Around one-tenth of the working population in Germany, mainly managers, show signs of workaholism, according to a study conducted by the Hans Böckler Foundation funded study based on representative data from 8,000 employed people in 2017 and 2018 shows. People affected by addictive working would not only work very long, fast and in parallel on different tasks, they would also only be able to take a day off with a guilty conscience. They would also often feel unable to switch off and relax at the end of work.

33 percent work excessively

According to the study, 9.8 percent of employees show signs of workaholism. Another 33 percent work excessively - but not compulsively. In contrast, 54.9 percent of employees work "calmly. And a small group does not work much, but compulsively.

With around ten percent workaholics, Germany achieves a value that is close to the results of similar studies from other countries. In the USA, the figure is also ten percent and in Norway a good eight percent. South Korea is out of the ordinary, with a study showing a figure of almost 40 percent, albeit with a somewhat broader definition of work addiction.

School-leaving qualification irrelevant

According to the researchers, school-leaving qualifications and family status show no correlation with the tendency to work addiction. There is a significant, albeit quantitatively small, difference between women and men, who are affected by 10.8 and nine percent, respectively. There are more significant differences between age groups: Among 15- to 24-year-olds, the rate is 12.6 percent, and among 55- to 64-year-olds, 7.9 percent.

Those who have a long contractual working week have a slightly above-average tendency toward workaholism. There are strong differences with regard to self-employment and management responsibility. Among the self-employed, the workaholic rate is 13.9 percent. This could also be one of the reasons for the high proportion in agricultural professions, as many employees in this sector are self-employed.

Who is most likely to be a workaholic?

Executives are 12.4 percent workaholics, other employed persons only 8.7 percent. The upper level comes to a share of 16.6 percent. In many workplace cultures, managers are likely to have requirements that "incentivize workaholic behavior," the researchers suspect. For example, when they are expected to be the first to arrive and the last to leave.

There is also a strong correlation between the size of the company and co-determination. Addiction to work is less prevalent in large companies than in small ones, the study found. With fewer than ten employees, "12.3 percent fall into the category of addicted workers," and with more than 250 employees, 8.3 percent. This could be due to greater regulation. After all, employees in large companies may get into trouble with the HR department more quickly if their working time account is overflowing.

How to tell if you're a workaholic or at risk of becoming one reveals one articlewhich we published here just over a year ago.

Medgate was founded in 1999 and today employs around 300 people in Switzerland, including more than 100 physicians, and more than 500 employees worldwide. Since 2000, Medgate has been operating what it claims is the largest medical telemedicine center in Europe. The Medgate Mini Clinics and the doctors and clinics of the Medgate Partner Network are available to patients for on-site consultations.

Now there will be a change in leadership: Claudine Blaser will become the new Managing Director of Medgate Switzerland. Andy Fischer, MD, who has led Medgate's Swiss business since its founding, has already focused on managing the international Medgate Group as Group CEO since 2021. Andy Fischer: "I am grateful that with Claudine Blaser we have been able to win an experienced leader with a large network in the Swiss healthcare sector for Medgate Switzerland."

Claudine Blaser: "Always rethinking medicine".

Claudine Blaser has more than 20 years of experience in challenging management positions and various industries related to health and medicine. The 51-year-old studied natural sciences at ETH Zurich, obtained her doctorate in immunology and completed an ETH master's degree in business administration. After holding various positions at the start-up Cytos Biotechnology AG, she was Managing Director of the ETH Phenomics Center before joining Argomed Ärzte AG, a service company for integrated care, as Managing Director. In 2020, Claudine Blaser took over as Head of the Health Division at Helsana.

On July 1, 2022, Claudine Blaser will begin her role as Managing Director at Medgate Switzerland. "I am looking forward to this new challenge and the opportunity to work with Medgate's dedicated team and its business partners to develop medical solutions for our customers.
We have to constantly rethink and redesign our products and services to meet the needs of our customers," she says.

Further international growth

The internationally active Medgate Group is pursuing the goal of being a leading global digital health provider and is striving for geographic growth in this context. With the majority shareholding announced in March of this year by the international
trading and services group Otto Group, headquartered in Hamburg, and the acquisition of BetterDoc GmbH, the European market leader for the search and placement of highly specialized physicians, Medgate created the conditions for implementing the corresponding growth strategy.

Source: Medgate

Due to the current market situation, utilities are forced to offer better service and more transparency - to customers as well as to regulators and authorities. Consistent digitization, automation and orchestration of processes make it possible to provide targeted and satisfactory services. This gives companies a competitive edge and positions them for the future.

Automation solutions for energy service providers

At the E-world energy & water trade fair in Essen, the company Axon Ivy AG is now presenting various use cases and possible applications of its platform at the epilot partner booth (Hall 3, Booth 3-103) and providing information about the integration of third-party systems. A large energy company, for example, is benefiting from the advantages of such customized solutions and individually adapted services. By digitizing the house connection process, it has been possible to implement various connection types and core functions in the electricity and gas divisions. This simplifies the customer ordering process for both regulated and additional products and, thanks to smooth processes, increases customer satisfaction by 70 percent, according to the report. It will also optimize interaction with installers.

Digital document management

The Axon Ivy platform is also the linchpin for digitizing the complete waste disposal process of a large waste management service company. From generation through multiple transport services to disposal, an end-to-end process ensures the legally required flow. A unified application also digitizes the waste process from order to automatic invoicing, incorporating IoT. Axon Ivy is also currently implementing the "Mobile Quality Check" process at a number of utilities. By using the automation platform, a complete digitalization and optimization of maintenance, inspection and service work at customer sites and in the back office is achieved. Complicated Excel sheets, unnecessary e-mail correspondence and paper chaos are thus a thing of the past. Thanks to the digital management of documents, all data is also stored in an audit-proof manner. Source: Axon Ivy The post Automation solutions for the energy industry appeared first on Organizer.

The Allianz Trade Export Forecast stands at 0.33 points in May 2022. In February, it was still at 0.69 points. The indicator is thus slowly approaching the long-term trend growth. The signals still point to above-average export growth, as the analysis shows. However, if it takes longer for the trouble spots to ease, there is a risk of a sharper countermovement in the export outlook in the course of the year. The growth forecasts for world trade have already been adjusted downward.

Export prospects: Optimism gives way to realism

After the "reopening" of the global economy last year caused much optimism among exporters, the development of global trade in 2022 is now likely to be much more subdued than expected. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shaken business and consumer confidence, driven up commodity prices and further exacerbated corona-induced supply chain stress - most recently fueled primarily by China's zero-covid strategy. "We have accordingly revised our forecast for global trade in 2022 downward from 6 % to 4 %," explains Allianz Trade European economist Katharina Utermöhl. For Switzerland, Allianz Trade expects GDP growth of 2.2 % in 2022 (2023: +1.3 %) and export growth of 4 % (2023: +3 %).

Swiss foreign trade: growth in the first quarter

Swiss foreign trade continued to grow in the first quarter of 2022, reaching a new high. While imports continued to gain momentum, exports lost momentum slightly. The trade surplus decreased significantly, by CHF 2.8 billion. Compared with Q4 2021, exports increased by 1.2 % in nominal terms. In real terms - i.e. adjusted for inflation - there was an increase of 2.4 %. The largest contribution to the quarterly increase came from watch exports, which rose by 5.3 %. This was followed by metals with 6.3 % and machinery and electronics with 2.4 %. Exports of precision instruments rose by 4.2 %. Meanwhile, exports of chemical-pharmaceutical products decreased slightly (-0.7 %). Despite the increase in immunological products (+7.1 %), the decline in exports of active pharmaceutical ingredients (-10 %) pushed the group result into negative territory. The high starting levels or base effects must be taken into account here.

Sharp rise in costs for energy sources

In the first quarter, 6.7 % more goods were imported compared with the previous quarter (in real terms, the increase was 2.7 %). Apart from jewelry (-15.1 %), textiles, clothing and footwear (-3.7 %) and precision instruments (-0.5 %), the other product groups recorded an increase in imports. The largest contribution came from energy sources (+1.8 billion Swiss francs, +46 %). However, this increase was not due to higher volumes but exclusively to rising prices (+0.8 % in real terms). Imports of chemical and pharmaceutical products also increased sharply by 11.8 %. Imports of metals were also higher (+4.2 %), continuing their growth trend of seven quarters.

Swiss exporters hold their own better than their EU counterparts

Swiss exporters will also feel the impact of subdued global demand. In particular, the significant economic slowdown in key trading partner countries such as Germany, the UK and France, which together absorb 30 % of Swiss exports. However, Swiss exporters are likely to fare better than their EU counterparts. For one thing, the Swiss economy is less dependent on inputs from overseas, so the industry should not be as badly affected by supply bottlenecks. For another, the less cyclically sensitive exports of the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors - which together account for around 40 % of total Swiss exports - should again provide reliable support. However, analysts are eagerly watching the impact of the coincidence of rising prices and falling economic activity. This constellation harbors the risk of a "perfect storm", which would disrupt a normalization in the long term.

Source: Alliance Trade

TCA Thermoclima AG is a leading Swiss distributor of Japanese and European air conditioning systems and heat pumps such as Daikin, Panasonic, Aermec and Heliotherm. For more than 40 years, about 70 employees have been working on the success of the company. With a lot of commitment and broad expertise, the company works with its customers to find optimal solutions.

Now Heinrich Esseiva is succeeding CEO Rolf Fankhauser as managing director of the company. Esseiva grew up bilingually in the city of Fribourg and knows the diverse aspects of the markets throughout Switzerland. Together with Jürgen Sturn, co-owner and Head of Direct Evaporation & Administration, and Swen Schönenberger, Head of Technology and Commercial Refrigeration, TCA will continue to be managed by a strong quartet anchored in the market.

Together with the employees, the management team is constantly working on the further development of TCA in order to adapt the company to the new market conditions. This includes topics such as digitalization, but above all training and continuing education. In the fast-growing markets, new employees are constantly being recruited and the market presence strengthened.

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"The integration of the IT companies under the UMB brand is going according to plan. In addition, we are constantly looking for more specialists," was the interim assessment of UMB CEO Martin Gartmann at a media conference on May 23, 2022. For the current year, Gartmann expects sales of around CHF 250 million. By 2025, sales are expected to grow purely organically to around 325 million Swiss francs.

Expansion of portfolio and presence throughout Switzerland

Accordingly, the company is already benefiting from synergy effects just a few months after the takeover. The Network, Communication & Collaboration areas have been strengthened and strategic services have been established. The company is also benefiting from a stronger market presence in French-speaking Switzerland. Gartmann expects further positive effects from the affiliation with the BKW Group: "UMB's expertise in innovative solutions for digitalization and protection against cyber attacks is valuable for BKW's building and infrastructure business and other Group companies. This offers UMB a lot of growth potential." Services for smart building but also smart energy in the energy group's core business are areas in which UMB can manage the markets together with BKW, he said.

UMB even more attractive for existing customers

The dynamically developing cybersecurity and data protection needs of companies and authorities can be optimally met by UMB constantly keeping pace with the regulatory requirements regarding digital sovereignty and data security, the statement continues. By strengthening its existing teams and expanding its competencies, UMB will become an even stronger partner for its existing customers on the path to digital transformation. "UMB will remain an independent company in the new constellation thanks to a more comprehensive ecosystem and an expansion of the partner network, while at the same time being an even stronger trusted partner in all matters relating to IT and digital transformation," Gartmann is convinced.

Promoting young talent and work culture

The highest asset of IT companies like UMB are the colleagues. In order to better support part of the growth with internal forces, UMB is massively expanding its training capacity. Even before the takeover by BKW, the decision was made to increase the number of positions for apprentices and interns to 40, thus doubling the number. In the new constellation, the number of positions will increase accordingly. In principle, UMB is very committed to maintaining its attractiveness as an employer and to counteracting the shortage of skilled workers. For its efforts, the company was recently for the fifth time in a row by the Great Place to Work Institute as the best employer. in the category of companies with more than 500 employees.

Great social commitment

"Creating Time" is the brand promise of UMB. Based on this, the company is committed to social issues. Among other things, UMB supports autistic IT learners at Rafisa, the IT service provider of the Foundation Informatics for Autistic People. In addition, UMB uses its services to help doctors at the Children's Hospital in Zurich spend more time with young patients. In turn, UMB enables the Joy of Life Foundation to spend more time with patients in a more meaningful way. In addition, the IT service provider accompanies through the platform there-for-you.com. projects for the Ukraine. Sustainability is also a major issue for UMB, as the company relies on sustainable electricity for its data centers, for example. The power generated from scientific point of view targets for reducing greenhouse gases by 2030 were already achieved by their data center providers several years ago. They procure 100 percent sustainable electricity.

Source and further information: UMB

The Swiss Association of Master Builders (SBC) has published the 2022 wage survey. This shows that construction workers in the main construction trade will receive an average of CHF 6,204 per month or CHF 80,652 per year in 2022. Accordingly, the wages of construction site personnel have increased by 1.5% compared to 2021. According to the SBC, this is the result of the individual, good performance of individual employees and not collective wage agreements. In 2021, inflation was 0.6%. Thus, the wage increase exceeded inflation, and purchasing power increased. Real wages had already grown in previous years.

The 2022 wage survey was conducted as of the end of February, while the previous year's survey was conducted as of the end of July. The main construction industry is seasonal, meaning that fewer people work in winter than in summer. From a statistical point of view, these different survey dates slightly increase wage growth, namely by 0.2 to 0.3 percentage points. However, this does not affect qualified personnel because there is a severe shortage of skilled workers in these occupations.

Different job profiles in construction

In the main construction trade, there are several professions that vary in terms of responsibility, but also performance and salary, the SBC further explains. Labourers in wage class C receive 4,959 francs a month, bricklayers with EFZ apprenticeship qualifications in wage class Q 6,148 francs and foremen 7,908 francs. Across Switzerland, the average wage for construction site personnel is 6,204 francs. As the cost of living varies from place to place, average wages also vary between cantons from 5,677 francs to 6,434 francs.

Continuing education as a central wage factor

The SBC goes on to say that, in addition to one's own performance, further training is the central factor for a wage increase. Further training remains the most important means of developing one's own salary, but also one's own skills and responsibilities. Through further training, one moves up to a higher wage class; such a leap pays off with an average of around 600 francs per month.

Master builders appeal to unions

Wage increases on an individual basis meet the needs of employees and employers. Wages should reward individual performance and motivate employees to undertake further training. In the eyes of master builders, this is the right way to recruit young talent and retain skilled workers. SBC therefore calls on the unions to take note of this wage increase in 2022 and to communicate it to employees in a transparent and fact-based manner. Businesses should continue to decide for themselves how they reward work performance and to what extent they compensate for inflation.

Source and further information: Swiss Association of Master Builders SBV

Published by Accenture at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, "From Disruption to Reinvention - The future of supply chain in Europe" examines three possible scenarios for how the war could unfold in the coming year. It models the impact of each scenario on the eurozone in terms of cost and recovery timeframe.

Costly supply chain disruptions

According to the study, supply chain disruptions related to COVID-19 cost the eurozone economies approximately €112.7 billion in lost GDP in 2021. Even before the war, material shortages, logistics disruptions and inflationary pressures undermined economic recovery in Europe, with resurgent demand and precautionary hoarding of products overwhelming supply chains. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated the situation, according to the study. For example, semiconductor shortages that were expected to ease in the second half of 2022 are now expected to last into 2023. A protracted war could result in a further loss of up to €318 billion in 2022 and €602 billion in 2023, while inflation could be as high as 7.8 percent in 2022 before declining in 2023. "Although experts agree that Europe will avoid a recession this year, the combination of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine has the potential to significantly impact the European economy and cause a substantial slowdown in growth," said Jean-Marc Ollagnier, CEO of Accenture in Europe. "While before the war some normalization of supply chains was expected in the second half of 2022, we don't expect it now until 2023, maybe not even until 2024, depending on how the war develops."

Reinventing supply chains in a new economic order

Solving supply chain problems will be crucial for Europe's competitiveness and growth. According to the study, up to 30 percent of total value added in the eurozone depends on functioning cross-border supply chains, either for sourcing materials or as a destination for production.

The study suggests that supply chains need to be reinvented to meet a paradigm shift. Supply chains were designed primarily to optimize costs. However, in today's world, they must also be resilient and flexible to respond to increasing supply uncertainties. At the same time, they are becoming a key competitive advantage to enable future growth. The focus for addressing supply chain disruptions is on three key areas:

• Resilience: Supply chains must be able to absorb, adapt to, and recover from disruptions whenever and wherever they occur. Improved dynamic insights, risk identification, and mitigation solutions enable companies to deal with sudden changes in the supply chain. Scenario planning and risk and opportunity analysis help adapt to evolving supply and demand. Network modeling and simulation, stress testing, strategic buffer sizes, and multi-sourcing options enable companies to manage uncertainty.
• Relevance: Supply chains must be customer-centric and flexible to adapt quickly and cost-effectively to changes in demand. Capturing new data sets, including real-time data, inside and outside the enterprise across the value chain will be critical. Automation and artificial intelligence will enable companies to quickly identify new data patterns to make better decisions. Moving from centralized, linear delivery models to decentralized networks with on-demand production, and in some cases moving production closer to the point of sale, can help companies better meet customer expectations for order fulfillment.
• Sustainability: Modern supply chains must support companies' sustainability goals, if not accelerate their achievement. To gain stakeholder trust, companies need to make their value chains transparent, for example through blockchain or similar technologies. A shift from linear to closed-loop, circular processes that reduce waste will also be essential.

"Transparency in supply networks, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers, is critical," said Kris Timmermans, head of supply chain & operations at Accenture. "Companies need to move from a just-in-time to a just-in-case approach by diversifying their supply base, planning alternate freight routes, flexing their distribution centers, and building inventory. This comes at a cost, but it is a form of 'insurance' against future shocks. Key to this is investing in new technologies to make better use of data - from digital twins and analytics to supply chain control instances - as well as the cloud continuum, which delivers massive computing power in a cost-effective, flexible and sustainable way."

Energy security and availability of talent as further challenges

The study also highlights two deeper and longer-term challenges arising from the pandemic and the war: first, energy security, as European economies must address their heavy dependence on oil and gas supplies while accelerating their net-zero agenda; and second, the imbalance of available talent resulting from an aging population, changing workforce expectations, and shifting skill requirements.

Michael Brueckner, chief strategy officer at Accenture in Europe, said, "The war in Ukraine will increase the number and duration of disruptions in supply chains. The extent will depend on how the war develops. Nothing short of reinvention is required, as the inflationary environment, increasing regionalization, the energy transition and a tight talent market are already shaping a new economic order. To achieve greater security, it will be critical to improve energy efficiency and accelerate the transition to green energy sources. In addition, the ability to recruit, retain, retrain and upskill employees is emerging as one of the most pressing issues of this decade."

Source: Accenture

At the General Assembly of digitalswitzerland, six new board members were elected: Philomena Colatrella (CEO CSS) Anna Takihara (Google) & Jill Kümin (Google) in job-sharing tandem, Rainer Baumann (COO Migros Genossenschafts Bund), Adrian Müller (Swico) and Sabine Magri (COO UBS Switzerland). With Sascha Zahnd, who was appointed president a year ago, the digitalswitzerland board comprises 23 members. The candidates proposed for election by a six-member nomination committee received a unanimous vote at the AGM. This change is due to the resignation of six board members. "I sincerely thank the retiring members for their great commitment. With the new board members, the transversal knowledge of our board is ideally completed and it is gratifying that we were able to pay attention to diversity in the nomination process," emphasizes Sascha Zahnd, President digitalswitzerland. Sascha Zahnd (President), Yvonne Bettkober, Nicole Burth, Marcel Dobler, Thomas Flatt, Ivo Furrer, Peter Grütter, Catrin Hinkel, René Hüsler, Marco Huwiler, Gabriela Keller, Christian Keller, Cédric Moret, Christophe Nicolas, Marcel Stalder, Marc Walder, Anja Wyden Guelpa were re-elected for another one-year term. Since the founding of the Switzerland-wide, cross-industry initiative in 2015, more than 240 association members and politically neutral foundation partners now support Switzerland on its way to becoming a leading digital innovation location.

The year 2022 marks an important stage of strategy refinement and realignment for digitalswitzerland, according to the statement. The appointment of new Managing Director Stefan Metzger in January 2022 underscores the transition to a stronger impact orientation with six focus activities, the association adds. The further development of the strategy, known as Strategy 2025, defines the key success factors that should distinguish a digital nation. digitalswitzerland's priorities for 2022 focus on the impact areas of education, cybersecurity, e-health, e-sustainability, strengthening regions and SMEs, and finally cloud availability and infrastructure. "Times of change create new opportunities. I look forward to the next 12 months with enthusiasm and optimism. As a team and as a nation, we have overcome many challenges recently. The lingering effects of the Covid 19 pandemic and rapid digitization have created a new normal that is shaping the way we live. Our strategy welcomes ambiguity and turns it to our advantage. It allows flexibility and freedom of design without losing focus on our areas of impact," says Stefan Metzger, Managing Director digitalswitzerland.

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Since 2005, the internationally active Swiss family-owned company simatec has been managed in the second generation by Mischa N. Wyssmann. Since its foundation in 1983, a motivated team has been developing and producing innovative products for the maintenance of rolling bearings under the brand names simatherm, simatool and simalube. To date, the subsidiary simatec inc. in Charlotte USA, simatec gmbh in Pforzheim Germany and simatec ag in China have also successfully commenced operations. In other countries, simatec ag is involved in joint ventures. One of the leading products is the simalube grease and oil dispenser: with this, the company opened up an extremely successful business field and became one of the leading suppliers on the world market. The foundation for this was laid by the development of a special drive: the patented gas evolution cell enables clean, safe and maintenance-free long-term lubrication of bearing points. This novel technology simplifies complex processes and reduces maintenance on thousands of machines and systems.

But simatec does not want to stop there: Despite the current difficult economic conditions, the company is investing in a unique innovation project called "simaX". Why? Because - as the example of simalube already shows - innovation has been the DNA and thus the key to continuous success for years. This innovation project relies on the Design Thinking method, an approach that puts the customer's needs at the center of all considerations. By means of agile and iterative creative processes as well as numerous interviews, the ideas and wishes of future customers are bundled. "We want to tailor new, intelligent solutions and products exactly to the requirements of our customers and thus develop new business areas," says owner Mischa Wyssmann. In practice, this means: Three months of thinking differently and working differently.

Innovate in three office cubes

Two teams of three have the task of finding new fields of application for the technology of the simatec gas evolution cell - the core of the leader product "simalube". The two teams, "Da Vinci" and "Einstein," are conducting research in the fields of MedTech and pest control, plant protection and home automation, respectively, and are working under the guidance of an external moderator. Mischa Wyssmann: "For the interdisciplinary teams, we have completely freed up four employees from day-to-day business and provided them with the optimal infrastructure so that they can work autonomously. In addition, one person each was hired to bring the simatec-external perspective to the teams." The "Da Vinci" and "Einstein" office cubes were equipped with collaboration technology and prototyping material for creative thinking methods. Another factor in the success is the methodological coaching provided by the facilitator and the Innovation Board, who plan and guide the process. The MedTech team is additionally supported by external experts in medically complex topics such as applications, markets, regulatory and compliance.

Why was the gas evolution cell the focus of the design thinking method? The gas evolution cell, the size of a hearing aid battery, exploits electrochemical principles to generate hydrogen gas. It is an autonomous energy source that also functions as a motor, clock and clock generator - an absolutely potent, agile miniature power plant whose potential benefits are far from exhausted. And this is precisely where Design Thinking comes in.

Learned Design Thinking method a year ago

So how do you find the ultimate solution and how is progress measured? One thing up front: Innovation is not a matter of chance, but the result of a consistent strategy, the achievement of which is continuously monitored: the teams plan and work in 14-day sprints. They share the results in a review meeting with the innovation board, consisting of members of the executive management and the board of directors. This performance review is the basis for the next sprint. "We place particular emphasis on exchange throughout the company," says Mischa Wyssmann. "The innovation teams regularly share their experiences with work colleagues at an information event - at the Fürobebier. With this innovation project, steered by the Design Thinking method, the focus is not on our business goals, but rather on serving as an innovation engine for motivated and enthusiastic employees."

simatec became familiar with the Design Thinking method as early as fall 2021 during a three-day workshop at the Mobiliar Forum in Thun. Establishing the innovation technique in the company was the right decision and an exemplary model for industrial companies that want to reshape their future in the context of digitalization.

More information: simateg ag

In Switzerland, 80 percent of all cleaners are still currently employed via the black market. For the cleaners, this means a lack of financial security and a lack of legal protection. The consequences are precarious working conditions in the cleaning industry, which have further intensified as a result of the pandemic, as many private households have laid off their cleaning staff at short notice. Before the pandemic, one in seven Swiss households employed a cleaner, according to a 2018 Comparis survey. Batmaid and putzfrau.ch have therefore made it their mission to enable cleaners to leave undeclared work and offer them safe, progressive and fair working conditions through permanent employment in accordance with the legal provisions in Switzerland with the associated protective measures. So far, Batmaid and putzfrau.ch have been able to support more than 8,000 cleaners in exiting the black market.

Together against undeclared work

The success in the fight against undeclared work and the black market is also due to the simple and straightforward booking process when arranging cleaning services through a cleaning company such as Batmaid or putzfrau.ch. "Our focus is on technology and innovation, which is why the desired cleaning service can be booked in just three clicks via our website or app and the upcoming tasks can be changed at any time," explains Andreas Schollin-Borg, CEO and founder of Batmaid.

Anyone who trusts in a professional cleaning company also enjoys many advantages, including no time and cost expenditure for administrative issues or personnel replacement in the event of absence during vacations or illness. In addition, "For private individuals, two important criteria are paramount when hiring cleaners: trust and professionalism. These guarantees are missing when hiring a cleaner through the black market. With Batmaid and putzfrau.ch, only trained, trustworthy and registered persons are placed," explains Adrian Gsell, Managing Director of putzfrau.ch.

No cash payment since January

Trade unions and the Association of Swiss Cleaning Companies are also working to combat the black market. A new collective labor agreement for cleaning work, which has been in force in German-speaking Switzerland since January of this year, means that, among other things, wages may no longer be paid out in cash. Clear rules and control instruments would combat abusive employment relationships and unfair competition. In order to support the new law and to ensure its compliance, the two cleaning companies Batmaid and Putzfrau.ch demand the establishment of a control body and are open to the responsible offices in this respect. Through its international expansion, Batmaid is an attentive observer of European regulations, which could serve as food for thought for the Swiss authorities.

Sources: www.batmaid.ch / www.putzfrau.ch

On May 18, 2022, the Zurich Forum for Sustainable Investment (ZFSI) took place for the second time at the Kongresshaus Zurich. Attentive listeners, lively discussions and speakers who shared their experience and in-depth knowledge made for a successful event, according to the organizers. The speakers and panel participants included Anne Marion-Bouchacourt from Société Générale, Kerstin Torgler from Zurich Insurance Company and Philip Hinsen from FINMA. They provided their views on the future of sustainable investing.

During the event, experts in sustainable finance exchanged views in numerous conferences and workshops on issues and topics related to skepticism about sustainable investments and the integration of ESG criteria. In the eyes of the organizers, the lively participation once again underlined the relevance of these topics for financial professionals as well as their commitment to finding solutions that have a real impact.

Skepticism about sustainable investments inspired participants to search for actionable solutions with impact. The founder of Voxia communication, Laurent Ashenden, commented: "When people doubt a particular solution, it is usually because there is room for optimization. We wanted to explicitly draw attention to this fact with our choice of theme this year, and the feedback we received showed us that this strikes a chord."

The ZFSI is modeled on the Geneva Forum for Sustainable Investment, which will be held for the 13th time this year and is an integral part of the Swiss financial market agenda. The GFSI will take place this year on September 22 at the Fairmont Grand Hotel.

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