Let's be honest: you could achieve the same results as today in half the time. Don't you think so? Well, how about starting with 10 percent less time for the same results? That means you only work nine hours a day instead of 10. Sounds feasible, doesn't it? An hour more time for yourself or your family sounds tempting.

Well, I know that this is possible. And not just from myself, but from many of my coaching clients. The point is: if you know how to save the first 10 percent of time, you can tackle the next 10 percent. And so on.

Here's the point: the most important lever for this is not any tactics (I'll get to those in a moment), but something completely different: your mindset and your ego. Because you already know how you can become more productive:

1. You need to know what your most important goals are.
2. You must devote the majority of your energy and time to achieving these goals.
3. You need to eliminate distractions.
4. You need to keep your energy levels high.
5. You need to make these things a routine.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Very few people make it (and I'm talking about CEOs, division heads and similar people).

So the question remains: How do you approach the matter with your mindset? What can you do? Here are three problems and ideas for solutions:

Problem no. 1: No time for morning setup

Top leaders ensure that they generate positive energy from the very first thing in the morning and keep topping it up. This applies equally to physical and mental energy. Your morning routines in particular are crucial. Design them so that you can hardly wait to rock the day and achieve top results. With low energy, you are more easily distracted and make poor decisions.

Problem no. 2: We love reactivity.

Many leaders I know go into reaction mode right at the start of the day: answering emails, reading news, running to meetings etc.. This puts them in the driver's seat instead of working on their most important results. Why do we do this? Because it's easy. If our mindset is not aligned with the importance of our goals ("why is it extremely important that I achieve these goals?"), we switch into reaction mode.

Problem no. 3: Our ego gets in the way.

We feel important when we are asked a lot of questions and sit in meetings. It feels good to answer a few emails quickly. Our ego gets instant confirmation. The problem is that all these ego-feeding activities often have little to do with achieving our goals. And in the evening, we have only made minimal progress towards our goals - if any at all.

Your action?

Work on these three problems. You will easily save 10 percent of your time. Warning: It feels uncomfortable at first - even if it is useful.

To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch

Global political upheaval, uncertain economic prospects and social forces drifting apart provided the framework for the meeting of the Thurgau business community in Weinfelden. Zurich-based economic philosopher and publicist Katja Gentinetta provided the philosophical context by outlining the three main challenges of our time. She described Switzerland's relationship with the EU as the greatest challenge in the context of globalization, which is in the midst of a transformation in terms of sustainability. "Business and politics should increasingly see themselves as partners, for the benefit of others," Gentinetta demanded. The second major challenge is a society that is becoming divided, and the third is Generation Z, "I call them Generation Demanding", which cannot be counted on without a doubt. 

"The young are fed up"

Ipek Demirtas, CEO of Forster Swiss Home in Arbon, picked up the thread, as she is skeptical about Switzerland's future innovative strength. She has the impression that young people in Switzerland today are fed up and resting on the successes of their fathers and grandfathers: "I miss the fact that they are on fire, that they have goals and visions, that they make an effort. A company, an economy, cannot develop successfully with this attitude."

Ipek Demirtas herself has proven how to successfully get a company (back) on track. She took over the kitchen company, which was on the verge of going out of business, together with a partner in 2017. She did this out of passion, she said. She instilled new self-confidence in the 80 employees at the time by talking to everyone and telling them that Forster produces something very special, namely the Mercedes of kitchens. Today, the company has over 180 employees.

In the subsequent panel discussion led by moderator Mona Vetsch, Gentinetta and Demirtas were joined by Thurgau entrepreneur and SVP National Councillor Diana Gutjahr. Gutjahr said she was bothered by the fact that "people want to work less and less". Gutjahr wished "that people would not only think about their own profit, but that they would focus more on the collective again".

Solid economy in a volatile environment

The economic forum in Weinfelden naturally also focuses on the situation in the canton of Thurgau. Daniel Wessner, Head of the Office of Economy and Labor, referred to the stable situation of the Thurgau economy with its approximately 19,000 companies. Their number has grown steadily, as has the number of jobs. The labor market had recovered rapidly after coronavirus and the unemployment rate was now 1.8 percent, which is below the Swiss average of 2.1 percent. Wessner identified weaknesses in terms of innovative strength and the exodus of talent. Over 90 percent of Thurgau companies are currently looking for workers.  

Ivo Germann, Head of the Foreign Economic Affairs Directorate at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, stood in for SECO Director Helene Budliger Artieda, who had to cancel her planned appearance at the Economic Forum due to the state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. Germann presented a State Secretariat that has set out to become more dynamic and present. Although value creation in industry has declined recently, he said that the Swiss economy would continue to grow, albeit at a slower pace.

Award-winning chef as Thurgau chef of the year

As in the previous year, a discussion with the newly crowned Thurgau Chef of the Year was integrated into the business forum. This time, the award went to the canton's culinary figurehead, Silvio Germann, who was named Chef of the Year by Gault-Millau for his culinary skills at the "Mammertsberg" in Freidorf. At 34, he leads a young team that has quickly made a name for itself with innovative cuisine. 

The Economic Forum at the Thurgauerhof Congress Center was opened by Thomas Koller, CEO of the main sponsor, Thurgauer Kantonalbank, and Urs Martin, President of the Thurgau cantonal government. Martin, for his part, referred to the recent somewhat cooler mood in the Thurgau economy. With regard to the canton's finances, he said that revenue had recently been lost.

Once again, the Thurgau Economic Forum proved to be a well-attended platform for inspiration, information and exchange. The 28th forum will take place on November 7, 2024.

Source and further information: www.wft.ch

The Prix SVC Nordschweiz was awarded for the 11th time on November 14, 2023 in front of over 1000 guests in Basel. Five winners were selected from around 100 companies in the region in a multi-stage selection process. These finalists - Bertschi AG, Infors HT, Schelling AG, Stöcklin Logistik AG and the Wyniger Group - were presented in video presentations and short interviews in a show lasting around two hours and were ultimately awarded prizes.

First place for Bertschi AG from Dürrenäsch

Bertschi AG, represented by Chairman of the Board of Directors Hans-Jörg Bertschi, came in first place. The company is the market leader in the logistics sector, specializing in intermodal services for the chemical industry. With 3,190 employees at 74 locations in 38 countries worldwide, 30 of its own intermodal terminals, 1,000 trucks and 43,200 containers, the Bertschi Group is a big player as a logistics service provider. The Bertschi Group is particularly committed to sustainability. By transporting goods by rail in an environmentally friendly way, Bertschi saves over 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year compared to pure road transport. A car could travel 1.5 billion kilometers for this amount, i.e. circle the earth 37,000 times. Robin Wasser, jury and OC member, paid tribute to the winner in his laudatory speech: "The Bertschi Group has distinguished itself over the last 60 years with tremendous pioneering achievements. In collaboration with SBB, Bertschi was the very first company to load trucks onto the railroad, thus laying the foundations for combined freight transport. Another highlight is the inauguration of the Zhangjiagang Chemical Hub in the Yangtze River Delta in China, a comprehensive hub for chemical logistics. What particularly impressed the jury was that Bertschi has always remained true to itself despite its successes and has never forgotten its own roots." In his acceptance speech, Hans-Jörg Bertschi dedicated the award to his employees. After all, they are the ones who ultimately make the company successful: "This is your prize - I am accepting it here on your behalf."

Wyniger Group - Teufelhof Basel and Stöcklin Logistik AG in second and third place

Second place goes to the Wyniger Group from Basel-Stadt, which independently operates the Teufelhof guest and culture house, a self-subsidized hotel and restaurant. The group is growing rapidly by founding its own companies, developing its own products and taking over businesses in a highly competitive market. The aim of the acquisitions is to achieve greater independence along the value chain. The owner-managed company employs around 500 people and is managed by Raphael Wyniger. He was visibly proud of the second place and pointed out that such success is good for his industry, which is struggling with many difficulties.

The intralogistics service provider Stöcklin Logistik AG from Laufen, which has been a competent partner for innovative and customer-specific logistics solutions worldwide since 1934, took bronze. As an internationally experienced system integrator, Stöcklin supports its customers from planning and project management through to the delivery of complete turnkey systems in the field of warehouse logistics and automated warehouse management. For example, one of the largest online retailers in Switzerland is one of the customers, and a state-of-the-art warehouse is currently being built with a well-known company in the chemical industry. The aim of Stöcklin Logistik AG is to store products in the most space-saving way possible, to manage them reliably and to transport and pick them as quickly as possible with a minimum of personnel. Around 500 employees work for Stöcklin worldwide. The company is managed by Urs Grütter as CEO & VRP.

Diploma ranks go to Infors HT and Schelling AG

Infors HT from Bottmingen, a world-renowned laboratory equipment manufacturer, was awarded the diploma prize. From incubation shakers and bioreactors to bioprocess software. Infors HT offers innovative and practice-oriented products that meet the requirements of modern laboratories and drive progress in research and development.

The traditional company Schelling AG, headquartered in Rupperswil, which develops and manufactures sophisticated print, packaging and display solutions made from natural raw materials for various industries, also received an award. Examples include 100% microplastic-free sachets and biodegradable bags. The company has five production sites in Switzerland and Germany.

Business rendezvous

Dani von Wattenwyl hosted the award ceremony at the Congress Center Basel, and Basel newcomer ZIAN provided a goosebump-inducing musical accompaniment to the show with two of his greatest hits. The event offered the numerous guests from business, science, politics and the media insights into the impressive and diverse entrepreneurship of the region. Bernhard B. Fischer, SVC Regional Director Northern Switzerland, emphasized: "Tonight was a time to celebrate and honor the five finalists who have been working hard for the region of Northern Switzerland and our Swiss success model for years or even generations."

More information: Swiss Venture Club SVC

Six current topics, presented in so-called "speed speeches": this was the central theme of the Business Talk, which took place on the evening of November 7, 2023 at the premises of FELFEL AG in Zurich. The initiator and "inventor" of this innovative event format is Barbara Rüttimann, owner of rb Rüttimann consulting. For the third time, the small but excellent event was held with around 50 participants - all C-level representatives from well-known SMEs. 

True to the motto "You can talk about anything but ten minutes", the speakers briefly presented their theses on the following topics in a kind of "business slam poetry":

• For a better world - shaping a future-oriented working environment & corporate culture, Ladina Schaffhauser, Senior Acquisition Manager at FELFEL Among other things, she emphasized the importance of hospitality not only for guests and customers, but also for employees. Beautiful workspaces, internal events and a business geared towards sustainability are all part of this.
• Net zero: How do banks fulfill their social responsibility? Yvonne Suter, Head Sustainability, Bank Julius Baer & Co. LTD. She regretted that many people are still not sufficiently aware of the consequences of climate change. The economic impact is also undeniable: 44 trillion US dollars depend on an intact environment, according to the speaker. Accordingly, everyone - politicians, businesses, including banks, and consumers - are jointly called upon to make a contribution to ensuring that our planet remains habitable. 
• Lead with the next generation in mind: Karin Mannhart, Responsible for Switzerland, and Sophia Gampp, Head of the International Students' Committee (ISC), from the St.Gallen Symposium chose a dialogical form for their presentation on Generation Z, to which they also belong. They did not hide the fact that this young generation is sometimes polarizing. But this should also be understood as a call for Generation Z to be part of future solutions and not just a "human resource". However, there are currently too few great role models who can be followed with confidence.
• Mobility & Sustainability : Congestion logic at the Gotthard: Logistics expert Peter Acél from Dr. Acél & Partner AG is regularly annoyed when he is stuck in traffic jams. And he is therefore concerned about the causes of the many traffic jams. For him, one of the main reasons is political failure, because where many interest groups sit around the same table, there are too many profiteers. Although experts have scientifically supported solutions at hand, they are not listened to enough, the speaker regretted.
• 55 years of sustainability & innovation with machines for cotton buds and cotton pads, Guy Petignat, President & Managing Director, Falu AG: He took aim at the decreasing product lifespan of appliances and machines. Why is it no longer worth repairing a coffee machine, even if only a small part needs to be replaced? In contrast, Falu AG has set itself the task of guaranteeing the availability of spare parts for all its machines for the rest of their lives - even if they are decades old. 
• The paradox of artificial intelligence (AI): Matthias Zehnder, author and media scientist, owner of MatthiasZehnder.ch AG, pointed out three effects that make life with AI more complicated rather than easier. The "parrot effect" means that ChatGPT, for example, delivers "a lot of nonsense" because it has the linguistic characters under control, but not their meaning. The "black box effect" is demonstrated by the fact that we don't know what the "parrot" ChatGPT needs to babble. And the "assistance effect" lies in the limits of AI: as soon as things get complicated, humans still have to intervene. This ultimately leads to our work becoming increasingly complex.

In the end, the winner of this "Speed Speech" competition was chosen by a public vote. The winner was Guy Petignat, Managing Director of Falu AG, who impressed the audience with his practical approach. He was awarded the winner's prize - donated by Emil Frey AG. He was followed by the representatives of the St.Gallen Symposium. All presentations were a real eye-catcher and live experience without any digital support. The guests were delighted - also with the tasty aperitif riche, naturally from the kitchens of FELFEL...

A new edition of the event is planned for 2024. Further information: Barbara Rüttimann, www.rbconsulting.info

This year's Swiss SME Day celebrated an anniversary: For the 20th time, managers from small and medium-sized enterprises met for "their" day. What started out as a "beer idea" at the SME Institute of the University of St.Gallen has now become an established business event with nationwide appeal. The organizers used the anniversary as an opportunity to make various changes to the conference design: For the first time, there was an electronic ticket system, and a "goodie bag" with giveaways was dispensed with. And with the SME talk, a new format was introduced on the podium. The "Duo Lapsus" was responsible for the humorous and unexpected nuances at this year's SME Day.

SMEs with positive momentum

The conference theme was "SMEs and Momentum - what makes entrepreneurship tick". In his opening address, host Tobi Wolf began by pointing out some parallels between today and the situation 20 years ago: 2003, for example, was the year of the Swissair grounding - and this year it "caught" the major bank Credit Suisse in a similar way. Also 20 years ago, many technological developments that are taken for granted today got their start: smartphones, 3D printers or social media. So they had caught the right moment and pulled the momentum on their side. And the SMEs: What do they think about the "right momentum"? This is what the study conducted in the run-up to SME Day sought to find out. In it, more than 80 percent of responding SME executives agreed with the statement that the right momentum is central to a company's success. When asked if their company had missed any momentum in retrospect, and what the reason was, there were three main statements: "We weren't bold enough," "We had too few resources," and "We were too slow." And 60 percent of the respondents are convinced that the momentum in their company has changed positively in recent months. Tobi Wolf used the image of a spinning top in his explanations: "You never know in advance which direction it will take - in other words, where the momentum will lie. But the advantage of a spinning top is that you can always set it in motion again.

From AI and proven leadership principles

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the big trend topics of 2023. With ChatGPT, this was democratized virtually "overnight". In just two months, this tool recorded over 100 million users (for comparison: the telephone took 75 years!). Keynote speaker Nicole Büttner called on SMEs not to close their minds to this development: Those who do not join in today could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage in the future, she warned. It is not a matter of replacing employees with AI, but rather of providing them with AI-supported tools. For example, with the support of generative AI, contract reviews could be completed in as little as two minutes instead of four to five hours. And likewise, SMEs should start creating a data strategy. This includes making company data "reusable," he said.

Bernhard Heusler, former president of FC Basel and now a lawyer and consultant, underlined the importance of leadership and collaboration in his subsequent keynote address. Especially in times of digitalization and AI, empathy and emotional intelligence are once again more in demand. He emphasized that it is the task of leadership today to take away pressure in teams and create trust in return. "Mistrust paralyzes and causes standstill," Heusler said. But he added that leadership also means looking ahead and sometimes acting in an unpopular way.

Startups and established SMEs on the podium

After the lunch break, the "Inspiration Session" continued. Three startups pitched for the audience's favor: Philomena Schwab presented her company Strayfawn Studios, which develops computer games. Founded in 2016, the company operates in a market that is now larger than the film and music industries combined. Melusine Bliesener and Katharina Lehmkuhl presented Papydo, their idea of ecological premium gift paper made from grass fibers. Their claim: They want to make the "Festival of Love" a "Festival of the Environment". After all, the consumption of conventional wrapping paper is high: if you were to line up all the paper consumed per year, it would result in a distance from the earth to the moon. In addition, conventional wrapping paper can hardly be recycled. Pascal Bieri, on the other hand, presented "Planted," a startup that is actually hardly one anymore: Founded four years ago, the company is growing rapidly and shows that its plant-based meat is well received by customers. The products of Planted as well as the presented corporate strategy seemed to convince the audience the most: Pascal Bieri won the voting in the end.

In the SME Talk, moderator Arthur Honegger talked with Claudio Minder of Kybun Joya, Tanja Zimmermann-Burgerstein of Antistress AG, and Til Zollinger of Zollinger Bio about their very concrete experiences with momentum and entrepreneurship. For example, the audience learned about initial difficulties after the merger of Kybun and Joya to form the new company. And whether the right momentum will be found again after the further takeover of the shoe brand "Kandahar" cannot yet be estimated, said Claudio Minder. Or Til Zollinger had to admit to having been caught on the wrong foot by the heatwave summer of 2017. However, he said, lessons had been learned and the company was now better prepared for similar scenarios. And Tanja Zimmermann-Burgerstein explained how the Corona pandemic had acted as a driver and how the company had been able to cope with this "momentum" by building up stocks.

SMEs can also learn from NASA

Finally, Thomas Zurbuchen provided another momentum or highlight at the end of the SME Day: In a captivating presentation, he was able to show that small and medium-sized enterprises can indeed learn from the American space organization NASA and its high technologies - after all, he was its research director for years. One of his insights: "Change" is always present in everyday company life. "Change is a law of nature, not stability!" Thus, the changes brought about by AI will be greater than those after the invention of the computer, he cautioned. And from his experience, he relayed this point to the audience, "When rapid change comes: Do something! Learn actively and experiment!" Specifically, he advised company managers to make only a few decisions at a time, but to make the important ones - and that is only 20 percent of all decisions. And: "Long time scales are more important than the short ones - but the more difficult ones," Thomas Zurbuchen concluded.

The next SME Day will be held on October 25, 2024. Further information: www.kmu-tag.ch

Experts at Hogan Assessments, a leading provider of personality testing and leadership development, have identified three key myths that contribute to perceptions of the perfect CEO and examined whether success in the role can really be attributed to these commonly held assumptions.

Myth No. 1: Charisma is the most important quality of a CEO

When asked what qualities make a perfect CEO, most would probably answer with characteristics such as ambitious, results-oriented, committed and, above all, charismatic. Charisma is a very attractive trait for a leader, but there is a strong correlation between charisma and narcissism. In fact, there is a stronger correlation between charisma and narcissism than between height and weight. Those who appear confident, intelligent, charismatic, interesting, and politically savvy are generally more likely to be promoted. However, once in leadership positions, these individuals can make self-serving decisions, take risky gambles, and consequently bring chaos and ruin upon their organizations. Very charismatic leaders may appear more ambitious in strategic terms, but are less effective in their leadership behavior.

While charisma typically correlates with professional success, humility is a far better indicator of manager effectiveness. "Humble managers know their strengths and limitations, embrace feedback, foster collaboration and are more effective leaders," explains Jackie Sahm, vice president of integrated solutions at Hogan Assessments. "In addition, humble managers are more likely to foster engagement, retain good employees, and stay on the job longer than their more arrogant colleagues. The companies they lead continue to perform well after they leave, because humble leaders often ensure succession planning is in place before they leave."

Myth #2: A real CEO never fails

No matter how hard we try to be successful, failure is part of life. How CEOs deal with failure says more about their suitability than whether they fail or not. For companies, how we learn from our experiences matters a great deal, and it's an important factor in professional and corporate success. "Many CEOs misperceive and misreact to failures. As a result, they find it difficult to learn from failures and are more inclined to repeat the mistakes of the past. Those who dodge responsibility for failures for their own benefit or blame them on others are more likely to face negative consequences such as loss of trust or respect from colleagues and employees," says Jackie Sahm. "On the other hand, those who are not resilient or are too self-critical often get nowhere in their careers and tread water."

CEOs must recognize and overcome these tendencies and learn from personal and professional mistakes to create and succeed in a productive leadership environment. Fortunately, as a CEO, you can learn to respond better to failure: Developing self-confidence, seeking feedback from trusted individuals, and adopting new strategies for dealing with setbacks can all help to better handle failures in the future.

Myth #3: CEOs are supernatural beings

"The best CEOs tend to be characterized by four traits, all of which build trust and loyalty - and none of those traits have anything to do with supernatural powers," Jackie Sahm explains. "They show good judgment, integrity, credibility and support." What these four traits have in common is that the perfect CEO typically builds trust on multiple levels by balancing competing demands. These are in complex tension with each other: CEOs must be visionary but humble, supportive but also hold their employees accountable, and decisive and quick to act, but also conscientious and accurate. The role of the CEO is thus paradoxical and resembles a tightrope act. To paraphrase Darwin, we can say that it is not the strongest who survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one who adapts best to change.

Source: Hogan Assessments

With more than 51,000 trade visitors, 2,000 exhibitors, including 200 startups, and 17 regional and national joint stands, Pollutec brought together representatives of the entire environmental and climate industry between October 10 and 13, 2023. The fair was held for the 45th time.

Joint action in the event focus

Climate change requires faster implementation of transition strategies in every respect. Against this backdrop, the entire environmental sector met at the Lyon exhibition center to promote the exchange of best practices and highlight common approaches. The 2023 edition was characterized by increasing attendance, a wide range of solutions (120 innovations were presented exclusively at the fair) and several event highlights:

• During 30 panel discussions, dedicated industry experts explained their inspiring visions for the future in the fight against climate change.
• 400 lecture events from 11 thematic forums took place. Such as the Agriculture & Climate Forum, where, among other things, the conflict-laden issue of the use of water resources was discussed, and the Forum on the Circular Economy against the background of the French anti-waste law AGEC.
• A drinking water network was recreated in the Water Hub experience area. It served to raise the public's awareness of how to deal with water resources and to highlight innovations from the field of water management.
• The Green Days presented itself as an industry meeting of international participants and European clusters.

"This year, the entire environmental sector has been particularly engaged in offering truly concrete and innovative solutions in the face of urgent challenges caused by climate change. The strength of the collective creates a domino effect that fosters the emergence of new solutions and helps shape global action strategies, outside entrenched organizational structures," said Anne-Manuèle Hébert, executive director of Pollutec. "This is also the role we attribute to Pollutec as a catalyst of environmental change: to enable all sectors affected by environmental change to work hand in hand."

Pollutec Innovation Awards 2023

Since its creation, Pollutec has made it its mission to support and promote innovation for the environment, in particular by organizing the Pollutec Innovation Awards competition. At the 2023 exhibition event, 12 finalists were spotlighted and three companies received an award: Grims Énergie (heat storage), MTB (recycling of lithium-ion batteries) and Purenat (textiles for removing organic pollutants in the air).

Pollutec Paris 2024 and Pollutec 2025

The next Pollutec will again be held in Lyon in 2025, from October 7-10, 2025, but the industry will already meet in Paris in 2024: Pollutec Paris will be held in Hall 1 of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition center on Tuesday, November 26 and Wednesday, November 27, 2024. The biennial format is intended to complement the traditional event in Lyon. Against the backdrop of accelerated implementation of regulatory frameworks and the accompanying increase in demand from industry and public stakeholders for concrete solutions, Pollutec Paris lends itself as a second industry gathering to discuss topics such as regulatory requirements, financing and innovation. The Pollutec Paris event is also characterized by its geographic proximity to Northern Europe and presents the 11 major offer areas that are also represented in Lyon. The aim is to offer the same systemically oriented and interdisciplinary approach. Source and further information

In recent months, there has been much discussion and reporting about the use and consequences of artificial intelligence. But what impact do technological developments have on companies and employees in Switzerland? What is the state of automation in offices here? Where are savings being made through technology? These and other questions were investigated by the software company Exxas in collaboration with the LINK Institute in a large-scale study. The company, headquartered in Schlieren ZH, offers, among other things, a cloud platform to control and automate business processes in a company.

Great savings potential thanks to automation

The large-scale study on automation shows that jobs are being lost and that tasks and professions are changing. The people surveyed have a very differentiated view of automation. When it comes to the impact on society, fears and concerns predominate. But for the companies themselves, according to the participants, the use of automation is a great advantage and crucial for competitiveness. The respondents can save up to 11% of their own weekly working time with fully or partially automated solutions. Extrapolated to Switzerland, that is just under 465,740 of 4.234 million full-time equivalents, based on a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) for the quarter 2023.

However, the study also shows that almost half of Swiss SMEs have a considerable backlog in automation. The potential is far from being tapped. Interestingly, in the question on the status of automation, there is a significant response divergence between senior executives of companies using Exxas and those using a different solution.

Job loss and growing technology dependency

The opinion of the respondents on automation is very complex. While some recognize the benefits and potential of automation, fears and concerns prevail for many, especially with regard to the social impact and the situation of employees. The most frequently cited fears relate to the potential risk of job loss, the disappearance of certain occupations, the accompanying pressure on wages and the growing dependence of companies on technology. Around one-third of respondents view the impact of automation on society and employees with skepticism, if not as extremely negative.

Stefan Dettwiler, Managing Director of Exxas, can understand the fears and explains: "We often feel these concerns in our customer projects. Employees feel insecure about whether their position will still be needed after a process has been automated. These fears are understandable. However, experience shows that positions saved in another area, such as marketing, customer service or IT, lead to expansion. Routine tasks are reduced, and employees can devote themselves to more conceptual, strategic and extraordinary tasks. The study also shows that in the past, around 10% of jobs were eliminated through automation, but at the same time 14% new jobs were created."

Swiss companies lag behind technological change

The results of the study make it clear that around half of the companies surveyed consider their current status in terms of automation and digitization to be lagging behind that of other companies in the country. Around one in ten SMEs has hardly automated any processes to date. Interest in increased automation is present and quite diverse. Some 55% of those surveyed hope for an increase in productivity, while about half also expect an improvement in quality and about a third expect increased flexibility through automation. However, only about one in five respondents has the expectation that automation can open up new areas of business.

According to the study, a lack of time, a high level of effort and insufficient financial resources are the biggest obstacles to the introduction of new solutions. José Gerónimo, Deputy Managing Director of Exxas, agrees with this finding: "Management in SMEs is usually already fully occupied with day-to-day business and simultaneously confronted with several challenges. Large, lengthy digitization projects are out of the question. The financial resources have to be well managed. That's why SMEs are looking for standardized solutions that can be introduced quickly and adapted to their needs. For the introduction of Exxas, we have developed service packages for this purpose and take over the data migration from the previous ERP and CRM system. Nevertheless, senior employees have to free up time slots for workshops."

Estimates of the potential time savings through automation vary. On average, men expect to save 25 hours per month, while women predict an average time saving of 12 hours per month. On average, however, small and midsize businesses see significant potential to save 19 hours per month. This figure is equivalent to just over two working days per month, or a workload of 11%.

Changed tasks through automation

The changed tasks of employees due to automation are perceived by around two-thirds of respondents as more demanding and responsible, albeit somewhat less creative. Encouragingly, it turns out that in half of the cases, process quality, the company's image and overall productivity have improved as a result of automation and digitization. Niklas Schüler, team leader at Exxas, comments on these changes among employees: "I can only explain the fact that creativity in work is reduced by the fact that manual work with creative activities is probably also eliminated. For example, if supplier invoices are approved and processed automatically, employees in the accounting department can devote their time to improving management reporting. In this way, accountants also help build and develop the company."

The results of the study indicate that automation will continue to gain importance in the Swiss economy. Some 60% of respondents believe that more administrative tasks in the company will be automated in the future. One encouraging aspect is that one in two senior executives say that their team has benefited from previous automations and that they have made their day-to-day work easier.

Recommendations for action

Whether on the construction site, in the catering trade or in the office, technology can be found in every profession today. Employees should be actively involved in the use of software, clouds, digital business models and process optimization in their companies and build up the necessary skills for this. Every modern and successful company, regardless of industry, has or will become a tech company. Pure "users" run the risk of only taking on the leftover routine work.

Companies should constantly be on the lookout for optimization opportunities in their processes and in their organization. This has been part of the standard repertoire of entrepreneurs for a hundred years. In order to discover these opportunities, decision-makers need to know what is possible with new developments. Existing business models should also be critically examined from time to time, from the customer's point of view. The following train of thought helps here: "The patient doesn't want a doctor. He wants to be healthy.". Modern systems can not only accelerate processes or enable new service offerings, but combined with the cloud also contribute to greater controllability and resilience of a company.

Swiss software vendors and technology providers should take to heart that their solutions can be easily implemented in an SME. The benefits of their solution must outweigh the costs. According to the study, in 26% of the cases, the benefit does not justify the expense. SMEs need standard solutions that can be easily adapted to their needs. During implementation, manufacturers and service providers should ensure that as much knowledge as possible is transferred to the customer's employees. The customers understand the business and industry requirements best and can use the technology expertise to optimize their system on an ongoing basis.

Source and further information: Exxas Inc.

The replacement for the position of sgv Director had previously been paved with stumbling blocks: Originally, the position was to be filled by Henrique Schneider. However, allegations of plagiarism were made against him, so the board decided to withdraw his election on the basis of a legal opinion it had obtained. Now, however, the difficulties surrounding Hans-Ulrich Bigler's successor appear to have come to a conciliatory end.

Source and further information: www.sgv-usam.ch

The show "Die Höhle der Löwen" is already being broadcast in 35 countries. In the USA, the format has been running under the title "Shark Tank" since 2009 and has created several thousand new jobs since its first broadcast, according to reports. The idea behind this format of business infotainment: Each episode, several young entrepreneurs present their innovative business ideas and concepts to investors and solicit their investment.

In Switzerland, the fifth season of Die Höhle der Löwen will start on October 31, 2023 at prime time. And this year, two new investors are offering new opportunities for a deal: dermatology and venereology specialist and TedX speaker Felix Bertram, and AI entrepreneur Nicole Büttner-Thiel - a great interview with her (fee required) appeared in ORGANISATOR 9-10/2023. In the battle for an investment, 42 young companies must once again succeed in convincing investors of their ideas: In addition to the two new lions mentioned above, these are business apartment pioneer Anja Graf, tech entrepreneur Bettina Hein, online trading expert and brack.ch founder Roland Brack, sustainability entrepreneur Tobias Reichmuth, Amorana co-founder and CEO Lukas Speiser, investment firm owner Jürg Schwarzenbach. Among the notable startups from a wide range of industries are, for example:

• Nikin: The sustainable clothing brand from Lenzburg (AG) plants a tree for every product sold. The Swiss company, which already enjoys a high profile, ventures a next business step in the "Höhle der Löwen".
• Skimover: For all those who like to go skiing by public transport: The start-up from Rheinau (ZH) makes carrying skis superfluous - thanks to a small transport aid on wheels.
• Hera Organics: Two young entrepreneurs from Merlischachen (SZ) have made it their business to replace pads and tampons with naturally degradable menstrual sponges.
• Wedgram: Developed in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Wedgram is the first wedding social media app that matches wedding vendors and couples.
• Madame Sum: The start-up from Dübendorf delivers high-quality frozen dumplings to your home: creative flavors, made in Switzerland.
• Sashay: Shoes made from apples - a woman from Thalwil makes it possible: The partner of ex-ambassador Thomas Borer has stylish shoes made from apple leather.

As in the past, we will report here on the individual shows of Die Höhle der Löwen Switzerland. This year, will a company again have a Million deal land?

More information and broadcast dates: www.oneplus.ch

Here is a true story: A sect in America believed that the world would end on a very specific day. The only way to escape this doom was to gather at a certain place at a set time and wait for a spaceship that would save those gathered there. The people there believed so strongly in this story that they prepared in all ways for their departure from the sinking Earth. So they waited for the spaceship at the predicted time. And waited. And waited. Nothing happened. No spaceship. No end of the world. After a while, they pulled away again.

And now comes the amazing thing: The cult members did not admit afterwards that they had been mistaken. Instead they reinterpreted the missing end of the world without further ado. The world had not come to an end exactly because the extraterrestrial powers had felt the bundled energy of the cult members and therefore let go of their intention. In other words: the doomsday disciples have simply adapted the reality to their belief - not vice versa.

Bizarre, isn't it? That would never happen to you! Certainly not. You can think rationally! Are you sure?

Well, the truth is different: We all bend many realities to fit our beliefs, our faith. Here are a few examples from real life:

• "The customer only looks at the price; we just have to give discounts!" Really? Maybe I'm just not good at communicating value as a salesperson. No, I just believe customers want everything cheaper and cheaper. Then I don't have to adjust my beliefs.
• "Generation Z just doesn't want to work anymore!" We can believe that. Perhaps many simply do not want to bow to the cumbersome processes and ideas of their elders. But just: it is easier to distort reality than to change one's own belief in one's own supremacy.
• "They up there / they down there just don't understand what's really going on!" Exactly: this is how we create our own bubble of belief and prefer not to listen to the others at all. The best thing is to "cancel" them altogether. Because it does not fit our faith.

As is often the case, understanding the context is the first step to change. If you keep reminding yourself that your beliefs are often only your belief in the "spaceship" in the opening example, you are also more likely to consider other ways of looking at things.

Is that easy? Not at all. But it's guaranteed to make the world a better place.

 

To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch

The impact that current inflation is having on retirement planning is evident from the fact that saving is generally becoming more difficult. Two examples: Inflation reduces disposable income because goods generally cost more, and it eats up the interest received on savings accounts. This makes it all the more important to think about the right strategy for saving the necessary retirement capital in good time. Heinrich Bruhin deals with these and other topics as Head of Private Clients Pension at Tellco AG.

Mr. Bruhin, how do you save up a fortune?

Heinrich Bruhin: The general rule is to start as early as possible. This can be done with a classic savings account, but preferably in a third pillar, invested in securities. Securities investments generally offer a higher return than savings accounts, and over a period of 30 or 40 years, despite ups and downs on the stock market, more remains on the bottom line. For young people in particular, it is advisable to start saving early for pillar 3a. The earlier they start saving, the greater the chance of a secure capital in old age. Even small monthly amounts can grow into a considerable sum over the years (see chart). Around ten years before retirement age, it is advisable to take a holistic view of one's finances and plan the time until retirement - especially the exit from securities.

Isn't a savings account enough for retirement planning?

Having a savings account is certainly not wrong. The capital is protected from price fluctuations and, ideally, the interest at least compensates for the loss in value due to inflation. However, if you want to build up wealth, there are more profitable investment instruments. Experience has shown that securities investments with a focus on equity investments in the 3rd pillar are particularly suitable for this purpose.

For whom is the 3rd pillar worthwhile?

For everyone. You can pay flexible amounts into the 3rd pillar and invest them profitably. The contributions paid in can be deducted from taxable income, resulting in considerable tax savings. The money in the 3rd pillar is tied up, but can be withdrawn quickly if necessary, for example if you want to buy your own home, take up self-employment or emigrate.

Are the 1st and 2nd pillars not sufficient?

The 1st and 2nd pillars are supposed to form the basis of retirement provision, which is becoming increasingly difficult due to sociodemographic developments. The 3rd pillar offers the opportunity to save additional funds for retirement and to pursue a more individual pension strategy. For many people, their own retirement provision is important, but they often know too little about it. This lack of knowledge can lead to their own gaps going unrecognized and simple and efficient opportunities going unused. For the self-employed in particular, it is advisable to consider a balanced combination of all three pillars to ensure a solid financial retirement provision.

What should self-employed persons or young entrepreneurs consider with regard to pension provision?

Young entrepreneurs and founders of a start-up understandably often have other priorities than retirement provision. Nevertheless, it is important not to neglect financial provision. Because unlike employees, they are not automatically insured in the 2nd pillar.

• Pension fund: The advantages of a pension fund solution often outweigh the disadvantages, especially if the income is high. By law, savings contributions of up to 25% of the AHV annual salary are tax deductible. Amounts can also be paid in retrospectively, thus closing gaps. However, self-employed persons who have organized themselves as a sole proprietorship are restricted when joining a pension fund.
• Pillar 3a: Those who do not join a pension fund can pay up to 20% of their annual salary into the 3rd pillar each year (2023: max. CHF 35,280.-) and deduct this amount from their taxable income. Anyone who has joined a pension fund at the same time can pay significantly less deductible into the 3rd pillar. The maximum amount is then, as for salaried employees, a maximum of CHF 7056.- per year (2023). Years in which the maximum amount was not utilized cannot be made up.

Retirement planning for the self-employed requires initiative and careful financial planning. It is important to act early and take advantage of the various options available.

Can trends be identified in the area of pension provision?

Yes, the trend is clearly moving in the direction of 3a securities savings via digital solutions, i.e. via the apps. There are numerous offerings on the market that facilitate the process. Investing in securities is thus very easy. These apps offer features such as automatic saving, budget management and investment tracking. Particularly popular among young people are the options for investing in index-based investment solutions and future topics such as digitalization or blockchain. We also note that, possibly fueled by the shortage of skilled workers, employers are starting to provide additional support to their young employees in the area of private pension provision. For example, they are supplementing their employees' 3rd pillar contributions with direct subsidy payments to their 3a account. Incentives of this kind can be used efficiently in the area of employer branding and make it possible to trigger an early start to pension savings so that young employees can build a secure financial future for themselves.