In Switzerland, approximately four out of five buildings are planned with predefined fire protection measures and approved by the authorities. The currently valid fire protection regulations (BSV 2015) already take different user risks into account. This is evidenced by the fact that for various building types and their forms of use, tailor-made measures are required to achieve the protection goals. However, the prescriptive fire protection regulations also allow for completely different solutions - those that are not implemented according to the standard scheme - by means of verification and applied engineering methods.

How does standardized fire protection in combination with equivalent, deviating solutions already find application today? Cost pressure, a dynamic environment and many decisive criteria - for example, type of construction, location, use, occupancy, fire loads, building geometry and many more - make construction projects seem complex. Conflicts of objectives in fire protection are also not uncommon. In order to meet the objectives of the building owner, the protection goals and, in principle, the interests of all those involved in the construction and projects, holistic solutions in fire protection are required. Solutions that combine standard and performance-oriented methods.

Interested parties will receive detailed specialist knowledge on the subject of fire protection directly from the experts at a symposium on March 16, 2023 in Zurich. Various presentations on new possibilities, scientific findings, current methods and technologies as well as project examples from practice form the basis for this exciting knowledge transfer. The conference is organized by Save AG. This company specializes in the practical transfer of knowledge between security experts on the topics of risk management, corporate security, building security, safety and health protection (AS&GS), fire protection, information and infrastructure security, population protection as well as machine and process safety, incident prevention, natural and environmental hazards, guarding and integral security concepts.

Source and further information: Save Inc.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/brandschutz-zunehmend-risikobasiert/

Whether you have 30 employees or 500, whether you are a service provider, retailer or manufacturer - with the cloud-based "Setago" app, companies of all sizes and in all industries can digitize all processes in no time at all. The app was developed by Phoenix Mecano Komponenten AG, based in Stein am Rhein (SH). 

Immediately productive with the app

With the help of the SaaS tool, not only can the processes in the company be recorded, documented paperlessly and managed. The app can also be used to retrieve or share secured know-how at any time. It ensures the traceability of goods and allows the implementation of a quality management system. At the same time, creating assembly instructions or work instructions is child's play. For illustration purposes, the instructions can be supplemented with photos via a QR code upload. "Anyone who can operate a smartphone is able to use or program the Setago app. This means that new employees are productive almost immediately," explains Gennaro Frontino, Marketing Manager at Phoenix Mecano Komponenten AG.

In addition, the digital assistance system enables production to be networked with cobots, autonomous driverless transport systems, product-specific LEAN workstations with digital worker guidance, and higher-level software and controls of all kinds. The solution thus lays the foundation for affordable smart factory solutions that are quickly implemented, bring real benefits to users and pay for themselves within a short time.

The right solution for every company size

Even the free version of the app offers 5 GB of free storage space and gives two users the ability to create and manage work instructions, assign users and roles, and upload videos and images. With the app's starter, team and company packages, which offer correspondingly expanded user licenses, storage capacities and a greater number of shareable documents as well as functionalities, Phoenix Mecano offers every company a suitable solution for optimizing their production processes and increasing their productivity.

Phoenix Mecano Komponenten AG is part of the globally active Phoenix Mecano Group. With a broad product range, it claims to be the leading Swiss specialist in the development and manufacture of components and innovative system solutions and, as a solution provider for enclosure, linear and profile technology and for digitalized, automated Production 4.0, is at home in (almost) every market.

Source and further information: www.phoenix-mecano.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/eine-app-als-erster-schritt-auf-dem-weg-zur-smart-factory/

The chatbot based on artificial intelligence ChatGPT is making headlines around the world - and in addition to the news in the stock market and copyright environment, IT security is also the focus of discussions. This is because the recently realized, wider availability of the tool, despite all the security efforts of the manufacturer, brings new challenges when it comes to phishing lures or dialog-oriented scams such as romance scams via social networks or business-oriented compromise attacks via e-mail.

Chatbots as helpers of cyber criminals

"One of the biggest risks is that attackers are using these platforms to significantly improve the quality of their phishing lures. This makes phishing attacks increasingly difficult to identify, even for alert users," said Chet Wisniewski, cybersecurity expert at Sophos. "Ultimately, the ever-improving AI chatbots provide a free upgrade for all kinds of social engineering attacks. Programs like ChatGPT can be used to create criminally oriented, highly realistic, interactive conversations via email or to launch chat attacks via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or other chat apps. Today, the greatest threat is to English-speaking audiences. However, it is probably only a matter of time before new versions are available to create credible texts in all the world's commonly spoken languages. We've reached a stage where humans are increasingly unable to distinguish machine-generated prose from that written by humans - especially if we don't know the other person well."

Scams - "optimized" by chatbots

The days when companies could rely on employees to play an active role in defending against cyberattacks by checking for grammatical and spelling errors or odd phrasing are over. One of the last effective elements of training programs is being undermined by chatbots like ChatGPT - and very effectively, as the following two examples illustrate. The original decoy text of a business email compromise (BEC) scammer attempting to redirect another person's paycheck to the attacker's account is relatively easy to recognize as "not genuine." In comparison, below is a variant written by entering the appropriate thematic cornerstones of ChatGPT. Standard scam email: Hi ...., I changed my banks because of my old account is no longer good to accept dd payment and I'll like to change my paycheck direct deposit details, can the change be effective for the current pay date? Thanks, ....   Text written by ChatGPT: Dear HR,  I am writing to request that you update my direct deposit information in the company's payroll system. My current bank account information is no longer valid and I will be switching to a new bank.  Could you please let me know what information you need in order to update my direct deposit information? I am happy to provide any necessary details.  I would also like to request that this update be made in time for the next payroll period. Is there anything else I need to do to ensure a smooth transition?  Thank you for your attention in this matter. I appreciate your help in ensuring that my paychecks are deposited into the correct account. Sincerely, [Your name]   And the following example of gift card fraud also quickly illustrates just how good AI chatbots have become. Standard scam email: Please, I need you to purchase gift cards. We have a few clients I want to send gifts to. How quickly can you arrange these? Because I need to send them out in less than 1 hour. So can I tell you which product we will need and the amount? Thanks. Text written by ChatGPT: Hey [Employee] I hope you're doing well. I'm reaching out because I need your help with something really important. I have a client who needs a gift card ASAP, and I don't have time to get it myself. Would you be able to pick up a gift card from [store or e-gift card website] for [amount] and send it to me via email as soon as possible? I know this might be a bit of inconvenience, but I really appreciate your help in getting this taken care of quickly. If you have any questions or need more info, just let me know. Thanks a ton for your help. Take care, [Your name] Wisniewski on his "creative work" with the chatbot: "Both examples sound like a real person's email, have good punctuation, spelling and grammar. Are they perfect? No. Are they good enough? Absolutely! With scammers already making millions from their poorly crafted lures, it's easy to imagine the new dimension of this AI-pushed communication. Imagine chatting with this bot on WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams. Would they have recognized the machine?"

"Putting the nail in the coffin of end-user security awareness"

The fact is that almost all types of applications in the field of AI have already reached a point where they can fool a human in almost 100% of cases. The quality of the "conversation" that can be had with ChatGPT is remarkable, and the ability to create fake human faces that are almost indistinguishable (to humans) from real photos is also already a reality, for example. The criminal potential of such technologies is immense, as one example makes clear: criminals who want to run a scam through a fake company simply generate 25 faces and use ChatGPT to write their biographies. Add to that a few fake LinkedIn accounts and you're good to go. Conversely, the "good side" must also turn to technology to compete. "We all need to put on our Iron Man suits if we are going to brave the increasingly dangerous waters of the Internet," Wisniewski said. "It increasingly looks like we will need machines to detect when other machines are trying to fool us. An interesting proof of concept has been developed by Hugging Face, which can recognize text generated by GPT-2 - suggesting that similar techniques could be used to recognize GPT-3 output." "Sad but true, AI has put the final nail in the coffin of end-user security awareness. Am I saying we should stop using it altogether? No, but we do need to scale back our expectations. It certainly doesn't hurt to follow IT security best practices that have been, and often still are, in place. We need to encourage users to be even more suspicious than they have been in the past, and especially to scrupulously review even error-free messages that include access to personal information or monetary elements. It's about asking questions, asking for help, and taking the few moments of extra time necessary to confirm that things are really as they seem. It's not paranoia, it's a willingness to not let the crooks get the better of you." Source: Sophos

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/chatbots-auf-dem-vormarsch-ki-ist-jetzt-der-natuerlichen-ignoranz-gewachsen/

Quality must not only be visible, but also tangible and audible. This is especially true for controls and switches, their operating feel, sound or tactile feedback. The high-precision silicone keypads and silicone sensors from the Sateco Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers, make the decisive quality difference here in many products from a wide range of sectors, from the automotive industry to building automation, industry including heavy transport, and the consumer goods industry. They are the functional core element that connects mechanics with electronics.

Start of production planned for 2023

The Swiss family-owned company employs around 800 people at sites in Europe, the USA and Asia. The production site in China is now being joined by another in Angeles City in the Philippines. The factory management will be taken over by an experienced Japanese manager. This is intended to support the development of new sales markets in East Asia. Alastair Martin, COO Sateco Group, describes the plans: "The groundbreaking ceremony took place in December 2022. We then plan to be producing in the new factory by the end of 2023. With a second production site, we increase stability and delivery reliability for our customers." The initial plan is to produce in three shifts with around 300 to 400 employees.

There are several arguments in favor of the Philippines. One of them is that it is possible to communicate directly in English across all hierarchical levels. This facilitates daily collaboration and also enables innovations, which the company also wants to drive forward with the new location. Dr. Daniel Häfliger, CEO Sateco Group, gives further reasons: "The support we receive locally at all levels is overwhelming, be it from the government, partners or the Swiss Chamber of Commerce to the Philippines. We have felt very welcome in the Philippines from the very beginning."

Quality, continuity, innovation and cooperation in partnership

The production site in the Philippines embeds well into the overall corporate strategy. With a consistent quality rate of < 0.2 ppm on more than 200 million parts annually, Sateco is one of the most reliable manufacturers of precision silicone molded parts in the world. Founded in 1999, the company is still family-run. This ensures financial independence and stability and brings the necessary flexibility. Most products are created as customer-specific solutions. "Here we work closely with our customers in partnership, usually over many years," explains Häfliger. "The Sateco Engineering Center (SEC) with over 60 specialists is unparalleled. With tools that are 100 % designed, developed and qualified in-house and a fully equipped, state-of-the-art measurement laboratory, the SEC takes new technologies from concept sketch to series production in the shortest possible time." With the new production site in the Philippines, the company will be able to respond even more flexibly to its customers' requests in the future, develop innovative solutions and create even better conditions for long-term cooperative partnerships.

Source and further information

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/schweizer-sateco-gruppe-baut-standort-auf-den-philippinen/

Swiss universities and research institutions are world leaders in many fields. Switzerland is also among the leading nations in terms of research results and the resulting patents. However, new manufacturing technologies often do not find their way out of the research laboratories here and into industrial application. Their path then ends in the "valley of death" for innovations.

Maintaining Switzerland as a high-quality production location

This is where the initiative to establish a network of Swiss technology transfer centers, the "Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Centers" (AM-TTC for short), comes in. The initiative is part of the federal government's "Digitization" action plan and aims to maintain Switzerland as a modern and high-quality production location in the long term. The AM-TTC initiative aims to establish and make accessible infrastructures that enable Swiss industry - especially local SMEs - to learn about, try out and transfer new manufacturing technologies into their production.

The individual technology centers are founded and financed in a partnership between the public sector and industry ("public-private partnership"). The sponsors and consortia of the centers are made up of Swiss research institutions and industrial companies. Thus, these centers are also places where the partners from science and industry can jointly develop new manufacturing technologies and make them suitable for industrial use.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/eidgenossenschaft-foerdert-zwei-weitere-technologiezentren/

Why are there campaigns that only achieve unsatisfactory awareness effects despite high reach and contact intensity? To find out, Die Marktforscher conducted a new advertising impact study in German- and French-speaking Switzerland based on a total of 3,886 interviews. The reach and acceptance of all relevant media types were examined.

The market researchers were prompted by the fact that numerous campaign post-tests have shown that the decision-making basis for channel determination is usually only based on reach and contact probabilities - not on reach and acceptance.

It now emerged that online advertising channels (especially on a daily basis) have the highest reach. However, the acceptance of advertising is rated by far the lowest here. The researchers found the highest acceptance values for outdoor advertising and screens in buses and streetcars. However, if both factors (reach & acceptance) are taken into account equally and everything is converted to a 10-point system, it emerges that the higher the score, the greater the impact of awareness campaigns. Thus, it is primarily classic media such as OOH, TV, and print that are effective here. But screens in buses and streetcars are also ideally suited for awareness campaigns, because this channel achieves the highest acceptance values (chart 1, point 4). However, the differences between language areas and target groups must be taken into account.

Differences in the language area

In French-speaking Switzerland, for example, the acceptance ratings for advertising were generally lower. This applies above all to the OOH sector. For example, significantly lower awareness effects are achieved with street and station posters than in German-speaking Switzerland. However, OOH still performs well in an intermedia comparison (F-CH). The population of French-speaking Switzerland also has less affinity for print advertising, the study says. On the other hand, TV campaigns achieve a higher impact in the French-speaking area. Online advertising channels are only suitable as an accompanying measure for awareness campaigns in both language areas. Of course, this differs significantly depending on the target group. For example, social media campaigns are a very cost-effective way to increase brand awareness among young women.

With the "Sélection Grand Hotel", the figurehead of Länggass- Tee's B2B product lines was at the center of the intended harmonization and redesign. Previously kept in plain black, the 18 varieties, known in particular from the catering and hotel trade, now reflect the diversity of tea culture with their respective color nuances. With the "Édition Classique" and the "Édition Supérieur", the range has also been expanded to include two extensive resale lines.

Kargo with new packaging concept

As the product range grew, so did the variety of packaging types. In close cooperation between Länggass-Tee and Kargo, the holistic packaging concept and the individual product lines of the Bernese "Love Brand" were harmonized and redesigned.

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Responsible at Länggass-Tee, Familie Lange AG: Katrin Lange (1st generation management), Kaspar Lange (2nd generation management), Tina Maria Wagner (2nd generation management until summer 2022), Eva Ming (projects and communication from summer 2022); Robin Oberholzer (graphics and production). Responsible at Kargo Kommunication LSA: Christoph Balsiger (Creative Direction), Fabia Dellsperger (Creative and Art Direction), Roman Sterchi (Consulting and Project Management), Pasquale Herren (Graphic Design), Jorge Martinez (Motion Design and Photography).

While companies want to avoid penalties for data protection violations and breaches of compliance requirements as much as possible, the pressure on departments is growing. Modern software solutions are needed to meet the obligations to identify data efficiently and make it available for further processing. Especially the automation of complex processes plays a decisive role. Exterro, a provider of legal GRC software solutions, identifies three developments for 2023 that will become central for companies in terms of legal and compliance issues.

1. Legal processes are increasingly being handled in-house. Complying with data protection regulations and fulfilling the legally required duty to provide information can quickly run into money - especially when companies are dependent on external lawyers and experts. To reduce expenses, more and more companies are turning to automated GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) software to handle legal and compliance processes themselves. With user-friendly solutions and visual dashboards, this enables non-legal employees, such as those in the HR department, to handle these legal issues. For GRC software vendors, this trend means that they need to focus more on checks and balances to ensure that the system detects and reports potential violations.
2. Automated software helps with compliance with the EU GDPR. Many of the solutions that have been in use since the introduction of the GDPR 2018 are in need of a general overhaul, if not replacement. Even if they served well in the early days, the majority of them rely on tedious manual processes. Now, nearly five years after launch, companies will increasingly turn to new, automated solutions that manage accumulated data assets more efficiently. Companies need not fear any changes to the basic framework of the GDPR in this regard; there is no foreseeable political will to make changes to the basic regulation.
3. High number of information requests overloads companies. The massive increase in data disclosure requests has caught many companies off guard. Consumers' right to access their personal data can become a major challenge for HR departments without automated DSAR (Data Subject Access Request) solutions. The remedy is eDiscovery software that identifies all personal data and makes it available in a report.

"We expect to see an increase in solutions built on the concept of privacy-by-design in the coming quarters. The development of these tools takes into account technical data protection and relevant regulations from the very beginning," explains Istvan Puskas, Director Sales DACH Corporate at Exterro. "Straightforward software to automate processes is needed because proactive data protection must be a high priority with the multiple touchpoints between companies and their solution users."

Source and further information: Exterro

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/loesungen-fuer-government-risk-compliance-grc-automatisierung-ist-trumpf/

The advertising companies were asked about their assessments of and outlook for the Swiss advertising market. Despite uncertainties, 50% expect revenues to rise and 35% to remain stable in 2023. Around a quarter of respondents anticipate a decline in revenues. Most, however, expect revenues to remain flat or increase. Despite this outlook, many advertisers are taking a cautious approach to budgeting. While around half of the companies want to invest the same amount of advertising money, the number of those who want to invest slightly less this year is rising.

The majority of advertisers want to invest about the same amount of money in communications in the new year as last year (49.2%). However, the proportion of those intending to invest less this year is slightly higher (31.8%) than of those intending to spend more (18.9%). This intention is also reflected in the planned media budget: for 54.6% it remains unchanged, for 26.5% it decreases and only for 18.9% of the respondents it increases.

Channel distribution remains constant

When asked about the allocation of funds to marketing channels, respondents will invest 34% of their budget in offline media. Last year, the figure was slightly higher at 35%. The rest of the breakdown remains similar to last year: digital advertising (15%), social marketing (12%), event marketing (11%), website (8%), SEO (8%), email marketing (4%), mobile marketing (3%), digital commerce (3%) and channel/affiliate marketing (3%).

Brand management remains important

As last year, the creation of independent and relevant brand worlds still seems to be of central importance. This is shown by the thematic distribution of funds among specific marketing disciplines. Content/campaign creation and branding continue to be in the foreground. Sales support and marketing operations follow in third and fourth place.

Digital before offline

When it comes to the question of how the media budget will develop within digital and offline, the pendulum once again swings in the direction of digital. There, 42.5% want to invest more in the new year and only 11% less. In response to the same question, only 10.9% more want to invest in offline media and a whopping 42.3% less. Exactly the same number of respondents want to invest the same amount in digital and offline media this year (46% each).

Outdoor advertising, direct marketing and cinema in vogue

In terms of offline media, OOH/DOOH, direct marketing and cinema are once again more in demand than in the previous year. There, the proportion of those who want to invest more is higher than those who want to invest less. The opposite is true for TV, print and radio.

Distribution of offline budget: OOH, TV and print

In terms of the specific distribution of the media budget, OOH/DOOH (27%) TV and print (26% each) are in particularly high demand this year. These are followed by direct marketing (17%) and radio (3%). Little can be expected from cinema and "others" such as events, POS or brochures with 1% each.

Something more direct than programmatic

Advertisers plan to allocate about 53% of their digital budget via direct bookings in 2023 and 47% programmatically.

Distribution of online budget: Google Search, Meta and Youtube

The most popular digital advertising formats in the new year are display, search and video. Here, advertisers plan to allocate their budgets to the advertising inventories as follows: Google Search 27%, Meta 20%, YouTube 16%, Premium Publisher Networks 10%, LinkedIn 7%, Open RTB Networks 7%, Premium Publisher Single Sites 5%, TikTok 4%, Snapchat 1%, Bing 1% and Other 3%.

Improving customer experience is more important than uncertainty

The very important challenges cited this year are improving the customer experience (49%), digital transformation (47%), data management (45%), and customer journey management (43%). Summarizing the very important and significant challenges, the order is as follows: Improving Customer Experience (94%), Data Management (88%), Digital Transformation (86%), Demonstrating ROI (86%), and Choosing the Right Technology (85%). Slightly less important to respondents at present are topics such as artificial intelligence, market uncertainties, shaping organizational change, or shorter time to market.

Personal recommendation remains most important in agency search

Recommendation (80.6%) is still the most important source of information for selecting an agency. Contacts with agency management are slightly less important this year (55.6%) followed by the agency website/appearance (51.4%) and the trade press (29.2%). Rankings and awards play a less important role in this regard.

Chemistry and skills most important

The most important criterion in agency selection is still personal chemistry and cultural fit (94.4%). Followed by an agency's mission/competencies (91.3%), references (59.7%) and agency size (26.4%).

Chemistry Meeting and competition presentation most often

In the new year, Chemistry Meeting is clearly the most used for agency evaluation (32.3%) followed by Competitive Presentation (27.6%). The award of a trial contract has increased in importance compared to 2022. This is followed by direct award and written request for proposal.

Agency services for content and digital

In 2023, advertisers increasingly want to work with agencies in the disciplines of content, digital, analytics, branding and creation. Collaboration for live com or corporate communications is somewhat less in demand and, at best, will be handled by the agencies themselves.

 Offers and expense fee most popular

Advertising clients continue to be very interested in fees in the form of offers/scope of work and agile pricing based on time and effort. This year, there was a slight increase in team hire, and the fee based on success parameters is hardly used at all. The latter is generally only used as a supplement to the basic fee.

In the "Industry Indicator 2023" survey conducted by SWA and LSA between October and November 2022, a total of 174 well-known advertising clients in German and French-speaking Switzerland took part online. The detailed results can be obtained from the offices of the two associations.

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Swiss Association of Advertisers (SWA)
Roland Ehrler, Director
T +41 44 363 18 38
roland.ehrler@swa-asa.ch

LEADING SWISS AGENCIES
Catherine Purgly, Managing Director
T +41 43 444 48 18
catherine.purgly@leadingswissagencies.ch

In many industries, companies are having a hard time filling their vacant positions in a timely manner. However, healthcare professions are particularly affected. But IT developers, analysts and engineers are also urgently needed. Companies from these industries in particular should work out measures to attract and retain employees. But in other areas, too, it can make sense to react now to the tight situation on the market and transform oneself into an attractive employer. The keyword is "employer branding". This term covers all marketing activities that serve to build up a good employer brand.

Retain employees in the long term

When skilled workers feel comfortable in a company, they often stay for many decades, so there is no need to constantly look for new employees. At the same time, they are well integrated into the existing team, enabling fast and fluid processes. Companies therefore benefit from retaining skilled workers for as long as possible. To achieve this, there is no one ultimate solution. Rather, it's about a combination of different measures.

1. personalized employee gifts

Appreciation can be shown through a range of special benefits. In addition to the Christmas bonus and the company car, there are many other options. Regular gifts on specific occasions or the presentation of an award for employees who have made a particular contribution are also an option. It is important to choose gifts that actually have a benefit for the employees. A high-quality tablet or iPhone is usually appreciated. Combined with matching iPhone 14 Pro Accessories in high quality succeeds a high-quality and at the same time functional gift. Personalized gifts are even better. With a smartphone, for example, this can work via the accessories. An iPhone case is much easier to personalize than the device itself. In this way, companies show that they have put some thought into it and are not simply giving away the obligatory bottle of wine to everyone.

2. other attractive employee benefits

Other benefits also increase employee satisfaction. For example, employees enjoy the following offers:

• Meal vouchers
• Childcare
• Training opportunities
• Extended insurance cover
• Company parties
• Good work-life balance

Attract new employees

To avoid an acute Skills shortage in one's own company, it is usually not enough to retain one's own employees. In addition, companies should also look for young talent in good time and ensure a good image through targeted employer branding.

1. place advertising on the right channels

When skilled workers stay away, companies have to advertise specifically for themselves. Different channels are available for this, depending on the industry and the vacant positions. Job boards, social media or job postings can all be useful. However, it always depends on the target group. Companies that are looking more locally or regionally for new employees and want to appeal primarily to older and experienced professionals can still try the classic job ad. If a younger audience is to be attracted, on the other hand, social media is indispensable. Here, it is important to analyze one's own target group precisely and, if necessary, to combine different channels with each other.

2. uncomplicated and up-to-date application processes

In the meantime, it is easily possible to have a large part of the application process take place online. The less complicated the process, the more likely it is that numerous people will apply. Pre-made forms to fill out or the ability to simply upload cover letters and documents via a document upload are one option, for example. Companies that still expect applicants to send entire portfolios by mail may be missing out on many suitable professionals. They then prefer to apply elsewhere, where they have less effort.

3. improve ecological, economic and social sustainability

Sustainable employers are well received by many applicants. This is not just about the well-known ecological sustainability, which is based on a considerate approach to nature. Economic sustainability also plays an important role for many employees. This means that a company must produce sustainably in order to remain in business for as long as possible. Companies whose business idea is based on a long-term plan are more likely to remain a reliable employer in the future. Probably the most important factor for many applicants is the social sustainabilitywhich can also help ensure that employees who are already employed feel comfortable and stay with the company. This includes, for example, humane working hours and fair pay. But flexible working models, part-time offers and home office can also be part of this. Companies should place great emphasis on the compatibility of family, leisure and work. Because in this way they can visibly stand out from the competition with conventional work models.

Conclusion: Combination of attracting and retaining employees

All signs point to the fact that the shortage of skilled workers in Switzerland even greater dimensions will assume. This makes it all the more important to develop a strategy now. Optimally, companies combine employee retention with employee recruitment. In this context, the conditions for employees in the company play a particularly important role. Special benefits, gifts and a pleasant working environment make it easier to retain employees and attract new ones. 

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/fachkraeftemangel-wie-unternehmen-mitarbeiter-gewinnen-und-binden-koennen/

Despite a robust labor market and immigration, the retail sector recorded declining sales growth in 2022 as the industry faced the fading of the pandemic special effects. In addition, recruiting difficulties and labor shortages troubled retailers. A lack of new entrants to the industry and a shortage of junior staff are currently weighing on the personnel situation. The authors of the study expect non-food sales to grow by around 0.8 percent and food/near-food sales to increase by around 2.1 percent in the coming year.

The Swiss economy proved thoroughly resilient to the difficult global environment in 2022 - the resilient labor market and immigration supported consumption. However, the retail sector was confronted with the fading of the pandemic special effects. As a result, the sector recorded a decline in sales after two years of strong pandemic-related sales. However, retail sales were still higher than before the pandemic. In particular, those segments which were able to benefit from the circumstances of the pandemic lost sales growth without these special effects. These included first and foremost the food/near-food segment. The non-food segment held up comparatively better, supported by pent-up consumption, particularly in the leisure sector.

Digital competencies support online commerce

Last year, online retailing was unable to match the high growth rates of the previous two years, but sales remained at a high level. This was due not least to consumers' enhanced digital skills and interests. Due to the special circumstances of the pandemic and the associated incentives of online retailing, these have once again improved significantly - especially among the age group 60 and older. Meanwhile, the use of social media has also reached high levels. Accordingly, 62 percent of the population participate in a social network, and among 15- to 29-year-olds the figure is as high as 91 percent. This points to the potential for another emerging channel of online commerce, shopping via social media. Credit Suisse economists therefore expect online retail sales in Switzerland to rise to around CHF 13 billion in 2023.

The good labor market situation following the pandemic is also evident in the retail sector: Unemployment is at a record low and the number of vacancies is high. As a result, numerous retailers are increasingly facing recruitment difficulties and labor shortages.

Experts expect economic growth to slow in the new year. However, a continued stable labor market situation, slight real wage growth and immigration should support retail sales. Nominal sales in the food/near-food sector are expected to increase by around 2.1 percent, not least due to the anticipated inflation rate (+1.6 percent). Across all non-food segments, the Credit Suisse economists expect sales to grow by around 0.8 percent. In addition, the shift in sales from the offline to the online channel is likely to remain important.

Here you can download the study.

The great personal branding handbook

Strategy - Marketing - Sales - Text - Photo - Visualization & Design - Image & Effect - Rhetoric - Body Language.

• Author: Benjamin Schulz
• Publisher: Campus Verlag, 2020
• Pages: 482
• ISBN: 9783593511443

The focus of personal branding is a person. That's why different principles apply here than in classic marketing, which promotes products. Above all, the person who is staged as a brand must appear authentic. The authors show how the balancing act between self-staging and authenticity can be achieved. They are aimed at advertising professionals, but also at the self-employed, artists and entrepreneurs. Some tips, such as how to make the most of your type, could have been dispensed with. Nevertheless, a worthwhile read for anyone who wants to assert themselves as a brand on the market.

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The Switch Principle

Master any change in life with mental flexibility.

• Author: Elaine Fox
• Publisher: dtv, 2022
• Pages: 384
• ISBN: 9783423263283

Mindfulness or positive thinking is often recommended against uncertainty and fear of change. But there is no one strategy, says Elaine Fox. What we need is mental flexibility, the ability to switch between different tactics. The psychologist shows how we can increase our mental flexibility and recognize what is helpful in a particular situation. The many exercises and information are sometimes a bit confusing and the personal accounts sometimes dispensable. Still, a recommendation for anyone prone to excessive rumination.

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Feedback in times of agility

Digital instruments and analog methods.

• Author: Simon Werther
• Publisher: Haufe Verlag, 2020
• Pages: 211
• ISBN: 9783648134252

Agile companies need to be flexible and fast. Internal communication must flow smoothly and across all levels. Constant feedback is needed to eliminate weaknesses and develop strengths - not only at team level, but also in top management. New formats and digital tools are available and can be combined to create feedback landscapes that meet specific needs. The author provides structured and thorough information on current developments and presents the measures taken by selected companies.

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Head clear!

How to gain clarity, focus and creativity.

• Author: Volker Busch
• Publisher: Droemer, 2021
• Pages: 288
• ISBN: 9783426278659

Booking a trip under the table while giving a lecture or surfing the Internet while watching TV - many people are familiar with this. Futile multitasking and permanent sensory overload are increasingly overwhelming us, and Volker Busch does not exempt himself. Instead, he helps his readers get a grip on the constant digital stress and chaos in their heads - with fascinating stories about our brains and many tips that you want to put into practice right away.