In their current study 'Digital Working. Motives and effects of paperless working methods', the IAO researchers focus on a new topic of the future, the paperless office.

"For the first time, we have not only created a demonstration center for presenting new concepts and products on the subject of office design, but also a playground for evaluating the suitability of innovative office solutions in detail and developing them further," says Professor Wilhelm Bauer, initiator of the project and head of the IAO in Stuttgart. Since its beginnings, the IAO has been trying to keep its finger on the pulse and think up work scenarios of the future.

Here is an overview of milestones from 20 years of ILO research:

2000: From the industrial society to the knowledge age

The time of the industrial society is over - we are on the way to the knowledge age. With this forecast, Office 21's first research paper lays the foundation for the path into the digital era. In their publication 'Shaping office work in the dotcom society', authors Hans-Jörg Bullinger, Wilhelm Bauer, Peter Kern and Stephan Zinser diagnose a turnaround in the world of work. Coal and steel are a thing of the past; the raw materials of the future are now called knowledge and information. Creativity is replacing the assembly line as a productivity factor.

This also transforms employees from isolated units into "knowledge workers" who move like nomads in networks.

2003: The employee as the most important resource

The human factor is moving to the center of the working world. This is the second major forecast made by the ILO. More Performance in Innovative Working Environments' is the title of the handbook with which the institute is primarily addressing companies. Here, they will find practical aids and tried-and-tested practices for motivating employees in companies. Behind this is the realization that people have become the most important resource in companies.

The motivation, knowledge and creativity of employees alone determine the success and productivity of the company. This also means that the needs of employees must be taken seriously. A nice company car is no longer enough of a reward. Employees demand more flexibility, more creative freedom and more freedom to make decisions on the job.

"Change Management" is the magic word that Office 21 wants to push in its second major publication. Triggered by new office forms, by groundbreaking advances in information and communications technology, and by the knowledge of the "success factor" people, companies must rethink. Those who want to be successful in the working world of the future must therefore focus on the "feel-good factor people".

2010: Offices go green

Companies want to create sustainable jobs. In another milestone of their office research, the ILO scientists state: "There is still enormous potential for exploitation to increase ecological sustainability in companies and in office work." In their 'Green Office' study, the researchers asked German companies about their ideas on sustainable workspaces. In the study, 42 percent of the companies surveyed answered that environmentally friendly and resource-saving technologies were very important to them.

This shows a change from purely profit-oriented to ecologically committed companies. The place of work is thus also becoming a social place. Employees and also customers no longer care where they work and what products they buy. Conscious consumers and employees want to know exactly what social contribution a company is making. This often decides whether they buy a product or work for a company.

We identify more with our work and therefore demand more commitment from companies. The forecast for the workplace of the future in 2010 was therefore socially engaged and ecological.

2012: Visionary working worlds

What will our future look like in ten years? This is the question that researchers at Office 21 are exploring in their study 'Working Worlds 4.0 - How we will work and live tomorrow'. The clear vision: Our world is becoming more digital. This not only affects our work, but also our digital selves. Our appearance on the web is our future business card. The researchers speak of a "digital aura.

Another prediction is the dominance of cloud technologies. Our mobile technologies supply themselves with information. Depending on where we are and who we are, we are constantly supplied with information that is relevant to us. Even if this is a little too reminiscent of "Minority Report" for some, the researchers talk optimistically about how everything will run "seamlessly and wirelessly".

Furthermore, the scientists predict that older employees will continue to be active - especially in their professional lives. Accordingly, their know-how is considered an important resource for companies. The workplace is also changing: In ten years, we will no longer have stiff open-plan offices; our desks will be dynamic, work-friendly and individually tailored to each employee. Welcome to the working world of the future!

2014: The office becomes a coworking space

After Office 21's research took a very close look at the development of office space, the researchers have identified a completely new trend: away from the classic desk and toward collaborative working in a coworking space. In their publication 'Fascination Coworking', the researchers go into detail about the successful coworking model.

It is precisely the openness of such workspaces and the loose organization that is attracting more and more companies and freelancers to shared offices. This seems to reflect the trend toward more room for development. Employees can organize their working hours more individually and exchange ideas with colleagues much more dynamically. But that's not all - it's the exchange with coworkers from outside the industry that seems to steer creativity in completely new directions.

New business concepts and unimagined collaborations emerge. The coworking space thus becomes the creative tinkering room of the working world.

2016: The farewell to paper

In their current study 'Digital Working. Motives and effects of paperless working methods', the IAO researchers focus on a new topic of the future, the paperless office. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between digital or paper-based working and personal performance. In other words, are we more successful if we write everything down on paper with a pen and print out documents, or do we work more productively if our notes and information remain digital? With this topic, Office 21 is once again on the trail of a trend.

The trend toward a knowledge society, the digitization of our world and the development of new forms of work are just some of the new trends that will restructure the world of work. The IAO's research is and will continue to be an exciting barometer of the current and future world of work.

http://www.iao.fraunhofer.de

Every year, various IT security solution providers chase each other with trend analyses. But NTT Security (Switzerland) AG, part of the NTT Group, says: No trends for 2017. The specialist for information security and risk management thinks nothing of looking at trends in IT security. Instead of selective measures, companies should finally build a long-term strategy for their basic protection. Following concrete trends is even counterproductive in this situation, the company informs.

Do your homework first...

"The annual lookout for trends in IT security is primarily an expression of good lobbying by the respective manufacturers; it does nothing to improve the security situation," says security expert Patrick Schraut of NTT Security. "At best, such trends can be thought about by those who are already operating at the highest level when it comes to security. But most companies haven't even done their homework from last year."

Many companies lack comprehensive basic protection

NTT Security believes that companies must first ensure that they have comprehensive basic protection. But the vast majority of companies are still a long way from achieving this, because in around 90 percent of companies this basic protection is incomplete. Companies are then tempted by the so-called trends to take selective measures. They set up short-term projects and invest a lot of money in new tools that target a specific attack vector, but inevitably neglect the rest.

"IT security is not established by individual projects," concludes Patrick Schraut, "but by long-term strategies. In this respect, I even consider such trends to be counterproductive."

Source and further information: www.nttsecurity.com

May 10 (5pm) - May 12, 2017 (5pm), Hotel Belvedere, Locarno

Target group
The workshop is aimed at entrepreneurs and managers who want to take an in-depth look at the topic of leadership and sustainable management.

Initial situation
The working world of tomorrow is undergoing radical changes. Complexity and multi-layeredness are increasing due to globalization and digitization. How can leaders hold their own in an increasingly complex and multi-layered world? What key competencies does future-proof leadership need?

Objective
Top-class speakers will discuss with you the prerequisites and success factors of modern leadership as well as methods for developing the leadership skills of tomorrow and entrepreneurial thinking as a driver for sustainable outstanding results.

Benefit
The participants reflect on their personal leadership behavior and develop their future competence in order to master the even more challenging tasks in a constantly changing environment. In addition to inputs, learnings and growth, exchange and inspiration are important to us. Ticino, with its southern ambience, offers an ideal environment for this and perhaps also a little vacation atmosphere.

Homepage http://www.swiss-excellence-forum.ch/seminare/details/?a=952

Leaflet http://www.swiss-excellence-forum.ch/__/frontend/handler/document.php?id=1518&type=116&attachment=1

Hotel Belvedere, Via ai Monti della Trinità 44, 6600 Locarno, Switzerland

Ms. Leemann, what brings people to you for counseling?

Gabriela Leemann: Most of the time, health problems are in the foreground. If I have a client with back problems, it doesn't necessarily have to be underlying physical causes. I like to approach people. With targeted questions, I get clues as to where things are "pressing".

What do customers get from you that they don't get elsewhere?

I want the customer not just to buy an ergonomic product, but also to receive targeted information on how to improve their workplace situation. If health concerns are an issue, for example muscle tension, you have to start at the root cause. Awareness that problems may not be solved just by buying a good chair must be encouraged. There are several factors that have an impact on a healthier and better physical situation and satisfaction at work.

You not only advise customers in the store in Oerlikon, but also visit companies and look at the workplace situation on site. What conditions do you encounter most often there?

I regularly see inappropriately adjusted furniture, monitors set too high and badly placed keyboards. Documents and templates are often positioned awkwardly, so that posture is negatively affected. And I often encounter ignorance regarding the chair settings. I always say: the work chair is your best colleague, nowhere else do you sit longer than on your office chair. People often don't know that you can adjust the backrest, seat tilt and seat depth, and after an adjustment they are surprised at how comfortable they can sit.

And what health problems do you notice particularly often?

Back problems. It starts in the cervical area with shoulder-neck tension that is extremely persistent. People suffer from headaches, eye complaints, herniated discs, and diffuse back problems that can't be pinpointed. Then there is numbness in the hands, motor disorders, recurring tennis elbow or tendonitis - I see and hear many stories of suffering!

How does on-site consulting work in practice?

First, I look at the situation: How does the person fit into the workstation, how does he or she use it, where, if at all, are there already harmful posture patterns? Then I take care of the correct adjustment of the chair and see if it is compatible with the table height. In a third step, I look at the work tools together with the client: Mouse, keyboard, monitor height, laptop, computer. If the workstation is paper-heavy, I look at where the documents are filed. A document holder can be a great help in this regard. After all, if the documents are placed correctly, the view is straight and you can immediately see how the person straightens up and relaxes, i.e. has a better posture overall. Everything that can be brought into the body's natural, natural posture relieves. And what relieves, relaxes.

What are the minimum requirements that modern office supplies should meet?

Today, many chairs are already well adjustable. With tables, the possibilities for height adjustment are limited. The furniture must be easy and uncomplicated to adjust, because there are people of different heights with different proportions. And even people of the same height can have different leg and arm lengths, so they have to set up the workstation differently.

Now, more and more companies are turning to desk sharing. This means that employees have a different workstation every day and therefore no longer have a "personal" office chair. What do you think of this trend?

This development is especially common in companies where employees are not in the office every day, but work at home or are often on the road. These shared workplaces are furnished in a very rudimentary and uniform way so that it fits into the overall picture of open-plan offices. The employees no longer have any personal furniture, so they can't make any individual adjustments to the material. They take the furniture as it is and don't adjust anything. This is due to people's ignorance and lack of awareness of ergonomics when working. For the employees themselves, I don't find desk sharing a positive development. There is no rest, one does not arrive properly at the workplace. The employee is constantly on the go. This harbors a considerable potential for stress.

So what's your advice to those businesses where desk sharing is unavoidable?

When purchasing new furniture, I recommend making sure that a table is height-adjustable. It should also be possible to make sufficient adjustments to the chair so that smaller and larger employees can use and operate it. Last but not least, I believe that health promotion should be implemented in a company and that employees should be trained accordingly.

More and more people are also working on laptops from home or on the road. What do you have to pay particular attention to?

Anyone who works a lot on a laptop often adopts an awkward posture. Especially if you work like this all day, the screen area is actually too small. This is because focusing on a small surface puts a strain on the posture and mainly also on the eyes in the longer term. The screen is usually too low and the screen and keyboard are too close together, especially for tall people. The distances are not right. That's why I advise frequent, short breaks and conscious movement. Eye training also helps, such as focusing on things far away, moistening the eyes. This is because the rigid, static gaze on the small screen surface puts extreme strain on the eyes, you hardly blink anymore, the eye radius decreases, which can lead to visual impairment in the long term. Vision or eye training can help to counteract this. As a preventive measure, it is worth consulting an ophthalmologist, i.e. an eye specialist.

All measures that are not only good for laptop users.

Yes, for sure. If you work mainly in a sedentary position, you don't get enough movement. The human body is dependent on movement for its functions, right down to the smallest cell. By building up and releasing pressure, for example, we mobilize the synovial fluid, the blood flow and the water balance. Our "machine" only runs optimally if we move enough. Life functions are slowed down when we sit. It is therefore important to take conscious breaks, to move consciously, to loosen and stretch the neck and shoulders with circular movements. Otherwise, bad postures develop.

In conclusion: What advice do you have for employers in general?

Companies that offer health-conscious workplaces thereby create motivation, absences can be reduced in the best case. It is important that everyone bears appropriate responsibility: While the employer has the obligation to provide a place that is not harmful to health, on the other hand, it is also up to the employee to consciously set up his place and take responsibility for his health.

The consulting firm Accenture conducted a survey of 2,000 IT security managers in 15 countries. The survey asked about cyber attacks, the effectiveness of security measures and the existing budget in companies with an annual turnover of more than one billion US dollars.

Thinking oneself in a false sense of security

Almost eight out of ten respondents (78 percent) said that IT security is considered important by the company's management and is supported accordingly. 75 percent of respondents are convinced that their strategy for defending against cyber attacks is working. In addition, 38 percent of respondents said they can monitor attacks and 44 percent can identify them.

Of the average 595 attacks on each company each year, 190 were successful, according to the respondents. Only 65 percent of security breaches are discovered by IT security teams; they learn about the remaining breaches primarily through other employees. And five out of ten respondents (51 percent) said that IT security breaches are only discovered after several months, with 17 percent discovering successful attacks even after a year or even later.

"The survey results show that Central European companies in particular feel more secure than they actually are," says Uwe Kissmann, Accenture AG Zurich and Managing Director Cyber Security Services, EALA (Europe, Africa & Latin America). "Yet permanent cyber attacks are a reality in every industry today."

Protection of customer data top priority

When asked about the top three objectives they prevent with their IT security strategy, 49 percent of respondents cited protecting customer data. Preventing business interruptions was the second most important at 51 percent. However, just over a third (36 percent) of respondents are confident that disruption will be minimized in the event of cyber attacks.

At just over nine percent, French companies spend the most money on security; in Germany, an average of eight percent of IT budgets is available for security measures. Compared to other countries, investments in IT security have grown the most among American companies over the past three years (21 percent increase compared to the global average, which is 18 percent).

"Detecting criminal behavior requires more than the best practices of the past," says Uwe Kissmann. "Companies need an approach that identifies and prioritizes corporate assets along the entire value chain. On the technology side, it is essential to actively challenge existing procedures and approaches and supplement them with 'real-world' scenarios. This requires, among other things, access to resources with years of experience in monitoring and fighting cybercrime. If this 'from attack to defense' approach can be applied to the really sensitive areas of a company, a significantly more effective protection is guaranteed. The need for a holistic and end-to-end approach that integrates digital security across the enterprise has never been greater."

Source: www.accenture.com/cybersecurityreport

Concepts such as PPP encompass the partnership-based cooperation between the public sector and private industry and is a solution approach for the optimal fulfillment of public tasks. On the one hand, PPP is a procurement variant that is oriented to the life cycle. In addition, however, according to general linguistic usage, PPP also includes other forms of partnership-based task fulfillment, which are characterized in particular by features such as fulfillment of a public task as an objective, participation of at least one private and one public partner, provision of an economic service, community of responsibility, bundling of resources (capital, operating resources, expertise), etc.

Since the turn of the century, public infrastructures have been at the center of the PPP discussion. In this context, the areas of planning, construction, possibly financing and operation (FM) are of major importance. In the area of building construction in particular, there are broad, internationally accepted standards and methods. In any case, the aim is to achieve sustainable economic efficiency over the life cycle and to ensure success through partnership.

Development of the partnership concepts

In Switzerland, various partnership concepts existed long before the PPP model. Examples include the fields of meteorology and spatial development, but also mixed-economy companies.

In view of the challenges and the threat of overstretching the state, the PPP methodology offers an excellent opportunity to launch new partnerships and optimize forms of cooperation based on partnership, as Urs Bolz, PPP expert and head of the association's network of experts, explained.

The core elements of the PPP model are that both public and private partners are responsible for the results of the end product and that the project is geared to the life cycle. The private partner explicitly assumes economic risks, and thanks to suitable incentive systems, success pays off for him.

Canton Basel-Landschaft reduces IT costs

Ruedi Hausammann, founder and partner of NOVO Business Consultants AG, pointed out the enormous costs resulting from the increasing complexity of information and communication technology ICT, not only for projects, but especially for the maintenance of IT landscapes. For example, the canton of Basel-Landschaft uses an extensive SAP platform with around 50 networked IT systems to handle business processes. The entire operation as well as further development must be ensured in the long term.

In order to improve the overall situation both qualitatively and economically, the complete transfer of the operation, support and further development of the entire SAP platform and the associated third-party systems took place in a public-private partnership with NOVO that is unique in Switzerland to date. This PPP is based on the life cycle, which is significantly longer than 10 years for an SAP landscape. The two partners form a community of responsibility and share the risks and responsibilities along their core competencies.

Energy network GSG to increase energy efficiency

The energienetz GSG (Gossau SG - St.Gallen - Gaiserwald) is a regional platform for energy and resource efficiency, founded as a simple society with 31 local member companies, the municipality of Gaiserwald, the energy cities of Gossau and St.Gallen, local energy suppliers, regional trade and industry associations, and the energy office of the canton of St.Gallen.

As coordinator Andreas Schläpfer explained, energienetz GSG aims to increase operational energy efficiency and continuously reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the Gossau East - St.Gallen West industrial area. A further goal is the construction of a low-temperature heat network (anergy network) to use the surplus waste heat from the industrial processes for the heat supply. In October 2016, the project initiators defined an initial cluster for which framework credits will be requested from the political communities for construction at the beginning of 2017.

Science: Research and development in partnership

Excellent infrastructure is needed for cutting-edge research, as Dr. Thomas Brunschwiler of IBM Reserach explained. Especially in nanotechnology, investments in the double-digit millions can be expected. In order to share these initial costs and synergistically ensure critical mass for operation, the long-standing research partners IBM and ETH Zurich opted for a PPP model in 2007 in the implementation of the "Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center (BRNC)". IBM financed the building infrastructure, while capital investments in equipment were shared between ETH and IBM, with ETH renting the space. In the process, the clean room is operated by IBM personnel and ETH contributes to the operational costs.

The PPP model has proven to be very successful and robust since the opening of the BRNC in 2011. In the meantime, four professorships of ETH Zurich are permanently located in Rüschlikon and a first startup could already be founded. The BRNC is a unique success in the field of PPP of basic research infrastructure in Switzerland. Thus, IBM can continue its world-class research in the field of nanotechnology in Rüschlikon and ETH has gained capacity expansion of its research infrastructure and access to a professional process team many years earlier. Furthermore, Switzerland's position in the international research landscape could be decisively strengthened through this collaboration.

Public Private Development Partnerships (PPDP)

Jean-Christophe Favre, advisor for partnerships with the private sector at the SDC, outlined how collaboration with the private sector can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda, adopted by the international community in September 2015, can only be implemented if there is strong commitment from all stakeholders. The Dispatch on International Cooperation 2017-2020 encourages Swiss development cooperation to work more closely with businesses to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDC engages in innovative partnerships with the private sector. In these partnerships, each partner contributes its skills and resources to achieve a common goal, even if their respective interests may differ. The aim is to develop products and services for the most disadvantaged, such as micro-insurance against natural disasters; to influence the business model of companies, for example by reducing the water footprint of their products; and to promote dialogue on the principles of responsible business conduct and human rights, for example through the Global Compact. In this way, it should be possible to make a sustainable, far-reaching contribution to the achievement of development goals and poverty reduction.

More information: Association PPP Switzerland

Martin Rohrbach succeeds Erik Willems, who has successfully built up and developed the Life Sciences sector over the past years. "The life science industry needs new business models to find answers to megatrends such as demographic development, ever more rapidly changing customer needs, and digitalization. In addition, the industry must make contributions to other important issues concerning the future of the healthcare system," explains Martin Rohrbach. These include integrated solution approaches to improve the effectiveness of research and development, to make procurement chains more flexible or to ensure increased tax transparency, as well as challenges related to digitalization.

Martin Rohrbach has been with KPMG since 1998. Prior to that, the passionate alpinist and amateur photographer held various positions abroad, sometimes with a focus on capital market transactions. In the field of life sciences, the trained banker has many years of experience in advising companies of various sizes.

Source: KPMG

Software from the cloud on a growth courseThis is why they are responsible for invoicing and dunning, inventory or customer data management and are often poorly organized: they use cumbersome Excel tables and thus lose track of the bigger customer and sales figures. The result: the loss of time and money.

Software from the cloud on course for growth

Not so long ago, procuring professional business software for a company meant a high investment that usually only larger companies could afford. Cloud solutions fundamentally changed the software market. Cloud means that the software is accessed via the Internet. Work can therefore be done at any time and from anywhere and with different devices - all that is needed is an Internet connection and a browser. In contrast to such cloud solutions, conventional software programs for companies often offer too many functions, are therefore relatively expensive and not designed for the needs of small businesses.

By managing IT in a centralized data center, cloud software can be made available to a large number of users at the same time. Because this significantly reduces the cost per user, software with functions that were previously reserved for large customers is now also available to SMEs at a fraction of the original price. Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions have long since established themselves on the market. Well-known areas of application are customer relationship management tools, online stores or newsletter distribution. However, the use of the cloud for accounting, inventory management or invoicing is still less widespread, but is now on a strong growth course. This is evident, for example, at bexio (formerly easySYS): "We were able to double our customer base to over 3500 in the last fiscal year and already employ over 30 people in the third fiscal year."

Web-based software for the SME country Switzerland

92.3 percent of all Swiss companies are small and medium-sized enterprises. But although small companies could particularly benefit from external solutions from the cloud, they are still poorly represented in this segment. This is not only due to demand: "When I worked with two partners in our IT company a few years ago, we were struggling with our office administration. We didn't have an overview of our customer data and were making mistakes in invoicing. So we needed office software. We couldn't find one up and down the country that met our needs as a small business. So we decided to develop one ourselves."

Business software has several advantages: for example, it is usually possible for users to set up the account within a few minutes. Entrepreneurs or employees can access and update data at home, in the office, on a business trip or at a customer's site. This flexibility helps simplify workflows and fill waiting times productively. Time sheets or data can be entered online immediately after the customer meeting, for example.

Ease of use instead of complexity

There are many complex solutions for larger companies. However, they are not designed for the needs of companies with few employees. For entrepreneurs who do their accounting after a hard day's work or even on the weekend, the software should not have any major hurdles. User-friendliness is therefore crucial: how well and intuitively can the software be operated? There are big differences here, so it's best to check the product before buying. Most service providers offer a free trial version.

Web-based software solutions are particularly flexible: Because customers can switch to competitors more easily than with permanently installed systems, cloud software providers strive to optimize their solutions permanently and usually free of charge.

Cloud security and independence from the provider

Various entrepreneurs do without cloud software because they are concerned about the security of their own data. However, the question arises as to which is more secure: the company's own computer in the office, which is not kept up to date by an IT specialist, or the cloud solutions, where the provider guarantees the security of the data and works with appropriate specialists.

In any case, cloud software providers should be checked for their seriousness. For example, where is the data stored? Is it encrypted and does the provider comply with all security standards? bexio, for example, deliberately stores the data in Swiss data centers and encrypts the data transfer (SSL certificate).

To be on the safe side, it is important to find out about the data export options from the providers beforehand. Check how easy it is to cancel the subscription. If this option is hidden or if cancellation is only possible by letter or fax, this is a bad sign.

For the provider, it seems tempting to erect barriers here. But that is not enough. Because customers notice when their freedom is taken away. This damages the image. Instead of making it more difficult to switch out of fear, customers should be persuaded through feedback opportunities and a personal approach.

The advantages of office software from the cloud

For SMEs in particular, there are many reasons to choose office software from the cloud. The most important are low barriers to entry, ease of use and flexible usage options. This leaves small businesses, start-ups and self-employed people more time for their core business.

bexio ag https://www.bexio.com

The advantages and disadvantages of group work can be here as PDF download

Creativity techniques

There are over 100 creativity techniques in existence worldwide that can be used to generate ideas, with some of the methods differing only by minor variations. If you want to use creativity techniques, start with techniques such as brainstorming, the 635 method or stimulus word analysis. The more often creativity techniques are used, the better the results achieved. Regular use of the techniques promotes the development of creative thinking skills and can thus, in a positive sense, become routine.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a method of creative thinking and is used to find solutions to almost all types of problems. The knowledge of several people is used to solve the problem, so that synergy effects are created here. You start with the problem analysis, from which a question is derived. Thought-psychological blockades are switched off and the subconscious is activated so that fantasies can develop freely. After a first collection, the "raw protocol" is revised together, ideas are concretized and unrealistic ideas are sorted out. The group work ends with the implementation. Five to seven participants with different knowledge and experience are optimal. If possible, no superiors should participate in a meeting. They influence and block the free flow of ideas, consciously or unconsciously. Use a moderator.

635 method

In the 635 method, ideas from other participants are taken up and developed further. This leads to an improvement in the quality of ideas. The area of application is almost unlimited and particularly suitable for clearly defined issues. The synergy potential is particularly high, as the focus is on the further development of other ideas.

It starts with six people writing down ideas about the problem they are looking for on forms with six rows, three columns and within five minutes (hence the 635 method). Then the forms are passed on in a clockwise direction. In five minutes each, everyone adds to and varies the previous idea. After 30 minutes, the round is completed and the ideas can be evaluated by the participants together. In this way, a reduction to the most suitable ideas is made. The (target) number of participants for this method is six, but it can also be carried out with fewer participants.

Mindmapping

Mindmapping activates the pictorial-spatial thinking ability and thus enables a new way of looking at a problem. The topic is mapped in a structure and can be restructured as desired. Essential points are worked out, new connections are made and secondary aspects are illuminated. The structure remains open and can thus be supplemented at any time.

A large sheet of paper and different colored pens are needed as working materials. The central concept is written in the center of the sheet. New ideas, which are arranged radially around the initial idea in the center, form paths and chains of associations. This reveals connections that can be discussed and prioritized. Mindmapping can be developed alone but also in a small group, for example on a flipchart.

Thinking Hats according to de Bono (Six Thinking Hats)

The six-hats method offers another way to improve meetings and structure thought processes. This method uses hats, with each hat having a different color, each representing a specific role:

• Weiss: Analytical thinking - Focus on facts and requirements, achieve goals
• Red: Emotional thinking and feeling - Focus on feelings and opinions, in need of harmony
• Black: Critical thinking - Worry about the future, anxious, looking for problems and negative aspects
• Yellow: Optimistic thinking - What is the best-case scenario? Counterpoint to the black hat
• Green: Creative, innovative and unconventional thinking - new ideas, creativity, practice is in the foreground
• Blue: Ordering, moderating thinking - Maintains an overview of the processes and sees himself as a moderator

Participants take turns assuming each of the aforementioned roles, arguing and expressing their ideas according to their respective roles. Parallel thinking sets in. Conflicts are avoided by each participant taking each role and yet all positions are considered.

Thinking Chairs

The Walt Disney method of thinking chairs consists of three roles, with the same approach as the six-hats method:

• The dreamer thinks in images, subjectively oriented and enthusiastic, is open to others' visions and is not constrained by rules.
• The realizer takes a pragmatic-practical point of view, thinks about what to do and what is needed for it. He tries out the dreamer's ideas before they are criticized.
• The critic challenges and checks specifications of others, the goal is constructive and positive criticism, asks what has been overlooked and where the risks lie.

By putting oneself in a situation, person or role, a problem is seen from different perspectives. This creates a playful approach to ideas and an expansion of the radius of ideas through projection onto certain roles or viewpoints. Both the thinking hats method and the thinking chairs method offer the following benefits:

• Creating distance from the problem
• Capture multiple perspectives
• Resolving tensions, preventing positional battles and confrontations through anonymity
• High acceptance of the result

An essential element for the successful collection of ideas is putting them in writing. A lack of minutes can have a negative impact on the motivation of the participants as well as on the evaluation of the ideas. Therefore, the following points must be observed:

• The minutes are to be kept in public, all ideas are to be written down on the flipchart, made visible in the form of cards or visualized with a laptop and beamer.
• Errors can creep in through abbreviation or through incorrect interpretation of the ideas. Therefore, the formulation should always be approved by the idea provider.
• When summarizing to a generic term, there is a danger that original ideas will be lost. The concrete identification of ideas must not suffer as a result of keyword-like logging.
• All ideas must be written down, there must be no filtering or evaluation by the recorder or moderator.

Creativity techniques can be used to generate ideas that can then be developed into innovations. Case studies have shown that successful creative companies do not use just one measure to increase creativity, but rather a mix. Incidentally, training courses for creativity techniques are also part of this mix.

Companies must recognize dangers

Most companies are aware of the dangers of mental stress and invest in preventive measures. After all, employees who can cope well with strain and stress are more productive. In all areas, often surprisingly simple methods and activities lead to the goal. However, a prerequisite for successful health and exercise management in the company is an appropriate and exemplary corporate culture - at every level!

One of the companies in the service sector that actively and specifically promotes talent development, sports and preventive health is the CSD Group, headquartered in Liebefeld BE. The engineering and consulting company is active in the fields of environment, construction and energy, has 20 locations in Switzerland and 10 more in Germany, Belgium, Lithuania and Italy. CSD Ingenieure AG, with over 500 employees, is one of the largest engineering firms in the country. With almost 10 percent apprentices and trainees, CSD invests in the education of young people and in the future.

Mr. Gallati, you have held management positions in both the private and public sectors for many years. How important are healthy and fit employees for service and administrative companies?

Franz Gallati: A good corporate culture that focuses on respectful and motivating dealings with all employees and fellow human beings is medicine and motivation for good performance - whether at work, in everyday life or in sports. The same principles apply everywhere, which are ultimately the basis for success. One should come to the office every day happy and upbeat. At CSD, we actively try to promote this and offer a number of things to do so. This not only promotes mental and spiritual balance, fit and healthy employees are better motivated and more agile - in every respect.

Consequently, the Latin or Roman proverb "Mens sana in corpore sano" (In a healthy body dwells a healthy mind) applies more than ever?

That's exactly how it is! I know and feel that myself with every additional year. A healthy and moderate life in earlier and younger years helps you later. But you should get at least half an hour of concentrated exercise three times a week. In other words, you should do sports intensively. Nice words, because I know myself that with today's professional and everyday stresses and dangers, this requires a lot of discipline and toughness.

As an engineer in the canton of Schwyz, you helped design some infrastructure and transport projects. Quite a large number of your cadre employees at that time were very good athletes (or still are). Could you detect any differences in terms of resilience, health and performance compared to less active employees?

My experience is that sporty employees also have a so-called sporty way of thinking and acting - in other words, they are more resilient, more efficient and capable of exceptional performance. And in addition, they usually have a healthy and necessary capacity for criticism. This was also confirmed to me by Beat Villiger, a long-time Swiss Olympic doctor, on the occasion of a joint bus trip in New York. Those people who do sports regularly have a much larger store of the so-called "positive stress", which is good for health. In addition, there are endorphins, i.e. happiness hormones, which help to reduce stress hormones - with the pleasant side effect that feelings of happiness arise after mastering difficult tasks.

You are the head of the Zurich office of CSD. You have changed fronts, so to speak. What distinguishes CSD in terms of working conditions, development and workplace health promotion, i.e. of work-life balance?

The change of front was not a particular change or difficulty for me as a trained construction tradesman. The second point is an important issue for us, which has been fully integrated into the company and is also accepted by everyone. Active health promotion, good working conditions and a corresponding company culture are fixed components of the CSD daily routine. For example, we have a separate shower in the office so that the necessary infrastructure for personal hygiene is available for employees and athletes who ride their bikes to the office. In addition, we have a running group that gets in some sporty and sometimes intense work every Tuesday at the running meeting. And: You wouldn't believe the problems that can sometimes be solved in passing. Finally, it is also crucial that you not only propagate terms such as work-life balance, i.e. the balance or harmony of work and private life, on paper or on the website, but also set an example as a boss.

Exercise against stress

It is not only preventive physicians who first advise exercise in the case of strong psychological strain and stress. David Fäh from the Institute of Epidemiology, Biostatics and Prevention at the University of Zurich found that regular exercise, such as running or cycling, improves the ability to switch off and deal with stress. In addition Fäh continues: "A main problem of the modern working world is that natural stress can no longer be discharged." The hunters of prehistoric times had it easier in this respect - but probably only in this respect! Although regularly disturbed by wild animals, our ancestors were able to relieve stress during the chases, especially after a successful hunt and especially when eating the prey together afterwards.

So it's no coincidence that many top managers often engage in endurance sports. The intense exercise is an almost ideal balance to the heavy workloads. Another positive side effect is that ideas and solutions to problems often come surprisingly easily during exercise. Every company must find the right strategy for its corporate culture and health promotion. It all comes down to dose and measure. It is undisputed that health-promoting measures reduce sick leave and other absences - and thus naturally also increase work performance: Healthy and motivated employees identify with their company, show more commitment and thus contribute to the company's success.

Mr. Gallati, you hear the saying everywhere: "As a boss, you can't want to please everyone." What do you think of that?

In principle, that's even true. The staff should and must know that they do not have a boss who wants to and does chum up superficially. The decisive factor is how one deals with problems and questions from employees. The important thing is the style - and how you can turn justified criticism into something positive and constructive and work through mistakes. In other words: "C'est le ton qui fait la Musique!" Of course, a boss must be and remain capable of learning.

Can you switch off well? And how does that happen in concrete terms?

Yes, very well indeed - fortunately! Especially also because of my sports activities. I try to do sports every day, sometimes more and often more. I have arranged it in such a way that in the early morning on the exercise bike I think about upcoming things, read files and study. In this way, I can ideally combine and link health and everyday work at the beginning of the day, so to speak. A healthy diet and sufficient sleep are important here - in other words, in every situation in life and at work: moderate and not excessive!

A few years ago, you ran the New York City Marathon in three hours and took part in the 150-kilometer Inferno Triathlon, with the longest part, the 100-kilometer bike course. So regular sport is important to you, why?

For me, sporting activity is an important and necessary balance to the often strict, hectic everyday life in our industry. Sport and exercise give me strength for everyday life, i.e. not just for professional activities. And it has a nice side effect: You learn to approach problems and open questions in a targeted manner, to analyze them and to find good solutions.

And now you are also president of Swiss Cycling, probably one of the most difficult sports associations to run, where within two years you have restructured the finances of the umbrella organization of Swiss cycling, which was on the brink of the abyss, and have been able to win back a lot of trust with clever personnel renewal of the board. How do you reconcile all this without "stress"?

Quite well, actually. What is and was important for me is that I gave up some other commitments and memberships in clubs and associations in order to concentrate fully on my job and association activities as president of Swiss Cycling. And probably the most decisive thing is that my wife Bettina supports me fully. This is all the easier because she is also an enthusiastic sportswoman and biker. It is important for me to accept and do only those things that I can fully support and enjoy doing. Then there is usually no dangerous stress. It's like hobbies: I don't know anyone who has had a burnout because of it.

Self-service model instead of help desk

IT specialists in SMEs spend a lot of time solving problems for customers and internal employees. Whether resetting passwords or making blocked email accounts functional again: To relieve the IT specialist, such services can be outsourced and taken over by the cloud specialist. By building self-service platforms, employees and customers are given more autonomy and can perform simple tasks themselves. This avoids incidents, reduces costs, and IT staff can devote themselves to more complex tasks again. In addition, it pays to outsource time-intensive work to the cloud. The best example is the migration of the mail server to the cloud: the back-up is the responsibility of the cloud partner, and outsourcing relieves internal storage requirements and reduces the probability of a server crash.

"Managed Cloud" as a magic word

Small and medium-sized enterprises often employ a generalist who takes care of all aspects of the cloud. There is a lack of money for an additional specialist to take care of security, Big Data or the online store, for example, which is not without consequences. Limited resources can mean that in an emergency it is not possible to react quickly enough to a security breach or that customers do not receive the desired service in the online store. This is where "managed cloud" comes in: a solution that is perfectly tailored to the needs of the SME and is both created and operated by the cloud provider. The company is provided with a personal contact person who is available at all times, so that it can concentrate on its core business without having to deal with technical details.

Transparent billing models

The advantages of the cloud are obvious. But it needs a trustworthy and competent partner. It is important that he only charges for the services actually purchased. This means that the SME only purchases the necessary infrastructure so that access is secured and volume peaks can be fully covered. If the workload is higher, additional resources are released and the services are ramped up. Billing is on an hourly basis. Here it is worth working with an internationally active cloud provider who can provide the necessary resources as and when required - regardless of whether they are needed in Germany or abroad - without any problems and instantly.

rackspace https://www.rackspace.com/de

The seated posture is perceived as relieving compared to standing. The posture is more stable when sitting than when standing. But static holding work can cause back and neck problems. Accordingly, up to 80 % of employees who perform daily VDU work report multiple health complaints such as aching eyes, tense shoulders or back problems. So sitting is more for comfort than for health. However, the human organism needs movement to remain healthy in the long term. For some time now, the use of sit-stand office workstations has therefore been recommended. In practice, it has been shown that even with ergonomically adjustable office furniture, the recommended alternation between sitting and standing hardly ever takes place. Among other reasons, this is because employees lack the knowledge to adjust the furniture correctly, and those who do not suffer from physical problems lack the motivation or acceptance.

Sitting for long periods endangers health

Recent research on sitting in the office shows that the health risks of prolonged sitting do not relate solely to physical tension. Rather, a number of negative health consequences occur when sitting for more than four hours a day. For example, the metabolic basal metabolic rate, i.e. the body's metabolic activity, fat burning and muscle activity in the legs, is reduced. This has been shown to increase the risk of a whole range of serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and osteoporosis. According to the current state of research, the consequences of prolonged sitting cannot be compensated for by recreational sports. Accordingly, measures to reduce the risks need to be differentiated between those that reduce or interrupt prolonged sitting and those that aim to promote physical activity. Current research contributions indicate that measures to promote physical activity cannot reduce the time spent sitting at the same time.

Get up once every half hour

The recommended measures for reducing prolonged sitting can be summarized as follows: "Stand up, sit less, move more, more often! On the one hand, the measures are aimed at reducing the total time spent sitting and instead spending more time standing or walking. It should be noted that standing should not be static and should not last longer than 20 minutes at a time, otherwise negative physical consequences can also occur. On the other hand, the measures are aimed at interrupting long periods of sitting at a stretch - ideally this should happen every 30 minutes.

Initiate behavioral changes

Measures to reduce prolonged sitting can basically be divided into two different categories: behavioral and behavioral measures.

1. Behavioral measures intend to generate a change in behavior among the individuals concerned. These include incentive systems, reminders, competitions or self-commitment and goal setting. For example, posters can be put up reminding employees to stand up in between walking. Or pedometers can be distributed, followed by a team competition to collect the most steps per team.
2. Proportional measures start with the work situation and working conditions. These include, in particular, adjustments to the infrastructure and design of the office environment, such as the use of height-adjustable desks, decentrally located printers or coffee machines and water dispensers, and the attractive design of stairwells. In order to achieve the highest possible effectiveness of the measures, behavioral and relationship-oriented measures should be used in combination.

Sensitize employees

An important prerequisite for the success of the measures is communicating the knowledge that prolonged sitting poses a risk to health. Many people are not aware of the far-reaching negative health consequences of prolonged sitting. The people affected must be motivated to change their behavior and accept the measures implemented.

Responsibility for ergonomics is therefore not limited to the furnishing of workplaces, but includes regular measures to motivate, inform and convince people to behave in a healthy manner. Here, in addition to conventional awareness-raising measures through information and training, innovative measures that combine ergonomics and work effectiveness are also conceivable: For example, standing meetings often shorten the duration of meetings, and meetings while walking ("walking meetings") stimulate creativity.

Federal Office for Sport http://bit.ly/2fbdhG1

Get Britain standing http://bit.ly/1pr74CV

ZHAW https://www.zhaw.ch