Neustarter Foundation: Competencies instead of age
The Neustarter Foundation from Zurich takes positive stock after one year of refocusing on the professional restarts of Swiss men and women aged 49+ and plans further steps.
Editorial
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July 17, 2018
In total, Neustarter has welcomed almost 500 participants in the past 12 months. (Image: zVg)
From June 2017 to June 2018, 9 workshops, two Neustarter Foundation on Tour, 10 regulars' tables, three lectures with panel discussions and a large annual kick-off event were held. The online community, which is growing daily, already includes about 3000 fans and followers. The plan is to expand the workshops and the regulars' tables to the entire area of Switzerland and the DACH region in the next few years.
At the center of all activities is the strengthening of the competencies of each individual.
New start in change
A year ago, the non-profit Tertianum Foundation, founded in 1999, gave itself a reboot. In the field of tension between demographic change and increasing digitization, the renamed Neustarter foundation has since focused on two key areas:
- professional restart of employed persons 49+ within or self-employed outside companies accompaniment of companies and organizations
- in "generation-friendly talent management" with new working models for changed framework conditions as well as
- with formats for collegial exchange and comprehensive imparting of methodological knowledge to equip older employees of many years' standing for the future.
Dynamic resumes
The future belongs to dynamic CVs and both employees and employers are increasingly required to react flexibly to changing requirements. Especially after many years of working life, this is not easy. Neustarter specifically aims to inspire, encourage and support those in employment over the age of 49, but also companies with employees over this age. In addition to the concrete offers, Neustarter also promotes the community through platforms for exchange and comprehensive communication offers.
New Starters organizes regularly:
- Workshops for individuals (to determine where they stand, network with like-minded people, and learn methods such as design thinking).
- Workshops for companies (for generation-friendly talent management, e.g. on motivation & competencies, leadership, agility in mixed-age teams).
- New starters on tour: "Learning Journeys" at startups and interesting places for inspiration and exchange of ideas
- Regulars' tables for exchange, networking and inspiration
- Events from scientific to practical to social discourse
Company succession - five steps to selling your own company
A satisfactory business succession means more than just money. When entrepreneurs sell their life's work, it is also about emtions. If the company is to be viable and successful in the long term, it pays to carry out the search for a suitable buyer very carefully.
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July 16, 2018
Business succession is a lot more difficult to organize than a Lego game. (Image: depositphotos).
For entrepreneurs it is the last big milestone when they have determined the takeover succession, they can successfully hand over the responsibility. But often emotions are also one of the biggest challenges. A structured approach, see also the wealth advice leaflet at the end of the text, increases the chances of a successful sale and an interpersonal handover of the baton:
1. preparation
As soon as it has been determined whether the company is to remain in the family or be sold, it is necessary to decide whether external expertise is required. In most cases, it makes sense to involve specialists in the evaluation and settlement. The roles of the parties involved must be clearly distributed, and the chemistry must be right. It is also worthwhile to go through the sales process and the associated communication in detail.
It also makes sense to provide a comprehensive, transparent and truthful company portrait, possibly combined with a Q & A
for potential buyers. After these preparations, a price range should be established that is comprehensible for interested parties. The valuation of the company serves as a basis, which should be calculated and documented using different methods.
2. define buyer groups
Professionals use proprietary, public and private databases to list potential buyers and then narrow down that list. Potential buyers include employees, competitors, customers, suppliers, entrepreneurs, private equity firms, investment companies or private investors. A communication concept accompanies the call for entries in relevant magazines and Internet platforms. It is essential that the call for bids be anonymous: If customers or employees learn about the planned sale too early, enormous damage can result.
3. pre-selection of potential buyers
This is followed by the pre-selection. Confidentiality and discretion have top priority in the first contact with potential buyers. Before the seller discloses his identity, the interested parties should sign a non-disclosure agreement. This must explicitly exclude the possibility of a prospective buyer contacting customers, suppliers or employees without consultation.
It is important that the agreement also includes persons and companies who obtain information in the sales process. Only when confidentiality is guaranteed is detailed information about the company and the financial framework disclosed and potential buyers invited to visit the company.
4. due diligence and sales negotiations
The fourth step is to obtain initial offers. A letter of intent with the buyer's vision for the next few years can show where the journey is headed. If these steps are successful, the next step is to carefully examine the object of purchase, the so-called due diligence. This facilitates the purchase decision, for example on the basis of business and legal risks, and should definitely be carried out in collaboration with experts.
Guarantees are an alternative. In the case of a management buyout or a family-internal succession, the buyers know the company so well that due diligence seems superfluous - but it is recommended in any case.
5. contracts, financing, handover
Once the parties have agreed on the key parameters, they draw up a draft contract. The financing arrangements are central to this. There are several options for financing; for example, with debt capital from a bank and/or via an acquisition holding company. More and more common
are so-called earn outs, in which the buyer pays off the company in installments. For the financing and the professional communication of the sale, it pays to consult experts. Once all the details have been clarified, the definitive contracts can be drawn up and the handover can be arranged.
Succession planning: tips for the successful sale of a company:
Succession planning is very demanding. Many entrepreneurs therefore put it on the back burner. But in doing so, they not only jeopardize the continued existence of their company, but also their retirement provision.
Careful succession planning is crucial for the optimal handover to a suitable successor and thus for the continued existence of the company. Last but not least, entrepreneurs secure their income after retirement, save taxes and secure assets for old age.This Leaflet (free of charge) shows how best to approach your succession planning and what you should bear in mind when selling the company.
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Non-state actors on Agenda 20301
Youth, business, science and civil society jointly support the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Switzerland and the related Agenda 2030. Next week, Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard will present the Swiss country report in New York. From the point of view of the non-governmental actors in the Federal Accompanying Group to the 2030 Agenda, it is central that the jointly defined fields of action are also recognized and addressed in Switzerland in particular.
Editorial
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July 16, 2018
A partnership approach is needed to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. (Image: Pixabay)
In order to take the UN's Sustainable Development Goals into account globally, it is necessary that the individual fields of action do not take place in isolation, but are integrated into political business.
Top positions
The UN Sustainable Development Agenda (2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs) has succeeded in outlining a common framework worldwide for all actors to work together in partnership. Switzerland is committed to implementing and reporting on this agenda at the national level. The Federal Council's country report to the UN's High Level Political Forum (HLPF) makes it clear that Switzerland is well on its way in this regard. In many areas, companies and the state or companies and NGOs are already cooperating successfully and have thus established solutions with model character; these include the dual education system, the social partnership or the comparatively stably financed pension system.
Switzerland does not need to shy away from international comparison and occupies top positions in important areas such as technical environmental protection, social cohesion, quality of life and sustainable business.
Need for action
However, there is still a need for action, especially in Switzerland. The non-governmental stakeholders in the advisory group have jointly identified challenges in eight thematic areas, which are to be addressed as a priority in the implementation:
(1) Solidary society
(2) Sustainable production and consumption
(3) Protecting natural resources
(4) Ensure health care for all
(5) Strengthen work and workplace
(6) Shaping urbanization sustainably
(7) Strengthen sustainable management
(8) Strengthen education
These challenges are specified in chapter 10 of the detailed baseline report for the official country report, which the DFA published separately in June 2018 - see annex.
A partnership approach is needed to address this need for action. The fact that the most diverse circles were able to agree on the topic areas and the approach shows that this is possible. However, what is also needed is a clearer institutional anchoring in Swiss politics, instead of diverse parallel activities of individual offices, and an integration of the implementation of the SDGs into ordinary political processes. Otherwise, Switzerland will not exploit the potential and will waste resources in parallel processes. For example, instead of parallel sustainability planning, legislative planning should be aligned with the SDGs.
It is imperative that the 2030 Agenda be anchored at a high institutional level and given strategic priority, that the necessary resources be made available and pooled, and that political decisions be more coherent. This makes it possible to understand the SDGs as a global orientation framework, not as a regulatory corset.
1The lead agencies ARE and SDC have set up an advisory group to accompany the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The members of this group represent their personal views and consult with the circles they represent on an ongoing basis. The members are (as of July 2018): Antonio Hautle, Global Compact Network Switzerland, öbu; Mark Herkenrath, Alliance Sud; Marianne Hochuli, Caritas Switzerland; Peter Messerli, Academies of Science, University of Bern; Sophie Neuhaus, SNYC; Thomas Pletscher, ICC Switzerland/economiesuisse; Friedrich Wulf, Environmental Alliance (ProNatura); Renate Schubert, Academies of Science, ETHZ.
Potential consultant and author Brigitte Herrmann on recruiting clichés and the agony of choice for younger employees, the so-called Generation XY. How can employers balance quality and work ethic of upcoming generations? A checklist.
Brigitte Herrmann
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13 July 2018
How do young people obtain freedom and yet also security on the labor market? Recent studies shed light on the recruiting horizon. (Image: depositphotos)
Recruiting has never been more complex. Millennials, the cohorts born from 1980 onwards, are difficult to understand and yet they divide some employers into uniform categories.
The situation is not made any easier by research findings from the Jacobs University in Bremen. Scientists there have found that generations Y and Z in particular, i.e. the 1980-1995 and post-1995 cohorts, consider themselves to be very different - but are actually much more similar than they thought. When it comes to careers, for example, both the enjoyment of work and the opportunity to help shape it are most important to all of them. Only in the second step are there differences: the younger ones place more value on further training, while for the older ones professionalism is paramount.
The cliché as an economic factor
But do such statements do justice to an entire generation? Are all "Ypsiloners" really searching for meaning and putting optimal work-life blending at the top of their list of priorities? Do all "tedders" really have fewer ambitions for advancement, want a clear separation between job and private life and downright stuffy regulated working hours? And when it comes to recruiting, does everyone just want entertainment and gaming? What should not be overlooked in the discussion on this last point is the fact that these propagated stereotypes represent an exciting economic factor. Based on employers' fear of not being able to attract young talent in the thinned-out employee market, these stereotypes have the potential to give rise to an entire HR entertainment industry revolving around prototypes Y and Z. It's a pity to think evil of it.
Helicopter children as a challenge
One thing in advance: Of course, young people entering the labor market today or in the future are different from their older counterparts. Never before has the socio-cultural diversity of young people been as great as it is today - after all, it is simply a typical sign of highly individualized societies. And never before have young people faced such great challenges in finding their very own way in an increasingly unbounded world. This perspective is also important. Nevertheless, a challenge of a special kind for employers will be dealing with the offspring of today's helicopter parents.
After all, the lovingly intended parental overprotection and overcontrol poses the risk that fundamental life experiences and skills such as assessing risks, assuming responsibility and making independent decisions, as well as personality development, are simply being neglected. So in the future, employers may have to transform themselves into modern-day governesses. But complaining won't help. After all, every generation is the way it was 'made' by the previous generation, society and the education system. So anyone who complains about the poor quality of applicants today should not hold them (only) responsible, but look for the roots.
First neo-bourgeois, then alpha male?
If you want to attract the right young talent to your company, you should do one thing above all: think and act far away from any stereotypical generational clichés. In fact, other concepts are also available in the sense of increasing individualization. For example, it would be more effective to find out which thought patterns and characteristics the individual brings with him or her. Who perhaps thinks like Y, who thinks like Z? Or who among the young even thinks like the baby boomers? In any case, many experts assume that - in contrast to the frequently predicted successor generation Alpha - the traditional generation concept will dissolve completely. An alternative, which is already seen as a much more sensible solution in the HR sector, is offered by the so-called Sinus Milieus.
The different milieus are not defined by age groups, but rather as a group of like-minded people with similar basic values and principles in the way they lead their lives. In this respect, milieus apply across several generations.
Future trend: Milieu recruiting
With regard to the following generations, the Sinus Youth Study is particularly recommended. It provides a practical and very clear insight into young people's lifestyles and values. Primarily used as a marketing-relevant target group, the different lifestyles identified also help in recruiting to sharpen the view of the different facets and currents within a generation and to define clear target groups within the Y and Z people. It quickly becomes clear here that the characteristics that are all too readily thrown into the big Y or Z pot can be assigned to clear milieus and overlap only partially.
From the conservative middle-class milieu with its traditional values, to the expeditionaries with a strong orientation toward success and lifestyle, to the so-called precarious lifeworld of young people with difficult starting conditions. A generation that, on closer inspection, is just as heterogeneous as all the previous ones and yet has one thing in common. They are all strongly influenced by their respective upbringing, education and the social framework in which they move. And it is precisely this framework that must also be set in personnel selection.
People with special strengths
For HR, it is precisely those details and aspects that make the difference between stereotypical and really good recruiting. After all, if you are not satisfied with an X, Y or Z, but also uncover the facets hidden behind them, you will only recognize the personality, talents and, above all, the individual strengths and potential that a young person really brings with them. And instead of looking in the cliché drawer, this is precisely where the focus should be when it comes to personnel recruitment. Only those who make the effort to meet their counterparts at eye level and without stereotypes or prejudices, and to explore the individual potential of an applicant, will be able to activate it and use it optimally.
Failure factor recruiter
The fact is, employers not only need to rethink their approach to younger generations of employees, they also need to actively change their mindset, culture and processes. And this already starts in recruiting, because this is where the evil all too often takes its course. Particularly alarming in this context: even in 2017, ambitious representatives of Generation Y are asking questions such as "Should I mention my children on my resume, or will that put me at a disadvantage?" and "What should I answer when asked about weaknesses?" Many reports of experiences with the selection process sound just as irritating:
"During my interview, the job I applied for was presented to me as a downright horror job." or "For weeks, my attempts to inquire about the status of my application have gone nowhere." or "What I'm like as a person didn't interest anyone at all during the interview." Can you believe it? As long as employers continue to treat prospects with disinterest and condescension at key touchpoints in the personnel selection process, put them to the test with nonsensical stress questions, or demand that a graduate have in-depth experience in a specialized field, and still place ability above desire, there is only one thing left to do on the prospect side in all these cases:
Scorched earth. The younger generations don't forgive anything because, unlike their predecessors, they 'share' their anger publicly and, due to the changing labor market, usually have another joker in their pocket anyway.
Conclusion: Employers who succeed, despite all the challenges, in discovering and activating the individual strengths and potential of each person, and who are also prepared to adapt to the different understanding of values, work and performance of young people, will lay the foundations for real performance. Those who then also recognize and know how to use the opportunities and synergies in the collaboration of the different age groups will have a clear advantage in the future.
3 tips for good generational recruiting:
Recognize the person behind the applicant with his valuable individual strengths and possible potentials without stereotypes and prejudices and create the job that really suits him.
Give young people the freedom to develop to the best of their abilities and also security by setting guardrails and offering orientation despite all the boundaries. Demand and encourage their personal responsibility.
Bring together the experience and valuable potential of experienced professionals with that of digital natives & co. and let all participants benefit from each other through active collaboration.
About the author:
Brigitte Herrmann is the owner of Inspirocon Potenzialberatung, which stands for both sides of the labor market. With her experience in headhunting and consulting and with a view to the working world of the future, she inspires different perspectives, new paths and shows the valuable opportunities when potential is used intelligently. She is the author of the 2016 business non-fiction book "The Selection." As a speaker, she provides forward-looking impulses on the "human opportunity in the digital age". She is one of the Top 100 Excellence Speakers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Harvard scientist: open-plan offices are real conversation killers
In many places, there has been a trend toward open-plan offices for some time; in media companies, many work in a central newsroom. Open-plan offices are supposed to promote communication and creativity. At the British Royal Society (Academy of Sciences), Harvard scientists have now published a paper that proves the opposite: Direct communication among colleagues in open-plan offices is declining rapidly.
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13 July 2018
Side view of business colleagues all using headsets. - Promoting communication? (Image: depositphotos)
The open-plan office employs not only department heads, but also academics. The Paper of the two scientists Ethan Bernstein and Stephen Turban draws on two empirical field experiments in which employees were equipped with wearable devices that recorded their communication behavior. In addition, electronic communication, such as chats, mail or telephone calls, was evaluated.
The study says of open-plan offices: "Contrary to popular belief, the volume of face-to-face interactions decreased significantly (by about 70%) while the share of electronic communication increased accordingly.
According to the authors, an open office architecture in no way promotes a mutually beneficial direct exchange in face-to-face conversations, but rather ensures that employees tend to withdraw from their colleagues and communicate via e-mail or instant messaging instead.
For example, one of the companies involved in the study had all partitions removed from an office floor. For the paper, employees were observed 15 days before the walls were removed and 15 days after.
As a result, when small offices still existed, colleagues spoke directly with each other for an average of 5.8 hours per day. In the open-plan office, the time for direct conversation shrank to 1.7 hours per day. In return, the number of e-mails sent increased by 56%, the number of instant messaging messages by 67%, which at the same time were 75% longer than before. (Source: Meedia)
Education Report 2018: Low-skilled workers are underserved by continuing education
Recently, the 2018 education report was published. It shows that continuing education does not necessarily even out educational differences. On the contrary: the gap between well-qualified and low-qualified people is even widening - according to the official report.
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July 11, 2018
Silvia Steiner, President of the EDK, and Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann, at the presentation of the "Education Report Switzerland 2018" in Bern. (Image: RS)
It weighs heavily, the "Education Report Switzerland 2018," not just because of its 330 pages, but above all because of its content. Written by the Swiss Coordination Center for Educational Research (SKBF) under the direction of educational economist Stefan Wolter, the report is nothing less than an overall view of the Swiss education system. It was commissioned by the federal government and the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK). In terms of structure, it follows the previous reports of 2014 and 2010.
The education report, published at the end of June 2018, provides comprehensive data and information from numerous statistics from research and administration (divided into around 500 topics) and it also asks "about the impact of education on the individual and on society."(Source: alice.ch)
Continuing education is also a topic
The report also addresses continuing education. As many as 14 pages are devoted to it, whereby the need for continuing education is determined exclusively with regard to vocational training, the preservation and development of (professionally relevant) knowledge, and due to technological and economic upheavals. Non-vocational training is excluded. Moreover, the authors largely avoid making statements on the effectiveness and benefits of continuing education due to a lack of empirical data.
Also, continuing education was not mentioned directly during the presentation in Bern, neither in the remarks of Stefan Wolter, nor in those of Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann or the EDK President Silvia Steiner. However, various phenomena that shape formal education can be read as a continuation, so to speak, in the chapter on "Continuing Education". For example, when it comes to different starting conditions: those of children at the beginning of their school career and those of participants in continuing education or those who do not participate in continuing education.
No compensation thanks to further training
One bitter truth right up front: continuing education does not provide a balance between people with different levels of formal education. On the contrary, people who already have a lot of formal education also benefit more often from non-formal education. As a result, the gap between poorly and well-educated individuals continues to widen, the authors write. Promoting equal opportunities in access to continuing education therefore remains a key challenge.
Not least for people who have only immigrated to Switzerland at an age when the formal education process is generally complete, further education would also offer the opportunity to compensate for educational deficits. If one wants to promote their lasting integration into the labor market, the report states, the deficits in the area of formal education must first be remedied. In many cases, however, the basis for this must first be created. If people without post-compulsory education are to be integrated into further education, basic skills must generally be taught first, the team of authors notes:
One in four foreign workers affected
It is true that the proportion of employed persons without post-compulsory qualifications has declined in Switzerland in recent decades; in the 40-64 age group it was still 10 percent in 2016, and in the 25-29 age group it was still just under 5 percent. But among the foreign workforce, every third to fourth person between the ages of 40 and 64 has no post-compulsory education.
The gap between well-qualified and low-skilled individuals deepens once again when it comes to retaining or upgrading knowledge, because better qualified individuals also learn more efficiently and can thus make more productive use of an educational investment.
What can humans do better than computers?
Whether well or low-skilled, technological change and economic change affect all workers. In the past, however, this has not been reflected in rising participation in continuing education. "Forecasts regarding digitalization are difficult," Federal Councilor Schneider-Ammann emphasized. However, it can be assumed that artificial intelligence will be able to perform numerous tasks just as well as a human in the near future. "We cannot outrun the computer," said Stefan Wolter. It is therefore necessary to consider how the curriculum should be developed so that humans can develop in a complementary way to computers, he said. The education report provides the starting point for these considerations - at least to a limited extent also for continuing education. (RS)
The discussion about English as a universal working language is a recurring topic. Managers who communicate carelessly can fail, knows WU researcher Miya Komori-Glatz from the Institute for English Business Communication.
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July 10, 2018
Misunderstandings can circulate even after clear English briefings. (Image: depositphotos)
In her research on English in management, Miya Komori-Glatz first addresses the general working language. She analyzes the English language that often circulates in teams and "develops" in specific work areas. Often it is a language that is not used as a mother tongue. However, establishing such a "universal language," Komori-Glatz says, results in "lots of mistakes." There are, however, positive signs in terms of teamwork, he said.
Actually, it's everyday life: international teams work and travel in different language circles. But not everyone finds it easy to deal with a foreign language like English as a working language. "According to the researcher at the WU Institute for English Business Communication, "The changeover within a company from German as the language of daily life to English represents a major break and is difficult for many employees. - Many even lack a language concept!
Opportunity and challenge for teams
"The central question is always how to reach all employees linguistically and avoid information barriers," she said. It became clear that linguistic and communicative competence in English can be a decisive power factor in the company, which can result in advantages or disadvantages for the employees - depending on the situation.
"At the same time, however, in another study of our own, we see that linguistic competencies can also develop collaboratively in teams." For this finding, Komori-Glatz observed and interviewed English-speaking student work groups. It turns out that the groups developed their own conceptualizations, vocabulary, and communicative practices as they worked together. "The students developed together socially as well as professionally. Along with the process of understanding came a shared vocabulary. They adapted not only the content, but also the way they said something to each other," Komori-Glatz said. "This suggests that - provided staff are consciously committed to it - a shared, inclusive development and learning process can emerge. That's how you successfully get where you're going."
From the kitchenette to the meeting room
However, in order to actually keep all communication channels open between employees, both among themselves and to managers and corporate headquarters, the requirements are high. Particularly crucial here is the flexibility to react when information does not reach everyone or barriers arise. "It doesn't always make sense to offer all information in English only - especially if there is not yet a uniform language level in the company. If managers want to enable communication among multicultural employees from the tea kitchen to the meeting room, it requires the flexibility to also offer information additionally still in the predominant native language in order to avoid knowledge gaps and fluctuating power relations for information advantages and disadvantages," Komori-Glatz says. "At the same time, it is important that new employees also feel comfortable in the company and are not excluded by the national language."
Five points to consider
Establishing a working language brings many pitfalls, but also many opportunities, she said. "In order to optimize information flows in the company, it is above all important to recognize potential barriers and opportunities. Where do employees' language skills lie? Where can so-called "language clusters", i.e. groups of employees with a common language, form and how can this lead to advantages or disadvantages?" explains Komori-Glatz. And there are many other things to consider as well:
It needs a concept.
If, for example, English is to be established as a working language, fundamental issues must be clarified in advance, such as when it makes sense to use English and how a company's stakeholders can be reached.
The conversion of a corporate language is extremely resource-intensive.
Documents have to be translated, everything has to be confirmed or rechecked, languages cannot be acquired quickly. Unfortunately, a general language training is often not enough: the training must be tailored specifically for the industry, the company and even the own activity.
Beware of shadow hierarchies!
So-called "language nodes", multilingual employees, are a valuable resource for communicating information directly and comprehensibly. However, it becomes difficult when shadow hierarchies develop and the company becomes too dependent on "language nodes" because they have more power than their own function entails.
Information flows must be monitored and, if necessary, innovatively promoted.
Regularly soliciting feedback is important to ensure that the (right) information is getting through. Written preparation for meetings or time for brainstorming in smaller groups helps colleagues with less developed language skills who need more time or language tools to express their ideas and contribute.
Knowledge of foreign languages beyond English is always an advantage.
Even if English is the working language, multilingualism promotes informal information flows and the relationship level. Several studies have shown that even very little knowledge of the business partners' language contributes to trust.
"bike to work": 65,000 cyclists break the 16 million barrier
"bike to work" breaks all records in 2018: more participants, more teams, more companies and more kilometers! In May and June, 64,680 participants from 2,114 companies covered 15,970,071 kilometers by bike. These figures break all records and show: Cycling in Switzerland is a trend.
Editorial
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July 10, 2018
A particularly large number of participants registered bike to work in the conurbations of Zurich, Bern and Lausanne. (Image: depositphotos)
In 2018, "bike to work" set one record after another: on average, companies participated in the Pro Velo Schweiz campaign for two months this year. Thus, 51 percent of the companies participated in May & June. This is also reflected in the record number of kilometers covered of 15.9 million (+26%).
On average, each participant biked 247 kilometers to work over 19 days.
Great success
"The success of bike to work shows how important the bicycle will be for companies in the future. Thus, companies are increasingly investing in the bicycle as a means of mobility, as it brings positive effects on the health of employees, savings potential in infrastructure and efficient mobility within agglomerations," says Matthias Aebischer, President of Pro Velo Schweiz.
A particularly large number of participants registered bike to work in the conurbations of Zurich, Bern and Lausanne. In today's urban centers of Switzerland, the bicycle is far more than just a means of transport - it is lifestyle, statement and fun at the same time. Thanks to bike to work, numerous first-time participants found their way to the bicycle and got enthusiastic about the bicycle campaign. They were surprised to learn how easy it is to get to work by bike and what a positive effect cycling has.
Isabelle K. from Baden rode along for the first time this year: "The feeling of riding my bike to work on the quiet streets in the early morning is unique. The movement wakes me up and at the same time I have completed a first sport unit. And: bike to work sharpens the senses. All of a sudden you notice things that didn't exist before. I can really recommend bike to work to everyone - it's a great experience that brings movement and fun into everyday life."
Successful health promotion for companies
bike to work stands for more exercise in the working day. Anyone who rides a bike to work has already done part of the recommended daily exercise. Health-promoting measures in the company, which also include bike to work, are also of economic importance. Healthier employees are less likely to be absent from work and are more productive. Costs arising from illnesses can thus be reduced.
Record for bike to work: 65,000 cyclists break the 16 million barrier
The bike to work Challenge 2018 breaks all records: more participants, more teams, more companies and more kilometers! In May and June, 64,680 participants from 2,114 companies cycled 15,970,071 kilometers to work. These figures break all records and show: Cycling in Switzerland is a trend.
Editorial
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July 10, 2018
Cycling to work also means taking care of each other, saving energy, learning from each other. (Image: Pro Velo Switzerland)
In 2018, bike to work set one record after another: on average, companies participated in the Pro Velo Schweiz campaign for two months this year. Thus, 51 percent of the companies participated in May & June. This is also reflected in the record number of kilometers covered of 15.9 million (+26%).
On average, each participant biked 247 kilometers to work over 19 days.
Great success
"The success of bike to work shows how important the bicycle will be for companies in the future. Thus, companies are increasingly investing in the bicycle as a means of mobility, as it brings positive effects on the health of employees, savings potential in infrastructure and efficient mobility within agglomerations," says Matthias Aebischer, President of Pro Velo Schweiz.
A particularly large number of participants registered bike to work in the conurbations of Zurich, Bern and Lausanne. In today's urban centers of Switzerland, the bicycle is far more than just a means of transport - it is lifestyle, statement and fun at the same time. Thanks to bike to work, numerous first-time participants found their way to the bicycle and got enthusiastic about the bicycle campaign. They were surprised to learn how easy it is to get to work by bike and what a positive effect cycling has.
Isabelle K. from Baden rode along for the first time this year: "The feeling of riding my bike to work on the quiet streets in the early morning is unique. The movement wakes me up and at the same time I have completed a first sport unit. And: bike to work sharpens the senses. All of a sudden you notice things that didn't exist before. I can really recommend bike to work to everyone - it's a great experience that brings movement and fun into everyday life."
Successful health promotion for companies
bike to work stands for more exercise in the working day. Anyone who rides a bike to work has already done part of the recommended daily exercise. Health-promoting measures in the company, which also include bike to work, are also of economic importance. Healthier employees are less likely to be absent from work and are more productive. Costs arising from illnesses can thus be reduced.
Sustainability Report 2018: Facts and figures on the Lucerne Forest
The Canton of Lucerne presents facts and figures on the state of Lucerne's forest in its 2018 Sustainability Report. The Lucerne forest is doing well overall. However, its potential has not yet been exhausted - and new challenges are arising.
Editorial
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July 10, 2018
The forest accounts for around 27 percent of the land area in the canton of Lucerne. Overall, Lucerne's forest is in good condition, as the Canton of Lucerne's 2018 Sustainability Report shows. (Image zVg)
The 2018 Sustainability Report of the Canton of Lucerne is not just for general interest. Certainly, one learns in its study that the forest in the canton of Lucerne is against about 27 percent of the area, that the forest is overall in good condition, but, it is said, there is also still potential: Thus, the natural and renewable raw material wood could be used more.
Of the approximately 340,000 cubic meters of timber that can be used annually, only two-thirds have been harvested in recent years. The economic environment for forest utilization will remain under pressure. The forestry and timber industry is making various efforts to increase the use of domestic wood: see italic note:
Forestry and timber industry in the canton of Lucerne The forestry and timber industry plays an important role in the canton of Lucerne. It provides five percent of the jobs and generates six percent of the gross value added. With the establishment of a wood cluster, the demand for wood is to be further increased and covered with local wood. The sponsorship is broad-based and is to be expanded to include other organizations in Central Switzerland. The canton also supports "Regional Forest Owners' Organizations" (RO) to promote joint forest management and make it efficient.
Coexistence of forest use, recreation and nature conservation
Climate change, new harmful organisms and the fact that more and more people spend their leisure time in the forest are creating new challenges. Spending time and exercising in the forest is good for health, but at the same time it also requires areas with little disturbance for wildlife and the necessary understanding for timber harvesting work and other forest uses. The Service for Agriculture and Forests (lawa) works together with partners to coordinate the various demands on the forest and to strengthen the understanding of nature. The forest should serve the environment, society and the economy. The sustainability report outlines the respective need for action.
First canton-wide forest inventory
The basis for the sustainability report is the first canton-wide forest inventory. Between 2014 and 2016, trees were randomly measured on 1800 areas, tree species were determined, and stability and health were assessed. This provided a good data basis on the current forest structure at the cantonal and regional levelThe forest accounts for around 27 percent of the area in the canton of Lucerne. Overall, Lucerne's forest is in good condition, as the Canton of Lucerne's 2018 Sustainability Report shows.
. The plan is to follow up in about ten years.
With the Sustainability Report Forest the Agriculture and Forestry Service (lawa) fulfills its mandate under the Cantonal Forest Act to collect information on the monitoring of sustainability and to provide information about it.
Employer attractiveness: What factors count today?
There is often a gap between desire and reality when it comes to employer attractiveness: In a recent study by Suite&Co, in which 873 professionals and 51 HR managers were surveyed, opinions diverge significantly when it comes to jobs. The reputation and size of the company hardly play a role anymore. More important are individual factors such as proximity to home or workplace design.
Editorial
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July 10, 2018
Suite&Co researches recruiting trends 2018: Professionals and HR managers assess the topic of employer attractiveness differently. Professionals rate proximity to their place of residence as the most important factor. (Image: depositphotos)
Viktor Gilz, co-founder of Suite&Co on the employer attractiveness study: "What makes a company sexy today are different things than just a few years ago. Above all, applicants want to feel good. A prestigious name alone is not enough to attract skilled workers." Below are the six most important attractiveness factors for companies:
Rank 1: Proximity to home
Seven out of ten professionals surveyed (74 percent) rate proximity to their place of residence as important or very important. This means that this criterion is the one that most determines how attractive a company is to applicants. "Proximity to family, friends and one's own four walls underscores the importance of work-life balance. Most people see proximity to the workplace as a luxury they like to reserve for themselves," says Gilz. However, HR managers underestimate this factor. Only one in four HR managers (25 percent) considers proximity to home to be very important.
Rank 2: A nice working environment
Ranked second in the evaluation of employer attractiveness is the working environment and equipment. An attractive workplace is of high importance, as this can have a positive influence on the workload. In addition, a company's furnishings also reflect its working and overall culture. "At the latest since Google first showed what a workplace could look like a good ten years ago, the picture has changed. Employees no longer want to languish in a lifeless gray office building, but in an appealing work environment. And above all, they want to feel comfortable," says Lisa Mellinghoff from Suite&Co.
Salary: Money and bonus definitely play an important role
Despite the proximity and beauty of the workplace, no one wants to do without appropriate compensation. Salary is one of the top three arguments for attractiveness. 71 percent of skilled workers expect a high salary from their employers. Personnel managers are aware of this. 70 percent agree unanimously with this statement. Regular bonuses also fall into this category.
If you want to be attractive, you have to reward individually
Likewise, individual incentives and special achievements are extremely important to both professionals and HR managers. A person is more motivated when he or she is not one among many, but is valued as an individual. Good personnel management today means investing more time in the individual and breaking down the contribution to business success to the personal level. As a result, people will appear more convincing and work more efficiently to gain the favor of the boardroom.
Career planning makes companies attractive
Continuing education in everyday working life also plays a central role in the topic of employer attractiveness. For HR managers, the opportunity for workshops, career planning and the like is extremely important. Eight out of ten HR managers want their workers to stay permanently up to date and keep developing so that they don't lose out in the constantly changing world of work. By comparison: Only 63 percent of workers appreciate this and expect their employer to offer further training and opportunities for advancement.
Size and familiarity less important - reputation more so
The name recognition and size of the company are only of minor importance today - compared to the other factors. While baby boomers and Generation X attach great importance to the name of the company, for the younger Generations Z and Y the name of the company counts only to a limited extent as a means of adorning their CVs. A company's good reputation, on the other hand, is much more significant, which gives smaller companies the advantage of not being immediately excluded despite their smaller size and lower profile.
What is surprising here is that many companies underestimate the relevance of certification systems such as Top-Job or Kununu, where employees write reviews about companies. Although many professionals obtain information via this medium, only 27 percent of the companies surveyed use such a system.
You can find more interesting articles on the job world at www.suiteandco.de
129,000 tons of e-waste collected in 2017
E-waste sends its regards: The Swiss population disposed of just over 129,000 tons of waste electrical and electronic equipment in 2017. Although consumers are returning more equipment overall, the total weight fell slightly compared to the previous year. The reason is the continuing trend away from CRTs to flat screens.
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July 9, 2018
It's not just consumer garages that have fewer and fewer tube sets sitting around. (Image: depositphotos)
Not all electrical and electronic equipment returned to Switzerland is e-waste. On the one hand, there is still an advance recycling fee (VRB) in the old equipment, which is incurred when a new product is purchased. On the other hand, valuable components can be found in the many recyclable electronic devices.
Electronics recycling is organized and managed by the two take-back systems Swico Recycling and SENS eRecycling. In 2017, a total of 129,218 tons of electronic waste was generated (previous year 137,808). This corresponds to 15 kg per inhabitant. In terms of total weight, 62 percent is accounted for by household appliances and light bulbs (SENS eRecycling), while 38 percent is old IT, telecommunications and consumer electronics equipment (Swico Recycling).
TV dent still noticeable
The trend toward more powerful and at the same time lighter ICT products continued in 2017. A total of 48,525 tons of IT, consumer electronics and telecommunications equipment were returned (previous year 52,362 tons). Unit numbers thus continued to rise, but the total weight of the quantities taken back by Swico Recycling fell by around 7.3 percent. The main driver remains the technology shift in TV sets, which account for a large proportion of Swico tonnages: While picture tube sets used to be returned, today it is increasingly lighter flat screens. The number of CRT PC monitors returned has fallen by 26 percent, while the figure for CRT TVs is down 24 percent.
More and more join in
The voluntary take-back system Swico Recycling also enjoys great popularity among manufacturers and importers of ICT, consumer electronics & office technology. The number of convention signatories, i.e. companies that participate in the system and add the early recycling fee to their equipment, grew by 42 new partners to 568 companies last year (+8 percent). It is pleasing that there are no free riders in the ICT and consumer electronics sector in Switzerland that endanger solidarity. Further figures and information can be found in the Swico Annual Report 2017.
Fund account at SENS eRecycling balanced
SENS eRecycling revised the voluntary re-naming system last year and made it even leaner and more efficient. Thanks to this proactive system update and the good raw material prices, SENS can look back on a pleasing result in the 2017 financial year and can thus compensate for the revenue shortfalls in the fund resulting from foreign purchasing and foreign online trading. With 722 affiliated manufacturers and importers, the take-back system is very well positioned and broadly supported throughout Switzerland. More information on the figures and highlights in 2017 can be found in the Annual Report 2017.
Take-back volumes for household appliances similar to previous year
In the SENS system, 80,000 tons of electrical and electronic equipment were taken back and processed. Compared to the previous year, the take-back volume remained the same or even slightly decreased in almost all categories. The development in photovoltaics is exciting - since the beginning of 2015, modules have been taken back at all SENS collection points. The first generation photovoltaic systems are now being continuously dismantled and replaced by modern, efficient systems. This trend is very clearly reflected in the take-back rates: While in 2015, around 70 tons each of PV modules were recycled with SENS, in 2017, the figure was already around 337 tons. However, these are still very small quantities.
Detailed information on the individual equipment categories can be found in the technical report on our respective websites: swico.ch and eRecycling.ch
