The Sustainability Reporting 2022 is already the 20th report with information on the status of implemented measures and goals of APG|SGA within the scope of the Corporate Social Responsibility strategy (CSR). The A- grade in the CDP Climate Change Score proves that the company is a leader in climate protection reporting. The company also sees itself on track to meet its ambitious multi-year targets of "net zero emissions by 2035." Markus Ehrle, CEO of APG|SGA, says: "We are solidly on track when it comes to implementing the Paris Agreement as well as the 1.5-degree target. Last year, despite significantly increased economic activities, our company was able to limit the increase in CO2 emissions to 2% and the total environmental impact to 4%. The reasons for this development were, in addition to the consistently implemented CSR strategy, voluntary and partly drastic energy saving measures. These were implemented in line with the federal government's energy-saving alliance and were supported by the entire workforce."

On the way to net zero

APG|SGA's understanding of sustainability, which has grown over decades, is anchored in the core of the company and continues to gain in importance. For this reason, APG|SGA created the staff position Head of Sustainability last year and filled it with Andres Trautmann. He says: "In the next few years, we want to make the effective transfer to a net-zero company. To do this, we are evaluating our entire processes and defining the necessary and realistic steps with which we can achieve permanent emission reductions." In 2023, APG|SGA plans to have its ambitious reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and to have an increased impact on its indirect emissions. In addition, APG|SGA is driving environmentally conscious products and services to support its customers and partners.

Social responsibility as an important cornerstone for sustainable coexistence

In addition to climate protection, APG|SGA has set itself high standards and goals for social responsibility as part of its holistic CSR strategy: APG|SGA is proud of its diversity. The company supports diversity and promotes gender balance. In addition, as an important element of a transparent and safe corporate culture, an anonymous whistleblower system was introduced in 2022. Occupational health management (OHM) contributes to well-being in the workplace. In addition, social and cultural partnerships are being further cultivated and expanded. APG|SGA sponsors various non-profit, cultural, and sports organizations in the low double-digit millions through poster sponsoring - including as a sponsor of the Swiss Out of Home Award and other creative competitions in the "Out of Home Media" category.

Source: APG|SGA

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The New Work Experience 2023, or NWX23 for short, is just a few weeks away. Under the motto "Work Forward," the festival for work and the future, which claims to be the most renowned in the German-speaking world, will be held for the sixth time on June 14 in Hamburg. The event has adopted a new concept. This year, visitors can look forward to around 9 hours of programming spread across 18 stages and more than 100 renowned national and international speakers and artists. Among them are generation expert Dr. Eliza Filby, Germany's youngest philosophy professor Dr. Markus Gabriel, long-time Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, former professional soccer player and DFB coach Steffi Jones, digital expert and author Sascha Lobo, podcaster Matze Hielscher as well as AI expert Christian Piechnick and many more. Diverse music acts such as the Norwegian pop-rap duo Madcon complement the festival on the Elbe.

NWX23 is dedicated to the changing world of work

With NWX23, New Work SE, together with its brands XING, onlyfy by XING and kununu, will bring together career starters and experienced employees, managers and thought leaders, strategists and experts, from business and politics, human resources, recruiting and innovation, as well as consulting and opinion forming in Hamburg in June 2023. Participants can expect a varied program consisting of keynote speeches, debates, workshops and master classes. There will be answers to the questions of what needs to change in the individual in order for change to occur, how collaboration can succeed across different generations in times of upheaval, or how employers can win over workers despite the shortage of skilled labor and inspire them to embrace corporate change. In addition, there will be impulses on modern leadership culture and, with a look into the future, the influence of technologies such as artificial intelligence on various industries and occupational groups, as well as which new types of skills will be needed in the future and which have become obsolete.

Job festival for young talent

Parallel to the conference in the Elbphilharmonie, NWX23 is being expanded for the first time to include a job festival for students and graduates: the XING Job World. On June 14, students, graduates, recruiters and company representatives will experience a new kind of job fair in the so-called "New Work Harbour", currently probably the most modern office building in Germany. As part of the all-day fair at the New Work SE premises, employers will have the opportunity to pitch vacancies to students and graduates and get them interested in their own company directly on site. At the XING Job World, the focus is on getting started in professional life: the search for the right job, the first salary interview and the job interview. Throughout the day, top-class master classes and workshops will be held with renowned career and application coaches such as Bernd Slaghuis and Nane Nebel. The program is supplemented by exciting lectures and panel discussions, e.g. with the two former professional soccer players Neven Subotic and Marcell Jansen or the GenZ expert Ronja Ebeling. In the "Grill den Personalchef" format, SAP's Head of Human Resources Cawa Younosi will also be taking questions from the audience. Attendance at the XING Job World is free of charge for enrolled students.

NWX23 - especially for recruiting

This year, for the first time, the New Work Experience will also offer additional program content tailored specifically to the needs and key topics of recruiters and HR managers, organized by the recruiting brand onlyfy by XING. In the New Work Harbour and on other stages in Hamburg's HafenCity, various presentations, master classes, panel discussions and workshops await the HR scene on June 14, including from and with Professor Dr. Alexander Spermann, Professor Dr. Heike Bruch or Recruiting, Diversity and Inclusion Partner at idealo Gazelle Vollhase. Current developments in the labor market will be analyzed, the exchange of ideas on new benefits such as the 4-day week, workation or hybrid work models will be promoted, and new possibilities for recruiting, e.g. with the help of AI, will be discussed, as well as exciting formats on employer branding and active sourcing.

The New Work Award 2023

For the 10th time in a row, the New Work Award, the prize for forward-looking work in the German-speaking world, will also be presented this year. Since 2013, New Work SE has been honoring groundbreaking ideas and projects for the future of work with this award. The award ceremony will take place following the Festival for Work and the Future on the evening of June 14, 2023 in Hamburg. The public online voting will start on May 8. The most convincing New Work concepts, selected by the top-class jury from all the applications submitted, will be presented in the form of a shortlist online at the New Work Award Website presented. Interested parties are given the opportunity to cast one vote per category for their favorite.

Further information on the NWX23 is available online at www.nwx.new-work.se/events/nwx23 available. Updates on speakers, live acts and the event program are continuously updated on the site. Information about the different ticket categories for NWX23 are available in the ticket store on www.nwx.new-work.se/events/nwx23/tickets available.

Many SMEs continue to have recruitment problems, according to HR consulting firm Michael Page: The biggest obstacles to hiring suitable candidates in SMEs are external labor market conditions. Some 37% of respondents said that the qualifications of applicants were not sufficient for the advertised positions. 27% had difficulty meeting salary expectations, and 18% had difficulty meeting job flexibility/home office expectations.

Recruitment problems particularly acute at small companies

The primary recruitment goal of most SMEs was to fill existing vacancies. 30% cited this as their most important goal. This was followed by improving the overall qualifications of employees (15%), improving the diversity of the team (14%) and filling newly created positions (12%). The smaller the company, the more difficult it was to recruit, as they typically have fewer resources available for this process. 44% of the smallest companies (fewer than 9 employees) found recruiting very difficult, compared to only 22% of the mid-sized companies (50 - 250 employees).

The study found that companies that use recruitment agencies have fewer difficulties filling vacancies with suitable applicants. Only 15% of respondents whose companies regularly use such services and 21% of those who use them occasionally have difficulty filling vacancies with suitable applicants. This is mainly due to the fact that SMEs do not have the necessary resources to fill vacancies internally. Only 16% of the SMEs have their own HR department, which is usually made up of HR professionals who are often tasked with hiring specialists. One in five respondents cited the lack of HR skills and a recruitment strategy as the biggest problems. Only 40% were satisfied with the human resources available to them in terms of time, budget and skills.

Complex requirements lead to a difficult recruitment process

The right professional qualification is the most important criterion when selecting a candidate - regardless of the size of the company. 55% rated this as extremely important. Medium-sized companies placed more importance on a candidate's ability to work as part of a team (44%), as well as relevant professional experience (42%). For small companies (fewer than 49 employees), the ability to work independently (45%) and commitment (40%) were other important criteria in applicant selection.

SMEs have advantages: 32% named a friendly working atmosphere and 16% relative flexibility as advantages of working in an SME. According to Yannick Coulange, Managing Director of PageGroup Switzerland, "these advantages are often not well communicated." The biggest weaknesses of SMEs include low perceived salaries (22%) and a lack of professionalism and resources in the recruitment process (26%).

Solutions to address recruitment challenges for SMEs

The study showed that SMEs that have up-to-date information on salary and benefit levels, current labor market trends, key criteria for attracting candidates and a streamlined hiring process have an advantage in attracting talent over those that do not (The Michael Page 2023 Salary Survey and Recruitment Trends can be found at here).

Yannick Coulange says, "SME leaders need to consider all employment and hiring options. This includes outsourcing the hiring process to achieve the optimal mix of permanent, part-time and temporary employees and a lean process."

Source: Michael Page

Ergon Informatik achieved sales of CHF 65.2 million in 2022. The Zurich-based IT service provider and software manufacturer thus increased its previous year's sales by a constant 5 percent. Thirty-eight new jobs were created and the number of employees rose to 398. According to the company, these employees have achieved remarkable things: For 332 projects were successfully implemented.

Ergon wins 36 new customers and 47 new businesses

"Our employees have shown extraordinary commitment to achieving the best results for our customers. This is the basis of our business success," says Gabriela Keller, CEO Ergon Informatik. The customer portfolio is broad and well balanced - with a focus on the financial sector. In addition, Ergon focuses on innovation topics such as data science, cloud computing, machine learning, IoT and augmented reality.

Ergon recorded the greatest growth in sales in its core competence of banking. A milestone was the project launch of Instant Payments as part of "CardX". This is Ergon's payment authorization solution. The solution's customer base has expanded to include six new banks. "CardX" authorizes payments and transactions anywhere in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The "CardX" solution enables Ergon to further expand its solutions business, according to the company.

Swiss Army uses Airlock

Airlock also recorded growth. This security solution won five international banking customers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Indonesia in 2022. These include, for example, the Frankfurter Bankgesellschaft Deutschland.

The Swiss Army has also used Airlock. Together with 2,000 participants from 32 NATO countries, it took part in a cyber defense exercise. The Airlock gateway was used to protect the simulated national IT infrastructure from attacks. Airlock has also received awards, winning the "Cybersecurity Excellence Award" in gold in seven categories.

Forward-looking projects

Various customers have involved Ergon in their innovation projects. For example, machine learning is being used in an SBB project. The SBB is using a radio track indicator app that was developed by Ergon. This is used to send out shunting requests. A speech recognition function is to be integrated into the app. So that the app can be used "hands-free" even in cold weather. A particular challenge: achieving correct speech recognition despite loud background noise. For example, when trains pass by or two people are talking at the same time. After all, the highest safety requirements must be met.

A project for Digitec Galaxus deals with Data Science. Switzerland's largest online retailer has set itself the goal of reducing its own CO2 footprint and increasing customer satisfaction. One measure was to improve parcel sizes. After all, parcels contain filling material because they are not full to the brim. This is unecological and unpopular with customers. In addition, the transport volume increases. Ergon supported Digitec Galaxus in optimizing parcel sizes. The result: the filling material was reduced by 28 percent.

Construction site in your pocket? A project in the field of augmented reality makes this possible. Fieldwalk is an intelligent teamwork app that digitally displays construction plans and BIM models and records construction defects with location accuracy. The two apps "Fieldwalk-2D" and "Fieldwalk-AR" have been available in the AppStore since 2022.

Innovative working time solution for Coop

Ergon has digitized the administration of Seco permits for Coop. The app for working time permits is both a verification tool and a database. Employees' working times are compared with legal requirements and permits. This is a particular strength of the time recording solution. After all, the issue of rest periods is extremely complex. The solution is unique so far, according to the company: There is no comparable way to automatically check labor law regulations in the retail sector in Switzerland.

Ergon sites continue to develop

The German market is becoming increasingly important for Ergon. As a result, Ergon founded a subsidiary in Frankfurt am Main in 2022. In the DACH region, Airlock is already one of the market leaders. This applies to identity-related application and API security as well as to securing container applications and microservices. The branch office in Germany allows to be closer to Airlock customers and to ensure Ergon's high service quality. Ergon has also further developed its headquarters in Zurich. The building on Merkurstrasse offers additional rooms for workshops and a hall for podiums and events.

Source and further information

Beekeeper is, among other things, the provider of the "Frontline Success System," a mobile platform for frontline team collaboration. In one of the most comprehensive surveys in the world, the company asked 6,000 employees and managers from Europe and the USA about the topic of employee retention: What motivates and what stresses? What helps employees stay in their jobs? Many of these industries suffer from high turnover and exhausted staff. The problem, according to the survey's findings, does not lie in excessive expectations on the part of the workforce. Rather, it shows that there is insufficient communication between the hierarchy levels: Many managers simply don't know what their employees are missing at work.

The report gives companies practical advice on how they can improve the quality of jobs and the employee experience and thus counteract the shortage of skilled workers. This includes, among other things, reliable shifts and attractive social benefits. All industries have some catching up to do when it comes to digitizing frontline workplaces. According to the respondents, the construction industry is particularly far behind.

45 percent of employees plan to leave their jobs

The results of the survey show how high the need for action is for companies: 45 percent of employees plan to leave their jobs in the coming months. Frontline industries are struggling with particularly high levels of layoffs. In retail, for example, the turnover rate is 60 percent. Fifty percent of hourly employees quit their jobs within the first 120 days. Overall, turnover costs companies worldwide $630 billion each year, according to the "2020 Retention Report"of the Work Institute. Cristian Grossmann, founder and CEO of Beekeeper AG: "The way companies approach the important topic of employee retention is clearly not working. Studies and surveys show that there is a growing discrepancy between what employees want and what management wants. Each employee who leaves costs an average of almost 12,000 francs. If companies want to remain competitive, they must take effective measures to improve employee retention."

Recognition, feedback, reliable shifts and good benefits.

Among the most important factors for motivation and employee retention:

• Framework conditions that enable the work to be done in good quality and in the allotted time. In the manufacturing industry, for example, this is the biggest motivator for half of the respondents.
• Leadership that cares about the workforce and thanks them for their efforts is critical for about half of employees in all industries.
• In customer-facing industries such as healthcare professions, retail and construction, positive feedback from colleagues and customers top the list of motivating factors, with more than 60 percent in each.
• For 51 percent of healthcare professionals and 48 percent of retail employees, it is important that supervisors recognize hard work.
• Thirty-two percent of healthcare respondents and 39 percent of retail respondents value predictable and reliable shifts as one of the most important factors.
• In the manufacturing industry, 49 percent value leadership that is actively engaged with employees. Competitive benefits such as health care, mental health care, child care, transportation and paid time off rank second for 35 percent.
• Likewise, 35 percent of manufacturing workers and 37 percent of healthcare workers want to understand why their work is important to the company and society.
• Thirty-two percent of construction workers said they want tools and technology to help them work better and smarter.

Frontline workplaces are hardly digitized

Cristian Grossmann explains: "The construction industry is notoriously behind other industries when it comes to digital transformation. When it does go digital, it does so primarily through sophisticated project management tools such as cloud-based programs and Building Information Modeling, or BIM. Construction workers also want tools designed specifically for them to participate in the industry's digital revolution."

Only three percent use collaboration apps

Things don't look much better in other frontline industries: In manufacturing, 85 percent of employees in German-speaking countries say they work with email, while in hospitality the figure is 81 percent, followed by WhatsApp and SMS at 55 and 75 percent respectively. An app that employees without a PC workstation can use, for example, to manage their tasks or access checklists regardless of location, is used by only three percent of production companies and eight percent of employers in the hospitality industry in the DACH countries. And even when it comes to intranets, eleven percent of German manufacturing companies and 17 percent of catering companies have some catching up to do. The healthcare sector is comparatively well digitized. Here, 43 percent of employers operate an employee portal or intranet. Only ten percent use an employee app for work organization.

Communication breakdown between managers and employees

The survey reveals factors for motivation and employee loyalty that seem comprehensible and easy to implement. However, it also provides a surprising insight: For employees, predictable shifts and competitive social benefits are particularly important, in addition to positive feedback. This contrasts with 55 percent of managers who see feedback and recognition as the best means of retaining their team. Reliable shifts are considered important by only 16 percent, and attractive benefits even rank last with only 14 percent. These striking differences point to a breakdown in communication and too little understanding between the two groups.

"Our survey brought to light a significant and consequential communication gap within frontline companies. We call this phenomenon 'frontline disconnect.' Business leaders and executives need to find out as quickly as possible what their employees need and want in their workplace. Most leaders and teams spend their days responding. Putting out fires. Treading water. And treating symptoms. It's time to change that and focus on root causes instead," says Cristian Grossmann, summing up the need for action.

The report "Frontline 2023: Trends and Forecasts" is now available free of charge in German and English: Download here. 

Internet provider iWay reports record results thanks to solid growth and the use of synergies with SAK Digital. The 22 percent increase in net profit was particularly pleasing, the company announced on April 20. "The fact that we were able to exceed the CHF 40 million mark for the first time, despite the highly competitive market, is due in no small part to our continued investment in marketing our services," said iWay CEO Markus Vetterli. "These efforts have contributed to continued growth in sales through our online channels." iWay's core Internet business, which accounted for 59 percent of total sales, increased sales by 6.5 percent to CHF 24 million in 2022.

Synergies with SAK

Vetterli sees another important factor in the success in the use of synergies with SAK Digital, the parent company's telecom division. These economies of scale made it possible, among other things, to win over a local energy supplier for the joint TV platform and other services. This utility not only opted for the TV services, but also for the operation of an XGS-PON network, which iWay implemented together with SAK.

More moderate growth expected

"We achieved growth in Internet connections above the market average in 2022. Unlike our market competitors, however, we were also able to retain our existing customers. Nevertheless, our core business will continue to be highly competitive in the future, as price pressure will continue," said Vetterli. In addition, despite Swisscom's agreement with the competition authorities, the problem of the delay in rolling out the fiber-optic infrastructure will continue to have an impact on marketing in 2023. In the telephony segment, on the other hand, Vetterli expects further growth. On the one hand, iWay will continue to drive forward the marketing of VoIP offerings in the B2B area. On the other hand, the company expects significant growth in the mobile offerings newly launched in 2022. The iWay CEO is generally positive about the future: "We expect further revenue growth in the current fiscal year. However, it is likely to be more moderate than in 2022."

Source and further information: iWay

Nadja Mauchle and Ralph Schmid have combined their roles and management responsibilities and will now jointly lead the Marketing and Corporate Communications departments at Canon Switzerland in the form of co-leadership. As a result, they also share representation on the Executive Board. The changing world of work in the direction of New Work and organizational necessities gave rise to the questioning of familiar hierarchies and conventional leadership models.

Co-leadership with advantages

In the henceforth shared leadership role, decisions are based on different perspectives, dual professional experience, more knowledge, capacity and flexibility: "Shared leadership offers numerous advantages. Together we bring a broader expertise, due to our different experiences and skills. This contributes to holistic decision-making and more diversity of perspectives," explains Nadja Mauchle. "It also helps to make difficult decisions in a more reflective way," adds Ralph Schmid. "Co-leadership is a possible model for the future, which helps to promote the knowledge and skills of individual team members on a more individual basis. Ultimately, our customers and partners benefit from this, as do the teams within the organization," Schmid concludes.

Japanese company philosophy

Mauchle, who brings her strengths in strategic positioning and solutions business, has been with Canon Switzerland for 10 years with a brief interruption, during which time she has held various positions in sales and marketing. Schmid has been contributing his expertise in corporate communications as well as product, content and video marketing since 2016.

Co-leadership is based on the Japanese corporate philosophy Kyosei "living and working together for the common good." "This is directly in line with our branding strategy innovative, visionary and courageous. We see the co-leadership model as an enrichment for the company, as it brings the individual strengths of the two together even more diversity to the management team," says Markus Naegeli, CEO Canon (Schweiz) AG.

Source: Canon Switzerland

Inflation is high, the economy is limping. Nevertheless, industrial companies around the globe are planning to massively increase their spending on engineering, research and development (ER&D) and thus innovation in the broader sense in the coming years. According to the report, global ER&D budgets in key industries such as automotive, energy and mechanical engineering could increase by an average of 10 percent annually until 2026. These are the findings of the first "Global Engineering and R&D Report" by international management consultants Bain & Company, for which more than 500 high-ranking executives from key industrialized countries worldwide were surveyed. Drivers and restrictions are highlighted, as are the reasons for outsourcing ER&D activities, which manufacturing companies across industries are increasingly opting for.

Greater importance attached to innovations

The fact that the willingness to invest is high despite the weak economy comes as no surprise to Bain partner and study author Daniel Suter: "Spending on innovations is now often at the heart of strategic considerations. It no longer only serves to develop and optimize products, but at the same time prepares the ground for further developing business models or even reinventing them in parts."

The greater importance attached to innovations is closely linked to ongoing digitization. According to the Bain study, ER&D spending on digital products and services will increase globally by an average of 19 percent per year until 2026 - almost twice as fast as overall investment. "Industrial companies in the DACH region should also push their activities in this area," emphasizes Suter. "Past experience has shown that investments in innovation during a downturn often translate into a sustainable competitive advantage. And recent job cuts in the technology sector make it easier to recruit digital talent."

Facing up to the shortage of skilled workers

In addition to innovative products and services, the most important thing is to invest in personnel. In order for industrial companies to drive their ER&D activities forward, they need highly qualified specialists and managers. But there is now a global shortage of these. According to the Bain study, 73 percent of respondents are talking about personnel bottlenecks. And the retirement wave of baby boomers has just begun. What's more, as engineers get older, they often move on to other roles, making the shortage of development personnel even greater.

Bain partner Michael Staebe, who heads the Industrial Goods and Services practice group in the DACH region, calls for a rethink: "In a time of global skills shortages, it is not enough to woo rare talent with elaborate campaigns. It is at least as important to create attractive framework conditions for the existing workforce, and especially for engineers, so that they can continue to develop."

Investing in innovation for results-oriented solutions

Only those who rise to this challenge and make appropriate offers will be able to meet the changing demands of the market. The focus is increasingly less on the products themselves and more on results-oriented solutions for which customers pay according to availability. "Industrial companies need to tap into new forms of value creation," Staebe explains. "If they don't invest in innovation or an improved customer experience, they risk being marginalized by more flexible competitors."

Those involved in the Bain study are well aware of this danger. This is another reason why three out of four respondents consider shortening development times to be a top priority. They attach almost as much importance to the integration of new technologies. This includes not least artificial intelligence. For German managers, dealing with the high cost pressure is also an urgent topic.

Defending technology leadership with partners

In order to achieve rapid development successes with scarce human resources, more and more companies are working with external partners. According to the Bain study, 60 percent of manufacturing companies plan to outsource a larger part of their innovation activities in the coming years. To date, the outsourcing rate of large companies has averaged 18 percent. Compared to the IT sector, for example, this is rather low. There, the outsourcing share now amounts to 46 percent. When choosing an external partner, expertise plays the central role. Costs are only the second most important decision criterion.

The fact that manufacturing companies around the world are increasingly outsourcing ER&D activities is a fundamental change in the view of Bain partner Suter: "Traditionally, industrial companies have done everything they could to drive developments for the core business in-house and only outsource upstream or downstream stages of the value chain. Now, even the core business is no longer taboo in this regard." The cooperations of car manufacturers with chip producers and Internet giants are just a harbinger, he says. For Suter, one thing is certain: "The industry in the DACH region can only defend its technology leadership by closing ranks with partners."

Source: Bain & Company

You can find numerous job application guides in any well-stocked bookstore. However, these are usually aimed primarily at (high) school graduates. If, on the other hand, you look for appropriate guides for experienced specialists and executives, the result is usually the same: Missing. Only very few guides touch on their situation.

The starting position of experienced job seekers and newcomers in the job market is very different. Almost all paths are still open to a freshly graduated business economist or lawyer. This is different for job seekers who already have ten or even 20 years of professional experience. For them, the professional course has already been set. This limits their possible field of work. What's more, while the ink on the diplomas of recent (high) school graduates is often still wet, the diplomas of their older colleagues are usually already yellowed. They say little about their current skills, because in the course of their professional lives they often grew into completely new areas of responsibility.

Perceive alarm signals

Another difference: For singles looking for their first permanent position, it usually makes relatively little difference whether the job search takes them to Berlin, Zurich or Vienna. It's a different story for experienced professionals with children and kids. They have more to consider when choosing a place to work. Nevertheless, the academics among them in particular often have to apply nationwide. The more specialized and qualified their previous tasks, the rarer the jobs that fit their profile.

That's why older employees should pay close attention to when the time for developing a new career perspective is approaching. Many miss this opportunity. After all, a student writing his or her bachelor's or master's thesis knows exactly, "In six months, my studies will be over. So I should start taking application photos." Such hard signals that the time is ripe to reorient oneself often do not exist among professionals. Usually, the signals are rather weak. For example: the boss suddenly gives important tasks to a colleague. Or the promised salary increase fails to materialize. Or there is hectic activity on the executive floor.

Do not suppress danger

If you ask older unemployed people whether their dismissal came as a surprise, many confess: It was foreseeable. But they repressed the threat. For understandable reasons: Older workers often have to rethink their entire life plans when they lose their jobs. That's why professionals should listen to the warning signs and not turn a blind eye. After all, HR managers are usually more sympathetic to applicants who still have a job than to applicants whose foreheads are already adorned with the mark of Cain "unemployed."" In addition, the more time there is to apply, the greater the chance of finding a job in the surrounding area. In addition, (still) job holders act more confidently.

One problem many older job seekers have is that it is difficult for them to prove their competence. After all, their 15- or 20-year-old diplomas say little about their current skills. Job references also usually only vaguely describe the activities performed. In addition, many personnel managers have little confidence in them. After all, they don't know whether the old employer formulated the reference so positively in order to save on severance pay or because the applicant really is top-notch.

Analyze experiences

When trying to explain this, it is often helpful to describe the problems the applicant solved at his or her previous employer. If the tasks and problem-solving steps are outlined briefly and concisely, this makes the competence transparent.

Generally speaking, companies expect more informative applications from "old hands" than from career starters. If career starters write "I read your ad with interest" in their cover letter and then briefly describe their resume again, they will be forgiven. Companies expect more precise statements from experienced professionals about why they are applying to them and why they would probably be valuable employees. This is also true in times like the present, when many companies are desperately looking for employees, but usually not just any employees, but highly qualified ones who ideally need almost no training time.

Determine special knowledge

Many experienced applicants find it difficult to explain this in writing to potential employers in their applications. Because they usually don't know: What "pounds" can I put on the scale? They often only refer to their professional expertise and industry knowledge. But companies also have different structures and cultures. That's why they also have specific problems and processes for solving them. Consequently, they also need different employees.

Here is an example: specialists and managers in medium-sized companies usually need broader qualifications than group employees, because in small and medium-sized companies there are not so many specialists to delegate tasks. In addition, their employees must not be "too shy" to bag letters from time to time. A job seeker who works in a small family business can bring just this to bear when applying for a job - even with large companies that want to subdivide their organization into smaller, more flexible units. Older job seekers should identify such special skills and experience - if necessary with the help of a career coach - so that they can make targeted applications. After all, the fact that they are experts with professional experience should also be reflected in their approach to applying.

To the author:
Thomas Fischer is Senior Consultant at the management consultancy Kraus and Partner, Bruchsal. He specializes in the areas of turnaround, transformation and change management, among others.

It is well known: The digital and ecological transformation as well as demographic change pose major challenges for companies. Organizations must adapt and develop new structures in order to remain competitive in this constantly changing environment. For the area of quality, this means that companies must also adapt their processes, products and services to the new requirements. But how can this be done? Which organizational forms, methods and strategies help? Can human capital be kept in focus, or should companies adapt to new leadership approaches and management concepts? And how can companies position themselves as responsible players in order to remain attractive as employers in the competitive market for skilled workers? These questions will be addressed by various speakers at the Swiss Quality Day 2023. The event is the main annual event of the Swiss Association for Quality SAQ.

"New Leadership": From an Economic and Sporting Perspective

Prof. Dr. Lukas Scherer, Professor for Organization and Leadership at the Institute for Organization and Leadership (IOL) of the University of Applied Sciences Eastern Switzerland, will start the discussion. He focuses on strategic corporate and organizational development. His presentation will focus on change within organizations. Agile and thinking employees are in demand. But this also brings with it a new expectation of leadership. "New leadership" is in demand, and the speaker will provide various impulses in this regard.

The presentation by Ana Campos, Managing Director of the consulting firm Accenture, is entitled "New Work Needs New Learning. It will address the question of what skills are needed for the new forms of work and how ready companies are in this regard.

Kathrin Lehmann, SRF's soccer expert, then takes up the proverbial ball from the sporting side: "Resilience in business and sport, or: The dance around the corner flag," is the title of her presentation. What elements can business learn from top-level sport? And where do both sectors reach their limits? The speaker will pit business and sport against each other in a playful comparison.

Diversity, error culture and health promotion

The second part of the conference will start with a panel discussion on "Switzerland's best employers: What do they do differently?" This will be followed by three parallel workshops in Open Sessions. In one of these workshops, event partner Shift Switzerland will present examples from the business world of how diversity can be shaped in sustainable project cooperation. The focus will be on both opportunities and risks, as well as on what leadership qualities are required. A second workshop - conducted by Size Consens AG - is dedicated to dealing with mistakes and developing a culture of mistakes in companies. And the third parallel workshop under the aegis of Health Promotion Switzerland will focus on opportunities and challenges in occupational health management in the context of the new world of work.

The authors Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler, known for their bestsellers "Small Books for Big Questions" and their columns in "Das Magazin", will close the event. They will humorously present some figures of thought and patterns of action around the topic of "Work Life Skills".

Swiss Quality Day 2023 again with Seghezzi Prize

Another program item on Swiss Quality Day 2023 will be the awarding of the Seghezzi Prize. This award will once again be presented to a person whose thesis deals in an innovative and practically relevant way with questions and approaches that address the topic of "Integrated Quality Management and Sustainability" in a discipline-specific or cross-disciplinary manner.

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Change management is the systematic adaptation of a company to changing circumstances. It is important because it helps companies adapt to changes outside their control through a series of methods and processes. Through good change management, companies can reduce the internal resistance that often arises during transformations. This is why the point in time when a company should initiate a change management process at the latest depends on various factors, depending on what the company specifically wants to change: A good time is as soon as a significant change in structures, processes or technologies is to take place within the company. This means, for example, a restructuring of a department, a new corporate strategy or the introduction of a new technology. It is important that the process is initiated as early as possible. The beauty of change management is that it is a universal tool for really any company that wants to implement the changes just mentioned in its business operations. Here, the duration of the change depends heavily on the complexity and scope of the change process. As a rule, however, one can assume a time span of at least a few months, and in some cases even up to several years.

Successful transformation in 5 phases

There are many different frameworks for implementing a change management process. Well-known models include those of Lewin, McKinsey, Kübler-Ross and the psychotherapist Virginia Satir. What all these frameworks have in common is that they start from different phases that usually accompany a profound change, such as shock, resistance, fear, denial, etc. At the end of a successful change management process, there is always acceptance of the new, which can then be integrated into one's own personality and environment in a value-creating way.

Since companies are mostly hierarchically organized and if the change has a clearly defined outcome and a known solution path (guiding questions: "What do we want to achieve?" as well as "How do we achieve it?"), I recommend the phase model of traditional project management, which includes five following phases:

1. Analysis and Initiation:This is about taking stock and determining the current state with regard to whether a process or activity needs to be changed.
2. Planning:The second step focuses on the development of a change concept and the creation of a corresponding plan.
3. Implementation:In this phase, the change concept is implemented and the change plan is implemented.
4. Control:This phase is used to monitor the change process and ensure that deviations are identified.
5. Graduation:In the final phase, the change process is evaluated in retrospect, the new processes and systems are monitored, and a final report is prepared.

Even in this traditional model, there is what is called a "change request" that accounts for change. For change requests where the outcome is in complex space (see Stacey diagram), i.e. the "what" and "how" are rather unknown, it can help to use an agile framework. In this way, changes can be implemented in small sub-steps and controlled in the follow-up before the next step is taken.

Working completely agilely in sprints using SCRUM, for example, is a helpful approach, especially when there are many uncertainties in the new environment. The Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, on which SCRUM is ultimately based, is already familiar to many companies in the area of quality assurance. The "Check" artifact of the PDCA cycle or, in SCRUM, the "Review" and the "Retrospective" are of particular importance because they involve all stakeholders and shape the change process. The goal and the environment therefore dictate the right tactics, namely those that promise success.

Impulses from the management level

Good change management begins with a clear vision from the management team of how and where the company wants to develop in the future. If those responsible are committed to this, they create an environment in which employees can prepare themselves internally for the upcoming changes. After all, those who can understand the opportunities of change accept them more easily. In order to integrate all the company departments involved in the change process in a value-creating way, a change management team or a change management representative should first be selected to assume responsibility for implementing the change process. If this is an entire team, it should be made up of people from all the departments involved and be interdisciplinary. It helps the departments involved by creating schedules, providing resources and monitoring progress.

3 basic rules for building a change management team:

1. Recognize capabilities: Those involved in a change management process should have certain skills so that the change can succeed. In addition to technical and organizational knowledge, these include attributes such as strong communication skills, stakeholder management, patience and leadership. Of course, these skills do not have to be bundled in a single person - it is even better if the team represents as many different perspectives as possible.
2. Grant resources: Change management is definitely exhausting, which is not only due to the upcoming change as such, but also to the time aspect. It is therefore important that the stakeholders involved have access to the above-mentioned resources during the process. If they do not, delays, frustration and mistakes will result.
3. Give confidence: Because that is the basis for getting involved in the change inwardly in the first place and then being able to carry it through successfully outwardly.

Breaking through negative defensiveness

Regular feedback loops between the departments and the change management team are particularly important here, because this is the only way to ensure that the jointly agreed changes can be implemented successfully. In addition to these formal aspects, an appreciative and cooperative attitude on the part of all team members is immensely helpful.
It should come as no surprise that this does not always meet with acceptance from all those involved right from the start. In most cases, reluctance is related to the fact that change management processes initiate a change that means saying goodbye to familiar things that suggest security. This can then lead to negative feelings among some of those involved, which are related to the fear of the unknown. Ultimately, this is human and also normal to a certain extent. Each and every one of us has certainly been in a completely new situation that seemed uncontrollable and to which we then reacted with defense mechanisms. During change processes in companies, such feelings can be triggered especially when employees feel threatened or blindsided by the new and have not been given enough information or time to understand the changes. Managers have the important task of conveying security and clear goals and of leading by example.

Appreciation and cooperation

Successful change management involves everyone. Because those who can understand the need for change, see its opportunities but also the associated risks, can also accept a change. Such involvement can take the form of workshops or training sessions, for example. It is important to address and take seriously any concerns and doubts, but also all ideas and opinions of the employees and to actively involve everyone in the change process. Empathy with those involved is crucial and conveys understanding and acceptance. This does not mean that there has to be unanimity in the approach or that decisions have to be made democratically. It is also helpful to involve those employees who have a strong positive influence on their team members, regardless of their position. This is because these people usually act as role models and, comparable to "influencers" in the social media, influence their environment with their point of view and behavior.

Patience is the mother of all change

It is important not to assume that the initiated change processes will immediately deliver final results visible to all. Good change management is sustainable, and therefore it takes time for the expected results to become apparent. It makes sense to create success criteria along the way that can be measured. Four out of five stars in a survey is another such measurement result.

Author:
Rafael Koch is Head of Customer Success at Operations1. Together with his team, he introduces Operations1 software to customers and has successfully supported many change management processes. Prior to Operations1, he worked in aviation project management with great enthusiasm for aerospace. Rafael studied industrial engineering (Bachelor of Engineering) and also worked in risk management worldwide. More at: www.operations1.com

Different countries, different banks - and the same end result. The crash of Silicon Valley Bank in the U.S. sucked several regional U.S. banks into the downward spiral and made investors around the world prick up their ears at even minor turmoil. Once considered stable and one of the most important financial institutions in Europe, Switzerland's Credit Suisse has lost confidence in recent years - the collapse of SVB finally sent it reeling. The prices of various bank stocks plummeted as a result. Some cryptocurrencies also recorded brief losses - even stablecoins like the USDC, which is otherwise considered relatively stable because it is supposed to reflect the value of a single U.S. dollar 1:1, fell to 92 cents. However, after just a few days, the majority of cryptocurrencies rose significantly again. Will digital currencies continue to gain momentum?

Crash causes share price to rise not only in the short term

"The recent collapse of several regional banks has raised fears about the stability of the financial system and led to negative reactions in the markets. In uncertain times, investors tend to take fewer risks, which often leads to a flight from risky assets such as cryptocurrencies," Strauss-Frank explains the initial price weakening. However, he says this is more likely to be a short-term reaction to what has happened, as the crash would reinforce distrust in banks in the longer term and move investors to alternative forms of investment, with a general interest in digital currencies being observed: "Since the beginning of the year, the Bitcoin price has been on an upward trend." Especially as measures taken by the Fed to combat a new financial crisis, such as increasing the size of its balance sheet, have eased liquidity concerns among some investors. "Also, because U.S. government bond yields are falling, investors looking for alternatives are now increasingly interested in riskier assets again, such as growth sector equities and also cryptocurrencies. All of these factors combined have created a favorable environment for risky assets, including bitcoin, for example," Strauss-Frank said.

All that glitters is not gold?

Despite a continued upward spiral, the banking collapse is unlikely to leave digital currencies unscathed. "Cryptocurrencies are dependent on a number of factors both inside and outside the cryptocurrency market," Strauss-Frank says, also hinting at the Fed's influence. Between the banking crisis and inflation, the Fed was recently faced with the difficult decision of pausing interest rates in favor of the tense sentiment in the banking sector or continuing its course with another rate hike in order to fight inflation - which in turn may also have an impact on investors' investment behavior. Strauss-Frank likewise points to the aspect that digital currencies often lack regulation and oversight, making it difficult for investors to properly assess the risks involved. "Especially since it is a question of one's risk type whether someone sees crypto as an investment in a risky asset class, or as a true alternative to the bank where one can invest one's money in a decentralized and potentially safer way - which is partly indicated by Bitcoin's recent price rise," she adds, but at the same time warns, "Regulatory factors in particular will play an important role in guiding the cryptocurrency market in the coming weeks and months. Such a factor to keep an eye on is the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC), which is actively cracking down on fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings and scrutinizing crypto exchanges. Any new regulation or enforcement action by the SEC could affect investor confidence and potentially lead to price volatility again."

Even stablecoins not stable

Because digital currencies are always subject to such fluctuations and remain in a higher risk category, some investors prefer the so-called stablecoins, as Strauss-Frank explains: "The idea behind stablecoins like USDC is that they offer the advantages of digital currencies, such as a fast and cheap transaction, but avoid the volatility that is, after all, typical of many other cryptos." While the recent "decoupling" due to banking sector turmoil was short-lived and relatively minor, it did raise doubts about stability and may have drawn wider implications. After all, if USDC had $3.3 billion in deposits with SVB that were frozen at the start of the bust, the domino effect occurred: after the coin value fell below one U.S. dollar, crypto exchanges Binance and Coinbase suspended the conversion of USDC into Binance USD (Binance's own stablecoin) and dollars, respectively. Investors simultaneously tried to limit their losses and exchanged their USDC for other stablecoins such as Tether, whose price shot up by ten percent as a result.

All-clear is in the air

If past events caused many investors invested in bank stocks to briefly panic, Strauss-Frank points out: "If you're a small investor with long-term goals in mind, the bankruptcy of SVB should be more of a short-term issue. The crisis seems to be limited to smaller banks and not a systematic problem. The financial sector and the market as a whole will likely be volatile in the near term, but there are no significant spillover effects on the banking system or the global economy." This is because both cryptocurrencies and the banking sector have been subjected to regular stress tests in recent years, some of which have been well managed, he said. "Accordingly, it is important not to forget to diversify the portfolio," Strauss-Frank emphasizes in conclusion.

Source: Freedom Finance