How does the Corona pandemic affect the international movement of goods? Many exporters have more than a few burning questions when it comes to logistics. The logistics provider Dachser Switzerland has answers ready: Urs Häner, Managing Director European Logistics Switzerland, and Samuel Haller, Country Manager Switzerland for the Air & Sea Logistics business segment, Dachser Spedition AG, provide information.

It's home office time again. Can I still reach my scheduler by phone or is communication only by e-mail?
Urs Häner: Of course, you can reach our dispatchers by phone. Due to the pandemic, we had during peak times
around one-third of the workforce worked from home. The majority of these were employees with administrative tasks, such as
for example accounting, billing, sales/HR. Employees in operational processing such as export, import, disposition, etc. were and are always on site. Our organization is set up in such a way that each department is always also staffed on site. Communication with the customers and coordination with the employees at the mobile workstations is thus ensured at all times.

Swiss, but also other airlines, are offering fewer and fewer flight connections to and from Zurich, Basel and Geneva. On-time delivery is a crucial competitive factor for us. How do I ensure that my export air freight shipments nevertheless reach the recipient on time?
Samuel Haller: In addition to direct flight connections to and from Swiss airports, Dachser also offers airfreight routings via our
Gateway in Frankfurt in Germany. Here, goods from all over Europe are bundled and flown overseas. Imported goods for Swiss customers from other continents are deconsolidated in Frankfurt and transported directly to Switzerland in cooperation with Dachser European Logistics, Dachser's land transport division. Furthermore, Dachser offers its own weekly charter services for selected routes to America and Asia. We try to find a solution for each customer that meets his or her requirements.

Air freight rates have risen sharply during the crisis. What does that mean for me as a shipper?
Samuel Haller: The price increase requires early interaction with the logistics service provider. In cooperation with the shipper, the logistics service provider can then examine possible options - from cheaper alternative flight routes to alternative transport solutions such as sea-air, truck, rail or ocean freight. As a result, an increasing number of shippers are opting for groupage container transports for the first time. Here, Dachser offers a
global network in combination with European Logistics for pre-carriage and onward carriage, including train connections to China.

In many EU countries there are already massive restrictions on economic life again. Will this lead to delays in deliveries to / collection from customers?
Urs Häner: Our network is 100 percent efficient. However, it does happen that we are faced with closed doors when the shipment is delivered because the recipients have redefined their delivery windows due to the pandemic. In the spring, temporary controls were introduced at many inner-European borders. This resulted in kilometer-long traffic jams and delays in supply chains.

What measures has Dachser taken in case there are more border controls and longer downtimes in Switzerland-EU traffic again?
Urs Häner: During the first two days of border closure, there were delays. However, I would like to note that the Swiss and German customs authorities worked very well together to reduce congestion. If border closures occur again, we will re-cycle the schedule with a longer border stop. This will lead to earlier departure times and requires prior coordination with the shippers.

So I have to allow for longer transit times for truck shipments, but also for overseas shipments (Logistics Lead Time Planning)?
Urs Häner: Yes, that is recommended. However, our European network has also proven to be absolutely reliable and
efficient.
Samuel Haller: For ocean freight, shippers must indeed expect longer transport times. In addition to a shortage of empty containers, cancellations of ship sailings (blank sailings) and capacity bottlenecks in some ports, e.g. in the USA, as well as corona-related
Delays in customs and port clearance currently lead to disruptions in the transport chain. It is important here that shippers provide the logistics service provider with the most accurate volume forecasts possible at an early stage so that appropriate planning, capacity assurance and booking can be carried out.
can be carried out by the latter. So-called backup carrier models to ensure punctual delivery are also available. It should be noted that there is currently no absolute loading guarantee with the shipping companies and so-called rollovers, a postponement to the next departure, cannot be completely ruled out. Accordingly, shippers should build time buffers into their planning and booking in order to be on the "safe side". A "just in sequence" approach is definitely not advisable in the current phase.

How do I get transparent real-time information in case of delays in the lead time to the port of shipment, loading at the port, transshipment problems or other travel delays in Asian traffic (supply chain visibility)?
Samuel Haller: Dachser provides corresponding information on its Track & Trace platform eLogistics, which is available to customers
can be viewed at any time. In the event of foreseeable delays, customers are proactively informed by our Customer Service. Sea freight rates have risen sharply in recent months.

Will this trend continue in 2021?
Samuel Haller: We expect ocean freight rates to remain at a high level or to increase further. For example, the
Shanghai Container Freight Index SCFI as of before Christmas over 160 percent higher than a year ago. However, price is currently not the issue, but the availability of equipment/capacity. How the situation will develop after the Chinese New Year is still uncertain. But shippers can assume that it will not calm down immediately.

Our supply chain management has mastered all problems well so far. Would a detailed analysis of the risks in our supply chain ecosystem in cooperation with a logistics service provider still be worthwhile?
Samuel Haller: Absolutely. Our experience is that such analyses, carried out in partnership and in an interdisciplinary manner with the customer, offer opportunities for supply chain optimization and create sustainable added value.

More information: Dachser Spedition AG

Appropriate and authentic communication from person to person is - also for B2B companies - the be-all and end-all to maneuver through difficult times in particular. Valuable insights for the coming year can be derived from this. The following 8 tips should definitely be considered by communication professionals in B2B 2021.

1. Keeping an eye on the communication strategy

Especially in times of crisis, it is by no means advisable to go headlong into communications. What is needed is a concrete strategy that is individually targeted at the various stakeholders. In addition, it is important to include all communication channels and to strive for holistic, integrated communication. This is the only way B2B companies can create a professional and authentic image of themselves in the public eye and in the eyes of the target group. It is also important to be clear in advance about the goals of the strategy and the individual communication measures. Visibility, thought leadership, more leads or growing website traffic are all attractive goals, but they can be approached quite differently. And it is only on the basis of goals that critical communications controlling and consequently effective optimization are possible in the first place.

2. Convincing from the first touchpoint - with good content

Even before Corona, customer journeys were increasingly digital, and the trend continues. For companies, a customer relationship begins less and less often through personal contact. In their search for the right solution to their own challenges, potential customers initially consume a whole range of content anonymously. This increasingly happens online - on websites, in digital portals, in online media or in social networks. Today, the first touchpoint is almost always content - whether in text, graphic, audio, or video format - and people usually use this to make an initial judgment about a company. Here, it is the task of B2B companies to use content to make the first decisive moment of contact as authentic and convincing as otherwise only a personal conversation can.

3. Getting to know customers - via Customer Dating

The first moment of contact is crucial, but not conclusive. Anyone who goes on a blind date is unlikely to come back with a marriage proposal. A blind date is also the first customer contact, as it were, if it takes place on the website, in an online magazine, or in social media. B2B companies shouldn't just barge right in with a concrete offer; instead, they need many convincing and inspiring dates - in the form of content, product samples, webinars, or workshops - in order to gradually get to know the people who are potentially interesting from a sales perspective and win them over - keyword lead nurturing. Even if the interested parties initially only (want to) date digitally, authentic communication is needed to create trust and position the company as a reliable partner and solution provider.

4. Always stay in contact

Especially in difficult times, it is indispensable to stay close to one's own target group and consequently also in contact with them. Especially those B2B companies that can no longer serve their clientele as usual (temporarily or for a longer period of time) depend on maintaining communication. Here, the website is the hub for updates and contact opportunities, but so are other digital channels such as social media, phone and email. It is therefore advisable for the future to maintain sustainable relationships with clientele, partner companies and all other stakeholders, and thus to preserve the humanity of these connections. Digital communication should not be seen as a threat to personal relationships. On the contrary, it allows B2B companies to maintain secure direct contact - despite contact restrictions.

5. Making sales communication smart

Social networks are not only a popular communication channel, but also a lucrative way to build a relationship with the customer as part of the sales process and thus increase the probability of closing a deal. 2020 has shown that digital channels or tools are sometimes the only way to establish or maintain contact with (potential) customers. With the help of intelligent technologies, B2B companies can, for example, find out in a privacy-compliant manner which companies - i.e., legal entities and not natural persons - are cavorting on their website and what exactly they are looking at there. This information provides a good basis for identifying decision-makers in these companies and contacting them without obligation via the social networks.

6. Provide reliable and memorable information

In order to find the right provider, B2B decision-makers have to deal with a flood of information. This overload has increased again in the past year, and with it the danger of misinformation and fake news. However, in order to both attract the attention of the target group and provide them with content orientation, B2B companies must prove the reliability and authenticity of information. This requires verifiable data on the one hand and an attractive presentation of these on the other. If figures are not presented as dull diagrams and lists, but are linked to an experienceable story and visualized in an appealing way, the messages are more credible and can be better anchored in the long-term memory. It is important to concentrate on the essentials, to keep the cognitive load on the person addressed as low as possible, and never to lose sight of the target group and its needs.

7. Using gender-sensitive language in B2B communication

In B2B communication, companies do not always know immediately which people belong to the group of decision-makers. Consequently, it is always necessary to address all genders equally. While human resources and the public sector in particular already take all gender identities (male, female, diverse) into account here, B2B communication will also increasingly look for alternatives to the so-called "generic masculine", e.g. the customer or the readers, in the future. Gender-sensitive language does not have to be reader-unfriendly: Instead of using both terms, e.g. customers or the gender asterisk, e.g. readers, neutral terms such as target group, stakeholders or readership can be used. It is important to understand here that this is not a cultural language change, but a political one. Consequently, gender-sensitive language is not a mandatory to-do in marketing, but it may reveal the gender mindset of a B2B company.

8. Trustworthy Marketing: Don't chase every trend

Of course, it's important to keep up to date and evolve in B2B communications as well. But many people talk about trends, when in fact they are only grand visions, some of which cannot yet be implemented. Not only is it increasingly difficult in times of crisis to identify trends at all, let alone follow them consistently, it also becomes less important in the face of major events. After all, it is more important than chasing the latest hype to focus on the needs of one's own target groups and win back their trust through marketing measures that are both proven and reliable. What trustworthy marketing can offer is stability and an optimistic outlook for the future.

Conclusion: People matter - even in B2B communication

Advancing digitization and the developments resulting from the Corona pandemic are calling for a rethink, not least in the communications industry. At the same time, both bring with them the opportunity to open up new paths to one's own target groups, to reflect on proven measures and to show oneself approachable despite contact restrictions. The exchange of ideas and cooperation with other communications professionals can help. And especially when trade and industry events have to be canceled and personal meetings postponed, constructive cooperation and cross-discipline collaboration are essential for the further development of B2B communications. This also includes willingly sharing one's own know-how and experiences so that others can learn from them. The digital world creates the best conditions for giving impulses worldwide - and for discovering inspiration. But the driving force here is and remains people.

About the author:
Venera D'Elia has a doctorate in German studies. Born in Russia, she has lived and worked in Germany since 2000. Since 2005, she has strengthened the communications team at the communications agency Möller Horcher (www.moeller-horcher.de) in Offenbach. The mother of two is now Head of Business Development and Senior Consultant. 

ESET, the cyber security specialist, has summarized the most important "don'ts" for Internet users for 2021, so that users do not repeatedly fall into the same cyber pitfalls in the new year. After all, working in a home office has accentuated certain risk areas.

Home digitization: Trust is good - control is better!

During the lockdown, many households upgraded technologically and also implemented digitization within their own four walls. But even ambitious home administrators have difficulty maintaining an overview and control of the home network. Thanks to the home office, private and professional devices are also mixed in the same (W)LAN. A weak point in the smart device, on the private computer or router is quickly enough to endanger not only private data, but also sensitive company data.

Security tip: Smart helpers

Users should first get an overview of which devices are integrated in their own network. This can be done quickly and easily with an Internet security package that has a built-in home network scanner. In the next step, users should then separate smart and work devices in the network. The easiest way to do this is with the help of the guest WLAN function, which is available on all routers. The devices still use the same router for online access, but have a different IP address range than the home network and are thus separated from it. This means that attackers cannot establish a connection to network storage (e.g., Raid systems), PCs or notebooks in the home network, even via insecure smart home devices.

Avoid password traps and keep track

A common cyber flaw is the use of passwords. In every second security guide, users are urged to use complex passwords for every online service they use. A commendable request, but hardly feasible in practice, because hardly any user is able to remember a separate password for each service. How could they? Without problems, users would have to remember ten or more different complex passwords. In practice, therefore, there are either passwords that are too simple and easy to crack or many password doubles, i.e., two to three passwords are used for ten or more services. This makes it easier for cybercriminals to do their work, because password thieves can quickly access different user accounts, such as social media accounts, in one fell swoop with just one captured password. If they succeed in taking over the e-mail account, they are able to create new passwords for online stores and then go on a shopping spree at the victims' expense.

Security tip: Passwords

PC users should use password managers to create a different and, above all, secure password for each purpose and save it in a protected manner. Caution: Saving them in the browser is not a secure alternative, as some of them are unencrypted on the end device. This means that any user with access to the device can easily read the files.

Logging in with the help of two-factor authentication offers the highest level of security. In addition to the user name and password, an individual one-time code is sent to the smartphone via SMS or app, or the login must be confirmed via APP. A large number of providers have been using this very secure method for some time - users simply have to activate it for the respective service.

Biometric methods, such as fingerprints or FaceID, are also suitable for unlocking smartphones. These methods are much more difficult to crack than a simple combination of numbers or swipe patterns.

Four basic rules that always apply against cyber fatalities

1. Use Internet security software that scans removable media such as USB sticks, the network interfaces and RAM for malware in addition to emails and websites.
2. Automatically install updates to the operating system, installed software, apps or firmware. Known security gaps are thus closed and can no longer be exploited by attackers. If an automatism is missing: Regularly check for updates and also install them immediately.
3. Simply delete mails of unknown origin - as a rule, they are always SPAM. Even if a supposed lottery win is promised or bargains are enticing: Do not click on links or open file attachments under any circumstances, as this can lead to your computer being infected with malicious code.
4. Create regular backups of your digital treasures. These backups should be created on external hard disks, which should be disconnected from the computer immediately after data backup. Even if your computer is infected with ransomware and your data is encrypted, the malicious code has no chance to access the backup media.

And last but not least: If an alleged Microsoft employee calls you, you should hang up immediately. Because it is always a criminal who is just trying to trap Internet users and remotely inject malicious code onto the PC.

Source: ESET

A total of 46,842 new company entries were recorded in the Swiss Commercial Register, an increase of +5.3% compared to the record previous year 2019. However, while the "lockdown" months of March, April and May understandably slowed the start-up boom, the number of new companies rose From June on the rise again. Thus, a total of 11,682 new companies were founded in the third quarter, which corresponds to an increase of +15.5%. The last quarter of 2020 also recorded an increase of +13.0% with 13,208 companies.

Particularly large number of new companies in German-speaking Switzerland

The major regions of Northwestern Switzerland +10.5%, Central Switzerland +10.1%, Eastern Switzerland +8.4%, Zurich +7.5% and Escape Mittelland +6.0% are enjoying new record figures in 2020 in terms of the number of company founders. Just as Ticino was hit hard by the Corona pandemic, the decrease in the number of new companies in Ticino compared to the previous year is also relevant with -10.6%. Southwestern Switzerland was able to recover in the course of the year and only recorded a slight decline of -0.2% in new startups.

On average, 5.61 startups per 1,000 inhabitants took place in Switzerland in 2020. A total of 10 cantons are above the national average. The canton of Zug (19.91) is at the top by a remarkable margin, ahead of Schwyz (8.85), Appenzell Innerrhoden (8.61) and Geneva (7.75). The Swiss cantons with the lowest start-up rates are Uri (3.18), Bern (3.82) and Schaffhausen (3.92), which found the fewest new companies per 1,000 inhabitants.

Comparison of the last 10 years

Since the slight decline in 2015, the Commercial Register Office has recorded a steady increase in new registrations. In the last ten years, new company formations increased by +18%. The year 2020 impresses with more company formations than ever and proves to be the year with the highest number of formations since the existence of the Swiss Commercial Register (SOGC). The SOGC was first published on January 06, 1883.

Five industries account for 50% of all startups

About 50% of all startups occur in the trades (16.7%), consulting (10.2%), retail trade (8.6%), real estate (8.1%), and finance and insurance (6.8%) industries. The least number of startups is in the activity area of printing and publishing (0.3%), high tech (0.6%) agriculture and forestry (1.1%) and education (1.8%).

With regard to the development of the sectors compared to the previous year, it can be seen that the sectors Marketing and Communication grew the most in percentage terms by +26.0%, Hairdressing and Cosmetics +21.0%, Retail Trade +18.6% and Consulting +14.1X%. Declines were recorded in Other services (travel agencies, freelance activities) -22.4%, Transport and logistics -4.9%, Printing and publishing with -2.5%, Finance and insurance -2.1% and Catering and accommodation -0.9%.

Reasons for the strong increase in company formations in 2020

Simon May, Managing Director of the IFJ Institut für Jungunternehmen, sees the high number of start-ups as a positive signal for a sustainably well-functioning Swiss economy. In the past year, some industries have benefited from the change in economic and social life, May continues. Never before has so much money been spent on sports and leisure articles, and people invested in their personal living space, including IT infrastructure for the home office. Producers and retailers of toys as well as medical and security technology, farm stores, streaming services, audio book providers, delivery services and online trade in general experienced an enormous boom. Despite economically restrictive measures, founders were confident, as evidenced by growth in most industries. In addition, a kind of "shakeout" is currently taking place at economically poorly positioned companies, which is encouraging the founding of new companies.

The annual number of start-ups accounts for about 7% to 8% of all active companies in Switzerland, estimates the Institute for Young Enterprises. These start-ups create around 55,000 new jobs annually, which is equivalent to more than 1% of all employees. Consequently, it is systemically relevant for Switzerland that many new companies are created every year.

Will the start-up boom continue in 2021?

According to Simon May's assessment, digitization will continue to receive an enormous boost. "The way is paved for national and global disruptions. Because beware: the effects of this global economic and social shock will only follow in this still very young year of 2021 and subsequent years," says Simon May. The shutdowns, economic aid and restrictions would initially still act like a dam. This "incubation period" is expected to end when vaccinations take effect, contagions remain sustainably reduced and the return to a new normal becomes a fact, he said. "Then the dam will break and many more new solutions from this pandemic period will find their way to market. 2021 will be truly disruptive and at the same time challenging for all of us," Simon May is convinced.

Source: Institute for Young Enterprises IFJ

The School of Business at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW is introducing three new fields of study in the Bachelor of Science degree programs in Business Information Technology (German-language in Olten) and Business Information Technology (English-language in Basel and Brugg-Windisch) for students starting in fall 2021. The students can thus focus even more specifically on their interests and the desired career and field of activity, according to the statement.

The field of study Software Engineering addresses students who want to support processes of a company with suitable software solutions. They gain an in-depth insight into modern development technologies and software architectures. At the same time, they learn what it takes for these to function optimally and to be further developed according to the latest state of the art.

The Business Analytics major is aimed at students with a strong analytical flair. They specialize in the examination of large amounts of data and the recognition of patterns with the help of artificial intelligence, for example in the processing of customer and market segments or the evaluation of social media data.

The third field of study, Digital Business Management, is aimed at students who are interested in management topics in the field of business information systems. This includes in particular project management, consulting and leadership. Industry-specific digital business models (e.g. in the global pharmaceutical industry) and preparation for possible self-employment round off the profile.

With the new courses of study, the School of Business FHNW says it also wants to make an important contribution to reducing the shortage of skilled workers in the IT environment.

More information: FHNW

Ricola's sustained profitable growth, increased internationalization and advancing digitalization are constantly posing new challenges for the group of companies, according to a media release. "As a family of entrepreneurs, we are therefore constantly looking at the optimal solution for managing Ricola. Based on these considerations, we have decided that at this point in time, a complete separation of the strategic and operational levels is most beneficial for our company," said Felix Richterich, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ricola Group AG and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ricola Familienholding AG.

Ricola Group AG now managed outside the family

The development of this management model at Ricola took place carefully and step by step. Following the successful start of CEO Thomas P. Meier in May 2019 and a period of transition in which the course was set and the culture was launched together, the entrepreneurial family will be involved in the boards of directors of Ricola Group AG and the parent company Ricola Familienholding AG from January 1, 2021. Eva Richterich, previously Head of Innovation & Sustainability, will leave Group Management at the end of 2020 to focus on her strategic role as a member of the Board of Directors of Ricola Familienholding AG. As of this date, Chris Fesen will take over the Innovation & Sustainability business unit. As a result, the operational management of Ricola Group AG, under the leadership of CEO Thomas P. Meier, will be entirely in the hands of non-family leaders.

Eva Richterich takes on new strategic role

Eva Richterich was Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ricola Group from 2015-2019. In 2016, she initiated the future lab Ricolab and set important impulses in innovation, the responsible use of natural resources and digitalization. At the beginning of 2019, she was appointed to the Executive Board of Ricola and has since led the Innovation & Sustainability business unit. Together with her team, she developed a new innovation strategy and the associated process. She also created the conditions for modern sustainability management and ensured the necessary cultural change in her business unit. Likewise, she integrated Ricolab into the parent company at the beginning of 2020. Following the successful completion of this work, Eva Richterich will step down from the operational management of Ricola at the end of 2020 and focus on her strategic role as a member of the Board of Directors of Ricola Familienholding AG.

Source and further information: Ricola

The success of a company increasingly depends on its ability to react quickly to changes in the market. Of course, this is not easy if the company is wedded to static planning and this is associated with long planning cycles and plans that do not draw on current data.

But what makes an agile company? Agility is the ability to respond effectively to new trends in a short period of time while continuously driving innovation throughout the organization. To be more agile, the following steps should be taken in the enterprise: reduce system friction, increase data trust, and better integrate the finance department with the other business units. This requires the latest technology that connects the back and front office.

Enterprise-wide planning: basis for more agility

Agility is important for business success - and an active planning approach is key. To enable companies to respond more quickly to market changes, the front and back office must work with real-time data. To do this, finance departments, for example, need modern systems that are easy to use and quickly adaptable - and the same applies to planning. Modern planning should be collaborative, comprehensive and continuous. This is the only way companies can minimize risks, maximize performance and create competitive advantages. Active planning models enable teams to expand the data foundation for planning beyond finance, as well as pull real-time operational and transactional data from enterprise systems to make better, data-driven decisions. The following three steps are important for enterprise-wide planning:

1. record the status quo

What is preventing your company from implementing modern and efficient business planning? If you want to conduct a detailed analysis, answer the following questions:

• What does the planning process in the company look like at the moment?
• What technologies are being used and how well do they support active planning?
• Do you have access to all the data they actually need?
• Is automated data integration possible?
• Is comprehensive workforce planning feasible today?

As a first step, it is important to get a feel for where to start when optimizing planning processes.

2. create a consensus within the organization

Initiating change in a company is sometimes no easy task. It requires an experienced advocate at the highest level who is committed to active planning. It also needs a project team that represents the various departments across the board; including Operations, Sales, HR, but also the IT department. It can help clarify the technological requirements.

A business case should then be created. How much time and money do the manual processes cost? What opportunities have been missed in the past as a result? This can be contrasted with the new opportunities that active planning would bring. For example, if the time spent on budgeting drops by 50 percent, employees can use their capacities for business-critical tasks such as "what-if" analyses.

Once the team has been assembled and the goal clearly defined, the plans for the pilot project can be outlined. It is advisable to select a function within the finance department for this so that implementation is subject to the department's own control. An implementation plan and the definition of the most important KPIs create additional orientation and weighty arguments to gain support for the project from the management.

3. build a company-wide planning

Of course, it pays off quickly to implement the modern planning model in the finance department first. But as soon as a certain routine has been established, it should be extended to the other corporate divisions as well. With the project team, the planning projects can be carried into the HR, Sales and Marketing departments - this is the first step towards active planning throughout the entire company.

The goal in this phase is to promote interdepartmental communication and cooperation. Success can be achieved here through regular discussions with the individual stakeholders, in which the findings to date are recapitulated or areas for improvement are identified.

At the same time, the process will help position the CFO as a strategic partner who orchestrates planning across the enterprise. The finance department will no longer be primarily tasked with collecting budget figures and producing reports. Rather, the finance team becomes the "strategic head" alongside the CEO, driving the change and innovation needed to not only weather uncertain times, but to thrive in them.

To the author:
Frank Mens is Regional Sales Director Financial Management DACH & CE at Workday. He is responsible for building and executing the go-to-market strategy for Workday Financial Management in DACH and Continental Europe.

The social partners of the mechanical, electrical and metal industry (MEM industry) have anchored in the Collective Labor Agreement (CLA) the intention to jointly establish new offers for the re-qualification and re-training of working adults (cf. Art. 50 para.1 CLA MEM). On this basis, the social partners (Swissmem/ASM, Angestellte Schweiz, Unia, Syna, Kaufmännischer Verband and SKO) founded the "MEM-Passerelle 4.0 AG" on December 11, 2020. The aim of this organization is to provide companies in the MEM industry with the skilled workers they need and to enable employees to continue their careers and change professions.

Educational offers for new qualification

The task of "MEM-Passerelle 4.0 AG" is to establish counseling services for working adults. These are intended to clarify individual aptitude and identify opportunities for further professional development. In particular, adult-oriented, modularized and in-service training offers are being developed for a shortened new qualification that builds on existing competencies. For this purpose, "MEM-Passerelle 4.0 AG" seeks cooperation with the responsible state authorities as well as with cooperation and implementation partners from all areas of the education system.

First pilot course

A first pilot course in the specialist areas of manufacturing, assembly/commissioning and maintenance has already been launched at the IDM Thun vocational training center in mid-October 2020. In February 2021, further training modules will begin, for which new entry is also possible. The modules will be led by experts from the field. Additional pilot courses are planned in other regions from fall 2021.

Broad-based management

At the founding meeting of "MEM-Passerelle 4.0 AG" on December 11, 2020, Prof. Dr. Stefan Wolter, Professor at the University of Bern and Director of the Swiss Coordination Center for Education Research SKBF, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. The rest of the Board of Directors is made up of representatives of the trade unions, employee associations and Swissmem or its member companies. It consists of Bernhard Gisler (Schindler Aufzüge AG), Hans Hess (Swissmem/ASM), Claudia Komminoth (PB Swiss Tools), Karin Oberlin (Angestellte Schweiz), Johann Tscherrig (Syna) and Manuel Wyss (Unia).

Source and further information: Swissmem / MEM Passerelle

The 180-employee ICT service provider Boss Info AG is appointing a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the new year. His successor, Daniel Arnold, will take the helm at Boss Info at the turn of the year. The ERP specialist, who is very well known in the ICT market, was responsible for the Sales / Consulting division for many years as a member of the Executive Board. In addition to building up the Products and Services division, he most recently also acted as the Aarburg site manager.

Daniel Arnold takes over from Simon Boss

45-year-old Daniel Arnold succeeds Simon Boss, who is handing over operational management after 22 years since the company was founded in order to be able to concentrate fully on business development at Boss Info from January 1, 2021. Owner Simon Boss will continue to hold the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Right time for leadership change

The management of Boss Info has used the current year intensively for the preparation of the reorganization. "The new organizational structure, which will come into effect on January 1, 2021, is predestined for cutting old ties and transferring the operational business into new hands," explains Simon Boss, who had already been appointing his successor for some time. "The new structure is of immense importance for Boss Info in order to be able to accommodate further growth," the visionary and company owner continues. "Daniel Arnold brings with him the necessary tools to do justice to this responsible role," Simon Boss is convinced.

"Big shoes to fill" at Boss Info AG

Daniel Arnold is aware of the magnitude of the new task: "I am looking forward to this challenge and am proud of the trust placed in me. I have big shoes to fill, but I am convinced that I can continue the success story together with the Boss Info team and give the company new impetus as CEO.

More information

"Fjord Trends 2021" is the fourteenth trend report produced by Accenture Interactive's global network of designers and creatives. This year's findings reveal that opportunities are now opening up for companies to enter new areas - as they introduce new strategies, services and experiences to meet evolving human needs.

The pandemic shows what is really important

The Annual Report notes that the pandemic has brought clarity and surprises alongside chaos and tragedy. It has shown us what is really important, strengthened public spirit and inspired innovative minds at home. This presents a whole new set of challenges for companies: How can they respond properly operationally and also communicatively, how to meet the ever-changing expectations of consumers and act more empathetically - all while struggling to survive in an uncertain economy? The Fjord Trends for 2021 are recommendations on how companies can help shape the renaissance of the 21st century.

Trends that will shape the year 2021 and beyond

These are seven trends that will shape the economy, customer behavior and society of the future:

1. Collective relocation: How and where we experience things has changed in 2020. We all share a sense of shifting location and are looking for new ways and places to fulfill our duties and pursue our passions. Working, shopping, learning, meeting friends, raising children, and taking care of our well-being have all fundamentally changed for many of us and more. Businesses must accordingly seek new ways to connect with their customers.
2. Do-it-yourself innovation: Increasingly, it is talented people who are driving innovation by developing new "hacks" for new challenges - from the remote worker who uses his ironing board as a standing desk to the parent who becomes a teacher. Technology is playing a new role here: rather than driving innovation, it is supporting human creativity and allowing it to shine through everywhere. Individuals, from politicians to personal trainers, are using sites like TikTok or video game platforms to spread important messages or host concerts. Everyone wants better solutions, but expectations of companies have changed: Instead of delivering ready-made solutions, they should create the framework for private innovation.
3. Dream Teams: Employees who work remotely now live in the office, so to speak. This has huge implications for the reciprocal arrangements between employer and employee and the many assumptions involved - for example, who decides the dress code for video calls at home, whose responsibility is it to protect remote workers' right to privacy? Even if blanket vaccination is already on the horizon: The relationship people have with their work and between employers and their teams has changed permanently. The future will not provide a one-size-fits-all solution - the world of work will remain a field of experimentation for some time to come.
4. Liquid Infrastructure: How and where we purchase products and use services has changed. That's why companies need to rethink their supply chain and their entire physical infrastructure, focusing on the "points of delight" in the last few meters before purchase - such as the immediate joy of the purchase itself, which many took for granted in the store. Companies therefore need to build greater agility and resilience throughout their organization so that they can adapt quickly to change. This also applies to the expected changes related to the need for more sustainable business.
5. Interaction Wanderlust: We spend much more time interacting with our fellow human beings via screens. This has resulted in a certain monotony, with many tools looking almost identical with their template-like designs. Companies need to rethink design, content, audiences, and interactions with their services to make the experience in front of screens more exciting and enriched with the element of chance.
6. Empathy Challenge: Most customers want to know what brands stand for and how they express their values. The pandemic has exposed many dysfunctional and unfair structures around the world - from access to healthcare to issues of equality. As a result, companies must work hard to manage the narratives that shape their brands. To do this, they need to prioritize key issues and build their actions around these key themes.
7. New Rituals: Numerous rituals - from celebrating a birth to saying goodbye at a funeral - were not possible this year. This has a significant impact on the well-being of society as a whole. For companies, this trend gives them the opportunity to accompany their customers in their search for meaning. New rituals are needed that provide joy or comfort. The prerequisite for this is to first recognize the hole left by an abandoned habit. Only then can it be adequately filled.

The year 2021 should be characterized by hope

"Innovation doesn't start with technology, but as we've seen over the past year, it can be a powerful tool for making more room for human creativity - even in the midst of chaos," said Brian Whipple, group chief executive of Accenture Interactive. "The next year should be one of hope. We've seen big changes in our society - we've even been part of them ourselves. These trends are a blueprint for how we think today and what we do next, what we take with us and what we leave behind. We can do better and people deserve better."

Source: Accenture Interactive

"People will forget what you say and forget what you do ... but they will never forget the feeling you gave them": this is relevant whenever you want to get others to take action or influence them. And this is one of your main tasks as a leader.

Trigger the right feeling

You can talk as much as you want, even do the right and important things, the impact on others will always be limited compared to when you trigger certain feelings in others.

Example: If others feel safe with you to say what they think and dare to try new things without fearing sarcastic comments, they will try more. If people feel a sense of departure with the prospect of new fascinating experiences, they will go the distance.

The biggest problem with this is often that people are afraid that their feelings may be hurt, that the security was only apparent, that the vision was not serious. In other words, that their feelings will be disappointed.

Using the power of feelings

If this seems too "soft" for leadership, I can assure you that these are exactly the "hard facts" that cause projects and strategies to fail. Here are three short ideas on how you can use the power of feelings for your leadership:

1. The Why. For each change, clarify with your team why it feels better when we have achieved our goals or vision. What is different there for each individual? Why is this good and important?
2. The demands. How do you want to think and behave? What demands do you make on yourself? Demands are always associated with feelings. Examples: We want to have fun in what we do. Each of us takes full responsibility for the consequences of our actions. Everyone tries to understand the others.
3. The successes. Most people give far too little credit to successes. Why is that important? Successes and failures trigger feelings. That's why consistent recognition (even on a small scale) is a very easy lever for good feelings.

Emotions play an important role not only at this time of year, but at every time of our lives. With logic you make people think, with emotions you make them act. Take advantage of that in the new year!

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

What is it about the delicious and tempting dessert "Tarte Tatin"? Why are there so many recipe books about it? And last but not least: What is the secret of this particular upheaval? And one more thing: What has the Recipe for this unspectacular pastry in an entrepreneur magazine?

The birth of the "Tarte Tatin

Caroline and Stéphanie Tatin are regarded as the inventors and discoverers of the culinary delicacy named after them - a real treat that has long since achieved cult status. The enterprising siblings ran a small hotel with an inn near the village of Lamotte-Beuvron in France around 1850. Their nutritious and at the same time tasty cuisine was known throughout the region and beyond. In particular, the "tartes" - or "wähen" in our case - prepared with apples from their own garden were particularly popular with the numerous guests.

Anyway, according to the legend, the small inn was full of travelers and locals, and the brothers and sisters hardly knew where their heads were. And logically, there were numerous orders for the popular dessert. Caroline was working in the kitchen and suddenly the unfamiliar smell of caramelized apples hit her nose. When she looked in the oven, she was shocked to discover that in her haste she had forgotten to put the dough on the baking sheet. And now comes the highlight of the story.

Pure creativity and innovation

Instead of resigning, the efficient - in today's parlance innovative and creative - innkeeper decided to use an unorthodox method and thus got closer and closer to the secret: Without further ado, she decided to pour the dough over the apples and finish baking the cake in this way. She then plopped the cake onto a platter and immediately served her new creation to the large audience present. This was the birth of the "Tarte Tatin" or the "overturned" apple cake!

Resounding successes have their origin in setbacks

The story of this "inverted" French cheesecake impressively shows that failures not infrequently force us to rethink and form the breeding ground for innovative and creative action. Without the "upheaval" of the apple pie, no tarte tatin would have been created and the culinary world would have been a lot poorer.

Surely you yourself have already faced a situation or are still on the verge of having to tread new paths, but these can also open up new perspectives and horizons for you - and produce original solutions. Especially in times of the Corona virus, which has not yet been overcome, it is worthwhile more than ever to discover new niches and to regenerate the creative resources slumbering in us from time to time. Caroline Tatin showed us how to do it many years ago. And every time I enjoy a slice of the delicious overturned apple turnover from France, I know anew: creative, innovative and energetic action are not empty phrases, but today particularly sought-after skills that make all the difference.     

View failures positively: Little wisdoms around the "Tarte Tatin

• Making a virtue out of necessity: How a "normal" apple pie becomes a culinary bijou
• The overturned apple tree according to the motto "Let new things arise" becomes a dessert of the special class
• The Corona Pandemic challenges us to "turn around" a failure and turn it into an opportunity.
• The "Tarte Tatin principle" means creative, innovative and energetic action
• Caroline and Stephanie Tatin have shown the way: through their "overturned" cake they have broken new ground and come up with original solutions
• And one more thing: Without Caroline's forgetfulness in preparing the cheese, there would be no Tarte Tatin today. This shows that mistakes are necessary to move forward!

To the author:
Alex Müller is a former HR manager at the Psych. University Hospital Basel and now works as an HR writer for daily and trade newspapers.