For the first time, the Perikom fact check gives an accurate picture of the situation of internal communication in large Swiss companies. For the survey, 150 companies were approached. Only four among the largest hundred did not want to provide any information at all.

Which channels are most important?

Perikom asked a deliberately open question about the "lead medium" in internal communication. The range of answers was broad: 60 companies stated "intranet" without a precise specification, while a few added and specified "e-mails to employees," "online magazine," "info screens," or "webcasts. Only four companies stated that they were working with apps or had already brought the intranet to their employees' smartphones. However, when asked, many companies have plans to do so.

The employee newspaper was named as the sole lead medium in 20 percent of cases. If double mentions are included, the printed employee newspaper is still regarded as the lead medium by 40 percent. The category of offline media also includes the classic bulletin board, which was named as a lead medium by five companies.

Communicate and talk

The fourth channel of internal communication, face-to-face or direct interpersonal communication, was mentioned in only five cases (employee information events). Alarming. Is the function of the person responsible for internal communication disappearing?

The survey also asked how many full-time positions in communications departments are devoted to internal communications. One trend became clear: a clear allocation of tasks according to stakeholders is becoming increasingly rare.

Semi-structured full-time positions

Mixed editorial teams are becoming more common, where the tasks for internal communications are taken on by different team members depending on the subject area (keyword newsroom). When asked about the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs), only eleven large companies report an expenditure of more than five percent for internal communications. The majority spend one to two employee positions on this.

The current, complete study is made available to existing Perikom members free of charge. Interested parties should contact Andreas Jäggi, Managing Director Perikom, info@perikom.ch.

Dr. Stefan Debortoli, lecturer of the project seminar "Data Science" and former research assistant of the Hilti Chair of Business Process Management under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke, was enthusiastic about the students' work: "This seminar offers our students the unique opportunity to apply their knowledge of "Data Science" by means of practical projects and real problems in companies.

Data Science in Practice

18 students from the "Data Science" major worked closely with the companies Rawr, Senseforce, Reachbird and Avira for one semester. The task of the groups, each consisting of four students, was to solve relevant, real and specific business problems using their knowledge and skills from the field of "Data Science".

In cooperation with the start-up Reachbird, which was co-founded by supervisor Dr. Stefan Debortoli and is a fully automated referral platform for social media influencers to brands, the future data scientists analyzed over 500,000 social media posts to find out which characteristics of a social media post lead to a higher customer interaction rate (like or comment).

With the German company Avira, one of the leading antivirus and security software manufacturers, the students used the analysis of gigabytes of error reports to try to find out how customers react in the event of an error, for example, which errors typically lead to an uninstallation and thus to a lost customer.

At Senseforce, a company that provides analytics for Industrial Internet-of-Things (IoT), a team examined gigabytes of machine-generated data from mobile harbor cranes to identify potential failures early on.

Study program in demand

The Information Systems program and the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Liechtenstein have received several awards, in particular when students won the international Accenture Campus Innovation Challenge, the SAP Inno- and DemoJam at the world's largest SAP conference TechEd or the AIS (Association for Information Systems) Award for Innovation in Teaching by Prof. Dr. Jan vom Brocke.

Since 2015, there have been two specializations to choose from, one in Business Process Management and one in Data Science. The students and graduates are in high demand as important specialists in the region and the English-language master's program prepares them in the best possible way for their future in an internationally networked, digital world.

You can find out more about Data Science training or about the Master of Science in Information Systems (MSc) at this Link

 

The continuing strength of the Swiss franc, high costs and a potential lack of labor in Switzerland are increasing the pressure on Swiss SMEs to expand international procurement. The Export Risk Monitor 2016, a survey by the Bern University of Applied Sciences and Euler Hermes, shows that many companies are expanding their international procurement. This allows them to reduce high costs and benefit from the weaker economy in many emerging markets.

The Fit2Procure (F2P) app - available for iPhone and Android - supports companies in the analysis phase of international procurement projects by answering the following fundamental questions: How attractive is a target country for international procurement? How well is your own company prepared for international procurement?

An analysis of relevant factors

It supports the analysis phase up to the SWOT (analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) before the actual strategy definition. With this method, companies can prepare the relevant information to develop a sourcing strategy for a country.

The method contains two dimensions: The external dimension shows the opportunities and threats of the foreign procurement market, while the internal dimension shows companies their own strengths and weaknesses with regard to international procurement. This dimension in particular is often underestimated.

One strength of the method is that, in addition to the potential of a foreign procurement market, it also clearly shows how "fit" a company is for international procurement.

Four results

The user answers the following questions in the app:

• Target country
• Company
• potential suppliers

Key indicators from the World Bank are used to support these questions. The user receives four results via the app:

1.) Independent weighting

Individual weightings can be carried out independently of each other. These can then be compared with each other. This leads to interesting discussions especially in the points where team members have given strongly differing answers.

2) SWOT country analysis

The SWOT shows the most important opportunities of the target country, threats of the target country, strengths of the company and weaknesses of the company. These serve as the basis for further discussions in the company's strategy-building process.

3.) Status of the company

The status of the company in the attractiveness/ability matrix ("country sourcing attractiveness/ability to source internationally") is shown, calculated based on the weighting/rating of the questions.

4.) Norm strategies

Specific goals (such as "start internal improvement project") serve as the basis for further company directions.

Based on the answers, the supplier ranking is created. The potential supplier with the ranking 1 shows the most evaluation points.

Advantages of the F2P app

Advantages of the app are its simplicity and the standardized questions with defined answers. Company-specific questions can be added The app brings up all the important factors related to international procurement. The app enables well-informed decision making for the assessment of new procurement markets. It is already used by students during study projects and by companies, for example, during visits to potential target countries.

Fit2Procure was designed at the Bern University of Applied Sciences by Prof. Dr. Paul Ammann. You can find more details and specifications about the app here.

Xavier Chauville, Executive Director at Page Personnel (PageGroup brand) notes confidence in job search. (Image: zVg)

47% of job seekers in German-speaking Switzerland expect to find a new job within three months, compared with 39% in the fourth quarter of 2015, representing a year-on-year increase of +21%. Confidence in career prospects increased by +20%, while positive expectations regarding work-life balance and salary levels fell by -15% and -16% respectively over the same period.

Romands more confident

Confidence among job seekers is significantly higher in French-speaking Switzerland than in German-speaking Switzerland. 58 percent of candidates in French-speaking Switzerland expect to find a job within the next three months. At the same time last year, this figure was still 36 percent. This represents a year-on-year increase (from the fourth quarter of 2015 to the fourth quarter of 2016) of +62%.

The study shows the confidence, but also the pragmatism of job seekers:

• More than two-thirds of respondents (69%) expect better opportunities for skill development in the coming 12 months.
• 63 percent of Swiss job seekers are confident about the future development of the Swiss economy.
• The majority (59%) do not expect a salary increase in the next twelve months.

Xavier Chauville, Executive Director at Page Personnel (PageGroup brand) says: "The outlook for job seekers has improved significantly over the course of 2016. We continue to see strong demand for 2017 - particularly for experts in IT, sales, engineering, logistics and pharmaceuticals. Companies are increasingly relying on temporary employment. Qualified candidates who are open to temporary and permanent options and flexible on overall offers have good reason for optimism in their job search."

More details about satisfaction indices can be found at this Link

 

 

 

A business hub in Paris. "La Compagnie1" exudes start-up spirit and conviviality (Image: opensource)

The social side of flexible work

Workers who have flexible work schedules demonstrate a more active social life, according to the latest study commissioned by Regus. Workers confirm that when they can work closer to home, at least for certain hours, they have more opportunities to socialize and stay connected. It was also clear from the survey that flexible workers shop more locally and contribute more to the regional economy.

Majority for flexible times

This study, commissioned by Regus, surveyed nearly 200 workers in Switzerland. It shows that flexible working closer to home helps develop a sense of community. This benefits local businesses, but people also have more frequent opportunities to meet friends and spend time with family. Flexible working is so important today that 86 % of workers expect it from any job.

Further study results

Those who can work closer to home also benefit from better health conditions, as half of respondents reported being able to sleep more without a longer commute (48 %).

Also half said that a shorter commute left more time for healthier eating (48 %).

Flexible working can also create space between "annoying" coworkers: 29 % admitted to using homework to avoid colleagues' usual habits.

A quarter (25 %) even confirm that their at-home job gives you a chance to avoid boring coworkers.

The study also shows that when employees work closer to home, local communities benefit. Small businesses such as cafés or stores serve as platforms for a sense of community. However, such businesses would have to close if they were only frequented on certain days, such as weekends. Thanks to flexible working, these businesses could also benefit from the flow of customers during the week.

You can find more information about co-working alternatives at this Link

 

 

How promoted managers can master the new challenges as a supervisor has been summarized in a checklist by the specialized personnel service provider Robert Half. It shows so some professional yardsticks.

Swiss HR Responsible

The survey of 100 HR managers in Switzerland also shows that prioritizing projects is the second most difficult challenge for new managers in the early days. In third place is achieving a balance between one's own tasks and team leadership.

Rate which of the following tasks newly promoted managers struggle with the most in their first few weeks in their new position?

The executives' answers are:

1. Meeting heightened expectations (25 %)
2. Project prioritization (24 %)
3. Balancing own tasks with time needed to lead team (16 %).

(Source: Robert Half, Labor Market Study 2016, Respondents: 100 HR managers in Switzerland)

Mentor recommended

"The first period as a new manager is like walking a tightrope. When you take on management responsibility, the expectations of both your superiors and your own employees rise," says Yeng Chow, senior manager at Robert Half in Zurich. "Especially in the beginning, it is important as a new boss to quickly grow into the new position. That's why I recommend finding a mentor within the company. He can give advice on many issues and help avoid missteps that he may have already made himself."

 

Checklist: Get off to a successful start as a new boss with these 6 tips

1. Separate work and private life

The leadership role also changes your relationship with the workforce. If you want formerly equal employees to recognize their authority, make them aware of the change in cooperation and demarcate work from private life. Don't favor friendly colleagues to avoid damaging employee motivation or losing respect as a leader.

2. Learn to delegate

With the higher position, the area of responsibility also increases. In order to still move the individual projects forward, you have to distribute tasks to your team. Even if you used to do this task quickly yourself and it initially takes time to explain the respective work order, this investment will pay off in the future. Because then you can concentrate on the essential tasks again.

3. Be communicative

Take the time to learn more about your employees and also exchange ideas with individual team members in personal appointments. What are their career goals, for example, or in which areas can they still use support? The better managers know their team, the better they can lead and motivate them. At the same time, these meetings give you the chance to address your own situation as the "new boss" and explain the associated expectations of the team as well as measures of success.

4. Avoid micro management

Instead of constantly controlling employees or constantly dictating decisions, give them room to innovate, succeed and make mistakes from which they can learn. Show interest and stay informed, and provide support by advising or decisively assisting when needed.

5. Perceive your needs

Increased responsibility makes good time management - including consideration of work-life balance - more important than ever. Take regular breaks, use the vacation days you are entitled to, and block out time in your calendar to complete your tasks. This makes it easier to work through the task workload productively without failing in the medium term due to overload or not meeting expectations.

6. Find a mentor

Find a mentor who can offer tips from his or her experience on how to deal with employees or how to assign tasks. If there is no in-house mentoring program, you can also approach a senior manager or your direct supervisor.

http://www.roberthalf.ch

 

Wildlife observation still plays an important role in Switzerland. The habitat of Swiss weasel species such as ermine or mouse weasel is becoming smaller and smaller. Therefore it is urgently necessary - besides protection and promotion - to record the existing populations. This is the only way to detect negative trends at an early stage or to review promotion measures.

Until now, however, it has been extremely difficult to detect small mammals and therefore only possible at certain points. For this reason, ZHAW researchers led by Nils Ratnaweera have developed a new type of photo trap that should simplify the detection of endangered wild animals. The advantage over conventional detection methods is that the new TubeCam requires little maintenance and automatically uploads images to the Internet. There, private individuals can help with the time-consuming sorting of the images - in keeping with the spirit of Citizen Science.

Autonomous system

Photo trap consists of a tunnel, which is T-shaped and made of plastic. In one arm of the tunnel there is a heat sensor, a camera and a small computer, all packed waterproof. When an animal comes through the tube, the sensor registers the temperature rise, the camera shoots a series of photos, and the processor automatically uploads them to the Internet via cell phone network.

"During our research, we discovered that numerous other animals live on the Zimmerberg, such as hedgehogs, insects, amphibians," explains Nils Ratnaweera. The new trap is said to be low-maintenance, easy to use and evaluable without much expertise. "You only need to place the TubeCam and switch it on, everything else runs automatically," explains the researcher.

With conventional photo traps, the nimble and small animals can hardly be caught. The advantage of the new method is that the naturally curious weasels want to explore the tunnel and can be captured there sooner than with a conventional photo trap. Classic track tunnels, which record animal tracks using ink, also have their disadvantages.

The special ink used is relatively expensive to produce, and the paper has to be changed every seven days. Above all, however, experts are needed to evaluate the traces.

Citizen Science

Typically, a TubeCam takes thousands of pictures in a few days and only a few of them really show a weasel. That's why the project relies on the cooperation of private volunteers who evaluate images. "Right from the start, we wanted to develop a method that would allow us to involve laypeople," explains Nils Ratnaweera.

The idea for TubeCam came from Nils Ratnaweera, and the funding came from the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources of the ZHAW Department of Life Sciences and Facility Management. However, engineers from the ZHAW School of Engineering are also involved. At the moment, only a few prototypes of the TubeCam exist. Before a small series can be produced for the first time in 2018 as planned, an electrical engineering master's student will be reworking the hardware starting in the fall. The team is also still looking for an investor.

Currently, the test phase is still running; next year, the website should be fully operational. The ZHAW people are also researching automated image evaluation.

 

Promotion just as important

But the ZHAW researchers not only want to record weasels, they also want to protect them. As part of the "Weasel & Co am Zimmerberg" project, numerous piles of branches and stones are being created and barns are being prepared as winter quarters. Farmers are compensated financially for this. Weasels are friendly animals, and as mouse eaters they are also well received by farmers. In their wake, many other species can benefit: "Stoats have high demands on the size of the branch pile - that's why we always build them at least three by three meters, with a height of one and a half meters," says Nils Ratnaweera ZHAW researcher.

 Interested people have the opportunity to view the approximate locations of all TubeCams and their images on an entertaining site, virtually in real time. Those who want to help with the classification can do so after a simple registration:

www.tubecam.ch