Zurich Airport is apparently particularly popular with job seekers, as an analysis of the most searched-for employers on jobs.ch between January and September 2017 shows. The SBB and Migros follow on the podium. In general, the large retailers seem to be particularly popular employers: In addition to Migros, Manor, Coop and Globus are also in the top 10.

Well on the way in the competition for talent

"In retail, the barriers to entry are in many cases lower than in other industries, and part-time work is also widespread," says Renato Profico, CEO of JobCloud AG - to which jobs.ch belongs - explaining the possible background. "The ranking within this industry is interesting - it shows us which retailers are considered particularly attractive employers."

It is not only retail companies that are particularly often searched for directly: The facility service company ISS, Nestlé, the Inselspital Bern and BMW are also in the top ranks. They are all strongly positioned as brands: "When potential employees search directly for company names, it shows how well these companies are doing in employer branding," says Renato Profico.

New function for employer rating

It is increasingly important for companies to distinguish themselves as a strong employer brand in the competition for talent and qualified employees. At the same time, job seekers are increasingly conscious of researching information about potential employers - not least via jobs.ch. In addition to the company profile, where employers can present themselves, the platform has launched a new function that allows job seekers to rate companies directly on the portal. A star rating and the option to leave a comment are available for this purpose.

www.jobs.ch

The online marketplace "Wer liefert was" surveyed 1,313 buyers on the use of online platforms and marketplaces on its own country-specific online marketplaces in the DACH region in August and September. The results show that online procurement channels will soon be at least as important to SMEs as face-to-face contact between sales representatives. For example, 53.4 percent of respondents said they predominantly use online stores as a sourcing channel, or online marketplaces (45.9 percent). Direct contact was only rated as relevant by 59.4. Trade shows were preferred by a share of 36.9 percent of buyers, followed by trade directories (27.8 percent) and the company's own delivery systems (11.1 percent). The other sources of supply were well behind at 11.9 percent, with Google and personal recommendations still named most frequently.

Platforms and marketplaces for online trade are becoming increasingly important for SMEs

"The survey shows that online platforms and marketplaces for searching for products are gaining in importance among companies," explains Peter F. Schmid, CEO of "Wer liefert was" and Chairman of EUROPAGES. "In tendency, the personal contact is only relevant after the buyer has already informed himself about the possible suppliers online," explains Schmid. The majority of survey participants use online platforms and marketplaces primarily to find specific products (67.3 percent) and to look for new suppliers (47.9 percent). Only around a third of respondents also place orders.

Speed as main Utilization factor

For 36.3 percent of the shoppers surveyed, the most important factor for using online platforms and marketplaces is that they can find products quickly here. This is followed at some distance by the comparability of prices (18.9 percent) and products (13.6 percent) as well as a large selection of products (16.6 percent). "The survey showed that online platforms and marketplaces are very efficient and therefore particularly popular," says Peter F. Schmid. He also sees untapped potential in the results of the survey.

More Details at Products and Services asked

"There is a great need for companies to catch up when it comes to providing sufficient detailed information online," explains Peter F. Schmid. The reason: When asked about the hurdles in using online platforms and marketplaces, around 45.8 percent of participants felt that the lack of detailed product information was critical. According to Schmid, the B2B marketplace "Wer liefert was" has already responded. "On wlw.ch, detailed product information can now even be integrated automatically and updated daily," he says.

Google and Co. bring Europe in the Dependency the USA

Overall, the respondents are optimistic about the future and paint a positive picture. Platforms and marketplaces are seen primarily as drivers of the company's own business, as they make it easy to tap into new procurement markets (45.5 percent), reduce costs in purchasing (39.2 percent) and are growth drivers, but above all important innovation drivers (41.8 percent). Only 4.6 percent of the participants stated that there would be no changes at all. For all their confidence, however, the respondents also recognize GAFA's dominance and fear that Europe will be increasingly forced into dependency (36.4 percent).

What thinks the european Abroad?

The survey on online retailing was conducted simultaneously by the European platform EUROPAGES. Here, around 900 international participants (mainly from Europe) took part in the survey. Overall, the results are similar in all areas. The most important source of supply for buyers is direct contact (63 percent), followed by online stores (45.6 percent) and marketplaces (36.9 percent). Platforms are mainly used for researching specific products (57.9 percent). In terms of the platforms used for online commerce, on the other hand, the picture differs from the DACH region: in the English-speaking world, Alibaba (52.7 percent) is much more widespread than other platforms. In France, the Chinese company is in second place (37.3 percent) - behind EUROPAGES (51.1 percent). The main reason for using it is that products can be found quickly (24.6 percent); the biggest hurdles are hidden contact information (37.6 percent) and missing or incomplete product information (40.1 percent). The benefits are also recognized here: 41.3 percent said that B2B platforms and marketplaces make it easy to tap into new procurement markets and that SMEs can cut costs in purchasing (35.6 percent).

Source and further information: www.wlw.ch

With Michael Fahrni, a proven business economist with many years of management experience will take over the leadership of the Swiss Venture Club as of April 2, 2018. Michael Fahrni is not only well anchored in the Swiss SME scene, but has already been committed to the SVC in the Central Switzerland region for six years: from 2011 to 2016 as Regional Director, since 2012 as a jury member, and since 2014 as OC President of the regional Prix SVC. Professionally, he worked for many years in the corporate client business of Credit Suisse, built up individual, new business areas for the major bank and led various teams in the area of corporate client services. SVC President Andreas Gerber is looking forward to the cooperation: "With Michael Fahrni, we were able to win our ideal candidate. He brings with him all the qualities to keep the SVC's standing high in the long term and to play an active role in shaping the association's future."

Farewell after 16 successful years

With Managing Director Sabine Herren, a person leaves SVC who has contributed decisively to its success since its foundation. While she was initially mainly responsible for the Prix SVC events, since 2012 she has also been tirelessly driving the professionalization and growth of the SVC as Managing Director, enabling the association to develop into one of the most important entrepreneurial networks in Switzerland.

Sabine Herren has now decided to join Bernapark AG in Deisswil (www.bernapark.ch) to take on a new challenge. In this role, she will be jointly responsible for developing a new, attractive residential and working quarter on the site of the former Deisswil cardboard factory. Andreas Gerber regrets her departure: "On behalf of the entire association, I would like to sincerely thank Sabine Herren for her many years of exceptionally great commitment to SVC and wish her every success and all the best for the future."

Handover of office to Michael Fahrni with the change of fiscal year

Herren will continue to manage the business until March 31, 2018, and will hand over the association at the end of the fiscal year. In order to ensure a seamless transition, Fahrni will deal with some of his future tasks beforehand and familiarize himself with them. Michael Fahrni is looking forward to his new job, which will take him back to his home in Bern: "SVC is an extremely exciting and active association that has had an incredibly successful development," he explains. "It will be a great challenge to lead SVC into the future and develop it further together with the SVC team."

Swiss Venture Club

Swiss family businesses employ 60 percent of all workers and generate two-thirds of the gross domestic product; family businesses are also the pillars of the economy worldwide. Many well-known traditional Swiss companies such as Victorinox, Kambly or Bernina have been family-owned for centuries. The Pestalozzi metal company, for example, has been managed by the ninth generation since it was founded in 1763.

How do these family businesses manage to be successful as a company over generations and remain united as an entrepreneurial family? Claudia Astrachan Binz and Sylvie Scherrer from the Institute of Business and Regional Economics IBR at the Lucerne School of Business investigated these questions. For the research project, they interviewed 13 successful Swiss family entrepreneurs. The findings show what the secrets of successful entrepreneurial families are.

Interplay between preservation and renewal

"Families are in the interplay of preserving and renewing," says Sylvie Scherrer, a staff member at IBR's Family and Business thematic focus. Long-lived family businesses refer to their values, traditions and history - and draw strength for renewal precisely from this. After all, the company founder is often a role model for innovation, courage and risk-taking.

Although functioning family businesses have a very strong awareness of their tradition and carefully cultivate it, they are open to change. For example, the study quotes Oscar A. Kambly as saying, "The original idea must be further developed over time, but the essence, the values, they must remain." Even though today's business fields have often moved away from their origins - for example, Kambly AG's large-scale operations from the bakery of 1906, Trisa AG from the brush factory of 1887, or Victorinox from the knife forge of 1884 - these long-lived family businesses have nevertheless remained true to their roots.

Not forced to grow

Many Swiss family businesses have a high equity ratio; they can invest quickly without borrowing and becoming dependent on lenders. "We have never - in contrast to globally active companies with large competitors - been forced to grow in a way that would have necessitated the use of non-family capital," Matthias Pestalozzi is quoted as saying in the study.

In addition to the high degree of financial independence, the long-term planning horizon is another advantage of family businesses. This allows them to tackle multi-year research and development projects that public companies would avoid. Oscar A. Kambly says in the study: "My planning horizon is my whole life and that of my successors, and not the quarterly report."

Individual needs put to the test

The needs of the family members may diverge over time, and the financial expectations of the - exponentially growing - family may exceed the financial capabilities of the company in the longer term. Especially when certain family members are financially dependent on the company, conflicts can arise. "Here it is important for the family to be aware of the connection between family needs and company goals, and to align them," says Claudia Astrachan Binz, head of the Family and Business theme at IBR.

But how do you ensure that the family does not fall out when there are different interests and needs? The researchers describe a united family as follows: "The family members commit to a common, overriding goal and accept that their individual needs related to the company - for example, employment opportunities in the company - must be subordinated to the sustainable prosperity of the company."

Swiss family businesses place high demands on succession

The study provides recommendations on which points the family should pay attention to: These include promoting employees and finding a suitable and well-qualified successor in good time. "If you give a post to a family member, he or she must be at least as good as the external candidate - rather five percent better, so that this is unsuspicious," says Carl Elsener of Victorinox AG in the study.

"A professional family uses many tools to effectively manage the interface between the family group and the company, to control the flow of communication within the family and between the family and the company, and to deal with conflicts," the researchers write. But Claudia Astrachan Binz is convinced: "You can plan a succession as precisely and write as many contracts and define as many rules as you want - it is much more important to make sure that the family is united and wants to achieve something together. If a value base and a vision that inspires everyone are missing, then it will be difficult."

Family Business Forum on February 1, 2018

Since 2011, the Institute of Business and Regional Economics IBR of the Lucerne School of Business has organized an annual event exclusively for members of owner families. The next Forum for Family Businesses will take place on February 1, 2018 at the Hotel National in Lucerne. Topic: "Are you fit for the future? Families and businesses that move with the times".

Further information on the study and the Family Business Forum

On November 15 starts the first event of the 360⁰ Leadership training of the GEDANKENtanken Academy at the EuroAirport Business Center, Basel. The teaching concept is aimed primarily at SMEs. A blended learning system consisting of 24 learning modules is offered, with half-day attendance events once a month. This is a workload that can also be handled by managers who are heavily involved in day-to-day business. There is no permanent teaching staff, but for each subject there are speakers who are proven experts (book authors, professors, etc.) with practical experience. This ensures a high level of knowledge transfer. In addition, course participants have access to a video faculty with 400 learning videos on the topics of employee management, communication and sales. Furthermore, you can participate in the extremely popular speaker events in Germany at a reduced price. Because the course is designed to last twelve months, participants have the opportunity to engage in intensive and sustained exchange with the experts and other course participants. The language of instruction is German. A six-month advanced course is offered to further deepen knowledge.

Leadership competence can be learned

The leadership training is a product of the consulting company GEDANKENtanken, which was founded in Cologne (D) in 2012. It now operates 20 academies in Germany on a franchise basis and has a broad-based network of highly qualified speakers. Zsolt Kubecska, Senior Consultant at Mohler Burkhard Partner AG, has been a franchisee for northern Switzerland since fall 2017. "Our credo is: You don't become a leader by promotion. Leadership skills can be learned! But man/woman must do something to be successful," explains Zsolt Kubecska.

Additional offer in Zurich from 2018

The GEDANKENtanken academies seem to have hit a nerve with their offer. Medium-sized and larger companies are already showing great interest in the training and continuing education concepts for training and acquiring leadership skills. In addition to the 360° leadership training (annual training Leadership), a 360° sales training (annual training Sales & Distribution), a management trainer training (annual training with university certificate) and a train-the-trainer training are offered. 2018 will also see the start of an annual course of the 360⁰ Leadership training in Zurich. The location is the Park Inn Radisson Zurich Airport Hotel in Rümlang. The number of participants is limited to 10. This is to ensure a high level of efficiency. "Our concept is very attractive for SMEs, especially for self-employed people and family businesses who want to empower their junior staff as successors. During the training sessions, we offer practical and proven expertise as well as tools, mindsets and strategies that anyone can learn to apply. If desired, participants can also earn a university certificate from the renowned, private Steinbeis University Berlin, our partner organization. This is equivalent to a Leadership Diploma or Dipl. Experte in Leadership in Switzerland," adds Zsolt Kubecska.

More information

Antje Junghans from the Institute for Facility Management IFM welcomed 150 participants from business, administration and science. The symposium at Technopark Zurich was entitled "Innovations for healthy living and working spaces" and brought together experts from Germany and abroad, including Finland (Tampere University of Technology), Great Britain (University of Oxford), Norway (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim) and the USA (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh). Following this, an international PhD workshop marked the launch of the new PhD program in Facility Management.

Health-promoting factors for the workplace

In the lecture "Health-promoting office spaces and workplace change management" by ZHAW expert Prof. Dr. Lukas Windlinger, health-promoting factors for workplace design and their impact on users were analyzed. The view from the inside out was taken up by Heinz Bernegger, ZHAW lecturer in Life Cycle Management, in his presentation entitled: "Presentation of the new Swiss DGNB certification for interiors by SGNI". The DGBN (German Sustainable Building Council) has developed an internationally recognized certification system for the sustainability of buildings. Bernegger explained, among other things, the collaboration between research and practice regarding the certification of sustainable buildings. The highlight of the first session was the ceremonial presentation of the DGNB Platinum Award to Urs Frey, Product Manager Greenproperty at Credit Suisse by the President of SGNI (Swiss Society for Sustainable Real Estate), Ronald Schlegel, following his presentation "Projects with the Swiss DGNB Certificate".

New developments in facility management in health care

The second block of topics focused on facility management in health care. Various aspects were covered in the presentations by ZHAW experts. For example, Nicole Gerber spoke about "Enterprise Application Integration of non-medical software in hospitals" and Dr. Andrea Kofler and Paul Schmitter about the topic "Digitalization and new technologies are changing our healthcare landscapes". The focus of the thematic block was a panel discussion with further experts from science and practice. The topic of FM in Health Care will be further explored at the network meeting "FM Perspectives" on April 20, 2018.

Look into the future 

The third block of topics took a look into the future with presentations by Prof. Vivian Loftness from Carnegie Mellon University on "The Internet of Things is Transforming Indoor Environments for Comfort and Energy Efficiency" and by Dr. Suvi Nenonen from Tampere University of Technology on "Innovative work Environment". The development of healthy living and working spaces lends itself to the integration of high-tech and low-tech solutions to increase sustainability in the built environment. Nenonen's presentation focused on the usability and functionality, or "usability," of innovative work environments. She presented a model of the interaction of "emotions" and "real estate" in connection with "process optimization" and "economic efficiency".

56 Bachelors in Facility Management graduated

The diploma ceremony for 56 Bachelors in Facility Management also took place as part of the IFM Symposium. The 25 women and 31 men received their diplomas from the institute's director Prof. Dr. Antje Junghans and from program director Irene Arnold Moos. The ceremonial address was given by Michael Bürki, member of the board of IFMA Switzerland (International Facility Management Association) and member of the extended management board of Post Immobilien Management & Services AG. Thanks to a sustained demand for trained specialists in facility management, the career opportunities for graduates are very good. This was confirmed by the fourth survey of former bachelor's students around one year after graduation. According to the survey, three-quarters of the bachelors had secured qualified employment upon graduation. At 80,200 Swiss francs, the salary level of bachelors in facility management is well above the average income of 76,000 Swiss francs for all bachelor's degree programs at universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.

Source and further information

Routine tasks are part of the daily routine of knowledge workers, and more so than assumed: on average, knowledge workers spend 36 % of their working time on such activities. By contrast, only 29 percent spend time on solving complex problems, and 36 percent on knowledge-based activities.This is revealed by the current knowledge worker study conducted by the Society for Knowledge Management (GfWM), Hays AG and the consulting firm PAC, for which 1215 knowledge workers and managers were surveyed. All respondents had an academic education. Half of them were managers, the other half knowledge workers without management responsibility. The same study was conducted in 2013; compared to then, the results have hardly changed.

Knowledge workers: Loyal to their subjects, but less so to the company

Half of the executives surveyed (51 %) attribute outstanding importance and greater promotion to knowledge workers. However, only 37 percent of these professionals see it that way. Four years ago, both figures were significantly higher, at 57 and 49 percent respectively. One in two knowledge workers (51 %) feels more loyal to their subjects than to their company. That's why 53 percent would also be willing to change companies for further professional development.

Nevertheless, 85 percent of the executives surveyed consider knowledge workers to be difficult to replace. However, this is not reflected in the self-confidence of knowledge workers. Only 50 percent of the professionals surveyed see it that way themselves.

Making better use of knowledge work with IT

To make better use of knowledge work, investments should be made above all in IT infrastructures. 54 percent of managers and 60 percent of knowledge workers see the greatest potential here. By contrast, organizational issues such as the expansion of flexible working hours and locations or new management models rank significantly lower on the scale of urgency.

"Knowledge work takes place in increasingly specialized subject areas. To avoid tunnel vision, companies should regularly give their knowledge workers the option to engage with other content. Because in the digital world, foresight and the ability to get to grips with new issues are important skills," concludes Marc Lutz, Managing Director at Hays (Schweiz) AG.

More information: Hays (Switzerland) AG

The University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland FHNW comprises nine universities with the departments of Applied Psychology, Architecture, Construction and Geomatics, Design and Art, Life Sciences, Music, Teacher Education, Social Work, Technology and Economics. The campuses of the UAS are located in the four sponsoring cantons of Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt and Solothurn. Around 11,900 students are enrolled and around 800 lecturers impart practical and market-oriented knowledge in 29 Bachelor's and 18 Master's degree programs as well as in numerous continuing education programs.

In the last few days, diploma ceremonies of the Hochschule für Wirtschaft FHNW have now taken place in Basel, Brugg-Windisch and Olten. This internationally oriented and practice-oriented university of applied sciences holds a leading position in Switzerland with its broad range of continuing education programs. It educates 2,500 Bachelor's and Master's of Science students at the above-mentioned locations - a significant proportion of them part-time. Of the total of 452 bachelors, more than half had also studied part-time. The same applies to the 51 Master of Science students.

In addition to part-time courses, internationally oriented courses are also in demand: Around 30% of degrees are earned in English-language bachelor's and master's programs at the School of Business FHNW. Around a dozen diploma candidates were honored for outstanding achievements during the ceremonies.

More information

Anja Berchtold (42) is the managing director of Holdener Maschinenbau AG, an SME specializing in the planning and implementation of machines and systems. This work is becoming increasingly complex due to the increasing complexity of automation solutions. Now the company has received a major order from Papierwerk AG for equipment for finishing roll material such as paper and metal foils. Despite the apparent seriousness of the inquiry, Anja Berchtold wants to reassure herself.

Adequate risk assessment

She asks herself what risk such an order poses to her company's liquidity. And what happens if payment is delayed, only received in part or not at all? Martin Honegger, Director Sales & Business Development at Intrum Justitia: "For the economic prosperity of any company, it is crucial to realize outstanding payments quickly and without losses. Customers who are too risky can be rejected on the basis of a credit check, for example. We also recommend offering secure payment methods, such as an adequately sized advance payment."

Identifying risks at an early stage

If you want to prevent risks such as payment defaults, which in some cases can even threaten the existence of the company, you have to recognize them at an early stage. Martin Honegger: "That's why companies should use risk management as early as the bidding or customer acquisition phase. Those who proactively set up protective mechanisms need to take fewer downstream measures such as reminders or legal action."

Risk management instruments

This is exactly what Anja Berchtold is doing: she is having clarifications carried out on Papierwerk AG by means of risk management, as its order volume amounts to a higher six-figure sum and thus may reach a system-critical size. This includes the following tasks:

• Address verification: Does the address of Papierwerk AG exist at all? Is the address given correct? What about the means of payment used? If this comes from another country, for example, this can already serve as information for a possible case of fraud.
• Company and identity verification: What is the previous company history? Does the contact person actually work at Papierwerk AG?
• Credit check: With the manual solution, the Credit Decision database provides information about companies around the clock, such as debtor lists from courts, debt collection information, information on past payment history, business reports and authorized signatories.
• Scoring: This process is a statistical procedure to calculate the probability of default of a payment.
• Fraud Pattern Detection: The credit card companies' "3D-Secure" security procedure is particularly helpful here. This shows whether the cardholder has been correctly identified. In addition, known fraud methods are to be ruled out, such as anonymizing proxy servers that want to prevent recognition of the user's IP address.

Design contract correctly

Anja Berchtold would like to sign the work contract with Papierwerk AG in the coming days. However, she is also considering formulating the GTC more precisely. You will soon find out how Holdener Maschinenbau AG and other SMEs are drafting the clauses on data protection and the place of jurisdiction correctly, in particular, in order to protect themselves better - in the second part of this continuation story.

Contact for more information: Intrum Justitia AG, sales.ch@intrum.ch, +41 44 806 85 57, www.intrum.ch

The annual Risk:Value Report, compiled by the market research company Vanson Bourne on behalf of NTT Security, shows in which areas and among which individuals the greatest IT security threats lie. In response to the question "Which person or group of people do you rank first in terms of security vulnerabilities?", 23 percent of participants named "employees without management responsibility". Third parties take second place with 19 percent; Vanson Bourne counts subcontractors, external service providers and suppliers among these. The CEO takes third place; 12 percent rate him as the weakest link in IT security. Other security weaknesses cited by 11 percent of respondents include management, 10 percent customers, 7 percent administrators, 7 percent supervisory or administrative board members and 6 percent C-level executives excluding the CEO.

Raising employee awareness

"An end-to-end IT strategy must address the various security vulnerabilities on an equal footing. Even one vulnerable point can have catastrophic consequences for a company," emphasizes Kai Grunwitz, Senior Vice President EMEA at NTT Security. "One thing the study shows in no uncertain terms is that apart from the necessary technical measures, companies need to make their own employees more aware of the issue of security as a high priority. In view of the constantly changing threat situation, it is essential that workshops and training courses are held on a regular basis."

Surprising: CEOs as the third biggest security risk

Particularly surprising in the eyes of NTT Security is that the CEO was named in third place when asked about the biggest security vulnerability. "Actually, one should assume that it is the CEO's IT systems, be it the desktop PC, the mobile computer or the smartphone, that are particularly hardened and protected," says Grunwitz. "However, the respondents apparently do not consider the measures taken to be sufficient, consequently they should once again put companies under close scrutiny; after all, it is obvious that the CEO knowledge holder is a lucrative target for potential attackers. At NTT Security, we've had good experience with attack simulations specifically targeted at management, which showed that more than 70 percent of management is inadequately secured."

The "Risk:Value Executive Summary" is available for download at http://www.nttsecurity.com/RiskValue2017 available.

Checking e-mails quickly in the evening, being available on vacation, or playing sports with colleagues after work: Modern everyday life hardly separates work and private life. In the future, employees expect this effect, known as "work-life blending," to increase (45 percent). More than half of them (54 percent) view this development negatively. Around two-thirds (65 percent) of those surveyed consider it important for employers to offer flexible options that take account of employees' individual life situations. Employees under the age of 30 in particular expect such offers. Companies that help their workforce to cope with the demands of everyday life benefit by having significantly more motivated employees who are more willing to perform. These and other findings were made in the study "Employer offers: a lever for motivation, performance and satisfaction" conducted by the opinion research institute Kantar Emnid on behalf of Sodexo Services.

Nutrition and fitness popular, childcare still rare

The merging of work and private life causes noticeable stress. Employer offers can only change this to a limited extent. However, they do have a major influence on employee motivation and the general well-being of employees. Companies also benefit from the provision of such offerings in that higher job satisfaction also ensures that they are perceived as an attractive employer and recommended to others. Especially in the battle for employees, companies can thus secure valuable advantages. However, what people want from their employer can vary greatly depending on their age, gender or individual life situation. The study examined four areas of additional company offerings:

• Nutrition (company restaurant, food vouchers, ordering via apps, etc.)
• Fitness and wellness (ergonomic workplace, massages, gym, etc.)
• Concierge services (cleaning service, parcel delivery, luggage storage, etc.)
• Child care services (Support in finding a daycare center, arranging babysitters, childcare, etc.)

According to the survey, the most popular benefits are an ergonomic workplace, a company restaurant and food vouchers, followed by health checks, massage offers and access to fitness studios. Younger employees in particular attach great importance to food and nutrition services. Among them, eating together on company premises is significantly more popular (35 percent) than among employees over 50 (23 percent). More than half of all respondents (56 percent) believe that these services have a high impact on their personal well-being.

Gender-specific needs for higher employee motivation

Women particularly value health-related offerings. They expect a positive effect on their personal well-being (67 percent) and their own work performance (60 percent). Concierge services are comparatively less common: 25 percent of respondents receive such services from their employer. Around one in five regularly use these services (19 percent).

In the area of childcare, the personal life situation plays a significant role in what employees want from their employer: Employees with children under the age of twelve see company childcare services as promoting satisfaction, motivation and performance. In addition, their willingness to recommend the company as an attractive employer is high. At the same time, however, they use corresponding services only to a small extent (7 percent). The most common obstacle is that the childcare services are not coordinated with parents' working hours.

Own offerings are important competitive advantage

Consequently, a work-life balance is achieved when the specific usage interests of men, women, younger people, older people, parents and childless people are taken into account. For example, men would be more likely to want to use a company restaurant than women (38 versus 25 percent), while massage services, on the other hand, would appeal more to women (34 versus 19 percent of men). Employer-provided health checks would be taken up by one in three employees over 50, but only one in five of those under 30. For the younger employees, a visit to the company restaurant or the use of a company-organized cleaning service would be considered instead. Employees with younger children, on the other hand, attach more importance to company childcare services.

The stress that employees feel as a result of the merging of work and private life will not become less in the future. However, the results of the study make it clear that company offerings can increase well-being and employee motivation. Companies that offer their workforce services adapted to their respective life situations can benefit threefold: through reputational gains thanks to employees' increased willingness to recommend them to others, through an improvement in the working atmosphere, and through the motivational gains and the associated work performance of the individual employee.

Source: Sodexo

This year, 171 social entrepreneurs from all over Europe took part in the international competition. The top-class jury selected ten finalists who presented their business model live to the 200-strong audience for 4 minutes on October 2, 2017. It is striking that among this year's finalists are many personalities who have understood a difficult life situation as a challenge for a business start-up with social added value. The total prize money of 50,000 Swiss francs was distributed among the following five winners:

• myAbility won the seif Award for Integration and Prevention, which is supported by Suva. 15% of the population in Europe have a disability. The huge potential of this target group is mostly ignored. Founder Gregor Demblin contracted paraplegia in a swimming accident in 1995. In 2014, he founded the consultancy myAbility in Vienna and developed a novel, business-oriented approach to the inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Smart Home Technology received the prize for entrepreneurial innovation launched by UBS. This young company builds on the IoT (Internet of Things) technology and offers a tool that shows the performance and efficiency of a product with a cloud solution. Based on the data analysis, small and medium-sized companies can initiate energy efficient measures and thus save CO2.
• Blitab is the name of the winner of the award for future trends, which was made possible by PwC. Blitab is the first tactile tablet for the blind that provides online data in Braille. Co-founder, Kristina Tsvetanova, had the idea when a good friend asked her to fill out an application for a course for him. Due to his visual impairment, he could not use a notebook without expensive aids. Now, thanks to Blitab, students with visual impairments can continue their education more efficiently.
• Fightthestroke has received the Digital Healthcare Award, which was presented for the first time by Johnson & Johnson. Fightthestroke's story began when little Mario, son of the founders, suffered a stroke shortly after birth. The parents grappled with the issue of young stroke patients and experienced hurdles and a lack of treatment options for children. The research resulted in, among other things, an interactive platform with a novel therapy model for the home.
• Coolar has won this year's seif Award for Social Entrepreneurship. 75% of the medicines and vaccines in countries of the South lose their effectiveness mainly due to a lack of cooling facilities because of a lack of electrical access. Julia Römer has developed a compact cooling device that can solve this problem without the need for access to electricity. Due to its great importance for health care, the device is used specifically for medicines.

Source: soap