Leading Swiss digital process automation specialist Axon Ivy AG announced its acquisition by the Ricoh Group on January 31, 2022. The company will operate as an independent subsidiary of Ricoh in the future. All brands, products and partners will be retained, and all employees will also be taken over, the two companies say.

Ricoh: A partner with international stature

With more than two decades of experience in the development of platforms and solutions for digital transformation, Axon Ivy has acquired an excellent reputation in the industry and built up a loyal customer base, according to a statement to the media. With the Ricoh Group, the Swiss company comes to a global partner with a correspondingly high reach: the Ricoh Group is headquartered in Tokyo and has significant offices around the world. Its products and services reach customers in around 200 countries and regions. In the fiscal year ending March 2021, the Ricoh Group generated global sales of 1,682 billion yen (approximately $15.1 billion).

Axon Ivy will continue under the existing name

As part of the Ricoh Group, Axon Ivy will be able to better meet the increased global demand for digital transformation, the company says. Customers and partners will benefit from increased investment in Axon Ivy's technology, delivery capabilities and market development, it adds. In addition, customers will gain access to Ricoh's global reach and broad portfolio of digital services designed to create a seamless digital workplace experience and help businesses realize innovation, increased security and greater sustainability through technology.

Rolf Gebhard Stephan, CEO Axon Ivy AG, says: "I see tremendous added value in becoming part of the global Ricoh family. We have developed one of the most reliable and easy-to-use platforms for digital process automation. Especially in the DACH region, our track record is impressive. We will continue to focus on our core competencies of technology and flexibility, benefiting in the future from Ricoh's access to all major markets around the world."

Sources and further information: www.ricoh-europe.com and www.axonivy.com

Compulsory home offices and hybrid working are driving the digitization of communications, but mainly among office workers. As a result, 80 percent of the global workforce of so-called frontline workers, who are in personal contact with customers or work in production, are cut off from digital corporate channels. Companies have recognized this problem, but implementation lags well behind the mark. This is confirmed by a survey conducted in December 2021 by techconsult on behalf of the consulting firm Campana & Schott was conducted among 300 executives in Germany, France and Switzerland.

Digital jobs lacking for frontline workers

According to the survey, traditional channels are still used for communication. For example, 68 percent of managers use e-mail and 60 percent the telephone to reach frontline workers. Intranets (41.3 %), collaboration tools (29.7 %) and employee apps (24.7 %) follow at a considerable distance. Germany in particular is traditional here (e-mail: 76.0 %, telephone: 65.0 %) compared with Switzerland (e-mail: 62.0 %, telephone: 54.0 %) or France (e-mail: 66.0 %, telephone: 61.0 %).

"Companies need to invest in digital workplaces for frontline employees as well - especially in view of the shortage of skilled workers. This will not only help them get closer to their most important goal, which is the rapid transfer of information. When frontline workers experience the tangible benefits of digital communication and processes, productivity and employee satisfaction also improve," explains Marco Heid, Advisor Modern Frontline Workplace at Campana & Schott.

High costs, inappropriate IT infrastructure and software as biggest hurdles

According to the survey, the most important reasons why companies have not yet realized the integration of all employees into digital workplaces are too high costs (33.7 %), inadequate IT infrastructure (29.7 %), unsuitable software (28.7 %) and low employee knowledge (26.0 %).

The good news: Many of these hurdles can be overcome with current solutions. "Initially, the costs for hardware and software can be quite significant," says Christian Koch, Advisor Endpoint Management & Telephony at Campana & Schott. "To reduce these initial investments, it is possible to operate hardware and IT infrastructure as well as applications as managed services. Experts who bring specific knowledge can adapt solutions well to the needs of frontline workers."

Use of private devices helps with digitization

One starting point can also be the use of private devices. Experience shows that many employees would like to use their smartphones or tablets for business purposes. These correspond to their personal preferences and needs. Moreover, they then only have to use one device. However, this option is not very widespread in Germany so far: Only one in five frontline workers uses their private end device at work (BYOD). In Switzerland, on the other hand, it's one in four, and in France it's one in three.

Securing corporate data on mobile devices is where 57 percent of companies in France see the greatest need for improvement. In Germany, 45 percent of executives would like to improve access to company data on private devices. In Switzerland, the figure is only 32 percent. The issue of security is currently viewed more critically in Switzerland (40.0 %) than in Germany (32.0 %).

Companies at different levels during introduction

The status quo in the country overview paints a very differentiated picture of the digital workplace for all. According to the survey, only 10.7 percent of companies have fully equipped their frontline workers with digital tools and devices. 8.0 percent are in the middle of the rollout, and 16.7 percent have implemented initial use cases and pilot projects. Most companies are only in the conception (26.0 %) or planning phase (29.7 %). And 9.0 percent are not yet dealing with the topic at all.

When solutions are installed, frontline workers in 88.8 percent of companies use the same collaboration solutions and internal tools as employees with office workstations. This highlights the potential for shared applications. A current white paper from Campana & Schott shows which application scenarios are suitable for manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and retail and which issues need to be considered. This can be obtained here be

With the usually manageable number of employees in SMEs, the full commitment of each and every individual is a key success factor. This is reason enough to promote health right from the start of a career. This is where occupational health management (OHM) can make an effective contribution to reducing absences among apprentices.

Healthy learners: Why companies need to do a lot for it

In the phase of growing up, young people per se go through intensive development steps in almost all areas of life. The start of a career means additional uncharted territory. Both of these factors together place increased stresses on mental health in this age group. The pandemic has exacerbated the situation.

According to the Job Stress Index 2020 from Health Promotion Switzerland (see chart), 42% of young workers between 16 and 24 have too few resources to meet the demands of the workplace, 30% are emotionally exhausted and their risk of occupational accidents is twice as high. The economic consequence is health-related productivity losses in this age group of a good 21% ¹⁾ .

These figures illustrate the need for specific support for the mental health of learners. At the same time, the demands on VET professionals are increasing and targeted support services are needed. A good point of contact for this is, for example, industry associations, the Association of Vocational Trainers or Apprentice by Health Promotion Switzerland to provide targeted support for the mental health of young workers.

The spectrum of Apprentice includes a "Toolbox" with case studies, sound information on difficult situations as well as on the mental health of young workers in general. Further modules are ERFA Meeting for the intersectoral exchange of vocational trainers, a App as a quick, up-to-date source of information as well as specific Further education.

BGM from the start of a career pays off

Companies in whose culture a systematic BGM is practiced have advantages when it comes to the health-promoting management of learners.

Kuhn Rikon AG, for example, introduced a holistic occupational health management system as early as 2006. Since 2009, the company has been awarded the label "Friendly Work Space" certified by Health Promotion Switzerland. The leading cookware manufacturer employs around 190 people in Switzerland, including a total of three apprentices in commercial and logistics.

In addition to the usual BGM measures, the company offers its learners individual support, for example:

• Personalized support from recruitment to the final examination, tailored to the specific needs and stage of development.
• The probationary period and interview will take place with the parents.
• The integration of learners into the team. For example, they participate in the monthly Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) meeting.
• The team spirit and the encounter of the apprentices among each other are promoted, e.g. by mutual support with preparation tasks of the inter-company courses or common lunch in the staff restaurant.
• Regular exchange between learners, vocational training officers and supervisors that consciously includes current well-being. This also includes giving the young people sufficient time for their leisure activities.
• An open error culture and appreciative interaction strengthen independent work and thus the learners' awareness of their self-responsibility and self-efficacy.

"We are already well positioned and that is precisely why we welcome the fact that Health Promotion Switzerland is working with Apprentice has created a comprehensive information and training offering to provide targeted support for vocational training officers. The exchange with other vocational trainers is particularly valuable for us," comments Michael Karrer, CFO of Kuhn Rikon AG.

¹⁾ Source: Health Promotion Switzerland - Job Stress Index Monitoring 2018 according to Galliker et al. 2018b

 

Live chat for vocational trainees

on tobacco use - with experts from Addiction Switzerland on January 31, 2022, 1 to 5 pm. Participate with the Experts App.

An event by Health Promotion Switzerland

We live in interesting times. The speed of change is increasing and uncertainties are growing. And this is more likely to increase. So far, so familiar.

Profit or suffer? You decide...

As in any time - whether stable or rather not - there are winners and losers. There are people and companies that tend to benefit from the uncertainties and those that tend to suffer. The good news is that which group you belong to is largely a choice. Those who are better than the mediocre consciously or unconsciously choose to see things differently and focus on the one that promises the greatest chance of winning. For this, it is good to know to some extent which success factors become more important than others in each case.

Three entrepreneurial levers for success

Here are three topics that, in my view, will become much more important this year - and where I therefore recommend that you consider how you can become better at them with your team:

1. Attractiveness on the labor market. You need the best people for the challenges that will increase in the future, especially in terms of thinking and behavior. I still see many small and medium-sized companies that are already happy if they have three qualified applicants for every vacant position. The antidote: massively increase your attractiveness on the labor market. There is a whole bundle of possible measures for this. First of all, it is important that you move the topic up in the priority list.
2. In the future, it will be less and less the available resources that will be decisive for your success, but your "resourcefulness". In principle, this has always been the case, but in my view it will intensify. As a leader, one of your responsibilities is to foster resourcefulness in your people. In addition to selecting the best team members (see point 1), this also includes consciously allowing mistakes and having the courage to go ahead.
3. When the environment is changing faster, it's even more important that you can move quickly. If you wait too long, the conditions will have changed again by the time you are ready to start. High speed has nothing to do with rushing, but with eliminating delays as much as possible. This starts primarily in the minds of your people, but is also heavily influenced by your processes and the level of empowerment in your team.

I recommend that you make these three topics a focus in your leadership team discussions - so that you can be more successful in 2022, no matter what happens around you and your organization.

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

The world-renowned family company Victorinox, famous for the legendary "Original Swiss Army Knife", is strengthening its management team in the Corporate Business division. André Fässler, a native of Central Switzerland who grew up not far from the Victorinox factory, is the new "Head of Sales". The sales professional has over 15 years of experience in the B2B sector at national and international level. At Victorinox since the end of 2018, he previously looked after the countries of Switzerland and Germany as Senior Key Account Manager. In doing so, he was involved in a leading role in various projects from the areas of sales, marketing and product. "Victorinox produces unique and innovative products that are known all over the world. We want to bring our enthusiasm for these products closer to the customer and convey to him the product that is tailor-made for him," says André Fässler.

Matthias Müllerschön has been the new "Area Manager Corporate Business Germany" since September 1. With the newly created position, Victorinox aims to further expand the German corporate business market. Müllerschön, who lives in southern Germany, has been with the company since 2015 and has many years of experience in GPK retail. He gathered his knowledge in retail for 16 years and, according to Victorinox, represents an ideal addition to the sales team. "My constant incentive is to create the perfect product together with my customers and thus to bring out the maximum in customer satisfaction," Matthias Müllerschön explains his motivation in the new role.

Victorinox products - in addition to the well-known pocket knives, the portfolio also includes watches, luggage and perfumes - are available both online and in the company's own stores, as well as through an extensive network of subsidiaries and distributors in more than 120 countries. In 2019, the company generated sales of around CHF 480 million with over 2,100 employees.

Source

On January 27, 2022, the Energy Commission of the Council of States began deliberations on the Federal Law on a Secure Supply of Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources (jacket decree). In the view of Swissolar, the umbrella organization of the solar energy industry, the target values for electricity production from renewable energies provided for in the Federal Council's dispatch on this law are set too low to achieve security of supply on the one hand and the net zero target in 2050 on the other. Instead of 39 terawatt hours (TWh) of production in 2050, 50 TWh should be targeted, of which 45 TWh will come from photovoltaic systems. This value corresponds to less than half of the solar potential in Switzerland.

Create conditions for faster expansion

An 11-point program published by Swissolar describes how this goal can be achieved. "Solar energy will provide electricity in Switzerland in large quantities - renewable, timely and cost-effective. However, for this transition to succeed, we need to build more and faster," says Jürg Grossen, president of Swissolar. But construction measures are only one aspect. Swissolar's demands go further. Directly related to the jacket decree, for example, is the demand for an increase in the grid surcharge of 0.5 centimes per kilowatt hour, as well as a uniformly regulated purchase remuneration, which is based on the market price, but at the same time has a lower limit.

More incentives for photovoltaic systems

Also to be considered in this law, according to Swissolar, are the proposals for optimal integration of photovoltaics into the electricity grids. With local energy communities, as they already exist in other European countries, incentives would be set for the construction of PV systems with local self-consumption - without additional subsidies and without the need for expensive grid expansions. In addition, tariff incentives should be created to regulate flexibilities at the grid connection point in order to avoid overloads. Booming electromobility will play a crucial role here: The available daily storage capacity in electric cars will be greater than the current daily production of all Swiss nuclear power plants. The power that can be flexibly switched on and off at any time will be up to ten times greater than that of today's nuclear power plants. In order to exploit this potential, the technical standards and political framework conditions must be adapted quickly.

Even more solar power could be produced

The other proposed measures relate to spatial planning (simplification of approval practices, including for ground-mounted systems), the education and training of specialists, Switzerland's participation in the reconstruction of a European solar industry, and the reduction of unnecessary additional costs and administrative barriers. The cantons are also addressed: Already 18 cantons have introduced mandatory self-supply of electricity for new buildings, which creates a strong incentive for the construction of photovoltaic systems. More electricity could be produced on the roofs and facades of existing buildings (approx. 66 TWh) than Switzerland currently consumes. Swissolar therefore proposes to introduce an obligation to use all suitable surfaces on new buildings and renovations in all cantons.

The 11 measures

1. Clear and binding targets for renewable energies

2. Creating professional opportunities in the solar industry

3. Solar components from Switzerland and Europe

4. Increase in network surcharge and acceleration of one-off payment

5. Clear and uniform regulation of the purchase price throughout Switzerland

6. Solar obligations for new construction and renovation

7. Removing spatial planning hurdles

8. Reduction of additional costs and bureaucracy

9. Local energy communities

10. Designing grid capacities dynamically, incorporating electromobility

11. Tariff structures/network usage charge

Source: Swissolar

Fintech startup Aequitec has appointed a man from its own ranks as its new CEO. Dr. Christian Wilk, co-founder and previous CPO at Aequitec, has been responsible for leading the Swiss company since January 1, 2022. Founded in 2020, Aequitec has developed a software platform that enables public companies to digitize their corporate processes. Public limited companies are thus given the opportunity to automate and digitally map corporate actions. This enables them, for example, to hold their general meetings digitally or hybrid and to digitize their share register with a global connection to the banking financial system.

Developed a working application within a few months

Christian Wilk brings to the position of CEO his many years of expertise in the areas of business development, project management and digital transformation, which he has gained as a consultant to universal and investment banks, as well as project work with R3 and Deon Digital in London and Zurich, among others. The previous CEO and founder, Johannes Schneebacher, will take on the role of authorized representative of the Board of Directors in the same course. He had founded Aequitec in 2020 - after a long career as general manager at Südtiroler Volksbank - together with Christian Wilk and Deon Digital AG and can look back on a successful startup phase. Under his leadership, a functioning application was developed from an idea within a few months, which is already being used successfully by the first customers after a successful test phase.

Change of staff paves the way for further growth

With the change of staff, Aequitec AG is positioning itself even more broadly for the future. Christian Wilk will continue to drive Aequitec's growth with his technical expertise in software development and his startup spirit, and will apply his know-how in particular to the further expansion of Aequitec's platform. In the future, Johannes Schneebacher will focus more on strategic orientation and development, such as the expansion of partnerships and the further financing of the company.

"We want to offer our customers and partners innovative solutions for today's company management. In this context, not least due to the ongoing Corona situation, many new perspectives have opened up that now need to be exploited efficiently. I look forward to continuing to work with my highly motivated, interdisciplinary team," explains Christian Wilk.

Source: Aequitec

The Corona pandemic continues to occupy the economy. As part of the survey conducted by JobCloud via jobs.ch and jobup.ch, more than 10,000 employees as well as 800 companies in Switzerland were asked about the influence of the Corona crisis on the job/job search or on the search for personnel. The COVID vaccination was also a topic of discussion. More than two-thirds of all companies surveyed in Switzerland would be in favor of all their employees being vaccinated against the COVID19 virus. Only slightly less than 10% of the companies are against vaccinating their employees. There is no significant difference in terms of company size on this topic.

Half of employees feel less mentally healthy

The corona crisis seems to have had a significant impact on the health of employees. Thus, 41% of the respondents report feeling physically worse since the crisis, while only 13% of the respondents currently feel physically better. However, most (46%) feel the same as before the crisis. The impact on mental health is even greater. Thus, every second person complains of being in a worse state mentally than before the crisis. Among respondents in French-speaking Switzerland, the impact on both mental and physical health is even more significant, and women generally suffer even more from the crisis than men. For office jobs, on the other hand, the negative impact on health is less significant, which contrasts with those professions that are more affected by the crisis, such as tourism or the health sector. "These figures show that it is currently particularly important to ensure that employees have a functioning occupational health management system. Employees should be looked after as well as possible, even in the home office, a good work-life balance should be guaranteed and psychological help should be offered in the event of mental problems," says Davide Villa, CEO of JobCloud.

Recruitment has remained the same or become more difficult

Both sides - recruiters and job seekers - feel that the search for personnel or jobs is the same or more difficult than before the crisis. Specifically, according to the current survey, 56% of companies believe that the challenges have remained about the same and 30% consider the search for personnel to be more difficult. Medium-sized and large companies are having more trouble recruiting employees (36% and 34%). On the other hand, more than half of the job seekers surveyed (55%) think that finding a job has become more difficult during the crisis and only 6% find it easier.

Source: JobCloud

Deloitte surveyed over 2,000 business leaders in 21 countries, including Switzerland, on how they view and respond to the impacts of climate change. 8 out of 10 (79%) of those surveyed believe that the world is now at a tipping point on climate issues - in this country, this is even 9 out of 10 (89%). An even clearer majority of 91% of Swiss CxOs assess the current situation as a climate crisis.

Therefore, almost all respondents favor immediate action to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. The members of the management boards of Swiss companies are also significantly more critical of the consequences of climate change than their colleagues in other markets: For 60%, climate change has already caused irreparable damage - on average, only 35% worldwide share this attitude.

Great pressure to strengthen the commitment

In Switzerland, the respondents feel the pressure to step up efforts against climate change particularly clearly from their own board of directors. They also feel strong pressure, albeit somewhat less, from customers and shareholders. Globally, on the other hand, the regulatory authorities exert the most pressure - in Switzerland, they only rank fourth, followed by the company's own employees. Local companies are also more likely than the global average to believe that their own government is doing a good job in combating climate change (Switzerland 76%, globally 54%).

According to the report, Switzerland lags behind especially in the measures with the greatest leverage. The gap is most pronounced in the development of new, climate-friendly products and in linking executive compensation to specific sustainability targets (Switzerland 23%, globally 37%).

Sustainability as a reputation driver

Marcel Meyer, Head of Sustainability Services at Deloitte, classifies the results as follows: "If you want to make a difference, you have to know where the leverage is greatest. Our report identifies a number of measures that achieve significantly more impact than others. These include enforcing sustainability criteria with suppliers and partners, incorporating climate considerations into lobbying efforts, a focus on developing climate-friendly products and services, and, most notably, sustainability-related performance targets for management teams. It is in this area that many Swiss companies need to catch up." (See also graphic)

Discrepancy in measures against climate change

There is a clear discrepancy between measures with an internal and external impact. Swiss respondents consistently assess the effects of their sustainability efforts on their own company much more positively than the global average. In particular, they are more likely to assume a beneficial effect on reputation (60% vs. 49%), their own workforce (51% vs. 42%) and recruitment (48% vs. 35%). "Our study suggests that many Swiss companies are primarily concerned about sustainability because they fear for their reputation. This is a worrying tendency, because climate protection serves their very own interests, namely the long-term preservation and enhancement of the value of their company," adds Marcel Meyer.

Biggest hurdle: short-term oriented investors

Swiss executives tend to encounter different difficulties in implementing their sustainability measures than colleagues from other markets. They locate their challenges primarily in the short-term oriented demands of shareholders and investors (33% vs. 25%) or acceptance by line managers (20% vs. 12%). Costs, on the other hand, tend to play a minor role in Switzerland (19% vs. 27%).

The demand of Reto Savoia, CEO of Deloitte Switzerland and member of the management team of Deloitte North and South Europe, is clear: "The Swiss economy should take a clear role model function in climate issues. Thanks to our strong and innovative economy and the excellent Swiss educational and research institutions, we are ideally positioned to do so."

Source: Deloitte

If there is one important reason to change jobs, it is lack of work-life balance. This already by a earlier study of a personnel service provider is now confirmed in a recent, representative survey. At the beginning of the year, XING commissioned the market and media research institute Forsa to survey around a thousand professionals in German-speaking Switzerland on their professional situation and plans for 2022.

Most common reason for changing jobs during Corona: work-life balance

According to this survey, around a quarter of professionals (24 percent) have changed employer since the start of the pandemic. This was often triggered by factors closely linked to the corporate culture. A lack of work-life balance in the current job was cited by 29 percent of respondents as a reason for changing jobs. More flexible working hours were the deciding factor for 20 percent of respondents, making it an equally strong driver as financial incentives. Among men, a better work-life balance tended to be a slightly more frequent trigger for a job change (31 percent) than among women (27 percent). Thirty percent of those who have changed jobs since the start of the pandemic had the courage to hang up their job without a binding commitment for new employment, despite the crisis. 40 percent also say that Corona influenced their decision to change jobs.

Attractive location more important for job search than home office

When it comes to finding a new employer, work culture aspects play an important role. 55 percent of respondents pay particular attention to flexible working hours. A higher salary is equally important (55 percent). The next most important factor is good management (47 percent). 46 percent pay particular attention to an attractive location, 41 percent to personal fulfillment in the job and 35 percent of those surveyed consider the possibility of remote work and home office to be important. The results show that while home office has become a relevant criterion, it is not the only decisive factor. An attractive location remains important, according to Robert Bertschinger, Swiss Managing Director of NEW WORK and its subsidiary XING. "The office has a strong identity-forming effect and remains a decisive driver for work culture, even if it is no longer visited on a daily basis in the future. Investing only in the infrastructure for remote work falls short of positioning oneself as an attractive employer on the candidate market."

One-third of professionals more satisfied on the job than before the pandemic

84 percent of professionals say they are satisfied with their current job. Thirty percent also say they are more satisfied with their job today than they were before Corona. Fifty-three percent say their satisfaction has not changed in the wake of the pandemic, and only 17 percent are more dissatisfied today.

In principle, however, around half of professionals (57 percent) remain open to changing jobs - or have already taken concrete steps to do so. This means that the willingness to change jobs is roughly at the Prior-year level. At 70 percent, the figure is particularly high in the youngest age group of 18 to 29-year-olds. Thereafter, the willingness to switch decreases with age and is still at 43 percent among the over-50s.

Source: XING

The latest wage survey from staffing firm Michael Page finds that executive wages in 2022 will be highest in banking, finance and healthcare. The five occupations with the highest wages across all industries are:

But managers in other occupational fields also earn good salaries. For example, executive salaries in Marketing & Sales are also well above CHF 200,000 per year (e.g., as Head of Sales & Marketing, you can expect an average salary of CHF 270,000). And in the equally strategically important area of Purchasing and Supply Chain, high salaries are paid - depending on the industry. For example, a head of purchasing in the medical technology/pharmaceutical industry earns an average of around CHF 275,000. At the other end of the scale are the salaries paid to heads of SMEs: a head of finance has an average salary of CHF 190,000 (in comparison: the salary of a CFO of a multinational company averages CHF 360,000).

Despite the economic upswing and the shortage of skilled workers, the majority of wages remain stable, according to Michael Page's summary conclusion.

Swiss job market will continue to grow

The study predicts that the Swiss job market will continue to grow in 2022 despite the pandemic. The number of advertised jobs increased by 39% between January and December 2021, according to Michael Page. IT Cloud and Dev Ops (+195%), Procurement & Supply Chain (+55%), and Healthcare & Life Sciences (+39%) are among the industries that have seen the most growth in the past year. The shortage of skilled workers, constraints due to budgets and the increasing demand from applicants for flexible working conditions also led to an increase of 42 % in the number of temporary positions advertised.

Boss wages alone do not bind managers

Yannick Coulange, Managing Director of PageGroup Switzerland, says: "Recruiting and retaining talent will remain a challenge in 2022. That's why companies must rely on diverse recruiting strategies to win the battle for talent. That may mean offering employees a flexible work environment, authentic conversations about career planning, or training and development opportunities." That means: It's not all about high boss salaries.

Flexibility is the top priority

Based on Michael Page's survey of 22,300 job applicants in Switzerland, it appears that companies that offer flexible work options attract the best candidates. These options include home office, a hybrid work environment, and the ability to work on an hourly or freelance basis. Other important factors for candidates are work-life balance and the opportunity to work with inspiring management.

Source and further information: Michael Page. The complete Salary Guide can be obtained here.

A cyberattack is more likely today than ever before. Studies by IT security services provider Sophos, such as "The State of Ransomware 2021"show that internationally, 37 percent of the companies surveyed are affected by ransomware alone. Although ransomware has probably caused the most devastating damage in recent years, it is by no means the only type of malware that can cause serious problems for companies.

Be prepared for a cyber emergency

Also according to the latest Allianz Risk Barometer cyber risks are currently the greatest concern for companies. Organizations and IT teams are therefore well advised to equip themselves with both effective security and a well thought-out and rehearsed incident response strategy. Such a plan can not only minimize follow-on costs of a cyberattack, but nip many other problems and even business interruptions in the bud. Experts from Sophos Labs have compiled their experience into a 10-point plan for dealing with a cyber emergency.

1. determine all parties involved and affected

It is not just the security team that is responsible and affected by attacks, but many other people in the company. From C-level to departmental management to the legal or HR department, it is important to identify the crucial people and actively involve them in incident planning. At this point, alternative communication options should also be considered, since an IT failure can also affect traditional communication channels.

2. identify critical resources

In order to develop a protection strategy and determine the extent and consequences of an attack in the event of an emergency, the resources that have the highest priority for the company must be identified. Only in this way can the most business-critical systems be restored in a targeted and high-priority manner in the event of an emergency.

3. practicing and acting out emergency scenarios

Exercises ensure that coordinated, rapid and targeted action can be taken in the event of a cyber attack. A plan is particularly good if all those involved know exactly what they have to do immediately at all times, instead of first looking for instructions or even trying to act intuitively. Different attack scenarios should also be defined in the exercises.

4. provide security tools

Preventive measures are a very important part of protection and thus also of the incident response plan. These include suitable security solutions for endpoints, the network, servers and the cloud, as well as for mobile devices and e-mails. Important among the tools are a high degree of automation, for example through the use of AI, as well as a transparent and integrated management and alarm console in order to detect potential attacks at the earliest possible stage and, ideally, to eliminate them automatically.

5. ensure maximum transparency

Without the necessary visibility into everything that happens during an attack, organizations struggle to respond appropriately. IT and security teams should have the tools to determine the extent and consequences of an attack - including identifying attacker entry points and persistence points.

6. implement access control

Attackers exploit weak access controls to subvert defenses and expand their privileges. Effective access controls are therefore essential. These include providing multi-level authentication, limiting administrator privileges to as few accounts as possible. For some companies, it may make sense to create an additional zero-trust concept and implement it with the appropriate solutions and services.

7. use analysis tools

In addition to ensuring the necessary visibility, tools that provide the required context during an investigation are enormously important. These include incident response tools such as EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) or XDR (Extended Detection and Response), which can search the entire environment for Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and Indicators of Attack (IOA).

8. define response measures for cyber emergencies

Detecting an attack in good time is good, but only half the battle. Once detected, it is important to contain or eliminate the attack. IT and security teams must be able to initiate a variety of response actions to stop and eliminate attackers - depending on the type of attack and the severity of the potential damage.

9. conduct awareness training

All employees of a company should be aware of the risks they may trigger with their actions. Therefore, training is an important part of an incident response plan or prevention. Attack simulation tools can be used to simulate real phishing attacks on employees without any security risk. Depending on the results, special training courses can help to raise employee awareness.

10. managed security services

Not every company has the resources to implement an incident response plan and, above all, an incident response team with proven experts in-house. Service providers such as managed detection and response (MDR) providers can help. They provide 24/7 threat hunting, analysis and incident response as a managed service. MDR services not only help companies respond to incidents, they also reduce the likelihood of an incident occurring.

Cyber emergency: every second counts

"Every second counts in a cybersecurity incident, and for most companies it's not a question of if they will be affected, but simply when the attack will happen," said Michael Veit, security expert at Sophos. "This knowledge is not new. Companies differ mainly in whether they implement this knowledge with appropriate precautions, or whether they risk putting their existence at risk. It's a bit like buckling up in a car - being unharmed in an accident without a seatbelt is highly unlikely. A well-prepared and thoughtful incident response plan that all affected parties in the organization can implement immediately can significantly mitigate the consequences of a cyberattack."

Source: Sophos