Due to demographic change, the labor market is undergoing upheaval: For the first time, more employees are retiring than new ones entering the labor market - employers are confronted with an increasingly dried-up labor market. However, the upheaval in the labor market not only affects the number of workers, but also their expectations and requirements. Precisely because the balance of power is shifting in favor of the workforce due to the labor shortage, their needs are gaining in importance.

One important and much-discussed trend here is part-time work. In principle, Swiss SMEs have a positive attitude towards part-time work. This is shown by the results of the current SME labor market study, which AXA conducted for the second time this year with the Sotomo research institute: Only around one in ten companies sees no benefit in an 80-percent part-time job compared to a full-time position. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, the question is increasingly being asked from an economic point of view whether the Swiss economy can afford part-time work at all - but the fact is that the desired workload of the Swiss across all age groups is part-time.

High lower limit in terms of minimum workload for small SMEs

The problem: Part-time is not just part-time. "In the debate about part-time work, people often talk about part-time work in general. In concrete terms, however, it makes a big difference whether part-time work means a 40-percent or an 80-percent workload," explains Michael Hermann, Head of Sotomo. For AXA Switzerland's SME labor market study, companies were therefore asked how high the workload must be so that employees can fully fulfill their tasks and obligations. The study results show: The lower limit for small SMEs with 5 to 9 employees is a medium 80 percent workload, which is significantly higher than for medium and large SMEs, where a medium 60 percent workload is also sufficient.

At 50 percent, the minimum workload is lowest in industries with a high proportion of women, such as retail, education, and health and social services. "The continuing division of roles in household and child-rearing work means that part-time work is widespread and institutionalized in typical female occupations, while opportunities for part-time work in typical male occupations remain limited. So one can ask how much the opportunity for part-time work has to do with the job itself and how much with persistent role models," Hermann said.

Influence of social perceptions not to be underestimated

43 percent of the SMEs surveyed justified their prevailing minimum workload with an increased coordination and planning effort that would be incurred with a lower workload. In second place, the respondents cited customers' expectations of employee presence time (41 %). Only a good third (35 %) justified the minimum workload by stating that the work itself required a certain amount of presence time. While the increased coordination and planning effort is obvious for low-percentage workloads, presence times required by customers have a lot to do with social perceptions. In the case of companies and industries with a high minimum workload, the question therefore also arises as to whether this is due to the work itself or to societal perceptions about the way in which a particular profession is performed.

Four-day week receives headwind

Working an 80 percent part-time is therefore largely accepted today. Compared with the previous year's survey, however, skepticism toward a statutory four-day week has increased: While 39 percent of respondents in 2022 still viewed the introduction of a general four-day week positively, the proportion fell to less than one-third (31 %) in 2023. "The decline in approval probably has to do with the fact that the four-day week became a media topic last year. The debate has obviously fed skepticism among SMEs," is Michael Hermann's assessment.

The study results also show that Swiss SMEs have very different ideas about what the introduction of the four-day week actually means. Only a minority of respondents, namely 39 percent, understand it to mean a reduction in working hours with no change in pay (wage compensation model). 32 percent of respondents assume that a four-day week means that the same number of hours as today will be worked in four days instead of five (working time shift model). Another 30 percent assume that the number of hours per week will be reduced, but with a simultaneous reduction in pay (working time compensation model).

Among those respondents who have a positive attitude toward the four-day week, the idea of it coincides more often with the wage compensation model than among the skeptics. 55 percent of those in favor of a four-day week understand this to mean a reduction in working hours with no change in pay. Overall, however, only 17 percent are in favor of a four-day week with no change in pay. ""80 percent employment is widely accepted today. However, very few SMEs are prepared to accept a statutory four-day week, and even then with wage compensation," says Michael Hermann.

Only a minority implements concrete measures for the advancement of women

One much-discussed strategy for dealing with the labor shortage is to increase the labor force participation of women. After all, it is still mostly women who take on a larger share of the housework and childcare and therefore reduce their workload. However, the Swiss economy would depend on women working higher hours.

The study results show that while 70 percent of the companies surveyed with existing gender inequality are trying to counteract it. However, only a few SMEs are taking targeted measures: Flexible working hours (36 %) and enabling part-time work and job sharing (29 %) are the most common. These two key measures to improve the reconciliation of family and work commitments are thus only taken by around one-third of SMEs, even if they identify deficits in gender equality. Even rarer are targeted measures such as taking gender into account in recruitment (18 %) or targeted promotion programs (10 %).

It is true that these measures make it easier for employees to reconcile family and work commitments and thus increase the employment rate of female workers. However, by focusing on low part-time workloads, they simultaneously promote lower overall female labor force participation. "The last two measures in particular could make an important contribution to ensuring that women are not only employed more frequently, but also increasingly pursue careers and work at higher stints," says Michael Hermann.

Source: AXA Switzerland

Around two-thirds of all employees in Switzerland work in SMEs. SMEs undoubtedly play a crucial role for both the Swiss and the global economy. The United Nations takes this fact into account with the World Day of SMEs on June 27. In practice, the important commitment of SMEs is less well recognized when it comes to the declaration of general validity of collective labor agreements (CLAs) by the administration.

Practice against the law

According to the current law, collective labor agreements can be declared generally valid for an entire industry if at least half of the employers are organized in an association and half of the employees in a trade union. This regulation serves to ensure that no minority can dictate the working rules for an entire industry. However, of a total of 79 collective labor agreements declared generally binding, an exception to this employee quorum was granted in 51 - this corresponds to around 64.5 percent. The exception provided for in the law has long since become the rule in practice. Especially at the expense of the larger SMEs, such as the window manufacturer 4B from Hochdorf (LU).

Competitive disadvantage compared to foreign competitors

The collective labor agreement in the case of the carpentry industry was designed for relatively small SMEs of five to ten people. This was done with the fundamentally important aim of ensuring that competitors cannot gain competitive advantages through poorer working conditions for employees. However, unlike many smaller SMEs, 4B - which is subject to the "Carpenters" collective labor agreement that is generally binding for the entire industry - is in competition with foreign players in particular.

"For us, the minimum wage prescribed in the CLA is not a problem," says Jean-Marc Devaud, CEO at 4B. In the competition for good employees, 4B offers attractive wages that are clearly above the minimum wage, as well as attractive working conditions in general. One problem, however, is the wage increases that the company is regularly forced to make because of the CLA. "These wage increases based on the watering can principle and not on the performance principle on our already high wages lead to a cost problem and a significant competitive disadvantage compared to foreign competitors," says the CEO.

Politics is called for

Among carpenters, only around 23 percent are organized in a union. The legally required quorum of 50 percent is therefore clearly not reached. Nevertheless, the CBA for carpenters has been declared generally binding for the entire industry - to the detriment of numerous SMEs. "In our view, this is a matter for politicians," says Devaud.

Source: 4B

The consulting firm Gallup has published the report "State of the Global Workplace 2023". A total of 122,416 employees were surveyed in 145 countries, of which 18,262 interviews were conducted in Europe (38 countries, including Switzerland). The results are representative of the workforce in each country. The latest edition of the report shows the impact of going from one crisis to the next: stress. "The world is in a multiple crisis situation, which employees also feel at work. Of course, stress at work can't always be avoided - but it's how you handle it that matters. Time pressure caused by tight deadlines can have a positive effect on performance, at least in the short term. However, if the exception becomes a permanent condition that managers do not cushion with support, it can make people ill in the medium term. In view of high stress levels, companies must keep a watchful eye on this. In the long term, stress is toxic for the corporate culture and thus also for economic success," says Marco Nink, Director of Research & Analytics EMEA at Gallup.

Emotional commitment of employees in Switzerland at a low level

Compared with their European neighbors, however, Swiss employees are still in a relatively good position when it comes to stress levels. 39 percent of European employees report suffering from stress, compared with 42 percent of respondents in Germany and a global average of 44 percent.

The perceived stress is no coincidence and goes hand in hand with a low emotional attachment of Swiss employees to their employer. Thus, at the same time, they exhibit a low level of emotional attachment. Only one in ten respondents (11 %) in Switzerland has a high emotional attachment to their current employer. Most Swiss people work to rule and have a low emotional attachment (79 %). And 10 percent have even quit internally and no longer have any attachment to their employer.

Gallup analyzes emotional employee loyalty on the basis of twelve factors that flow into a so-called engagement index. "We know from our long-term research that low emotional employee loyalty is a challenge for companies in times of employee shortages," says Nink. "That's because it promotes a willingness to switch. Companies can counteract this with the quality of the leadership experienced. Employees who report good leadership feel less stressed and more engaged than employees whose emotional needs at work are overlooked," says Marco Nink, who as EMEA Lead Research & Analytics accompanies the European surveys.

Europe is giving away potential: no other region is less emotionally attached

In terms of low emotional commitment, however, the Swiss are in like-minded company in Europe. Europe has the lowest level of emotional employee commitment of all ten world regions (13 % compared with 23 % worldwide). Europe's large neighbors in particular also have low scores when it comes to emotional attachment. In the United Kingdom, the value of employees with a high level of emotional employee loyalty is 10 percent, in Germany 16 percent; France (7 %) and Italy (5 %) even score well below the European average. This means that the two countries not only bring up the rear in Europe, but are also among the nations with the worst scores globally. "Cultural factors are often cited as the reason for low emotional employee loyalty in Europe. However, the problem lies not in the work culture, but in the management culture. Our experience shows that in companies that actively work on the quality of the leadership they experience and the working environment, the emotional loyalty of their employees can be significantly increased," says Gallup expert Marco Nink.

Opportunities on the labor market are perceived as promising

At the same time, many employees in Switzerland continue to rate the current chances of finding a new job as positive in the medium term. Thus, almost every second respondent (46 %; -2 %) states that it is a good time to change employer. Although this figure is slightly below the European average (56 %), it shows that employees have confidence in the labor market overall. "When employers actively promote emotional attachment and care about the well-being of their employees, they not only reduce their stress, but also strengthen their own competitiveness and employer brand, in addition to their health and performance," says Pa Sinyan, Gallup's managing partner in EMEA. "However, when low emotional engagement meets high stress levels and at the same time the chances of finding a new job are rated well, the openness to change employers increases."

Source: Gallup

As an "Innovator of Trust", Swisscom wants to help shape the future of the Swiss economy in an increasingly digitalized and networked world. With the acquisition of the Abacus integrator Axept Business Software AG, Swisscom is further expanding its range of solutions in the area of business applications in the SME environment. In doing so, Swisscom is strengthening its ERP services in German-speaking Switzerland in particular, where it is already active as a provider of SAP services for large customers. According to Patrick Minder, Head Platforms & Applications at Swisscom, the acquisition of Axept is "an important step towards being able to support Swiss SMEs even more comprehensively in their IT and business transformation.

As a Gold Partner, Axept is one of the leading integration and operating partners for the highly successful Swiss ERP solution Abacus and counts around 1,500 small and medium-sized companies from a wide range of industries among its customers. In addition, Axept has proven expertise in the implementation of business intelligence and data management solutions and has its own construction management solution, PROVIS. Axept employs around 180 people at its locations in Zurich, Basel, Berne and St. Gallen and will become a subsidiary of Swisscom following the completion of the acquisition. The company will continue to be present on the market as an independent brand with its ERP offering under the current management with CEO Raphael Kohler. He is convinced that this step will release synergies for both parties and further strengthen Axept's long-term positioning in the market.

The closing took place on June 19, 2023. The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

Source: Swisscom. More information: Axept Business Software AG

The Swiss software company mesoneer acquires the majority of shares in contactify and all 10 employees of the startup, which was founded in 2020 and will remain independent as a company. The founders Lars Sager and David Sager will remain part of the shareholder group with minority stakes and will continue to lead the company as managing directors in the upcoming growth phase. In addition to expanding the range of products and services, the acquisition will generate significant synergy effects, for example by enabling contactify to draw on the development capacities of mesoneer.

Numerous synergies

"We are pleased to integrate new innovative products into our offering with contactify and at the same time identify new potential customers for our existing solutions," says Patrick Brazzale, CEO of mesoneer. After all, in the few years of its existence, contactify would have established itself as a leading innovation driver in the field of customer engagement and would already have been able to win over 80 companies, some of them well-known, as customers. Brazzale sees further synergies in the area of software development: "The cooperation of our new subsidiary with our development sites in Vietnam brings us expanded technology know-how and additional power," says Brazzale. Lars Sager, co-founder of contactify, is also convinced of the synergy potential of the acquisition: "On the one hand, we can professionalize our appearance and our marketing processes and, thanks to mesoneer's developer pool and project services, bring our products to market faster in the future, expand our sales opportunities and, at the same time, offer our existing customers additional added value with products and services from mesoneer."

New product spaices

At the same time as the acquisition, the two companies are announcing "spaices," a new product from contactify. spaices is a so-called digital sales room designed to optimize the B2B sales process and completely redesign the customer journey by creating customized microsites for individual customers or customer groups. These highly personalized microsites are targeted to the specific needs of the customer. The product thus provides relevant contact person details, files, videos and much more in an aesthetically pleasing user interface. In addition, spaices allows purchasing teams to edit landing pages as well, making it easier to market the product when selling internally. spaices also provides the ability to effortlessly share updates and news with the customer via push notifications, generating valuable analytics about customer interest and behavior. In the long term, contactify sees the opportunity to automate the content flow on these hyper-personalized landing pages through the use of artificial intelligence, further increasing efficiency. With the introduction of spaices, contactify is setting new standards in the B2B customer journey and enabling sales and marketing teams to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Here interested parties can now sign up for the beta version of spaices.

Source and further information

Long before problems are reflected in the numbers, attentive leaders recognize the first clues. Boris Grundl identifies six focus areas as roots or signs of stagnation: finance, products, employees, hiring, recruiting, problem solving.

Without glacé gloves: Finances

If positions in higher ranks fall for the temptation of harmony, financial distress lurks. "Behind many insolvencies is a leader addicted to harmony," Grundl summarizes. Need for harmony prevents open discussions and serious, painful decisions - also and especially with regard to monetary matters. Clarity clears the air: A clear profile of internal goals and guiding principles paves the way and gives courage to speak out about what is uncomfortable. Weaknesses are addressed openly, appreciatively and at an early stage in order to actively initiate improvements.

The product carousel is spinning again

Previous box office hits lose their luster or fail due to a lack of scalability; new ideas stick to the tried and true. The reason lies in the way mistakes are handled. "In many companies, leaders interpret error culture as an avoidance strategy. Yet only error-learning culture spurs growth." Error-avoidance culture creates an atmosphere of fear: Mistakes are allowed to happen, but they are dissected in detail and then assigned to one or more culprits. To avoid criticism, employees therefore prefer to forego unconventional ideas. The situation is different in a work environment that sees mistakes as a basis for learning. Instead of shelving a process because something went wrong at the first attempt, team members work out together which individual elements worked well and implement them in the next project. Very important: don't hold grudges! A positive culture of learning from mistakes stimulates creativity, a sense of belonging and a sense of responsibility - which generates new products.

Systematically retaining talent: Recruiting

The middle management position to be filled again? The last new hire ran away before the end of the probationary period? Company structures that are unsystematic or subject to the whims of individuals fuel dependencies on individuals and drive away new talent. Decisions must not be made by the management team alone - if announcements are made from above without warning, frustration quickly arises in the corridors. Instead, transparent standards and comprehensible systems provide orientation and objective comparability. They encourage people to feel part of the system and to want to deliver above-average performance for the team and the company. Leadership means creating systems with clear processes and responsibilities that encourage self-running.

The art of problem solving

Attentive employees have an early inkling of stagnant developments. For other team members, family care or a personal disaster is gnawing away at their energy reserves. Instead of looking ahead, they show up for work listlessly or shuffle irritably from meeting to meeting, soon causing the entire team to suffer. If no one intervenes, the downward spiral continues to wind its way down. The remedy is mental transformation: away from diffuse task orientation to goal-oriented result orientation. Instead of working through a list item by item and getting bogged down in the day's work, the willing call to mind what result they want to have achieved at the end of the day and keep their eyes on the goal. This spurs spirited action and a positive attitude - day after day. For empowering leaders, it's important to map out this mental map for each individual employee and align it with the company's goals. With result-oriented task descriptions, attentively and regularly checked in a joint discussion, they fuel personal responsibility and self-efficacy. Careful project management makes clear the meaningfulness of a project and the importance of the person or persons responsible.

Setting

If all company members know their area of responsibility and understand what they contribute to the company's goal, they euphorically assume responsibility. Conveying this enthusiasm is easy if the organization conveys a clear picture of its core. Successful companies are characterized by clear and pointed positioning; all employees know where the company fits in the market, what values it represents and what its unique selling proposition is. It helps to record the clear visions in writing under the following question: What radiates inwardly, what radiates outwardly? The answer, as well as a pointed positioning, promotes a high degree of identification among employees. I know who I work for - I feel a sense of purpose in what I do. Without this driving force, people achieve only mediocre results in the long run, even with good salaries. Another important role is to recognize the connecting and separating aspects between oneself and one's company. If eager employees focus on what connects them, this promotes the development of their own strengths.

Performer instead of poser: employees

Salary increases, company cars, bonuses or VIP cards: leaders easily fall prey to the desire for status. For them, personal success and an excellent image shine in the spotlight. They channel their energy into personal advancement. But self-centeredness lowers the performance level in the long run - and is contagious. Those who model ego posturing for their team reap the rewards of status greed. Positive forces are released by the intrinsic desire to gain recognition for results and to direct one's ambition toward what is best for the organization. Leaders encourage this attitude by demonstrating purpose, cohesion, and their own performance.

More under www.grundl-institut.de

On September 1, 2023, the revised Data Protection Act (revDSG) will come into force. This brings Switzerland closer to the data protection level of the European Union - keyword EU-DSGVO - but still remains individual. Without an implementation period, it will soon take effect and violations will be subject to severe penalties of up to 250,000 Swiss francs. The scope of application includes data protection matters that have an impact in Switzerland, even if they are initiated abroad'. Thus, it is not the location of the data processing that matters, but the Swiss orientation. So what do companies now need to be aware of?

CRM and data protection: does that go together?

Looking at the time since the introduction of the EU GDPR, it can be clearly stated: The connection between the worlds of CRM and data protection has never been as close as it is today. There has been a rethink in the handling of personal data, which has also led to Switzerland now entering the race with a similar construct. Companies should therefore - if they have not already done so - start immediately with the necessary restructuring. This includes internal processes on the one hand, but also the establishment of CRM software on the other. Important: With regard to data protection law, it is not only necessary to take the appropriate technical and organizational measures, but also to automate all processes in such a way that errors are eliminated. In this way, companies can avoid the penalties mentioned above and also generate a competitive advantage.

Behind the times?

Of course, companies may have put off implementing the revDSG until now. Slowly, the deadline is approaching, and CRM systems in particular provide a remedy: However, on the one hand, the CRM system must have data protection functions, and on the other hand, these must be set up. CRM solutions from cobra, for example, have been extensively expanded so that all setting options are available for working in compliance with the law. In addition, cobra solutions are revDSG certified as of version 2023. Established working methods are thus carried out by such a solution in an automated and data protection-compliant manner. What initially looks like digital transformation in Herculean task dimensions still succeeds in time. With a partner like cobra, data protection-compliant work is rapidly becoming an important, value-adding factor. However, procrastinators should not wait too long before implementing the solution so that they do not miss the start.

Stay at eye level

Since 2018, i.e. the introduction of the EU GDPR, Switzerland legally fell into the category of a third country. Since companies from the European Union must also ensure the correct processing of personal data with foreign business partners, such relationships were possible exclusively through an adequacy decision. On a purely legal level, data protection requirements have been increasingly divergent since the GDPR. In order to ensure that the economic positions of the Swiss do not remain in jeopardy, appropriate action was required in the form of the revised DPA. It is therefore hardly surprising that the paper is very similar to that from the EU - with an even stronger focus on data export abroad. It demands one thing above all from companies in terms of conversion and compliance: a willingness to cooperate. Comprehensive obligations must be taken into account in order to remain on an equal footing. By being open to the right CRM solution, companies will gain a lot of momentum from the introduction of the revDSG.

Author:
Since 2009, Jürgen Litz has been Managing Director of the manufacturer of customer relationship management software cobra computer's brainware GmbH based in Constance (D) and, since 2021, also the cobra computer's brainware AG in Tägerwilen (CH).

There is a wide gap between perceived and actual inflation. This has a striking impact on consumers' buying behavior. In addition, China is in the fast lane in the field of electric vehicles. They are increasingly displacing European brands. This is shown by two studies recently published by the credit insurer Allianz Trade.

Inflation rates in Germany and Austria up to four times as high

The Swiss continue to live on an island of monetary stability. They recorded an inflation rate of just 2.2 % in May 2023. By contrast, inflation rates in Germany and Austria are almost three and four times higher, at 6.1 % and 8.8 % respectively. The Allianz Trade study has now investigated this major divergence in price increases in the countries bordering the Alps. It also explains why perceived and actual inflation are currently so far apart. The last time this was the case was when the euro was introduced more than 20 years ago. According to Jasmin Gröschl, senior economist at Allianz Trade, inflation was last seen at nearly 17 %, about a whopping 9 percentage points (pp) higher than the actual inflation rate this quarter. "In Germany, the divergence in perceived inflation of more than 18 % was as high as 11pp. This is not insignificant, because perceived inflation strongly influences consumers' actions, for example in their purchasing behavior. So this discrepancy plays an important role for the economy and companies in particular, as well as for interest rate policy," the expert explains.

There are various reasons for this discrepancy. Consumers, for example, pay more attention to price changes for frequent purchases such as food and beverages, gasoline or other errands for everyday use. If these prices rise at an above-average rate there, people tend to perceive a much higher inflation. But psychological aspects, demographic and regional differences, and individual consumer behavior can also cause consumers to assess price increases differently from official inflation measurements. This creates a distorted picture and a strong discrepancy between perceived and actual inflation.

Why is inflation so much lower in Switzerland than in Austria or Germany, for example? "Key factors in inflation are geographical proximity to Russia, dependence on energy and food imports, government intervention to lower individual prices, and the strength of the respective currency," explains Gröschl. Switzerland benefits from its location, from the Swiss franc, which has been strong for a long time, and which dampens inflation via import prices and the different consumption structure due to the higher income level in Switzerland. In addition, Switzerland is largely self-sufficient in hydroelectric and nuclear power and imports very little food. Fluctuations in food prices on the world market are regulated by variable tariffs that protect domestic producers and consumers alike. As a result, many goods are more expensive in Switzerland, but prices are less volatile.

Chinese cars in the fast lane

It may also be inflation that is fueling the trend toward cheaper electric cars made in China. Chinese cars are gaining ground both in the domestic market and increasingly in the European markets and are expected to significantly increase their market share in the coming years. A further study by Allianz Trade has examined scenarios and investigated possible resulting losses in value creation for carmakers. The latest analysis looks at whether the industry could consolidate further as Chinese competition increases. "We think a new wave of consolidation through mergers and acquisitions in the European market is unlikely - if only for antitrust reasons, because the market shares of the major European carmakers are already very high," says Aurélien Duthoit, industry expert at Allianz Trade. "But that doesn't mean manufacturers can sit back and relax: To keep up in the long term, they need to make significant efficiency gains without mergers."

It is indeed the case: In addition to IT connectivity and design, cars manufactured in China score points primarily on price. The manufacturers achieve this in particular through mass and the resulting economies of scale. The takeover of smaller market players would therefore not significantly advance the European carmakers, and larger mergers are unlikely. The only way forward is through efficiency gains, firstly by forcing smaller players out of the European market, secondly by developing new horizontal and vertical industry partnerships to pool resources in capital-intensive areas, particularly in the manufacture of electric batteries, and thirdly by further consolidating production to a smaller number of platforms and factories for greater standardization.

New industry partnerships play a key role in survival, because electric batteries in particular are the biggest price driver. "Europeans should join forces, even without mergers or acquisitions, to achieve efficiencies, especially in capital-intensive areas," Duthoit says. "They remain in a very good position. But they should now shift up a gear to make up for the ground lost by the Chinese lightning start in electromobility."

Source: Alliance Trade

The well-being and work-life balance of employees are very important to the management of Bucher Gartenbau AG - among other things, with a new six-week paid vacation for all. "With this important step, we are ensuring," says Claudio Köppel, managing director of Bucher Gartenbau AG, "that our employees can recover even better and enjoy their valuable free time." For Köppel, a good work-life balance is not only beneficial for employees, but also important for the company's productivity and success.

Part-time models and more

Thanks to the open and familiar, friendly corporate culture, Bucher Gartenbau's employees have a very good relationship with each other, which Köppel is very proud of. For the management, it is important to take care of the employees and give them the opportunity to achieve their personal and professional goals. The various part-time models, the above-average insurance benefits and the opportunities for further training also contribute to increasing motivation. The latter are discussed with each employee and determined jointly. In addition, Bucher Gartenbau AG received the certificate as TOP training company level 2 this year.

Projects and machinery

Köppel is convinced that the new, modern employment conditions will help keep employees motivated and committed. However, the interesting horticultural projects, the modern machinery park and thus also the excellent infrastructure contribute to this above all. According to Köppel, this will ensure that Bucher Gartenbau AG remains successful in the future.

Source: Bucher Horticulture Ltd.

Digital transformation and digitization are two essential aspects that affect every company - regardless of size and industry. In order to survive successfully in the market, it is crucial to actively address the future development of one's own company.

With the premiere of the ONE Expert Forum, an event specifically geared to the digital success of SMEs will take place on August 31, 2023 in Holzhäusern / Rotkreuz ZG. The event is organized by topsoft, the independent Swiss platform for business IT, and the consultant network Digital Council. For years, topsoft held the trade fair of the same name for business software. Recently, however, it has also been confronted with a downward trend in visitor numbers, despite being held successfully in each case. Cyrill Schmid and his team therefore thought about a new event concept.

So now the time will come at the end of August. In an exceptional atmosphere, participants will be immersed in practical and insightful presentations on the topic of digitization and digital transformation. The presentations will show how more success can be achieved with modern IT solutions. Specific case studies from various industries will be presented during the event. For example, successful e-commerce with Amazon, digital transformation in a Swiss city or the use of virtual reality in rehabilitation. In the keynote, Daniel Fiechter, CIO of Stobag AG, will talk about a cyberattack and its effects.

However, the ONE Expert Forum not only aims to offer first-class presentations and exciting insights, but also to be a unique networking platform. In exchange with like-minded people, experiences are shared and best practices are discovered. Participants will have the opportunity to make valuable contacts, build long-term partnerships and benefit from a strong network that will open up new potential beyond the event. "With the premiere of the expert forum, we offer a tailor-made event that focuses specifically on the digital success of SMEs. In an inspiring atmosphere, participants immerse themselves in concrete case studies. The Expert Forum also offers a unique networking platform to make valuable contacts and build long-term partnerships," says Cyrill Schmid, co-organizer of the ONE Expert Forum.

The event starts at 1:30 pm and ends at 6:30 pm. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to continue networking and round off the day in a relaxed atmosphere over dinner. The participation fee for early bookers is CHF 95 per person, thereafter regular CHF 145.

Program and further information is always up to date on www.one-fachforum.ch

Today's RVA Versicherungsbroker AG was founded in 1988 as Leuenberger & Partner. As a Swiss insurance broker based in Ittigen, Bern, RVA advises companies on all insurance and risk issues. A speciality in the broker service area is the focus on social institutions. RVA Versicherungsbroker AG is a member of SIBA and is registered with FINMA as an independent insurance broker. The takeover by Born Consulting, a member of the Howden Group, secures the company succession at RVA.

Succession solution

Martin Stuber, owner and managing director of RVA Versicherungsbroker AG comments on the acquisition as follows: "With Born Consulting as a member of the international Howden Group, we will in future have a major consulting firm at our side. The merger is the result of our long-term interest in initiating a succession solution in which we can play an active and entrepreneurial role in shaping and developing the company. Joining Born Consulting AG also means that we can continue to grow our business and focus on providing excellent, client-focused service to our clients as part of a company that values independence and an employee-owned culture. Our well-known and trusted team will continue to provide the professional service and support to which we are accustomed. I myself will work closely with Massimo Contino in the future."

Part of the further growth strategy

Massimo Contino is Chairman of Born Consulting AG and a member of the Board of Howden Switzerland. He says: "The acquisition of RVA Versicherungsbroker AG is a win-win for us. By focusing on corporate clients and especially socially active businesses such as foundations, cooperatives and educational institutions, we ideally complement our portfolio of services in the Swiss broker market." And Felix C. Jenny, CEO of Howden Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, says: "This acquisition is another mosaic stone in our growth strategy in the Swiss broker market. We are consistently and steadily implementing this through strong organic growth, talent acquisition and strategic partnerships."

Source and further information

In the Swisscleantech trade association, the Sieber Group is committed to the climate in the "Green Logistics" sub-project. One important component concerns electromobility in the transport sector. Technological progress has been made here in recent years, enabling transport and logistics companies to use e-vehicles on a daily basis and for different transport tasks.

A total of 21 fossil-free vehicles in use at Sieber

Since May 2023, a total of 21 electric vehicles have been available to customers for a wide variety of transport jobs. Thanks to the different superstructures, the e-vehicles are ideally suited for a variety of environmentally friendly and CO2 emission-free transport tasks, the company says. In a second phase (2024/2025), the Sieber Group is planning further investments in the existing charging infrastructure - where possible, also in combination with photovoltaics and energy storage. In terms of e-transport vehicles, the company plans to further expand its environmentally friendly fleet step by step.

Rail transport: environmentally friendly and efficient

Combined transport (CT) is another success factor for green logistics. In 2022, a total of 6,800 trailers were loaded, covering a distance of around 1,800,000 km. Last year, rail transports reduced 2,083 tons of CO2. At an average speed of 70 km/h, Sieber was thus able to replace 25,700 truck driving hours per year in an environmentally friendly manner.

In cooperation with Swiss Climate and as one of the first logistics service providers in Switzerland, Sieber also gives its transport customers the opportunity with "GOgreen" to determine and offset their individual CO2 emissions at the shipment level and to improve their own CO2 footprint. In this way, transports can be made climate-neutral. Sieber offers various solutions for compensation in the form of different climate projects. Whether sustainable and biodiverse management in the Swiss forest, stopping deforestation in Parà, Brazil, or renewable energy from sawdust in Bulgaria, the new possibilities offered by "GOgreen" are already being actively used.

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