How is IT preparing to optimally support the company in the digital transformation? How intensively are business and IT working together and what is the motivation for cloud deployment? Is digital transformation really not possible without cloud, or are these terms just marketed together without having anything in common? Such and similar questions were addressed in the study initiated by the Cloud Computing Competence Center of the School of Business FHNW under the direction of Prof. Dr. Stella Gatziu Grivas. CIOs from various industries were surveyed.

The FHNW Matura models as a basis

High-quality results were generated in detailed discussions. The FHNW Cloud Maturity Model and the FHNW Enterprise IT Maturity Model, which are available as online tools, served as a basis. The joint use of the two models provided information about cross-references and interactions between the individual areas.

Smaller companies with higher maturity

The companies surveyed show satisfactory final results for both cloud maturity and corporate IT maturity. A higher level of maturity is clearly evident among the smaller companies. However, companies with between 250 and 1000 employees have some catching up to do. Companies with a high cloud maturity also have an enterprise IT with a high maturity.

Role of management crucial

The majority (approx. 80 percent) of the CIOs surveyed said that digital transformation cannot be achieved without cloud. However, around 10 percent are of the opinion that cloud and digital transformation have nothing in common and are only marketed together. In companies where the management supports the digitization process and provides decisive impetus, cloud technologies are clearly used to make IT more agile and to drive business development. Cloud computing is seen as an innovation driver; cost saving is not the primary goal. The results also show that a strategic positioning of the cloud is underway. Around 2/3 of the CIOs surveyed have defined a cloud strategy which is already being implemented or are in the process of developing it.

Source: www.fhnw.ch/wirtschaft 

Furtive glances behind the computer screen, fleeting touches in the coffee kitchen: for one in five German-speaking Swiss, an affair at work even turned into a committed relationship. These are the findings of a representative study commissioned by the online professional network XING. On its behalf, the market and opinion research company Marketagent.com surveyed a thousand working people in German-speaking Switzerland on the subject of love at work. Here are the most important results:

One in four has had an affair at work

There is a sizzle in Swiss workplaces. Almost one in four German-speaking Swiss (24 percent) have already had an affair with someone from the same company. Men are somewhat more active: 28 percent of them say they have already spiced up their working day with an erotic adventure. Among women, the figure is 20 percent. The atmosphere in German-speaking Switzerland seems to be much more conducive to office romance than in our neighbor to the north. Only 15 percent of Germans say they have ever had an affair with someone from their own company. In Austria, the figure is 21 percent.

If you want to have an affair at work, it's best to look for your next job in the Mittelland. In this region, 26 percent of respondents say they have already had an affair with someone from their own company. The working climate is apparently less conducive to a fling in eastern Switzerland. The figure there is the lowest at 22 percent.

Every fifth affair begins at the company party

The German-speaking Swiss most frequently have an affair at work with colleagues (in 62 percent of cases). Women tend to be more upwardly oriented in the hierarchy: 13 percent of female respondents who had ever had an affair had done so with their supervisor. Among men, the figure was only 7 percent. On the other hand, 30 percent of the men turned to their own employees for their adventure. Among women, the figure is 18 percent. People in Germany seem to be much more reluctant to have affairs with their own employees. North of the Rhine, employees were involved in only 7 percent of all affairs.

Affairs most frequently began during joint activities outside working hours (in 36 percent of cases). Second on the list of breeding grounds for office romances are company parties (21 percent). In the Central Plateau in particular, it's better to think twice before letting your partner go to a company dinner: In this region, 28 percent of affairs started there. In comparison, company parties are apparently more sober in central and northwestern Switzerland: only 18 percent of the affairs there started at such events. In central Switzerland, on the other hand, things sometimes start to sizzle at lunchtime, where 18 percent of the affairs also originated during the lunch break. Employees in eastern Switzerland have little taste for romance over lunch: the corresponding figure there is only 4 percent.

21 percent already had a committed relationship at work

But feelings at work don't just lead to erotic adventures. Cupid also makes his rounds in Swiss workplaces. Around one in five German-speaking Swiss (21 percent) have already entered into a committed relationship with someone from their own company. And that can have its advantages: 36 percent of men find it particularly positive that they already know each other and don't have to buy a pig in a poke. The most important advantage from the women's point of view: You can talk about the work you do together (34 percent).

But there are also factors that make a harmonious relationship at work more difficult. For example, 48 percent of men express concerns because work and private life could become too intermingled. The female respondents see similar disadvantages: 49 percent of them say that spatial and temporal distance from their partner is important to them. In addition, 61 percent of respondents fear that the failure of such a relationship could have a negative impact on the working atmosphere. However, such disadvantages can apparently be endured quite well: Only 6 percent of all respondents say they have already changed jobs because of a partnership or affair within the company.

Source: XING

Navigating an increasingly complex world is becoming more and more of a challenge. As an entrepreneur, you are in contact with different dialog groups. At the same time, as a manager, you have to be creative and accompany your employees in change processes. The concept of the "KaosPiloten School" in Berne, led by Markus Schmidt, takes a new approach to mastering these challenges. In his presentation at the business forum "ErfolgsSignale", he provides insights into the idea and concept of this school, which originated in Denmark. "The name 'kaospilot' is a metaphor for a person who has learned to navigate well through complex and often chaotic worlds," explains Markus Schmidt, who looks back on a varied career between higher business school, business controller, training with the kaospilots in Denmark, work as a kindergarten teacher, fitter and gardener, and an apprenticeship with Indian master teachers. "A quay pilot follows his dreams and turns them into reality together with others," adds Markus Schmidt.

Revolutionary ideas around the Stewi

The Stewi is a cult object. Stephan Ebnöther and Lorenz Fäh were aware of this when they acquired the Stewi company from the heirs of Werner Steiner on the first of February 2017. "Stewi is a very well known name, especially nationally, and a Swiss cult brand that has somewhat missed the boat in recent years, but still enjoys an excellent reputation," says Stephan Ebnöther, summarizing Stewi's brand value. However, there was a lot wrong with Stewi when the new company owners took over. New structures, processes, a new corporate culture - and innovations were required. Some of these are currently being implemented or are about to be. But that's not all: Stephan Ebnöther and his team are currently working on a vision that will simplify, even revolutionize, the work process between washing machine, drying, ironing, folding clothes and putting them in the closet. A pipe dream? No, says Stefan Ebnöther with a slight smile. He is serious. Stefan Ebnöther will reveal what lies behind this idea in his presentation at the "ErfolgsSignale" business forum in Rheinfelden.

From vegan glacé to PSI

Other speakers at the "ErfolgsSignale" business forum include Christoph Koch from Kopa AG in Laufenburg, Sonja Dänzer from the ice cream manufacturer "The Gree Fairy" in Zurich, and Christian Rüegg from the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen. The "ErfolgsSignale" business forum is organized by Michèle Dürrenberger and Fabrice Müller and is under the patronage of Rheinfelden Switzerland and Rheinfelden Baden.

More information

Large companies in Switzerland may be losing revenue because 82 percent of IT decision-makers do not have the necessary cloud expertise. Globally, large enterprises lose more than $250 million annually due to knowledge gaps on the subject of the cloud. This is shown by a new study conducted by Rackspace in collaboration with researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). 950 IT decision-makers and 950 IT professionals were surveyed, and there were conducted detailed interviews with IT executives.

Lack of cloud expertise inhibits innovation

The study also found that this lack of expertise hinders creativity. For example, 47 percent of IT pros say they could bring greater innovation to their organizations with the right cloud knowledge. Thirty-nine percent of IT decision makers believe their company is lagging behind in installing cloud platforms due to a lack of skills. In addition, 79 percent said they need to invest more in their workforce to meet the evolving demands of cloud computing.

John Engates, chief technology officer at Rackspace, says, "With the advent of artificial intelligence and automation, some believe human knowledge is less important. Our study proves this is not the case. With technology and cloud now supporting business transformation, the growing knowledge gap means organizations must have a strategy in place to access the experience they need. Otherwise, they will struggle to compete and innovate."

The realities of modern IT

IT decision makers are realizing the benefits of migrating all or part of their IT to the cloud. In fact, 44 percent of respondents say their company already has a positive return on investment (ROI) from cloud adoption. Another 46 percent expect the cloud to deliver a positive ROI in the future. Despite the benefits, IT pros and IT decision makers are frustrated by their inability to realize the full potential of the cloud:

• 44 percent of IT pros spend more time than expected managing day-to-day cloud processes

• 52 percent of IT decision makers recognize that a lack of expertise is holding back their business

• 81 percent of IT pros say detailed cloud knowledge within their organization would help them increase cloud ROI

The most needed cloud skills

For half of IT decision makers (50 percent), hiring the right professionals to help them manage the cloud is difficult. Native cloud app development (43 percent) is the most difficult skill to find, according to IT decision makers, followed by project management for migrations and cloud security (40 percent each). The biggest hurdles to hiring are:

• Companies cannot provide enough training or career opportunities (28 percent each)
• The positions are not attractive enough because they are focused on maintenance (24 percent)
• Industry-wide competition for skilled workers (22 percent)

What IT professionals expect from their new position can offer companies some clues when competing for new employees. While salary and benefits are most important (62 percent), career opportunities within the company (41 percent) and the chance to work on interesting projects (37 percent) are also high on the list. This shows that companies should not only look at attractive salaries to get and keep skilled workers.

However, 56 percent of IT decision-makers want to increase their company's cloud usage over the next five years, and 39 percent have concerns about retaining skilled workers. Thus, workforce development challenges are likely to increase. This is exacerbated by the fact that it takes "several weeks or longer" to train new employees, according to the majority of IT decision makers (84 percent). 22 percent need "months" for training and onboarding new colleagues.

Overcoming the challenges

Based on the study, some tips have been compiled on how companies can address the cloud knowledge gap:

• Breakdown of IT functions into individual streams: The concept of splitting IT functions into two areas enables companies to focus on the priorities of business- and process-oriented digital innovation. Both are important for companies to succeed in a technology-led market.
• Develop a cloud skills strategy: Every IT leader should implement a strategy that matches current skills in the organization with future innovation trends and changes (both in the business and in the cloud). They should compare this with realistic market analyses of the available skilled workforce.
• Complete cloud system assessment: Enterprises should develop a comprehensive approach to the provision of basic cloud services (for example, provider risk bundling). The business and process-oriented challenges can be overcome much more easily through constant improvements and significant innovations if the company relies on a balanced pool of skills and competencies within and outside its own boundaries.

Mariano Mamertino, EMEA Economist at global job board Indeed, comments, "Finding, hiring and retaining technology professionals is critical to success for businesses, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the talent they need as the corresponding demand increases. Our data shows that there is a global mismatch between cloud positions advertised and those sought by IT professionals. This could further widen the cloud knowledge gap. As this new study shows, a funding and innovation gap exists for businesses worldwide that needs to be plugged."

Source: Rackspace

The HR trends for 2018 point in a clear direction: Using algorithms and clever tools, HR departments can manage day-to-day business more efficiently and thus gain more time for strategic work. Employees are supported in deploying their resources immediately and ever more precisely when and where they are needed. On-demand recruiter Coople has identified the most important work trends for the next year.

Trend 1: Targeted personnel deployment thanks to predictive work scheduling

In a nutshell, predictive work scheduling means that staff schedules can be planned precisely using self-learning algorithms: Staff assignments can be planned precisely using self-learning algorithms that calculate future schedules from existing data. To do this, the computer is fed as much data as possible from a specific period in the past. For example, sales, weather, number of customers/guests per day, number of employees deployed and whatever else was relevant for the company in question. Based on this data, future staff deployment for a similar time period can then be calculated more accurately than ever before. Predictive work scheduling is already being used today, for example, in the retail trade and in aviation for ground personnel.

Trend 2: Mutual evaluation by employer and employee thanks to online feedback

Gone are the days when performance appraisals were solely in the hands of employers via job references. For a long time now, employees have also been expressing their opinions about their employers - even in public via portals such as kununu or Glassdoor. On-demand providers like Coople go one step further. There, it is even compulsory for employees and employers to rate each other via app after every job assignment. In this way, the black sheep on both sides are pushed out of the job market when future job offers are made.

Trend 3: HR bots search the web for talent

This trend was already announced by many large companies in 2016, but is only now slowly gaining momentum: HR bots are designed to help companies recruit new employees. The digital helpers search through CVs on the networking portals, compare them with the open positions in the company and provide a pre-selection. Bots can also already take the next step in relieving the HR department: They chat with the candidates and further narrow down the field of candidates based on initial clarifications.

Trend 4: Digital skills will be part of the educational backpack in the future

Being able to program, handle artificial intelligence or learn virtual reality technologies - all of these will soon be part of the job profile for future employees. Lifelong learning, anyway. Online courses are therefore in vogue and are being developed in collaboration with leading technology companies, such as at https://de.udacity.com/.

Source and further information: www.coople.com 

In a study on the topic of training and workplace culture, Great Place to Work® surveyed apprentices in Switzerland. With this study and the new "Great Place to Start" certification, Great Place to Work Switzerland would like to support training companies in analyzing their strengths and areas for development, give them suggestions for further development, and create recognition for the good training companies. Together with the feedback of the apprentices and the evaluation of the training concept, the quality of training in Switzerland can thus be further increased and the skilled workers of the future will get a good start in their careers.

These are the best training companies

Of the 15 companies that took part in the study in the pilot year, five receive the award as "Best Apprenticeship Companies in Switzerland":

• login Berufsbildung AG (1910 apprentices)
• Allianz Suisse (65 apprentices)
• Graubündner Kantonalbank (42 apprentices)
• LIDL Switzerland (37 apprentices)
• 100pro! vocational training liechtenstein (25 apprentices)

Among the award-winning training companies, 87% of the apprentices agree with the statement "All in all, I can say this is a very good training place". The best training companies in Switzerland are characterized by a trusting and motivating workplace culture. Further information on the winners can be found at http://www.greatplacetostart.ch.

Now the learners have the floor

Every year, tens of thousands of young people start out in the working world. They ask themselves which profession suits their interests, where they can get good training and development prospects, and which companies are good employers. The new "Best Apprenticeship Companies in Switzerland" certification recognizes companies whose training culture is exceptional and about which apprentices say: here is a Great Place to Start. "I feel like I'm a real employee and not just an apprentice. That makes it fun. Besides, I like it when I get recognition for my work," reports one apprentice about his training company. The fact that joy and pride in one's job, experiencing and being accepted as a fully-fledged employee should begin during training is a "must-have" during the training period for Florian Manz, the director of studies. "A trusting working atmosphere, the competence of the vocational trainers and the experience of appreciation are important criteria for the job satisfaction of young career starters."

Major differences in the comparison between award-winning and non-award-winning companies can be seen in the way complaints are handled, in the experience of pride in the training company and in the perception that everyone is pulling together. In the non-award-winning companies, an average of only 47% would like to stay with the company after completing their training and only 48% would recommend the company to their friends as a training company. Among the award-winning companies, 80% are proud of their place of work and would recommend it to their friends.

At all participating companies, the apprentices would also like to be more involved in decisions that affect them or their working environment. At login Berufsbildung AG, one of the award-winning companies, this is taken into account: "As an education partner of SBB, BLS, RhB, VöV and around 50 other companies in the world of transport, we attach particular importance to ensuring that apprentices develop into sought-after junior employees during their training and are able to take on responsibility at an early stage. For example, our apprentices work in junior teams where they independently manage a workshop, an area or a station. In the process, they are accompanied by a coach. The opportunity to take responsibility, find solutions and learn new things every day is something our apprentices really appreciate," explains Michael Schweizer, Managing Director of login Berufsbildung AG.

Recommended by learners

With "Great Place to Start - the award for the best apprenticeship companies in Switzerland - an initiative was launched to further strengthen the good training and workplace culture in Switzerland. Companies receive feedback on their strengths and areas of focus from the survey of their trainees. The exchange of good ideas is encouraged and the best training companies receive the recognition they deserve in the form of a Great Place to Start award.

The certification is based on feedback from the learners. A 28-question questionnaire is used to assess their experience of the training culture: professional support and personal perception as well as appreciation, respectful and fair treatment, team spirit, and much more. In addition to the survey, the training concept is also evaluated. By describing and documenting the measures, processes and tools used, the foundations of an excellent training culture are analyzed. At Great Place to Start, all learners are surveyed - because they provide the most credible assessment for other young job seekers. For interested applicants, the direct assessment of learners in a training company is a credible and valuable orientation. At the same time, learners can give companies direct and helpful feedback on their training work.

The award

The "Best Training Companies in Switzerland" award is not a competition that results in a ranking, but a certification process. All companies that meet the minimum criteria in the apprentice survey and in the training concept receive the award. "Participation in the award is possible for training companies in all sectors that employ at least 10 learners, regardless of the apprenticeship year. The certificate is issued after completion of the survey and evaluation of the training concept," says study director Manz.

An event on October 10 will offer exciting insights into the world of target group-oriented employer branding. Presentations, networking and discussions will show how the award "Best Training Companies in Switzerland" can be achieved and how learners and employees can be placed at the center of corporate communications as authentic ambassadors.

Free registration at: Employer branding for training companies

Gérald Brandt studied at the "Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud" (HEIG-VD) and holds a Master in Human Resources Management. He brings many years of sustainable and successful experience in Human Resources Management, which he gained in various national and international companies. His last position was Director Human Resources at the Fribourg Hospital. Before that, he worked for many years at Protectas SA, but also at companies such as Saint-Gobain or BG Ingénieurs Conseils SA. In all positions, he was also a highly valued member of the respective general managements. Gérald Brandt speaks German, French and English and has a very broad network in associations and in HR expert bodies throughout Switzerland. He is married and father of two children.

Source: Kelly Services

At the age of four he already spoke ten foreign languages, at nine he got a place at Harvard University and at eleven he was the youngest professor. We are talking about William James Sidis, who solved the theory of black holes in his spare time. "He is probably the most intelligent mind of all time, but is intelligence also the basic prerequisite for success?" asks Sebastian Wörwag, rector of the FHS St.Gallen, to the more than 600 guests in the Tonhalle St.Gallen. Sidis taught math, but no one would have understood him. So the U.S. American with an IQ estimated at 250 to 300 spent most of his life as a lowly office worker and died of a stroke at 46. "What he lacked decisively was empathy," says Wörwag. In addition to intelligence, we need rationality, creativity and the ability to reflect on our own thinking, to constantly question ourselves in order to come up with coherent solutions. Only then are we smart.

WTT Young Leader Award: A prize with charisma

The six student teams this evening seem to have these crucial qualities for success. For they have been nominated for this year's WTT Young Leader Award in Market Research and Management Conception. "The lecturers put all their energy into their students. Conversely, the students are prepared to achieve great things so that the FHS Tower remains an indispensable location for Eastern Switzerland," says Alfred Stricker, Education Director of the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, in praise of the FHS St.Gallen. The students have certainly achieved a great deal: they have invested more than 700 hours in the practical projects. "And they did the job with a high degree of excellence," says Peter Müller, head of the KTT-FHS knowledge transfer office.

Dovetailing studies with practice

According to research, 85 percent of FHS students have a job three months after graduation. The figures are much lower for universities. What makes FHS students popular in the market? Roland Waibel, head of the IFU-FHS, is certain: "A greenhorn becomes an expert when he applies a lot, practices a lot and transfers his knowledge. And beyond that, keeps both feet on the ground." The FHS St.Gallen gives the students the sack. That's what it takes, he says, for them to really dig in. In addition, they have the unique opportunity to work closely with practitioners during their studies. Although this can bring some students to the brink of overstraining themselves, it is very rewarding. "The students benefit from this knowledge transfer just as much as the companies in the market," Waibel emphasizes.

Winning project in market research: strategy for young bank customers

But at this moment, everyone is only interested in one thing: Who will win the WTT Young Leader Award 2017 in market research and management conception? The boiling point has long since been reached, curiosity is boiling and tension is sitting on quite a few chairs. Peter Müller pulls out the first envelope. The winning project in market research is: Generation Y and the banking partner - how to foster the bond with youth. Commissioned by Raiffeisenbank Regio Uzwil. "We thought intensively about the target group and conducted umpteen interviews. It was an immense amount of work, but we are overjoyed that we won with it," says project manager Anina Angehrn happily. "The team collected quite a bit of data, analyzed it meticulously and got to the heart of the matter. And delivered an excellent job to the customer," says jury member and award sponsor Christof Oswald, Head of Human Resources at Bühler AG.

Winning project in management concept: Generating attention with social media

Then came the second envelope and with it the answer to the question: Who wins in the management concept? It is the project for Küchler AG in Schlieren: Flooring - into the future with digital marketing power. In addition to meticulous research on the products, the five students launched an online store in just two weeks. "We wanted a solid basis for a clear decision - and the team delivered. And to an extent that far exceeded our expectations," says Tobias Heimpel, Head of Marketing. "For us, this victory is the crowning achievement of a perfect degree," says a delighted project manager Lorena Lütscher.

Lived knowledge transfer

At the latest after the award ceremony, it was clear what they had done better than the 61 other project teams. But one thing unites them all equally: "Our students have once again proven what they are capable of. They are highly motivated, proactive and they live with us the philosophy that we have been cultivating for ten years: namely the transfer of knowledge between business and science," says Peter Müller. And so it was clear why the guiding theme of the tenth WTT Young Leader Award was "knowledge transfer". Or to conclude in Goethe's poetic words: "That I may recognize what holds the world together at its innermost core."

Source and further information

On the evening of September 21, the winner of the 2017 Family Business Award was announced at the festive awards ceremony in the Kursaal in Bern. This award was established by AMAG in honor of its founder and patron Walter Haefner, who has always been committed to a genuine, lived and sustainable corporate culture. The purpose of the award is to draw attention to the great economic importance of family businesses in Switzerland. This year, the prize was awarded for the sixth time. The following three family businesses were in the running as finalists: Jucker Farm AG from Seegräben, Ramseier Holding AG from Bern and Röthlisberger Schreinerei AG from Gümligen.

The Jucker Farm as a winner

In the presence of many prominent representatives from politics and business, the Jucker family was delighted to receive the award. The brothers Martin and Beat Jucker convinced the jury, presided over by Council of States member Pascale Bruderer Wyss, with their business strategy, with which they developed a unique concept of adventure farms, exhibitions and business events from the classic farm of their parents. With their work, they impressively prove that entrepreneurship can contribute to social and ecological sustainability, as the laudation shows. As an exemplary company, Jucker Farm joins the ranks of previous award winners: Fraisa SA (2016), Wyon AG (2015), Entreprises et Domaines Rouvinez (2014), SIGA Holding (2013) and Trisa AG (2012).

With a lot of energy led the company to a new flowering

The brothers Martin and Beat Jucker wanted to take a new path with their parents' farm. However, after gigantic parties with pumpkins and rowing races in hollowed-out giant pumpkins across Lake Pfäffikon, the rapidly growing company was threatened with bankruptcy. With a lot of energy, a corporate ideology was developed in 2004. The new strategy steers back to the roots with the production and sale of high-quality and sustainable products. The aim is to diversify more widely and, in addition to pumpkins, the Juckers plant asparagus in the spring and blueberries in the summer. The farm products are freshly prepared in the farm kitchen or bakery and sold in farm stores, farm restaurants and through various wholesalers. In addition, the "Jucker Business Model" focuses on natural arts such as pumpkin exhibitions, on adventure farms and on events such as company outings or weddings. The main goal of all activities is to make the guests happy, which is only possible with satisfied employees. This fact is also emphasized with the motto "Simply create joy for generations".

Website of the award winner

Swiss managers see six reasons for the disinterest of many employees in a management position: They do not want to take on additional responsibility (78 %), consider a good work-life balance to be more important than a higher salary or a more senior position (63 %), and prefer specialist careers to chief executive positions (50 %). In addition, executives think many employees find the pace of business too fast (45 %), lack motivation (30 %) or lack training and mentoring programs that could support them (28 %). These are the findings of the labor market study conducted by Robert Half, a recruiter specializing in professional and managerial staff, for which 200 HR managers in Switzerland were surveyed.

Interim manager for a management position not a permanent solution

"Not only are skilled workers hard to find, Swiss companies also lack junior staff for management positions. That's why interim managers are being used more and more frequently," says Yeng Chow, senior manager at Robert Half in Zurich. "They bring experience and new perspectives to the company. Nevertheless, companies should be aware that interim managers are not a permanent solution, especially in management positions. Management positions should be filled in permanent positions to ensure the continuity necessary for business success."

For the 200 managers surveyed, the most attractive aspects about their position are their great decision-making power (48 %), team management (43 %) and their influence on business decisions (41 %). These are areas where junior managers are often willing to cut corners.

Changing employee needs impact work models

"Companies should specifically help to arouse employees' interest in management jobs and create the necessary framework conditions for this. A good work-life balance is highly valued. Companies can make it possible to meet this demand, for example by offering flexible working hours or home office, and thus lower employees' inhibitions about taking on more responsibility," says Yeng Chow. "In addition, mentoring and leadership development programs can offer support to junior managers."

Source: Labor market study by Robert Half

Business Transaction AG is one of the leading service providers for corporate transactions in the Swiss SME sector. With over 130 successfully completed transactions in a wide range of industries, an enormous wealth of practical knowledge has now been accumulated. This knowledge is now made available on a dedicated knowledge portal. Almost weekly, articles are published on a wide variety of topics in the field of corporate succession.

The SME succession market is still very intransparent

 The economic importance of effective succession planning is undisputed: Over 70,000 companies are due for succession in the next five years, and thousands of jobs will be affected. Whether within the family, within the company or outside the company - potential successors are plentiful. Compared to the real estate market, however, the SME succession market is virtually intransparent: on the one hand, the published amount and quality of information on sales offers is rather low, and on the other hand, company owners and successors lack available information on the succession process. Due to its multi-layered aspects, business succession is highly complex and sometimes fails because too little know-how is available. Information on the subject is therefore particularly important.

News, practical examples, expertise, checklists and templates for business succession

Business Transaction AG's new knowledge portal addresses the problem of limited information available on the business succession process by processing the experience gained from countless transactions on the knowledge portal and making it freely available. The portal is designed in a simple and clear way. The user selects the form of information and the subject area and can then delve into the subject matter via several steps. Behind this content is the entire team of the up-and-coming consulting firm from Zurich Seefeld. "Gathering knowledge and experience and preparing them in an understandable form is something we have anchored in our company culture" says founding partner Yves Süess. The visitor numbers prove the company right. Since the test phase in the summer, traffic has increased significantly following the successful release at the end of August 2017.

Click here for the knowledge portal

Emotional with a generous amount of images, puristic in its design concept and technologically state-of-the-art, the online presence underlines the values of the world-renowned Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG.

How to win an agency evaluation as a small design agency....

In a multi-stage agency evaluation, January Designbureau prevailed over numerous competitors. "We spoke the same language from the very beginning and appreciated the goal-oriented collaboration at eye level. Januar understood how to convey the perfect mix of high-end technology and our Swiss values in design." This is how Fabiola Felber, Project Manager Online Marketing, explains the choice of the Zurich-based design and digital agency. The fact that a small and thus very personal agency was chosen was a conscious decision of the international corporation and corresponds to the almost family-like corporate culture of Pilatus, the statement of the design agency continues. It was clear from the outset that the web relaunch, like the aircraft, would bear the "Crafted in Switzerland" label. Fredy Espejo of Januar Designbureau sees the successful bid as an incentive for small agencies to actively participate in tenders from large companies.

International orientation

In joint workshops at the headquarters in Stans, the project team first identified the needs of the various stakeholders such as the sales teams of the different markets and aircraft types, marketing or human resources. This was followed by an analysis of the international aviation competitive environment. However, pages from neighboring sectors such as the automotive industry also served as a benchmark for the design and interaction design. Objectives such as a navigation hierarchy that is as flat as possible and generous image components served as conceptual cornerstones for the development of the content and the subsequent creation phase.

The new international website was to create a strong, emotional user experience and convey the fascination of flying. With this in mind, January's designers have further developed the Pilatus brand for the digital flight space in a contemporary way. Addressing both the target group of military training aircraft and lifestyle/business customers, without losing focus of the Swissness of the Pilatus brand for even a moment, was the requirement for Emanuel Gürth, Senior Designer, when developing the look & feel.

The central importance of mobile use is taken into account by a fully responsive implementation. Contrary to the mobile-first trend, the design started with the largest desktop version in order to be able to define an effective visual language as soon as possible and to develop a clear design concept with atmosphere, Fredy Espejo explains this conscious decision. In this case, the subsequent reduction to mobile was the leaner and more targeted method, according to the design agency's considerations. The collaboration included the conceptual support, the entire design process and the complete front-end programming.

Source: www.januar.ch