfittery shows how curation as a service enables a new type of sales and business model. Logistics company MAN Truck & Bus, one of the leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles and inventor of the diesel engine, hypothesizes that connected vehicles will only be relevant as carriers of versatile services in the future.

What does service transformation mean for management? In the panel discussion, the speakers will work with the audience to highlight the specific management tasks. It is not enough to simply offer services. Companies must generate customer knowledge and anchor customer orientation in their organization. Without involving the customer, the risk is great. In addition, the company's own brand positioning often has to be revised or the market has to be worked with new sub-brands. Sales and employees need to be trained and educated. Where is the journey leading? "I don't want to sell cars anymore. Our customers should use cars, paying for situational use according to what they want. That means, of course, they pay for transportation, gladly combined with other means of transportation. They also pay for additional services such as entertainment, massage seats, navigation, parking and so on, if required. The customer gets the services he needs and when he needs them," is how a representative from the automotive industry describes the prospects.

Source: www.bruhn-partner.com

The investment in Rivag Rheintal AG, which can look back on a good financial year, has been greatly expanded. The Menzi Muck Group now holds a 98.8 % stake in the Kriessner real estate company, which aims to generate CHF 30-40 million in construction volume over the next few years. The strong Swiss franc and the lack of planning capability had challenged some of the industrial group's holdings, while others had benefited from the long period of low interest rates: Thanks to the flourishing construction industry, Dietsche MontageProfis Holding AG and Menzi Muck AG achieved record sales. Sales of walking excavators in export markets increased markedly. The share price rose by a good 16 % in the year under review. It is liquid and, thanks to the new Swiss GAAP FER accounting standard, will soon be traded on the premium index on the OTC-X market.

www.menzimuckgruppe.ch

"A good trial apprenticeship is central," is one of the key findings that the AGVS draws from regular surveys of apprentices. Alongside parents, it is the most important decision-maker in the young people's search for an apprenticeship. This is also confirmed by a study conducted by the University of Fribourg and a representative survey conducted by the gfs zürich research institute on behalf of Multicheck AG. The garage owners can now take this into account even more: In order to be able to optimally support apprenticeship seekers during the trial internship, the AGVS has created a guideline. These guidelines outline the ideal course of the five-day internship and at the same time serve as a checklist for the garage owner to give the young person a multifaceted insight into the profession. For this purpose, the AGVS provides a diary - coordinated with the guide - for the tasters. It provides an overview of what is on the agenda during the five-day internship and includes four smaller homework assignments related to cars. "It is important for a company to sense how interested the young person is in the profession," explains Olivier Maeder, Head of Training and Further Education at the AGVS. In this way, the association covers an important point in the choice of profession even better. "Personality traits such as willingness to perform, politeness, diligence or punctuality are to be weighted higher than school grades," explains Maeder.

www.agvs-upsa.ch

New to the SMG Board: Martin Hirzel, Patrik Gisel, Yves Serra.

After two terms of office totaling eight years, Thomas Ladner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Quantum Global Investment, and Zeno Staub, CEO of Vontobel AG, are no longer available for re-election to the Board. Alice Šáchová, President of SMG and Partner of Vendbridge AG, Zurich, congratulates the new Board members on their election and looks forward to working with them. "My thanks go to Thomas Ladner and Zeno Staub for their great, always noticeable commitment to SMG in the past years and I am already looking forward to the future continued stimulating contributions to the discussion."

www.smg.ch

"However, there is one group of workers who are even more discriminated against: Men who want to work part-time."

After years of management experience at Swissair and other international corporations, Matthias Mölleney set up his own business with his wife Regine in 2006. Today, he is a management consultant, lecturer and, among other things, president of the ZGP Zurich Society for Human Resource Management. In this interview, he speaks out strongly in favor of a cultural change in the corporate world - especially through increased part-time work in management positions.
Mr. Mölleney, part-time work is steadily increasing in Switzerland. When it comes to management positions, however, skepticism still prevails. How do you assess the potential?
That, too, will come, I'm sure. But before that, we have to come to terms with the term "part-time. The term "part-time" always carries a connotation of inferiority - as if one were not working to one's full potential. This goes so far that employment contracts specify the working hours, but there is usually nothing about the objectives of the work. We have to overcome this dogma of working hours.
How do you imagine it? Isn't time central to the organization of work?
Of course, there are professions where working hours say a lot about performance. When streetcar drivers are on the job for eight hours, they obviously perform twice as well as when they are on the road for four hours. But if media workers work eight hours instead of four on an article, it is rarely twice as good. And that's how it is in many professions, from research to project management.
In your opinion, is part-time work feasible in every industry and every function?
You see, the higher you get in an organization, the less you work full-time in the traditional sense. Some have their board mandates on the side, others their teaching assignments, and that's all very well accepted. If someone reduces their working hours in order to spend time with their family alongside their management activities, that is still seen as a problem. But wherever working hours can be adjusted so that they are compatible with board mandates, for example, part-time work is also possible.
How should work be better organized?
I was able to take a look at the future of the working world at the Belgian Ministry of Social Security - of all places! There, in an environment of typical administrative activities, it has been possible in just a few years to significantly increase job and customer satisfaction as well as productivity. This has been achieved by agreeing with employees on a certain number of cases to be processed instead of working hours, measured in terms of quality, quantity and customer satisfaction. The teams organize themselves for the most part. Since everything is digitized, they can work wherever they want. And the supervisors? They take care of higher-level tasks, such as ensuring the flow of information or networking. And incidentally, this is what has moved this ministry from last place on the list of attractive employers to first place.
According to a recent study, Switzerland ranks fourth to last in terms of the proportion of women in management positions. Can this be explained by the particularly high difference in Switzerland between the proportion of women (60%) and men (16%) who work part-time?
Well, for years we have been discussing wage discrimination against women. However, there is one group of employees who are even more discriminated against: Men who want to work part-time. They often can't, let alone in a leading position. What I'm trying to say is that I don't think it's a question of promoting women or men. A very recent study by the University of St. Gallen shows that the environment is decisive - is it male- or female-dominated? Accordingly, men or women are favored. And in Switzerland, we traditionally have male-dominated industries, which will not change in the foreseeable future. That's why we urgently need a debate on this in our society, far beyond any quotas.
What do companies need to do to remain attractive employers in the future?
If Yahoo recently eliminated the home office option because they want employees to be physically present, that may work for Yahoo, but not necessarily for others. So companies need to keep asking themselves who their target audience is. And how they can differentiate themselves from other companies as employers. Part-time work is a key element of this.
What successful examples would you cite?
From established large companies to young inventive start-ups, part-time is already being used in management positions. Recently, I also helped the Thurgau Cantonal Police with their recruitment problem. There was a lot of skepticism about part-time work in this profession, where constant commitment is required. At the same time, experience clearly shows that mixed patrols of men and women are more successful - but they used to ask for part-time in vain. In the meantime, part-time is offered and the response is extremely positive.

Source and further information: www.familienfreundliches-basel.ch