The Future Work Barometer regularly collects the assessments, experiences and needs of Swiss employers and employees with regard to the world of work 4.0. A first survey was carried out in the summer of 2020.

Personal competencies with a need to catch up

The results of the first Future Work Barometer conducted in July 2020 indicated a development potential of over 70% at management level, including in the area of personal competencies. More in-depth questions were asked about this in the second round of the survey in October. The result confirms or underlines the earlier findings: with 77% (a lot/very much), the respondents rate the need to catch up in the development of general leadership competencies as the highest.

Disillusionment regarding the degree of digitization

By contrast, there were revealing deviations compared with the first round of the survey with regard to the assessment of the degree of digitization of the companies. Whereas in July, 77% of the board members still rated the degree of digitization as high to very high, three months later a certain "disillusionment" has evidently set in here, because in October the figure is only 45%.

The white paper with the overall evaluation of the Future Work Barometer 2020-2 is available here via free download: www.future-work-barometer.ch  

The pandemic abruptly shifted many sales activities to the home office. In the meantime, most companies have come to terms well with the new normality: According to a Study by the management consultancy McKinsey at the beginning of April, 50 percent still felt that working with less direct customer contact was very or fairly inefficient. In August 2020, the figure was only 32 percent. B2B customers in Germany, meanwhile, think the current situation is just fine: they don't want to change anything about the current communication channels with their suppliers, according to the study.

Ten important CRM functions

The rapidly developing mobile possibilities in the field of CRM play into both sides' cards: Because in addition to an end-to-end sales process, mobile applications also ensure better customer service. ERP manufacturer proALPHA reveals ten CRM functions that really drive sales today:

1. Query availabilities: Is a product in stock in the desired quantity? How long is the waiting time for a particular variant? Sales staff shine with excellent service and competence when they can answer customer questions immediately and promise delivery dates with binding effect. To do this, they need a mobile CRM with direct access to the ERP system, the current inventory, and other relevant values from production planning.
2. Direct document creation - from offer to order: The highlights of mobile working are undoubtedly the binding offer and direct order entry together with a legally valid signature. The customer thus receives the desired goods more quickly. The order data can be entered both in online mode and offline, without an Internet connection. Because the data does not first have to be transmitted to headquarters by fax, e-mail or telephone and then manually typed in again, the lead time for production, assembly or shipping is reduced by a day or even more. The fast, end-to-end digital process also minimizes the risk of errors.
3. Systematic history of all activities: Templates for structured visit and meeting reports help to record requirements and agreements as meaningfully as possible. After all, they serve not only as an aid to thinking, but also as a reference, for example for assembly. Even when there is a change of customer service representative, the new colleague needs to know what has "gone on" in the past and what orders and sales a customer has placed so far. All the relevant data is retrieved from the ERP system. This means that when the new employee starts work, he or she can immediately pick up where the previous employee left off.
4. Manage contacts and appointments efficiently: Mobile CRM not only strengthens the relationship with the customer. It also ensures greater efficiency internally, for example through integrated management of appointments, tasks and reminders. For efficient work with calendars, customer and contact data, synchronization with Exchange is of course a must.
5. Fact-based sales strategy: It is also helpful if the sales department can view meaningful, graphically prepared statistics, for example, on the sales performance of a customer in a year-on-year comparison. These statistics can be used to derive potential and sales opportunities more accurately than a simple calculation based on the wrist.
6. Project management for sales: The more complex a sales project, the more important it is that all notes, tasks, visits, call notes, quotations, orders and statistics are bundled in one place. This not only offers a lot of relief in daily doing. It also allows for solid sales controlling. If an additional opportunity arises in the appointment, the creation of a new mobile sales project must also be quick.
7. Route and tour planning: Even if the number of customer visits has dropped significantly in the pandemic: The time a sales representative spends in the field is precious. Sensible visit planning for an efficient route is therefore one of the particularly important CRM functions right now. It is particularly time-saving to display all contacts in the immediate vicinity via a map. In this way, a visit itinerary can be arranged in a meaningful way.
8. Complete paperwork from anywhere: Many sales representatives still have administrative tasks to perform in the evening, especially call reports and travel expenses. If receipts can be recorded and settled on a mobile device, this noticeably eases the burden on the end of the day. It also speeds up approvals and reimbursements - to the delight of everyone involved.
9. Extensive research capabilities: The core of a user-friendly interface is a comprehensive search. A search in the metadata of a company is just as much a part of this as the search for freely selected keywords.
10. Support of complex and international organizations: Large as well as international sales organizations have additional requirements for a mobile CRM. For example, not everyone is allowed to see and change all data. Multi-level rights and role management is therefore just as important as support for various national languages. Companies planning to introduce a mobile CRM solution should also ensure that the solution used can be set up for an unlimited number of sales employees. It must also run platform-independently on Android, iOS, or Microsoft devices and on laptops as well as smartphones and tablets.

Mobile solutions for more sales success

A mobile CRM is an essential building block in the digital transformation of a company. The associated increase in efficiency naturally benefits sales first and foremost. But that's not all. Because all employees who work with information from sales will always find all the data and documents they need up-to-date and directly in their work context - whether in the ERP system or other downstream applications.

Source: proAlpha

Companies are theoretically aware of the importance of data collection, but find the practical quality and quantity of their data insufficient. In addition to product innovation and development, data mining has a central position in relation to the targeted optimization of the customer experience in 2021. This is highlighted by the CEX study conducted regularly by the HWZ since 2017, which examines the status of the topic of customer experience in Swiss companies.

Importance of customer experience increasingly recognized

"Customer experience is now recognized by all companies as a key success factor with rapidly growing importance," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Michael Grund, Head of the Department of Marketing and Business Communications at the HWZ. 65% of the 229 participants from German- and French-speaking Switzerland who were surveyed in the study between June 29 and September 30 believe that the topic of customer experience has become significantly more important in their company compared to the previous year. The area that has developed the most during the Corona crisis is digitization, which is increasingly closely linked to customer experience. Eight out of ten companies consider customer experience to be very important, and the trend is rising.

Investment in digital channels necessary

"Vision and leadership" are important aspects for almost 60% when it comes to future-oriented improvement potential. Two-thirds of the companies surveyed plan to invest in customer experience in 2021. The three biggest challenges in German- and French-speaking Switzerland are: lack of IT solutions, lack of processes and competencies, and a transformation of the conservatively perceived corporate culture that is only just beginning.

Three focal points for 2021

Key aspects for 2021 on which the companies intend to focus mainly are as follows:

1. Optimize digital channels: It should be possible to offer a homogeneous customer experience across all channels. The Corona crisis has massively reinforced this prioritization. Most companies plan to stabilize or increase their budgets for customer experience in 2021.
2. Innovation and further development of products and services: Customer needs and wishes must be incorporated even more clearly, quickly and agilely into the development of new services and products.
3. Analysis and knowledge of customer requirements: Collected customer data must be interpreted in a target group-specific manner and quickly incorporated into the development of services and products (customer management/after sales).

Maturity level still far from top values

The implementation of this study is the result of a close collaboration between the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft in Zurich and nexa Consulting. Compared to previous years, the study authors note that much consistency is evident despite the Corona pandemic. "As in previous years, most companies assume that the importance of the topic of customer experience will continue to increase," the study states. And the authors go on to write: "And also as before, most companies are of the opinion that their own efforts are also visibly and noticeably received or perceived by their customers. However, the self-assessment of the maturity level in terms of customer experience is still far from top values - this is also a parallel to previous years."

Source and further information: www.fh-hwz.ch

Lightspeed POS Inc, a leading provider of cloud-based omnichannel commerce platforms, unveils new point-of-sale software for restaurants and hotels. The product is the result of Lightspeed's acquisition of four well-known restaurant software companies in recent months, including Geneva-based iKentoo. The software offers concrete solutions for the restaurant industry in the COVID-19 era, such as accessing deliveries and providing click & collect orders directly in the POS system.

Flexibility to cope with partial lockdown

Lightspeed has been developing solutions for hospitality, retail and multichannel distribution for more than 15 years. The new POS system was developed to give restaurateurs the right tools for changing going-out behavior. COVID-19 has clearly demonstrated as never before that restaurateurs must now embrace a broader and more digital approach to achieve long-term success. For example, a recent Lightspeed survey in Switzerland found that 21 percent of respondents are ordering more frequently for delivery or pickup since the pandemic began - so this is one of the few opportunities to make money during Corona. Lightspeed provides the appropriate tools for this, such as Lightspeed Delivery and soon Lightspeed Order Ahead. Both tools can be connected to Lightspeed Restaurant (K Series), ensuring that restaurateurs can reach their guests wherever they are and tap into new revenue streams. "COVID-19 has massively changed the restaurant industry, and we've seen some restaurants surpass their pre-pandemic sales numbers by using new sales channels such as delivery and pickup services. Lightspeed Restaurant (K Series) was designed with a focus on flexibility to support restaurateurs' needs and future growth," said Philippe Khodara, product manager at Lightspeed.

Proprietary blockchain and customized functions

The acquisition of iKentoo SA also allowed Lightspeed to expand its engineering teams, which specialize in developing innovative technologies. These include, for example, the company's proprietary Blockchain, which secures all data that passes through the Lightspeed Restaurant (K Series) POS solution. Blockchain technology provides a very high level of security for operational and financial data, as well as perfect traceability of all operations performed with the POS system.

In addition, Lightspeed Restaurant (K Series) includes exclusive new features developed based on feedback from restaurateurs and hoteliers. These include the ability to organize items by dish or by seat when serving at the table, order processing, order status tracking directly from the POS system, and improved usability through user interface redesign.

Sales increased thanks to new catering POS system

One business that has already gained experience is the "Fischerstube" restaurant in Zug. This inn looks back on more than 500 years of history and was taken over by André Bliggenstorfer in 2018. The pub has always been one of the well-known addresses in Zug. But Corona did not stop at this establishment either. But André Bliggenstorfer seems to have found a successful way out - and the right catering POS system: "With the new K Series from Lightspeed, we were able to massively increase the turnover of our dishes for delivery and pickup during COVID-19."

Source and further information: en.lightspeedhq.ch

During the Corona pandemic, corporate executives are once again in greater demand as leaders. In this context, the increased demand for leadership results primarily from two factors: the in some cases high level of uncertainty among employees and the fact that in many companies a large proportion of employees currently have to be managed remotely because they largely work from home offices. At least, this is the assumption suggested by the current Leadership Trend Barometer of the Institute for Managers in the Digital Age (IFIDZ), Frankfurt.

Leadership trend barometer identifies key challenges

In the online survey on which the trend barometer is based, IFIDZ wanted to know from the participating managers what they see as the greatest challenges in the area of employee management and communication in corona times. A maximum of three answers were possible. Among the top four items in the survey were two that, according to IFIDZ founder and director Barbara Liebermeister, are "closely related to the deep insecurity that many employees are currently feeling.

For example, nearly three-quarters of the 127 managers surveyed (73 percent) said a key challenge of theirs was "giving employees the guidance and support they need"; in addition, 55 percent cited "taking sufficient time for employees and their questions" as one of their biggest challenges. Also landing in the top 4 biggest challenges were two items closely related to the current increased need to manage employees at a distance. For example, nearly two-thirds of the executives surveyed (65 percent) cited "maintaining relationships with employees in the home office" as one of their biggest challenges at the moment, and more than half (51 percent) generally cited the task of "managing employees at a distance or remotely."

Maintain team spirit

At the same time, in addition to maintaining relationships with individual employees, managers also seem to have increasing problems maintaining team spirit under the current conditions. At the very least, 45 percent of them said one of their three biggest challenges was "maintaining the team spirit necessary for performance." All the other challenges mentioned in the survey seem to play a rather subordinate role compared to those mentioned above. It is noticeable, for example, that all challenges that are closely linked to the decision-making function of managers are rather rarely mentioned as a central "construction site." For example, only 18 percent emphasized that one of their greatest challenges was "adapting targets to the changed framework conditions".

"Classic" leadership experiences renaissance

In view of the survey results, Barbara Liebermeister says one can speak of a "renaissance of leadership" in the current crisis. Moreover, in retrospect, it seems almost absurd that until the outbreak of the pandemic, there was still lively discussion under such buzzwords as holocracy about the extent to which leadership and managers would still be necessary at all in the company of the future. In contrast, he said, IFIDZ has always emphasized that "leadership must change, but it is becoming increasingly important in the digital age." According to Liebermeister, the Corona pandemic, which is also accompanied by a surge in digitization, now makes it abundantly clear that this is true.

For more information on the results of the latest IFIDZ Leadership Trendbarometer, please visit the IFIDZ website (www.ifidz.de) in the studies section.

Especially in a new work environment, it is often difficult to adapt to the clothing style of colleagues and superiors. Nevertheless, it is important to appear appropriately dressed and not to fall too much out of the grid with your outfits. That's why we've put together some tips for everyday professional fashion in the office for you.

Convincing outfit thanks to professionalism

In addition to impeccable content, punctuality and a confident appearance, the appearance should also be right. After all, external factors - such as the style of clothing and a well-groomed hairstyle - also have an impact on the overall image and convey a certain professionalism. Especially in business appointments, in meetings or in appointments with potential customers, the appearance should therefore also match the content presented and convey the same aplomb. Self-confidence, interaction and a healthy self-assessment are also important in order to maintain a professional image. With these three additional tips, the appearance will succeed:

• Fit: buy clothes in the right size.
• Cleanliness: Ironed, washed and without stains, holes or tears.
• Restraint: muted colors are better than colorful, garish patterns.

Follow the dress code of the company

Nevertheless, one thing applies above all: Observe and adapt! It's best to look at your colleagues at the beginning and pay attention to their clothing style. In this way, you can quickly and easily determine which dress code applies and is appropriate in the company. Especially in traditional companies, a suit and tie or a suit or pantsuit are often still the order of the day. In other offices, on the other hand, the smart casual or casual look may be more the norm.

Dos and don'ts when choosing clothes

Often it is not so easy to know whether an outfit is appropriate for the office or whether it will cause unpleasant looks. So it is all the more important to take into account some basic rules that will save you from these embarrassments. At a glance:

Thu:

• Blouses and shirts: Are classic office all-rounders and never a mistake. Unless the rest of your colleagues prefer to wear T-shirts or simple sweaters. Then you should adapt to this style.
• Chino, jeans and slacks: Simple, plain pants are also a great option for the office look and are easy to pair with a blouse, shirt, sweater or tunic.
• Colorful tunics and loose dresses: Are not only comfortable, but also great to combine in winter. With tights and a chic blazer the ideal office outfit.
• Leather lace-ups, loafers and moccasins: When it comes to footwear, there are also some classics that are not only comfortable, but also well suited for everyday office wear.
• Blazer and jacket: Especially for those who have business appointments in between, a blazer or jacket is well advised and top dressed.
• Accessories: A pretty necklace, a pair of chic glasses or a few simple cufflinks are often enough to enhance the outfit and set subtle accents.

Don't

• Too much naked skin: Either opt for a skirt and show leg or wear a blouse with a neckline. Both are definitely too much for the office.
• Ripped jeans: In most offices, used-look jeans are not considered appropriate. It's best to go for simple jeans without rips and holes.
• High heels or over the knee boots: Women in particular often tend to wear high heels to the office. But beware: better (and more comfortable) are shoes with only a few centimeters heel.
• Animal Print: Attention also applies to leopard looks. These often look cheap and not very professional.
• Too much perfume: Nothing is more unpleasant than a colleague who is too strongly perfumed.
• Unkempt appearance: Three-day beard or clothes that smell of sweat can attract negative attention. Freshly washed laundry should therefore be a matter of course.
• Sneakers: Wearing sports shoes to the office probably doesn't go down too well. Unless the casual look is commonplace in the office. Then you should only pay attention to clean sneakers.

The inspiration for this post comes from the international fashion company Ulla Popkenwhich specializes in plus size women's fashion. Especially in the area of business fashion you will find numerous outfit ideas and inspirations for varied office looks.

The vast majority of companies and public authorities are pushing ahead with digitization during the pandemic: it remains the top priority for 2021 as well. That about sums up Capgemini's IT Trends Study 2021. Almost half of the respondents (48.4 percent) said their company plans to increase its IT budget in 2021; twelve months earlier, 63.1 percent still intended to spend more money. For around 27 percent, IT budgets for 2021 will remain at the previous year's level. That is a good 5 percent more than a year ago. Only just under 15 percent of respondents will reduce IT spending. This proportion is unchanged, but the cuts are more drastic than before. The sectors most affected are those that are currently subject to restrictions or are facing fundamental challenges. 9.4 percent of the study participants abstained.

This means that the Corona pandemic is only having a limited negative impact on IT spending. This is because 87 percent of companies and public authorities are using it as an opportunity to expand digitization. After the waning interest in the previous year, it is once again at the top of the priority list for 2021, followed by efficiency enhancement, cost reduction and the development of new IT products and services. Alignment with the needs of end customers has become more important for many organizations and now ranks fifth.

Projects stopped or postponed

Almost 55 percent of respondents reacted to the uncertain economic situation by shifting budgets. Around 25 percent have stopped IT projects, while 42 percent have postponed the start of projects into the future. Almost three-quarters of the postponed projects are expected to start in the coming year. Of the stopped projects, nearly half are expected to continue in the coming year. 18 percent of the study participants have brought forward IT projects. Of these, however, almost one-third are not expected to be completed.

Guido Kamann, Head of Capgemini in Switzerland, explains: "Since the outbreak of the pandemic, companies and public authorities have been increasingly pushing digitalization in order to maintain operations in the new situation with lockdown and longer-term restrictions. There was a need to quickly enable or expand working from home, as well as contactless service and online sales. As part of this, information evaluation and use, shorter release cycles and partner networks became more important, while less attention was paid to flexibility and efficiency."

Expenditure on system maintenance still high

On average, CIOs invest 27 percent of their budget in modernization and around 26 percent in new applications and systems. Expenditure on maintaining existing systems remains high at just under 47 percent. Large corporations have the lowest costs in this area, while midsize companies have the highest. The midmarket pro rata obtains fewer services from provider clouds, which possibly leads to higher fixed costs. Another factor could be the lower level of automation in the last 12 months compared to corporations. As a result, SMEs are currently able to invest less money in modernization and new developments than corporate groups.

IT budgets: Reducing the cost of what already exists

"IT budgets have increased almost permanently in recent years, but the proportions of spending on existing IT and new have hardly changed. To gain financial leeway, companies and public authorities should reduce their costs for the existing - for example, through automation and other innovations. Then they can respond more easily to market changes and develop their business models in a more visionary way," comments Guido Kamann. However, only individual organizations or industries are currently succeeding in implementing the principle of cost reduction through innovation.

Source: www.capgemini.com/ch-en/.

From August to October 2020, the market and social research institute gfs-zürich conducted a representative survey of 503 CEOs of small companies (4 to 49 employees) in German-, French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland on the impact of the Corona pandemic on digitalization. The survey was conducted on behalf of digitalswitzerland, Mobiliar, the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the School of Business at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW).

Opportunities seized - cyber risks underestimated

After an average of 10% of employees worked primarily from home at the beginning of 2020, almost four times as many did so during the lockdown (38 percent). After the lockdown, the figures fell again, but with 16% of employees working from home, the proportion has risen by 60% compared with the start of the year. While Swiss SMEs demonstrate flexibility, the risks of home office and digitalization are underestimated by many. Some results of the study in detail:

• Online conferencing tools on the rise: After e-mail and telephone, communication in SMEs most frequently takes place via private communication channels such as WhatsApp or other messenger services. With the lockdown, online conferencing tools in particular have become more important: The share of virtual meetings has increased from 9% to 20%, more than doubling.
• A quarter of Swiss SMEs have already been the victim of a serious cyber attack: of the approximately 38,250 SMEs attacked throughout Switzerland, around one third (12,930 SMEs) suffered financial damage and one in ten attacks resulted in reputational damage and/or the loss of customer data.
• Preventive measures are taken too rarely: Despite frequent cyberattacks, only one in two SMEs has an emergency plan to ensure business continuity, and around two-thirds neither conduct regular employee training nor have they implemented a security concept in the company.
• People as a risk factor - cyber risks are often underestimated: Only just under half (47%) of CEOs said they were well informed about security-related issues. Even more drastic is the lack of awareness of becoming a victim of a cyber attack themselves: Only just 11% rate the risk of being put out of action for a day by a cyber attack as high.

Federal government to further improve framework conditions for cyber security

Florian Schütz, the federal government's delegate for cybersecurity, praises the adaptability of Swiss SMEs: "It is gratifying to see how progressive even Switzerland's smaller SMEs are in terms of their IT infrastructure and that cybersecurity is attracting more and more attention. The lockdown has shown how important digital transformation is in order to remain adaptable. Many SMEs have recognized this and accelerated their digitization efforts. However, the current situation also makes it clear how important it is that we create framework conditions to shape cybersecurity in Switzerland in such a way that the opportunities of digitization can be exploited as well as possible. To this end, the Confederation intends to further expand its efforts and actively support the population and the economy in protecting themselves against cyber risks." Specifically, the Confederation has developed a quick test for SMEs in collaboration with digitalswitzerland. This allows small businesses to quickly and easily check how well they are protected against cyber risks. More efficiency is also required in the prosecution of cyber crimes. In this regard, cooperation among the cantonal police corps is being strengthened.

Around 13000 SMEs have already been victims of a cyber attack

As mentioned above, almost 13,000 SMEs have already been victims of a cyber attack. Most of these were cases of ransomware: via phishing or open ports, criminals installed malware that encrypts data and decrypts it again for a ransom. Andreas Hölzli, Head of Mobiliar's Cyber Risk Competence Center, regrets that too many SMEs still think that nothing can be taken from them. Accordingly, risk management is poorly developed: "The problem is that organizational measures in particular are often not given as much weight. Companies need measures that go beyond the technical aspects, including, for example, raising the awareness of their employees." In addition to technical protection measures such as antivirus programs or firewalls, functioning backups are also important. "Unfortunately, we often experience that backups cannot be restored properly. Either the data is also encrypted or not all the data has been backed up at all," says Hölzli. He therefore emphasizes that backups must always be kept separate from the system. He also finds that many SMEs lack contingency planning in the event of a business interruption due to a cyber incident.

Home office will become more established - cyber risk awareness must keep pace

Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter from the FHNW is convinced that the home office will establish itself in the long term as a component of the new working world strategy of "blended working": "In many jobs, a mix between working in the home office and in the office will be part of everyday life. However, it must be urgently taken into account that this will increase the demands on important technology and IT security investments in Swiss SMEs."

The large number of SMEs affected by a cyber attack is an additional motivation for Nicole Wettstein, Program Manager Cybersecurity at SATW, to push forward with the ongoing awareness activities: "It is central to further increase the proportion of SMEs that implement minimum measures for basic cybersecurity protection." Andreas W. Kaelin, deputy managing director and head of the cybersecurity dossier at digitalswitzerland, adds: "The cyber resilience of SMEs must increase." In this context, he speaks of "unconscious incompetence" that is still too widespread in many places. Delegating the issue of IT security to external service providers falls short of the mark. Kaelin points out: "According to the survey, around two-thirds of small companies are supported by external IT service providers. This shows that we urgently need to take measures that make it easier for companies to identify trustworthy IT service providers. After all, a company's security stands or falls with its service providers." A label is therefore also in the works that certifies IT service providers for their competence in cyber risks.

Source and further information: ictswitzerland.ch and digitalswitzerland.com

The proportion of female board members worldwide and in Switzerland in particular is growing steadily - but slowly. This is shown by the latest edition of the Global Diversity Study, which the consulting firm Egon Zehner has been collecting every two years since 2004.

Gender equality on boards of directors: Companies make up ground

According to the study, at the end of April 2020, 97.6 percent of the leading Swiss companies covered by the study had at least one woman on their board of directors, compared with 94.6 percent in 2018. Switzerland is thus catching up with the Western European standard, which now stands at almost one hundred percent. Internationally, nine out of ten boards of directors (89 percent) already have at least one female representative, up from 85 percent in 2018.

Of the 400 board seats held by the Swiss companies surveyed, around a quarter - 99 - are currently held by a woman. This means that the proportion of women on Swiss boards has increased by 15.8 percent since 2004. The boards of Western European companies showed even stronger growth, namely 24 percent - 32 percent of the more than 5,000 board seats there are now held by women, with France again showing the greatest diversity with a 43.8 percent share of female board members.

Diversity as a competitive factor

The number of Swiss companies with already two female representatives on the board of directors has increased by 5.1 percent to 78.0 percent in the last two years, while the number with already three female board members has risen by 8.5 percent to 46.3 percent. The reason for this increase may be that some female board members have expanded their activities and accepted additional mandates. For example, the number of female board members with multiple mandates rose from 2.5 percent in 2018 to 6.5 percent at the cut-off date of the 2020 study.

The consulting firm Egon Zehner expects the situation for Switzerland in this area to develop further over the next few years, not least as a result of the new gender benchmarks introduced as of January 1, 2021 in accordance with the revision of stock corporation law. In 2020, for example, 35.4 percent of new board memberships in Switzerland were already held by women. In the case of new appointments, globally less than a third of the positions to be filled go to women (29.7 percent), while the average in Western Europe is 36.8 percent and for the USA together with Canada 37.2 percent.

"When considering companies, diversity in practice is playing an increasingly important role for investors. This also has an impact on the attractiveness of a company as an employer. Diverse teams with an inclusive culture achieve more innovative results. They understand the expectations of changing target groups. The distribution of management tasks among people of different genders and backgrounds is therefore a sociopolitical as well as an economic imperative. Diversity and inclusivity have thus become an important competitive factor for corporate success," says Simone Stebler, responsible for diversity and inclusion activities at Egon Zehnder, commenting on the results of the study.

Still (too) few female CEOs

When it comes to executive functions or positions held by women within a board of directors, gender equality is not yet so good. Female CEOs or CFOs are also a rare species. In 2020, for example, only 2.4 percent of the Swiss companies analyzed were headed by female CEOs. Their share is thus below the average for Western Europe (5.7 percent) or the USA (5.3 percent). Switzerland also ranks behind in terms of female CFOs, with a share of 2.5 percent compared with 14.0 percent in Western Europe and 14.7 percent in the USA.

"The identification and development of high-potential female employees must be given priority in all companies," clarifies Simone Stebler. She is convinced that "there is no shortage of highly qualified female candidates. But it is not enough to look at their potential and develop them - without a focus on creating an inclusive corporate culture in which both male and female leadership qualities are equally valued, we will continue to make progress only at a snail's pace."

Source: Egon Zehnder

Despite the current circumstances, the Business Expo 2020 was held with the Entrepreneur Award, and online. Various workshops were offered on practical and current topics that concern small businesses, such as crisis management, marketing via social media, financial investments, online marketing and much more. These workshops could be booked in advance and were held as webinars.

Entrepreneur Award 2020 new in two categories

One of the highlights will be the presentation of the Entrepreneur Award. This award recognizes the achievements and commitment of the countless micro and small enterprises, many of which consist of just one person. In a multi-stage nomination process, a shortlist of three finalists was selected in each of the categories "small business" (2 to 49 employees) and "sole proprietorship without employees". These had the opportunity to present their business model in a three-minute pitch to a panel of experts. This jury of four, Lukas Nauer (CEO netpulse AG), Riccarda Mecklenburg (founder CrowdConsul.ch), Rolf Kummli (founder KUMMLI Netzwerk GmbH) and Sandra Ischi (co-owner Permashop AG), represents a very strong connection to micro-enterprises. All jury members once started "small" themselves or are consciously on the road as micro-enterprises themselves.

Small business with ambition and a sense of sustainability

The finalists for the Entrepreneur Award 2020 in the category "Small businesses with 2 to 49 employees" were:

• Kay Keusen with his Premium Swiss Chocolate GmbH from Adliswil: The business model is based on the "bean-to-bar" concept. This means that the entire supply chain, from the cocoa bean to the finished product, can be tracked seamlessly. And the complete production of the chocolate bars also takes place without intermediate products. In other words, everything is cracked, roasted, conched, ground, sieved, tempered and poured in-house. This results in premium products with a wide variety of flavors.
• Michi Keel with Simplee AG: The core competencies of this small company from Dübendorf lie in the implementation of charging infrastructures for electric cars. The company sets up chargers in new or existing underground garages, for example, and also handles the billing of the electricity used. simplee AG has already won projects from well-known clients.
• Karin Patton with the Barfuss Brewery Ltd. from Wuppenau TG: From a hobby brewery in the laundry room developed since 2014 to a creative production of gourmet beers in combination with regional "appetizers". The Barfuss Brewery has also made a name for itself with tasting events and has already been able to take top places with its products at some of the renowned awards in the beer brewing scene.

Of these three finalists, it was ultimately Barfuss Brauerei GmbH with Karin Patton that convinced the jury the most. In particular, the emphasis on sensory aspects was praised: "The sensory takes on a new significance precisely because of the Corona pandemic," said jury member Riccarda Mecklenburg. The integration of the family - Karin Patton's husband Bryan comes from Grand Rapids in the USA, the actual "beer capital" of the United States, and provided the actual impetus for home-brewed beer - as well as the agility of the company were also viewed positively by the jury. This is because the Barfuss Brewery's online store was quickly expanded and the sales concept adapted accordingly. The jury was also impressed by the microbrewery's "young talent concept": Instead of apprenticeship training, the brewery offers internships for apprenticeship graduates from Ticino or Welsh-speaking Switzerland. Karin Patton was visibly pleased with the award: "At last I'm in the front rank. Often enough I was only second!" was her first reaction.

Sole proprietors with a sense of craftsmanship

In the case of sole proprietorships, the following three entrepreneurs were in the final:

• Angelika Eggmann from Frauenfeld: She has revived a local specialty with the "Thurgauerli". Angelika Eggmann makes this confection from almond paste with a chocolate coating herself and sells them in her Heart Manufacture Ltd. as gift packs. Angelika Eggmann pays special attention to local suppliers and fair trade products.
• Tanja Kunz, Baar ZG, has a "Female Power Coaching"for ambitious power women. As a "mental mountain guide", she encourages women to tap their potential and use it for a successful professional career. Tanja Kunz has been on the road independently since March 2020 and has already been able to successfully offer her program several times. Through a high level of activity in social media, she draws attention to the topic of "Gender Equality" and strives to be able to accompany her own women's advancement programs in companies.
• Karin Jost, Möhlin AG: The trained biology lab technician produces natural soaps, which she sells in her "Soap Garden" named company offers for sale. No synthetic fragrances or colors are used in these soaps, only plant-based raw materials. The products are therefore particularly well tolerated by people suffering from skin diseases such as neurodermatitis - which also affects Karin Jost. The products are sold online, and from January 2021, the company will now also open its own store.

In the end, "craftsmanship" won the race in this category as well: The Entrepreneur Award 2020 was won by Karin Jost. The jury paid particular tribute to the continuity of business development and Karin Jost's motivation to continue a sustainable business model and diversify the product range despite high production costs and low margins. "Her visions of how she wants to go into the future with her soap garden convinced us," summarized jury member Sandra Ischi.

Entrepreneur Award honors impressive examples of (small) entrepreneurship in action

Overall, all the nominated companies mentioned here were characterized by a high degree of intrinsic motivation for their entrepreneurship: They live for their small business. Not all entrepreneurs are yet able to make a 100 percent living from their business, but they are nevertheless highly satisfied with their current work-life balance. First and foremost is the conviction that they are responsible for something and can make their own entrepreneurial decisions.

The pitches and the award ceremony can be viewed as a video here: https://entrepreneur-award.ch/pitching-siegerehrung

Jörg Weber, owner and founder of the Swiss fashion chain Chicorée, is stepping down from the Board of Directors after more than 38 years of operational activity and is handing over the reins to the new CEO Thomas Ullmann. Thomas Ullmann has already been working for the company for 25 years as COO in the purchasing and sales departments and has played a significant role in the successful development of the Chicorée Group. Newly, the two sons Pascal Weber & Mathias Weber take over the functions as Co-CEOs and join the management.

The young generation takes over

"It gives me great pleasure to be able to hand over operational management to the next generation with Thomas Ullmann and my two sons," comments Jörg Weber on the generational change. "In this constellation and through my function as Chairman of the Board of Directors, we will lead Chicorée into the future together. In view of the strong position in the market, the timing is ideal for a generational change in management," Weber continues. The management reshuffle at Chicorée has been completed as of December 1, 2020.

Chicory continues to grow

Chicory Group increased total sales in 2019 by 5% to CHF 159 million, the highest sales in the company's entire history. In the current year 2020, Joerg Weber expects a decrease in sales of 10% due to the closures because of Corona. "This is a pleasing result in that we were able to continue to increase sales this year outside the 2-month closures, which is due to the still good consumer demand in the discount sector, a strong collection, as well as a further massive increase in customer loyalty," explains Jörg Weber. In 2020, 6 new stores have been opened so far, with another new opening to follow in December. The detailed report on the 2020 financial year will be published in January 2021.

Launch in e-commerce and new omnichannel services

Chicory continues to aim for a fast pace and further growth in 2021. Between 5 and 10 new locations are planned. Also planned for next year are new omnichannel services such as Click & Collect (reserve products online and pay or pick them up in the store) and the launch of the e-commerce business.

Source and further information

Many people talk about CO₂. But AEE SUISSE, the umbrella organization of the economy for renewable energies and energy efficiency, doesn't just want to talk. It has launched "Mission Zéro," a voluntary initiative by Swiss industry and science. Its goal is to identify solutions to counter climate change and to encourage people in their various roles to play an active role.

Swiss Future Prize: Application until 21.1.2021

The Swiss Future Prize now wants even more: It presents people who, with ideas, courage and perseverance, are making a tangible contribution to a world in balance. The motto of the Swiss Future Prize 2021 is "Economy in (Climate) Change" and is deliberately formulated in an open manner. With which solutions and at which stage - already implemented for years, recently introduced or only in planning and development - is irrelevant. Everyone can become a Climate Hero 2021!

Companies, company founders, start-ups or individuals and teams from Switzerland and Liechtenstein can apply for the title "Climate Hero 2021" until January 21, 2021.

The jury

The jury for the Swiss Future Prize is as diverse as the commitment and solutions to climate change. Experts from business, science, media and society judge the applications received. However, the public has the final say on who deserves the title of "Climate Hero 2021": Starting in March 2021, three finalists and their solutions to climate change will be presented and evaluated in a public vote.

The National Climate Day

The Future Prize will be awarded on the occasion of the first National Climate Day. The National Climate Day will take place on May 27, 2021 in Bern on the Bundesplatz, in Zurich's main train station and at other locations throughout Switzerland. The National Climate Day 2021 is intended to bring together people, organizations and companies who not only want to discuss, but also want to act. The focus is on effective solutions, ideas and innovations. The mixture of inspiration, dialogue and entertainment is unique. Together we can take action and achieve a lot to bring the world back into balance.

The Swiss Future Prize is part of AEE SUISSE's "Mission Zéro" and is supported by Promerit, SAP and Cardea. You can find more information about the Future Prize at www.zukunftspreis.ch.