AXA Switzerland can look back on another successful business year in occupational pension provision, according to its latest operating statement: the number of affiliated clients in the semi-autonomous collective foundations rose again last year by 5.5 percent, while the number of actively insured persons increased by as much as 11.1 percent to over 331,000. The sustainable growth course of AXA's collective foundations is thus continuing, the insurance company writes. If the autonomous pension fund business is included, the number of actively insured persons at AXA is over 400,000. Thomas Gerber, Head of Pensions, accordingly states: "AXA's semi-autonomous BVG solutions continue to meet with high demand in the market and support the healthy growth of the collective foundations. In 2022, we achieved the second-best result in our history in new business and thus an excellent result for the third time in a row. The semi-autonomous model is convincing even in economically challenging times and is also fairer and more attractive for policyholders in the face of rising interest rates."

2 billion francs more interest for the benefit of insured persons

Over the past 4 years (2019 - 2022), the retirement assets of insured persons have received an average interest rate of between 2.04 and 2.69 percent in the mandatory system and between 2.68 and 4.6 percent in the supplementary system, depending on the foundation, i.e. well above the BVG minimum interest rate of 1 percent. Since the switch to partial autonomy at the beginning of 2019, the insured persons of the collective foundations have thus received a total of more than CHF 2 billion more in interest credits than would have been possible in the tight corset of full insurance.

Jürgen Scharfetter, Head of Occupational Pension Plans: "Thanks to the higher interest rate, insured persons have significantly better long-term prospects of having a sufficient pension to continue their accustomed standard of living in old age. In addition, with our flexible pension plans, we offer Swiss SMEs and their employees the opportunity to adapt their occupational pension plans to today's employment and life models, such as part-time work. Added to this are differentiating supplementary services that go far beyond pure pension provision and create real added value."

A wide range of additional services for SMEs and their employees

One additional service, for example, is the fringe benefits platform "Swibeco", which also enables micro-enterprises to offer their employees attractive fringe benefits that are otherwise only available to large companies. More than 6,000 companies now use the benefits platform, which means the number has doubled within a year. AXA offers further additional services with "WeCare", which provides SMEs with a comprehensive range of services to promote employee health, from company health advice and preventive measures to the reintegration of sick employees back into working life by means of care and case management solutions.

Very well positioned both financially and structurally

AXA's semi-autonomous collective foundations are very well positioned, the insurance company continues. They have a healthy age structure, a high proportion of non-compulsory pension assets and low pension liabilities compared with the market, it says.

And further: In its asset management, AXA pursues a risk-conscious investment approach and consistently relies on an independent best-in-class principle in order to achieve the best possible long-term earnings opportunities for policyholders. Assets under management for third-party clients increased by 7 percent last year to 41 billion Swiss francs, AXA said. Daniel Gussmann, Chief Investment Officer, says: "As AXA's collective foundations are very well positioned, both financially and structurally, they can cope well even with challenging stock market years. In occupational pensions, people save for decades, and the investment strategies are also geared to this. The portfolios are also broadly diversified, which contributes to stability."

Solid operating result in 2022 in BVG business

Since 2019, AXA has been focusing entirely on semi-autonomous solutions. In the meantime, the vast majority of people insured with AXA are in the semi-autonomous model. Premium income increased by 4.8 percent to CHF 738 million (2021: CHF 704 million) as a result of new business. Investment income decreased from CHF 519 million in the previous year to CHF 160 million as a result of a decline in direct investment income and higher write-downs on fixed-income securities and equities. Operating income before taxes decreased to CHF 74 million in 2022 (2021: CHF 110 million), mainly due to the decline in investment income.

In the business subject to the minimum ratio, 715 million Swiss francs accrued to policyholders in the form of insurance benefits, reserve reinforcements and allocations to the surplus fund. The payout ratio was thus 90.7 percent. Costs per active insured improved by 6 percent to 422 Swiss francs thanks to consistent efficiency efforts and the increase in the insured base.

Source and further information

At the Helsana Group's Annual General Meeting on May 26, 2023, shareholders elected Reto Egloff (54) to the Board of Directors. He succeeds Severin Moser (60). The latter had been a member of the Helsana Group's Board of Directors since 2007 and in this capacity most recently chaired the Digitization Committee and was a member of the Investment Committee. In Reto Egloff, Helsana's strategic management body is gaining a profound expert in health insurance who also has an excellent network outside the industry.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas D. Szucs is delighted with the election: "Rising healthcare costs, a shortage of specialists and increasing digitalization - the Swiss healthcare system is changing ever more rapidly. Reto Egloff knows the health insurance industry from the perspective of supervision, association and market. With his comprehensive know-how and excellent network in the industry and politics, he brings ideal prerequisites to position Helsana even more strongly as an active shaper of the Swiss healthcare system." Reto Egloff worked at KPT Krankenversicherung from 2007 to 2021, holding the position of CEO from 2013. He was also a member of the board of curafutura, the industry association, from 2013 to 2021. Before that, the lawyer was section head of health insurance supervision at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and held management positions in the hotel industry.

With a broad range of basic, supplementary and accident insurance products, as well as daily sickness benefits, Helsana protects around 2.2 million people against the financial consequences of illness, accident, maternity and the need for care in old age. The company also develops insurance solutions for over 60,000 companies and associations to cushion the economic consequences of absences due to illness or accident.

Source and further information: Helsana

As a cooperative, Pax is solely committed to the interests of the insured. The profits generated remain within the company. As a result, the insured persons, who are also members of the cooperative, benefit from a surplus participation. In 2022, Pax allocated CHF 15 million to the surplus fund, an increase of 50 percent over the previous year. This results in a distribution ratio of 91.7 percent. Distributions were also increased for the benefit of policyholders, to CHF 7.9 million compared to CHF 4.1 million in the previous year. More was added to the surplus fund than was withdrawn, and its volume increased by more than 26 percent to CHF 34.2 million. This provides Pax with a solid basis for attractive surplus sharing in the future.

Financial result and premium volume

According to Pax, full insurance and DuoStar are proving their worth as solutions with a high level of security in occupational pension plans in a challenging environment: The operating result remained stable at CHF 7.2 million in 2022, only marginally lower than in the previous year (2021: CHF 7.3 million). Equity was strengthened by CHF 5.2 million to CHF 66.7 million. Pax thus offers its policyholders a high level of financial security in occupational pension provision as well.

At CHF 6.1 million, new business was slightly above the previous year, but below the company's own expectations. Pax recorded declines in single premiums and periodic premiums, with premium volume reaching CHF 426.1 million (-2.2 percent). On the other hand, according to the statement, the company has further improved the portfolio structure with consistent qualitative management, which will increase profitability in the medium term.

BVG reform as an important step for Swiss pension provision

However, the occupational pension system urgently needs to be reformed: Neither rising interest rates nor economic developments will solve the problem of the excessively high BVG conversion rate. This is exacerbated by the regulatory framework conditions, which have long since ceased to reflect economic realities. As early as 2022, Pax therefore used its own room for maneuver and introduced a new conversion rate model to curb the system-unrelated redistribution from active insured persons to pension recipients. Pax sees the reform of the occupational pension scheme passed by parliament in March 2023 as a compromise capable of gaining majority support to adapt the second pillar to the changed social and economic conditions: a further, important step on the way to securing Switzerland's pension scheme in the long term.

Simple pension design for SMEs

In addition to its commitment to sustainable Swiss pension provision, Pax is also further developing its own products: In the new 2024 group tariff, new biometric principles are taken into account, the claims experience is weighted more heavily, and the technical interest rate is increased to 1.00 percent. In addition, the introduction of mixed lines of business allows the risk profile of a company to be realistically assessed. All these measures lead to an attractive solution with advantageous premiums.

In addition, Pax offers DuoStar, a product that it claims is unique in the Swiss market. Yvonne Häring, Head of Products & Actuarial and member of the Executive Board, explains: "DuoStar combines security and potential returns in a single solution. This added value benefits companies that do not want to bear the full investment risks but still want to participate in the development of the financial markets in the long term."

Source and further information

Cryptocurrencies seem to have gained further popularity: According to a count by the platform Cryptomonday.de, 9182 different currencies are available in May 2023. Bitcoin remains the most popular, followed by Ethereum. The total market capitalization for cryptocurrencies is $1.14 trillion, with Bitcoin dominating at 46.40 %. Because the cryptocurrency market is so unpredictable, its market capitalization also fluctuates frequently. But Bitcoin's dominance remains a constant.

The most popular cryptocurrency is Bitcoin

The value of the Bitcoin market far exceeds that of all other cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin's success is also due to the fact that it is the first cryptocurrency ever created. However, Bitcoin is not necessarily the best cryptocurrency available, even though it has the highest market capitalization and offers huge returns, writes Cryptomonday.de. The "best" cryptocurrency is a difficult question to answer anyway, it adds. Each project has its own advantages and disadvantages as well as its own community. Therefore, the only criteria for an objective evaluation are the price development and the market capitalization.

In 2023, there will be a total of 77,405 Bitcoin addresses with more than one million US dollars

However, this does not necessarily mean that there are a large number of Bitcoin millionaires, according to crypto insiders. This is because one person can own multiple addresses or multiple people can share one address. The number of addresses with more than $1,000,000 has decreased by about 40,000 since last year. In 2021, there were still 116,139 addresses. In addition, there are a few addresses for other digital currencies with assets worth at least $1,000,000. However, since Bitcoin is the best known and most significant cryptocurrency, greater attention is paid here to the total number of addresses.

In Switzerland, cryptocurrencies are comparatively widespread

In Germany, 10 % of people own cryptocurrencies. This shows that investing in cryptocurrencies is not yet very widespread in our northern neighbor. In contrast, more than 15% of Germans own stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In other countries, various cryptocurrencies are already much better known. The frontrunner is South Africa. There, 22 % of the population, or one in five, use or own cryptocurrencies. In South Korea (17 %), Switzerland (17 %) and India (18 %), cryptocurrencies are also widely used. Some countries, such as El Salvador, allow their residents to use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as an accepted form of payment.

Source: Cryptomonday.com

With a volume of CHF 662.4 million, the crowdfunding market fell short of last year's record figure of CHF 791.8 million. Since the founding of the first crowdfunding platform 15 years ago, around 3.7 billion francs have been brokered via the digital route in Switzerland. This is shown by the latest "Crowdfunding Monitor Switzerland". This study is conducted every year by the Institute of Financial Services IFZ of the Lucerne School of Business with the support of the Swiss crowdfunding platforms.

A breather or a turning point?

For the first time in the history of crowdfunding in Switzerland, the market volume no longer recorded an increase in 2022. Compared to the record value of 2021, the volume fell by 16 percent. Nevertheless, the volume is still significantly above the value of 2020. According to the study authors, the increased interest rate level has also influenced the market growth somewhat. Higher interest rates tend to have an inhibiting effect on the demand for capital, e.g. in the area of crowdlending. When investing capital, investors are increasingly comparing the risks and returns of this asset class with the risk profiles of alternative investment opportunities. The study authors expect a similar volume for 2023 as in 2022 due to macroeconomic uncertainties (economic development, interest rate level).

Online credit market for SMEs grows

With the exception of corporate debt financing, the volumes of all crowdfunding segments declined. SME crowdfunding grew by 28 percent to CHF 141.9 million in 2022. Andreas Dietrich, co-author of the Crowdfunding Monitor, says: "Loans via platforms to SMEs have already been growing continuously for years. However, the market development of this segment was interrupted by the Covid crisis and the corresponding Covid loans in 2020. In this respect, SME financing is now back on its previous growth path."

Adjusting screws for future growth

The HSLU study authors identify two areas that represent important prerequisites for future market growth. First, the involvement of institutional investors will be central to securing a more significant supply of capital. So far, it has not been possible to attract institutional investors on a significant scale. According to Andreas Dietrich, "It still takes a lot of education for traditional financial institutions, venture capital firms and business angels, as well as traditional institutional investors, to recognize the potential of crowdfunding as an investment opportunity."

Another decisive factor for the growth of capital demand is the level of awareness of crowdfunding as a source of financing. Especially in the area of debt financing (corporate loans, consumer loans), higher awareness and knowledge among potential borrowers could drive growth. Many companies refrain from applying for a loan from a bank despite the need for financing because they are concerned, for example, that the interest costs are too high or that they would not receive a loan. Using crowdlending as an alternative source of credit could help alleviate these concerns. In the area of consumer loans, many individuals may not yet have realized that crowdlending offers attractive interest rates compared to other options.

Source: Lucerne University

Crowdfunding: These forms exist

• Crowdsupporting: Mostly creative and cultural projects and campaigns from the sports sector. The investor receives a product, an artistic work or a service in return for his or her contribution. For example, someone who finances a book receives a copy free of charge.
• Crowddonating: Majority donations to social, charitable and cultural projects that are not tied to anything in return.
• Crowdinvesting: Investment of equity or debt capital in companies (start-ups) or real estate. In return, investors receive a share of the profits.
• Crowdlending: Mediation of loans to companies or private individuals. In return, the donors receive interest payments, the amount of which depends on the risk of the capital borrower.

The Swiss Ethics Award has been organized since 2005 by students of the Business Administration Department of HEIG-VD, the largest partner institution of the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland (HESSO) with over 2000 students. Since its creation, 55 organizations of different sizes and from different fields of activity have been awarded, 372 ethics and sustainable development projects have been promoted, and thousands of people beyond the universities have been made aware of the ethical responsibilities of individuals and organizations. The award is part of the sustainable positioning of teaching and applied research for the advancement of HEIG-VD.

The three main winners of the Swiss Ethics Award 2023

This year, the expert jury, consisting of representatives from the private sector and associations, awarded prizes:

• Bepooler from Lugano, "digital offer in the service of the energy transition and social contacts": This project addresses a central issue of our lifestyle: the daily use of the car by commuters traveling alone and emitting large amounts of CO2. It convinced the jury because it puts technology at the service of the energy transition by providing a simple and accessible application for individuals and for companies. By making it easy to form carpools, Bepooler contributes not only to reducing CO2 emissions, but also to new solidarity and social contacts.
• Infomaniak in Geneva and Winterthur, "Circular economy on a large scale": By positioning itself as an " ethical cloud" and an "ecological hosting provider", Infomaniak has been proving for several years that it is possible to combine digital growth and responsibility. Infomaniak's new project aims to build a data center powered by 100 % renewable energy, whose waste heat will be used to heat 6,000 homes in winter and hot water for tens of thousands of households in summer. The innovative nature of this project, which meets the criteria of a circular economy, and the importance of the issue - the energy consumption and growing CO2 emissions of the many data centers in our digital society - convinced the jury.
• La Petite Épicerie in Bavois, "short link between ecology and fairness": This project convinced the jury because of the strong and simple idea as well as the
  variety of its positive effects. This "smart" local grocery store allows a direct and transparent exchange. Founded in particular by HEIG-VD alumni, it helps rebuild social contacts in villages where the last unprofitable stores have closed. By offering fresh and regional products close to home, it promotes short distances and reduces car trips for purchases, thus reducing CO2 emissions. The website is user-friendly and simple, and the project, which will be rolled out to 60 French-speaking villages by 2025, has proven its economic viability.

The "Coup de coeur" as a special student prize

Since 2021, the students' "Coup de coeur" has also been awarded during the ceremony. This year it went to the Café-Restaurant Le Botanik in Yverdon-les-Bains "an ethical restaurant that brings gastronomy from the supplier to the plate". The café-restaurant offers local and seasonal cuisine for all diets in an inviting and colorful setting. The jury, made up of HEIG-VD students, wanted to highlight the social responsibility of the company, which pays particular attention to the working conditions of its employees, and the principles of sustainable development, which are strictly observed.

Source and further information: HEIG-VD

The majority of Swiss executives are confident negotiators, at least when it comes to assessing their own negotiation performance. This sums up the findings of the study "How do Swiss executives negotiate?", which was presented to around 100 invited guests at an event at the Kongresshaus Zurich on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Careful preparation for negotiations in scenarios crucial

As part of the study, which was conducted for the first time, around 360 Swiss managers were surveyed via an online survey in the fall of 2022. A prerequisite for participation was that negotiation is a significant part of the professional scope of duties. The respondents come from different industries and have on average more than 13 years of negotiation experience. The representative study offers the first comprehensive insight into negotiation practice in Switzerland and provides an empirical basis for further research and initiatives in the field of law and negotiation management.

The results show that, from the perspective of Swiss managers, good negotiation results require intensive negotiation preparation. More than 90 percent of respondents say that negotiation skills are important for their careers. However, more than half of the respondents also believe that many negotiators overestimate their negotiation skills. In addition, only about half of the Swiss executives had already been trained in negotiation skills during their training or studies. Differences can be seen in particular with regard to age and industry: The younger the respondents, the more likely negotiation was already part of their education. With regard to negotiation training, there are clear differences in some sectors.

More training and support desired

A quarter of Swiss executives believe that systematic negotiation management is still only found in large companies, although there is agreement that negotiation skills can be learned. In addition, only one-third of respondents are adequately prepared for negotiations by their company. Here, the majority of Swiss executives would like to see even more support from their companies. Above all, advice from experienced colleagues, training on negotiation strategies and negotiation training with professional coaches and mentors are seen as helpful in preparing for a negotiation.

Swiss executives prefer to negotiate in person rather than digitally

The Corona pandemic has led to companies increasingly negotiating digitally. However, the respondents state that they are more proficient in face-to-face negotiations and consider them more promising than digital negotiations. Swiss executives can be characterized as confident negotiators who predominantly achieve good negotiation results, at least when it comes to assessing their own negotiation performance. If the respondents do not succeed in achieving an optimum negotiation result, the main reason on their own side is that their own goals are too ambitious and therefore unrealistic. On the other side, Swiss negotiators blame the power dominance and negotiating style of the other side.

Potential for improvement in follow-up and cost control

Around 77% of Swiss managers discuss their negotiation experiences and the results achieved with colleagues and superiors after a negotiation. However, a comparison with German negotiation practice, where around 87% regularly exchange negotiation experiences, shows that there is still significant potential for improvement here in Switzerland. It is also noticeable that a large proportion of Swiss negotiation practitioners have no real awareness of the level of costs involved in their negotiations. In the future, it will be important for companies not only to establish a systematic negotiation controlling system, but also to give appropriate priority to the increased importance of claim negotiations.

Greater quality of results and efficiency in small teams

Even though the increasing digitization of negotiations has led to efficiency gains and new options in negotiation management in many companies, Swiss negotiation practitioners continue to negotiate alone or in teams that tend to be smaller, averaging two to three people. In the view of the study authors, the significance and potential for success of team negotiations must be analyzed more closely in the future for Swiss negotiation practice.

Importance of negotiation recognized in education and training in Switzerland

A closer look at the results reveals that younger managers in particular state significantly more frequently that negotiations were part of their training. This can be interpreted as an indication that the importance of negotiation management has been recognized in training and continuing education in Switzerland. In the view of the study authors, it is also advisable for Swiss companies to place greater emphasis on the training and continuing education of qualified negotiation practitioners. The increased relevance of negotiation management should be taken into account in the future, both on the part of academia and on the part of negotiation practice.

Source: BGPartner AG / Negotiation Academy Potsdam

In this day and age, the world is constantly changing. What may have worked well 10 or 20 years ago is no longer sufficient today. Or it may even lead to the opposite effect. For example, most people were motivated by different things 20 or 30 years ago than they are today. Some things remain, of course. But many things also change.

Here are what I see as the three biggest leadership failures today that you can take direct action on:

Mistake No. 1: Ignoring technological innovations

One of the biggest mistakes I see time and again is ignoring technological innovations. Many managers think that they don't need these innovations or don't need to know anything about them. But in today's world, technology and digitalization are indispensable and an important factor for the success of a company.

As a leader, you should therefore deal intensively with these topics and always stay up to date. This also includes inspiring and supporting your employees to continue their education and keep up with the latest technologies.

Mistake #2: MediocreTolerate poor performance

Another big mistake many leaders make is tolerating mediocre performance. As a leader, if you do not have clear expectations of your employees and do not consistently demand them, you will not achieve top performance.

Mediocrity is the enemy of excellence. So you need to make sure that you have the right people on the team who will perform their tasks with high performance and commitment. You should also strive for high performance in yourself and constantly work on your own development.

This is more important today than it was 10 or 20 years ago.

Mistake No. 3: Preventing diversity - passively or actively

The third mistake I see again and again is preventing diversity in the team. Diversity is not just about gender or ethnicity, but also about different ways of thinking and working. If you as a leader only focus on a homogeneous team, you miss out on the potential of different perspectives and skills.

Diversity in the team promotes creativity, innovation and better results. So it's important to be open to diversity and brave enough to integrate different people with different backgrounds and experience into your team.

Conclusion

You can evaluate yourself on these three topics - and then take action accordingly. If you want to have a top team in the future, it is even more important that you act accordingly. Good luck with this!

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

Löwenfels Partner AG is expanding its business activities from June 2023 with a new office in Bern. The Swiss software company is thus taking into account the rapidly increasing demand for expertise in the areas of digitization and automation, according to a statement to the media.

Closer to the clientele

In his opening speech, Löwenfels CEO Oliver Meyer reaffirmed the company's claim to be the first choice of Swiss authorities for the implementation of customized software solutions. With the new branch office in the federal city, Löwenfels is now even closer to its clientele. Already, 20 of the 26 Swiss cantons use customized software solutions from Löwenfels, as do several leading Swiss multinationals. Especially when dealing with large amounts of data, customized software can greatly simplify processes.

Digitization of the authorities in Bern

Under the motto "Swiss Software - Built to Last", Löwenfels develops and implements customized software solutions for SMEs and public authorities entirely in Switzerland. The advantages of digitization in a business are clear: workflows are simplified, thus increasing efficiency and, as a result, costs can be reduced. Frank Buchli, Chief Business Officer at Löwenfels Partner AG, will manage the new branch office in Bern. For him, the new location means above all greater efficiency thanks to proximity to customers: "Software is networked and location-independent - so the results of our work can be found all over Switzerland. That's why I and my team are pleased to now have our own office in Bern. From here, we can serve our clientele even better and more efficiently, creating ideal conditions to sustainably maintain and expand our partnerships."

Is artificial intelligence giving the authorities a leg up?

One aspect that receives special attention in the development of software and processes at Löwenfels is the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). Accordingly, visitors to the opening ceremony also enjoyed a presentation by Dr. Matthias Stürmer, Head of the Institute Public Sector Transformation at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, on digitization and digital sustainability. The field of "machine learning" in particular seems predestined to simplify the work of public authorities in the future. Algorithms and statistical methods are used to analyze data and identify patterns. When it comes to evaluating and processing large volumes of data in the healthcare and administrative sectors, this means a literal quantum leap in productivity. For public authorities in particular, it is important that the solution offers sovereignty over international corporations. In a project with the Federal Supreme Court, the Bern University of Applied Sciences has found a solution based on open source components that enables this digital sovereignty.

Of course, the data security aspect in particular must also be maintained, as CBO Frank Buchli emphasizes. To ensure this, Löwenfels draws on its many years of experience and unique domain expertise in social insurance.

Source and further information

As of September 2023, Xoana Janner will take over the overall management of IST, the Higher Professional School for Tourism & Outdoor with locations in Zurich and Lausanne. The 34-year-old brings several years of professional and leadership experience in the areas of sales, marketing and digital communication and has worked as a consultant for various SMEs and startups. Xoana Janner acquired specific knowledge in the education sector as Head Of Marketing/Communication & Business Development at EF Education in Zurich and Bern. She studied German and musicology, took courses in didactics and pedagogy at the PH Bern and was active as a DaF lecturer for a long time. She was also CMO and member of the management board at Syntax Übersetzungen AG in Thalwil and speaks five languages fluently.

"We are very happy that we could win Xoana Janner for this position," says Daniel Nussbaumer, Executive Director of the Vantage Education Group, to which IST belongs, since March 2023. As Executive Director, Daniel Nussbaumer is responsible for the "Business Cluster" of business, marketing and tourism schools in the Vantage Group. "Together we will further develop the operational business of the schools, work out synergies and make the schools strong for the current and future challenges of the industry," says Nussbaumer. Among other things, the focus will be on modern forms of teaching and future-oriented teaching content.

The proven team is being relied on for the respective management of the IST sites. Sandra Murer will continue to lead the IST site in Zurich's Josefstrasse, Thomas Gény is responsible for the IST in Lausanne. "I am already very much looking forward to working with the staff, lecturers and students and to many exciting projects," says Xoana Janner.

The IST offers various training and further education courses in the field of tourism: Dipl. Tourismusfachfrau/-mann HF, the new specialized training as Travel Advisor, the postgraduate course "Dipl. Tourismusmanager/-in NDS HF" as well as various modular courses. Currently 230 young people are studying at IST in Zurich and 80 in Lausanne.

Source: www.ist-edu.ch

With today's 18- to 29-year-olds, Generation Z has arrived in the Swiss working world and will help shape our working environment in the coming years. A striking characteristic of young professionals is their lack of commitment: In German-speaking Switzerland, 72 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds are open to changing jobs, and only about half can imagine staying with their current company for more than two years. And this is despite the fact that the clear majority (79 percent) are satisfied with their current job. With increasing age, the proportion of those willing to change jobs falls (from 72 percent to 44 percent), although satisfaction with the current job is only slightly higher than among Generation Z (85 percent vs. 79 percent). These are the findings of a new generation analysis by recruiting specialist onlyfy by XING, which is based on a representative online survey conducted by the market research institute forsa among a total of 1,007 employed people aged 18 and over in German-speaking Switzerland - including almost 200 respondents aged 18 to 29 (Generation Z).

Generation Z also enjoys their work somewhat less than older generations. While 66 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds say they enjoy their job, the figure is higher for older age groups, reaching 83 percent for those over 50.

I have to go: Gen Z rarely sees long-term prospects in the job

The desire for something new at work is pronounced among Generation Z professionals. 72 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds are either open to a new job or are already planning a change. The willingness to change is at the same level among 30- to 39-year-olds (73 percent), but decreases significantly from the age of 40.

Just under one in four Generation Z employees (23 percent) cannot imagine working for their current employer for more than another year. Just as many (23 percent) would hold out for another one to two years at the most. This means that the career planning horizon in Generation Z is significantly shorter than in the other age groups. Only four percent of 18- to 29-year-olds could imagine staying with their current employer until retirement.

"Gen Z is characterized by a high willingness to change and a desire for new things. Loyalty is taking a back seat as a value; at their current job, they see themselves more as a temporary guest," says Frank Hassler, CEO of New Work SE, which includes the onlyfy by XING brand. "For companies, this non-commitment is a double-edged sword: On the one hand, it makes it easier to make a change palatable to potential candidates. On the other hand, as a company you have to make more of an effort to retain young employees," Hassler continues.

Too little pay, bad bosses and a desire for variety make young people move on

Above all, too little pay (41 percent), dissatisfaction with the direct manager (32 percent), a general desire for variety (31 percent) and a high stress level (29 percent) make Gen Z employees flirt with a new job. These are also the main deciding factors among older employees.

When looking for a new employer, German-speaking Swiss professionals under 30 pay particular attention to good team spirit among colleagues (56 percent). This is followed by a higher salary (54 percent), flexible working hours (43 percent) and good management (43 percent) as well as a good corporate culture (38 percent). These are factors that older employees pay equal attention to when looking for a job, and sometimes even somewhat more frequently than Generation Z. At 32 percent, however, members of Gen Z tend to place more value than older employees on the employer's commitment to the psychological well-being of employees.

"Besides the salary, it is above all the environment that is decisive for the youngest generation in the labor market. What is the culture in the company? What kind of understanding of leadership is practiced and what flexibility am I given in terms of working hours?" says Frank Hassler. "Generation Z wants employers who care about the well-being of their employees," Hassler continues.

Meaningfulness and sustainability not typical Gen Z issues

"Generation Purpose" - that's how generations Z and Y have already been summarized. According to the current evaluation, however, the desire for meaning fulfillment in the job is not a characteristic of the younger generation. While for 33 percent of Generation Z, fulfillment of meaning in the job is an important criterion for selecting an employer, this figure is even higher in the other age groups (30-39 years: 43 percent, 40-49 years: 59 percent, 50+ years: 56 percent). Sustainable action by the employer is almost equally important to professionals in all four age groups (18-29 years: 16 percent, 30-30 years: 16 percent, 40-49 years: 20 percent, 50+ years: 18 percent).

Source: New Work SE

The wholesaler Pistor, which supplies bakeries, catering companies and hospitals with food, goods and medical consumables, is adding eight eActros-E trucks from Mercedes-Benz to its fleet. This makes a total of eleven of Pistor's 101 trucks electric. "The environment is close to Pistor's heart. We want to emit as little CO2 as possible," explains logistics manager and executive board member Richard Betschart. In addition, more and more customers wanted deliveries with as few emissions as possible. "We achieve this by having our products delivered to our logistics centers by rail. From there, we distribute them to our customers in low-emission trucks."

E-trucks twice as expensive

Pistor accepts higher initial costs for its sustainability efforts: The eight new electric trucks cost over six million Swiss francs, almost twice as much as fuel-powered models, according to the company. However, this additional expense would be outweighed by the lower maintenance costs and savings in terms of the heavy goods vehicle tax. This is not the only reason why the investment is worthwhile, says Betschart: "The future of road transport lies in alternative drives with zero emissions. Pistor started on this path early on and is now consistently pursuing it." For example, the company is continuously replacing fossil-fuel trucks that are being retired from the fleet with electric models.

300 tons less CO2

The eleven Pistor electric trucks save 300 tons of CO2 per year. This is equivalent to the emissions of a gasoline-powered car traveling one million kilometers. The eActros are fueled with electricity from solar and hydroelectric power. With a range of up to 400 kilometers, they are ideally suited to Pistor's route network - with the exception of mountainous regions. In the ecological field, the Rothenburg-based company relies not only on electric trucks but also on geothermal energy storage, solar systems and sustainable building design. The planned eastern distribution center in Sennwald, for example, will be built from spruce wood, will have heat pumps, and will have a rainwater washing line for trucks and rail cars.

Lueg AG as a partner

Pistor procured the new e-trucks through Lueg AG, which distributes Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles. "We are very proud to be able to accompany Pistor on their journey towards electrification," says Sales Manager Beat Bucher. The joint development of routes and route profiles that are feasible for the electric trucks has also been concluded positively, he adds.

Source: Pistor AG