The number of organizations that have adopted or are thinking about adopting the four-day workweek to promote long-term worker health and productivity is on the rise. Planio[1], a Berlin-based company that develops project management software, introduced a four-day work week for its employees last year. The British medical research charity, Wellcome Trust[2], on the other hand, conducted a feasibility study before ultimately deciding not to adopt the four-day model.

Employees want to make more of a difference

Even if the switch to a four-day workweek is still a long way off for most, the study by Ricoh, that across all age groups, the majority of workers have an expressed desire to be more engaged in the workplace and to increase their productivity through training and technology. Nearly three-quarters of workers (72 %) say they want to contribute more to the design of their workplace. This statement indicates a clear desire among workers to want to make more of a difference.

Continuously educate yourself

But workers in Europe also know that they can't do it alone. Seven in ten workers (70 %) believe they will need to keep learning throughout their career, while 63 percent believe technology should play a central role in helping them work to the best of their ability. The fact that circa four in 10 workers said automation (44 %) and AI (39 %) are likely to help them do their jobs also cools some of the heated discussions about the impact of technology on jobs.

More than two-thirds of workers (69 %) also believe that top companies excel at investing in digital technologies to upskill their employees, emphasizing the critical impact the right tools and training can have on job satisfaction and productivity.

Thanks to technology to the four-day week?

It is noteworthy that across generations*, the studies showed little disagreement on the above points, suggesting that discussions of conflicting views or demands among Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z are not appropriate.

David Mills, CEO of Ricoh Europe, said: "Managers should feel encouraged by these results. Workers are united by their strong desire to make a difference and achieve more at work. This finding is the first step in improving the stagnant productivity that has plagued businesses in Europe, particularly since the financial crisis in 2008. Our study underpins that the significant productivity challenge of improving[3] cannot be mastered by putting pressure on workers or by half-heartedly pursuing innovation. Instead, helping employees learn new skills and deploy technology-driven efficiencies can lead to significant productivity results - and perhaps even a shorter workweek."

Sources:

[1] https://plan.io/blog/four-day-workweek/
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/12/wellcome-trust-drops-plans-to-trial-four-day-working-week
[3] https://www.economist.com/buttonwoods-notebook/2017/01/11/the-curious-case-of-missing-global-productivity-growth

As part of a keynote speech on the topic of "Working world 4.0 in the environment of digital transformation", Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter from FHNW Olten presented the initial results of a study conducted in 2019. This is an in-depth study of the "SME Transformation" survey already published by the speaker in 2017. With around 1,200 participants, the study "Arbeitswelt 4.0" is the largest study on this topic in Switzerland to date. It focuses on the field of action "Digital Leadership & Culture" under the consideration of new approaches in leadership, culture and work - all areas that play a role within the digital transformation. The team led by Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter is based on the thesis that the triad of "People - Place - Technology" is at the heart of successfully shaping the working world of the future. The main issue is the meaningful and effective interaction of these three areas. With this in mind, a questionnaire was drawn up and the survey conducted in spring 2019.

Developing the working world of the future: Employees not involved enough

How do the respondents understand the working world 4.0? The dominant terms from the responses are digitization, new forms of work, but also associations such as flexibility with regard to working hours and place of work, networking and change in general. Employers say of themselves that they are either "right at the beginning" (43 %) of Working World 4.0 or "in the middle of it" (45 %). "So there is still a lot to do," concludes Marc K. Peter.

This is also shown by the answer to the question about the involvement of employees in the implementation of Working World 4.0: Only 27 percent of respondents answered "yes" here. This means that 73 percent of employees are not involved in the change process - or the company does not consider this necessary! A finding that should give pause for thought.

Intergenerational collaboration

The respondents see innovation (66 %) and communication (64 percent) as the key drivers of the working world of the future. The greatest barriers are seen as a lack of expertise (42 %) and a leadership or organizational structure that is no longer up to date (41 percent). This result clearly shows how necessary a cultural change is in order to be able to realize Working World 4.0 at all. As a recommendation for action, the study authors mention the conscious and proactive inclusion of Generation Z in this process. It is important to harness their potential in order to promote cross-generational acceptance and collaboration.

Digitalization as a stress factor

In addition to the study results, Marc K. Peter pointed out further challenges in connection with the working world 4.0: Advancing digitalization is leading to more stress. According to the Job Stress Index of the Health Promotion Switzerland almost half of the workforce is currently in a sensitive area with regard to stress. Not only is it up to management to take targeted preventive measures, but the world of work 4.0 can also make a positive contribution here, for example by strengthening flexibility and collaboration. However: New areas of tension and new demands on corporate culture cannot be avoided here either.

The detailed results of the study as well as a practical guide will be available to the Swiss business community from fall 2019. More information

Boss Info Holding, which is already represented at 7 locations in German-speaking Switzerland, is expanding further and is now also taking over ProFinance, which is also active in German-speaking Switzerland. Yves-Alain Dufaux will continue to serve as CEO and Chairman of the Board of ProFinance. All ProFinance employees will remain at their current location in Langenthal BE with the same functions and responsibilities. Since 1998, Boss Info AG has built up the status of integrator in Switzerland with the largest number of installations of the overall business solution Microsoft Dynamics. In addition to the entire Microsoft product range, ICT infrastructure / systems engineering, web applications such as webshops and portals as well as training courses are further mainstays of Boss Info.

The merger of the two ERP specialists enables both companies to benefit from synergies in the operational processing of the SME market in German-speaking Switzerland. ProFinance's solutions optimally expand Boss Info Group's overall ERP offering, according to a statement to the media. Together with ProFinance, Boss Info Group can continue to offer comprehensive ERP solution environments also for smaller companies at an optimal cost/benefit ratio. In addition, Boss Info continues to pursue its growth strategy with this step.

"As a Swiss SME with our more than 20 years of experience, we are proud to serve as a Swiss Made Software to keep the software engineering as well as the product management of all our ERP products in Switzerland. This is the only way we can ensure the justified high quality demands of our SME customers.", says about this Yves-Alain Dufaux, CEO of ProFinance, on his motivations about the merger with Boss Info. Like Yves-Alain Dufaux, Simon Boss, founder and CEO of Boss Info AG, also attaches great importance to supporting his customers in their business challenges with state-of-the-art tools: "I am firmly convinced that the two ranges of services offered by our companies complement each other ideally. Furthermore, the corporate cultures of the two companies enrich each other."

The Service Provider of the Year DACH and Russia award is a milestone for the IT company from Oftringen with core competencies in cloud computing, IT services and SAP. CEO Peter Merz: "We are very proud of this award. For us, it is confirmation that we are on the right track with our hybrid cloud model." The HPE Discover event sets standards in terms of organization and image promotion for all IT companies. "It is a great honor for us to receive such an award from a partner like HPE. So it goes without saying that we also give it the right attention," explains the CEO. Why does HPE award the IT company GIA Informatik? Peter Merz says: "With this award, HPE recognizes our efforts to provide our customers with a secure, reliable and very high-performance private cloud. In our data centers, which are located in Switzerland, we have built a modern platform using current HPE technologies." CEO Peter Merz will be on site in Las Vegas to accept the award with his own hands.

Source: GIA Informatik AG

The market for non-publicly traded debt financing has gained increased attention in recent years. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts examined for the first time
comprehensively and systematically the significance and potential of private debt in Switzerland. For borrowers, private debt represents an alternative source of financing to the classic
bank financing. It is an interesting asset class from the perspective of the money lenders.

What is Private Debt?

The term "private debt" is generally defined in various ways. In the broadest sense, private debt encompasses any debt financing of companies via a non
publicly traded market. This therefore includes, in the broadest sense, all forms of bank loans, loans by non-banks, promissory note loans, special financing,
Consumer loans, private real estate financing, etc. Unlike the public market, private-debt instruments are typically illiquid. Therefore, the lenders intend to
usually to maintain the commitment until the end of the term. Furthermore, there are usually no public market prices for these instruments. Often, the term private debt is understood in a narrower sense and is limited - as also in the context of the study mentioned here - to non-exchange-traded debt financing of companies by non-banks.

Market volume in Switzerland is around three billion Swiss francs

Number crunching in a non-public market is difficult. Based on numerous interviews with relevant market players, the authors developed a classification of the
Swiss market (see chart). The volume of the private debt market is estimated at around three billion Swiss francs. Individual larger private equity transactions have a strong influence on private debt volumes. However, the authors also observe numerous small transactions, for example in crowdlending, which also contribute to the increase. Internationally, the private debt market is also experiencing high growth. The current volume invested in private debt funds worldwide is estimated at over USD 750 billion. In 2018 alone, it is estimated that more than USD 100 billion in new capital was raised.

Niche market with potential for new business models

Compared with the lending volumes of banks or public debt capital markets, the private debt market in Switzerland continues to operate in a niche. For Thomas K. Birrer, professor at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and co-author of the study, the banks will remain clearly the most important credit providers for Swiss SMEs: "We expect, however, that especially in the case of
Financing via digital platforms continues to show high growth rates. The authors also see great potential in business models that combine the advantages of traditional bank financing with those of online platforms. Such platforms will also enable the inclusion of funds and institutional investors in the financing of loans for companies. Thomas K. Birrer says: "We assume that the diversity of credit offerings for companies in Switzerland will increase.

Willingness to invest in private debt exists

Institutional investors are invested to varying degrees in the private debt asset class and hope, firstly, to achieve higher returns by investing in such assets, secondly, to make good investments in the longer maturity segment and, thirdly, to achieve diversification effects. The good experience to date is also the reason why there is a willingness to increase the allocation to private debt. Nevertheless, as with other investments, the respective risks must be considered and efficient access to suitable investment opportunities must be established.

Switzerland is a part-time nation: 37% of the Swiss workforce work part-time. In a European comparison, this means second place behind the Netherlands. In 62% of Swiss families, at least one parent works part-time, according to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Swiss Life wanted to know in more detail how self-determined Swiss families are in dealing with the issue of part-time work and conducted a representative survey of 912 parents in households with children up to the age of twelve. The results are representative of the target group surveyed.

Only 8% of Swiss parents want to work full-time

Family and a full-time job often seem to be a necessary evil for Swiss parents. Only just 8% of them would work full-time if they could choose freely. For fathers, the figure is somewhat higher at 13%, and for mothers it is as low as 4%. The reality is different: In fact, 76% of the fathers surveyed and 11% of the mothers work full-time today. The desire for a reduced workload is matched by the fact that only 12% of the parents state professional success as an important goal for the next ten years. They consider leading a happy family life (64%) and having enough time for their own children (54%) to be much more desirable.

Swiss Parents Decide Self-Determinedly for Part-Time Work

Those Swiss parents who work part-time have generally made a conscious decision to do so. Only 5% work part-time because they could not find a full-time job. As a reason for the decision to work part-time, 94% of mothers state that they are concerned about childcare and running the household. A better work-life balance is hoped for by 34%. Among fathers, the main reason for part-time work is also childcare and household chores (61%). Almost equally important for them, however, is work-life balance: 59% of fathers cite this as an important reason for part-time work.

Part-time parents feel less stressed at work and experience more appreciation

Part-time work not only leaves more time for the family, it also seems to be linked to other positive factors. While 28% of parents with a full-time job feel highly stressed at work, the figure for part-time parents is only 15%. And the perceived higher stress in the full-time workload is not rewarded by more appreciation - on the contrary: just under half (46%) of the parents with part-time jobs say that their work gives them appreciation. Among parents with a full-time workload, the figure is only 37%.

Money, not career, is the main reason for a full-time job

Around three quarters (74%) of parents with full-time jobs cite the higher income as an important reason for their workload. Only 24% of them work full-time for the fun of it. It fits into this picture that financial self-determination is very important for Swiss parents. Financial independence ranks second on their list of priorities after their own family - ahead of friends and career.

Part-time work: effects on budget and own pension situation hardly known

Part-time work has financial consequences. All the more surprising: only just 39% of Swiss parents have already calculated in detail how part-time work affects the household budget. Even fewer, namely 27%, have already given serious thought to how their workload will affect their retirement provision. It is surprising how many parents would like to work part-time, but have never calculated such a scenario.

New online calculator offers support for financial part-time check

In addition to salary, part-time work can have an impact on a whole range of other factors, such as childcare costs, tax deductions or tax progression. To help you keep track of this, Swiss Life has developed the Online part-time calculator which can be used to easily show the effects of different scenarios on the household budget. For families, the calculator is a first step on the path to the right part-time mix and more financial confidence for their self-determined lives.

Source: Swiss Life

Both because of existing maternity and the possibility of pregnancy, women can be disadvantaged in the labor market. This is shown by a study published in connection with the women's strike these days. On the one hand, employers may perceive women of fertile age as "at risk" of pregnancy. On the other hand, employers fear that if they hire mothers, they will be responsible for childcare more often than men due to the conservative distribution of roles and may be absent more often, for example due to sick children.

Large-scale study in German-speaking countries

Ana Fernandes from the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Economics, together with Sascha O. Becker from the University of Warwick and Doris Weichselbaumer from the University of Linz, investigated how these factors influence the hiring practices of companies in the German-speaking labor market with a large-scale correspondence study in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The researchers sent out around 9,000 fictitious applications for advertised full-time and part-time positions. In the resumes, they provided different information on marital status and number of children for the alleged applicants, but kept the age and previous work experience the same for all of them.

Even potential pregnancy prevents employment

The result makes one sit up and take notice: Women who are married, childless and work part-time are less likely to be invited for a job interview than single women. The reason for this: employers consider married people to be particularly "at risk" of becoming pregnant. At the same time, mothers of two young children are less likely to be asked for an interview than mothers of two older children, because employers fear that younger children will get sick more often and that female employees will be absent more often. The researchers attribute the differences found between full- and part-time outcomes to two factors:

1. Part-time work is much more common in German-speaking countries than in the EU, for example.
2. Part-time work is strongly rooted in the values of these societies, which perceive work and motherhood as less compatible than other European countries.

Completed family planning as an advantage

When female candidates apply for part-time employment, employers see this as a motivation for wanting to balance work and family. As a result, female applicants with a higher probability of pregnancy are disadvantaged and female applicants who signal that their family planning is complete are preferred.

Female applicants for full-time positions, on the other hand, signal that they have secure childcare regardless of their family situation, since they would otherwise not be able to reconcile the full-time position with it. Thus, female applicants for full-time positions with the same information on marital status and number of children as female applicants for part-time positions are not disadvantaged.

Conclusion of the study

1. Married but childless women applying for part-time jobs are least likely to be invited for an interview compared to other part-time applicants with different family types.
2. Women with two older children who apply for part-time jobs have the greatest chance of being interviewed compared to other types with different family compositions. This is a surprising and almost
   paradoxical result, because these jobs are typically considered particularly family-friendly.

In keeping with the theme, BFH Economics is hosting the "Discrimination in the Labor Market" conference on August 30 and 31. As part of this academic event, a roundtable discussion will be held entitled "The Cost of Outside Childcare and the
Labor market participation of women". Scheduled guests are Claudine Esseiva, City Councillor Bern (FDP), Dr. Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Office for Gender Equality FOGE and Irenka Krone-Germann, Founder and Managing Director of Part-time Optimizing.

Source: Bern University of Applied Sciences

Data usage is on everyone's lips. The impact this will have on SMEs, startups and society was discussed at the Startfeld Innovation Forum on June 13, 2019. Startfeld is the name of the network for innovations and startups around Säntis. In all phases of innovation, Startfeld supports ambitious founders as well as established SMEs that are open to impulses and drive new things forward. The sponsors of Startfeld are Empa, the University of Applied Sciences St.Gallen, the City of St.Gallen, the St.Galler Kantonalbank and the University of St.Gallen.

Hunt for data...

At this year's Startfeld Innovation Forum, top-class speakers focused on topics such as the emergence of a drone competence center in St.Gallen, the role of Internet of Things (IoT) in SMEs, automation of processes through Big Data, or the uncovering of business potential through artificial intelligence (AI). The program included application-oriented workshops to complement the presentations. Thus, the participants at the Startfeld Innovation Forum were not only able to hunt and collect data, but also to derive the greatest possible benefit from it.

On the pulse of time

The Startfeld Innovation Forum was again organized by the Enterprise Development Group (EDG) and the St.Gallen innovation network Startfeld. Dr. Cornelia Gut-Villa is pleased: "We have achieved a new attendance record at this year's event. The conference topic engages executives from SMEs as well as innovators and founders. We are very pleased that Startfeld has developed into a community where founders, creatives and entrepreneurs meet to work on solutions for the future."

Do not make mistakes to learn by yourself

Prof. Dr. Gunter Dueck, author, mathematician, philosopher and ex-IBM CTO, who is known for his humorous, satirical and critical blunt speeches and books, presented his own surprise crashes shortly before the end of the Startfeld Innovation Forum. He had the right data and insights, but nobody wanted them. That's why he advocated training, coaching and mentoring for innovators. According to Dueck, many innovators don't know or take to heart that mistakes don't have to be fundamentally self-inflicted to learn. Dueck captivated the participants with his speech.

World change through Web 3.0

A total of seven workshops were held in the afternoon on practical topics. Workshop leader Bettina Hein has successfully founded several companies in the software industry and lived in Boston until a year ago before returning to St.Gallen. The co-founder of START Global, which organizes the START Summit, introduced the participants to Berners-Lee Open Source Framework called "Solid" in her workshop. This gives Internet users back control over their data and breaks through data silos.

The next Startfeld Innovation Forum will take place on June 4, 2020.

Source and further information: Start field

At the Assembly of Delegates on June 12, 2019, the two Boards of Trustees held a meeting together for the first time. The delegates of the companies affiliated to Groupe Mutuel Pension (GMP) and Valais Pension (MVP) were informed of the figures of this joining of forces. The merger, which will take effect retroactively as of January 1, 2019, is now reaching a new phase; business operations are under unified management.

Good financial position

"The timing for this merger is favorable. With their excellent financial position, both companies are at the top of the rankings in terms of financial solidity of Swiss pension funds," says Karin Perraudin, President of the Board of Trustees of the new organization. Indeed, the funding ratio after the merger is 112.35 percent, and insured persons can benefit from a BVG interest rate of 2 percent. In addition, Groupe Mutuel achieved first place for the highest interest rate over ten years in a recent rating on occupational pension plans published by the SonntagsZeitung and "Finanz und Wirtschaft".

In addition to the good financial situation, the foundation boards mention numerous advantages of this union that benefit the insured of both foundations. "A larger dimension strengthens the weight of the foundation on the 2nd pillar market and in negotiations with the various partners. The simplification of processes and clearer communication based on the activities of a single organization will allow efficiency gains and greater transparency in the future," explains Marlène Rast, head of pension activities at Groupe Mutuel.

Switzerland-wide opening while maintaining a strong Valais identity

In 2018, the two pension foundations gained numerous new customers and recorded significant sales growth. These results show that the foundations' solutions meet the needs of companies from all over Switzerland. Consequently, thanks to the new structure, larger customers can also be accommodated. The primary objective remains the satisfaction of existing customers, Groupe Mutuel adds. "We offer them first-class customer service and solutions that are among the best performing on the market in terms of returns and security."

The Valaisan identity is maintained through a management entirely carried out in Valais, with the administrative headquarters in Martigny and the foundation headquarters in Sion. At the same time, the opening up to the rest of Switzerland, begun in 1994, is strengthened, ensuring future success.

Groupe Mutuel

Sto AG Switzerland is a subsidiary of the international Sto Group. A leader in the field of thermal insulation on facades, its extensive range includes products from the areas of facades, interiors, acoustics, paints and glazes, floor coatings, and concrete repair. It also makes an active contribution to energy generation with its photovoltaic facade system. With Dr. Jan Malmström, a new managing director is now taking the helm. Most recently Head of Sales and Member of the Executive Board at Hilti Schweiz AG, Jan Malmström has many years of experience in sales, marketing and business development in the construction supply industry.

After studying geology and successfully completing his doctorate at ETH Zurich, Jan Malmström started his professional career as a management consultant. After three years as a product manager in the Holcim Group, he moved to Hilti AG in 2005. There he served as Head of Marketing and Product Management before assuming responsibility for the Sales Channels division as a member of the Executive Board in 2011. From 2016, Jan Malmström worked for Hilti AG as Sales Manager for various regions in Switzerland.

"I am very much looking forward to the exciting challenges within the Sto Group. My goal is to create sustainable and profitable growth with a strong brand and a strong team. Sto's high-quality products and services should make a decisive contribution to creating value for our customers. I place a particular focus on further developing the service concept at Sto and cultivating personal relationships with our customers - this as the basis for mutual success," says Jan Malmström.

Every employee is familiar with lean periods in the job. But job frustration should not become the norm - a certain level of satisfaction should be the goal for every employee. But the reality is often different, as a recent survey by personnel service provider Robert Half shows: A quarter (26 %) of Swiss respondents are dissatisfied in their jobs.

One in three remains loyal to employer despite dissatisfaction

59 % of those who are dissatisfied are already looking to change jobs. However, one-third do not want to leave the company despite continuing work frustration. The reasons for persevering are varied: One in two (52 %) cite benefits of their current employer, such as flexible working models or a good salary. 29 % of those who are dissatisfied do not want to part with their colleagues in the team. One in five (19 %) do not believe that their situation would improve at another company.

Job disenchantment is a risk for employees and companies

"Companies should be alert when a quarter of employees are dissatisfied and the majority of them are already looking for a new job. But frustrated employees also need to weigh up how much of a burden the dissatisfaction is," explains Zerrin Azeri, Associate Director at Robert Half in Zurich. Job dissatisfaction should not be taken lightly, as it can quickly end in burnout or boreout.

Hurdles for job changes deter

However, finding the job that actually fits is no easy task. "Long application processes, uncertainty as to whether one's qualifications are sufficient, and perceived poorer general conditions often make employees shy away from changing jobs," explains Azeri. For her, this is a fatal mistake, because there are numerous offers that help employees take the first step toward changing jobs: "From application training to individual counseling, a whole range of offers are available today to support employees willing to change jobs. In addition, professional recruiters increase the chance of finding jobs that really suit the applicant."

Source: Robert Half

Both Mathys Informatik and Computerfuchs have been working with the ERP software europa3000 for decades. Both system houses have a three-digit customer base among small and medium-sized SMEs. As equal partners they take over europa3000 AG with immediate effect with all license rights of the europa3000 software. In doing so, they secure their ERP business for the future and offer a clear perspective to all customers, employees and sales partners of europa3000.

Clear future prospects for customers, employees and partners

Through the acquisition of europa3000 AG, the buyers are fully focused on their SME strengths and offer all europa3000 customers up-to-date and modern software for managing the digital transformation in SMEs. Further investments in the software and in the organization of europa3000 AG are planned. An organic growth strategy is intended to consolidate the customer base, which currently numbers around 3,000, and to further expand it in a targeted manner in the SME environment. In addition to the almost twenty sales partners, this is to be supported by the direct sales strategy already adopted.

Strengthened management team

The europa3000 AG location in Aarau will remain unchanged and all 20 employees will stay on board. This also includes the operational trio with the long-standing managers Sandra Peier (Head of Business Unit), Roland Schenker (Development) and Dominic Achermann (Sales). The strategic management is shared from the circle of buyers as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors Beat Mathys and as the new member of the Board of Directors Markus Fuchs. Their two companies Mathys Informatik AG and Computerfuchs AG remain independent and continue to operate their traditional system house business unchanged.

"The sale of europa3000 AG to Computerfuchs and us as long-standing and profound connoisseurs of the europa3000 community and many customers is an optimal continuation solution. At Bison, europa3000 was not in an ideal strategic position", Beat Mathys explains the motive for the purchase. Bison Switzerland confirms the divestiture from "from a strategy review on the part of Bison and a specific request from the partner environment" to do business. Bison focuses on IT solutions for medium-sized and larger companies in the retail sector.

More information