The range of topics was broad: making decisions, motivating, taking responsibility, but also self-reflection, allowing criticism or personal well-being in leadership roles were discussed and debated on the afternoon of October 23, 2019.

Leadership is more than just making decisions

The event began with an input presentation by Mathias Müller. He is a studied psychologist, politician, book author and professional officer of the Swiss Army. In his current function, he is responsible for the annual recruitment of new soldiers. His definition of leadership is also found in the service regulations of the Armed Forces: "To direct the actions of subordinates toward the achievement of a goal." And to do that, it requires the following three duties: Deciding, motivating (by conveying meaning) and taking responsibility. Using various personally experienced examples, he showed that leadership is anything but just giving orders. The personal value compass always plays a role, he said: "Nobody wants to act badly. People always want to do well," Müller said. But, of course, he conceded that what one person thinks is good can also be bad for others. A boss must also know the strengths and weaknesses of his subordinates well. This is another essence of good leadership, he said. And on the subject of "wrong decisions," Mathias Müller advised the audience to allow criticism and to "learn instead of regret.

Variety of topics communicated holistically

Afterwards, there was an opportunity to find out more about the offerings of various companies from the santé & entreprise network. Beat Rüfli, Managing Director of the network, which now has a considerable number of members in the Espace Mittelland region, succeeded in offering a mix of topics that at first glance seemed unusual. But on closer inspection and in the discussions between the participants, it became clear to what extent these topics are directly related to each other. Those who do not feel well work ineffectively, which influences the quality of decisions and has corresponding consequences. Therefore, not only "leadership" itself was discussed, but also, for example, needs-oriented nutrition or motivation and spirit - the chosen method of World Cafés allowed for a correspondingly lively interaction. The cruise on Lake Biel with the solar-powered catamaran Mobicat provided a correspondingly harmonious setting.

More information about the network: www.santeprise.ch

Following the first major Swiss study on digital transformation two years ago, the second research volume on Working World 4.0 is now available. Authors from the School of Business FHNW and the School of Applied Psychology FHNW as well as the Future Work Group examined the state of New Work through a broad-based study with 1,144 participants.

No strategy for working world 4.0

Key findings of the study are:

• Only 12% of the companies surveyed have already reached an advanced stage in New Work; 45% of the companies are in the process of transformation and 43% are still in the early stages.
• 76% of the companies do not have a strategy on New Work or the employees are not aware of it.
• 58% of companies do not involve employees in the design of Working World 4.0.
• The biggest barriers for companies are lack of knowledge/know-how (42%), existing leadership and organizational structures that are sometimes rigid (41%), and conflicts with other company priorities (35%).
• The top reasons for New Work are pressure to innovate (66%), better internal communication (64%), and gaining more flexibility (55%).

New Work as a Strategic Initiative

The study shows that Working World 4.0 is part of the digital transformation of companies. New Work can be described as a strategic initiative that unleashes the potential of optimized processes, automation, increased collaboration and networking, and the use of technologies in the context of people and especially employees. The three dimensions of people (employees), place (working environment) and technology (technologies) are at the heart of New Work.

According to the head of the study, Prof. Dr. Marc K. Peter from the Institute for Competitiveness and Communication at the FHNW School of Business, each dimension has its own characteristics. In the People dimension, the topics of corporate and leadership culture, collaboration, employer reputation, and employee training and development are highly weighted. In the modern working environment (Place), there is a need for flexible working hours, and in the technology dimension (Technology), targeted hardware and software investments support the transformation to the working world 4.0.

The research project was supported by Health Promotion Switzerland, Sedus Stoll, Sharp Electronics and Lenovo, among others. The study results and the practical guide to the working world 4.0 are available free of charge in PDF format at www.arbeitswelt-zukunft.ch

In German-speaking Switzerland, 65,000 people are employed in the cleaning industry. Many employees have a migration background and do not yet have a high level of proficiency in the national language. The cleaning industry offers them the opportunity to gain a foothold in a versatile, but also increasingly demanding profession. They can also take advantage of numerous opportunities for ongoing on-the-job training.

Practice-oriented vocational training

Corinne Schärer is Vice President of the PK Reinigung and represents the interests of the employees. The central secretary and head of Unia's policy department is convinced that education is essential for the cleaning industry, starting with language skills: "Cleaners must be able to communicate and understand what jobs they have to do. Those who have a good knowledge of the job will advance professionally and personally. The entire industry benefits from this, because customer requirements are also increasing in the cleaning sector. Better trained employees provide better service to customers - so everyone is satisfied." The Vice President of the PK Reinigung emphasizes that the way in which education is provided is crucial: "Education must start with the individual - with his or her competencies. Vocational training in particular must be very practice-oriented. Education is very important for the development of the cleaning industry, but also overall for the future of our society, especially the world of work. For individuals, it's the opportunity to advance professionally and do interesting jobs." (Video Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCSVlbwyygE)

"Respect in the Workplace: New course on bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination

The numerous services offered by PK Reinigung are actively used. The German courses alone were attended by around 900 people in 2018. In 2018, PK Reinigung successfully introduced the wage-relevant CLA training course. Starting in October 2019, a new 2-part course on mobbing, sexual harassment and discrimination will be held. In the basic and in-depth module, employees and managers acquire the necessary knowledge to recognize cases of bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination. They learn how to react appropriately and take the necessary steps. They test concrete actions. Social pedagogue Lu Decurtins is one of six experts who developed the course. He formulates his personal wish for the cleaning industry: "Employees should feel strong, have a secure position and stand up for their rights."

More information: www.reineprofis.ch

For the third time, Female Business Seminars, a company specializing in gender diversity, is holding its practical dialogue, which will take place on November 20, as it did last year, in the Porsche Centre Zurich (Schlieren) will take place. Around the topic "Emotional intelligence: common denominator for inclusive leadership?" a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Karin Jeker will shed light on what today's times need for a leadership style, what room there is for emotions alongside all the digitality, and whether EQ advances men and women equally and contributes to more sustainable leadership.

Look forward to keynote speaker and book author Nicole Brandes, HR Strategist Yves Givel, Hyatt Hotels Corporation and top golfer and young entrepreneur Fabienne In-Albon. This is a "Welcome Ladies & Gentlemen" occasion, so men are also welcome.

There are still a few places available; ORGANISATOR readers can still register until the end of October at the preferential price of CHF 65.- (instead of CHF 85.-) by calling https://www.femalebusinessseminars.ch/veranstaltungen/fb-praxisdialog-2019 (promotion code: organizer2019)

In recent years, risk management has developed into a popular instrument for corporate planning and control. Whereas in the past it was mainly large companies that made use of it, today more and more SMEs are also recognizing and utilizing the added value of proactively dealing with risks. When companies engage in risk management, they primarily aim to create transparency about their own risk situation, according to the results of a study conducted by the Funk Group. After their identification, analysis and evaluation, the most important risks are treated with proactive and reactive measures, which can mainly be assigned to the risk strategies "Avoid", "Reduce", "Carry yourself " and "Transfer".

Depending on the industry and activity, approximately 20-30% of all corporate risks are transferable to insurance companies. Consequently, insurance management should definitely be considered and handled as a sub-discipline of risk management. All the more surprising is the fact that both disciplines are organized in silos in many companies. While risk management is usually anchored at the strategic or operational level and thus falls under the responsibility of the board of directors, executive management or quality management, insurance management is often the joint responsibility of different departments such as finance/accounting, human resources or legal services/compliance. This is a suboptimal constellation that promotes information barriers and makes it difficult to link the two disciplines.

Link importance

The importance of aligning content and insights between risk and insurance management becomes apparent when considering the risks addressed therein. Insurance has its raison d'être due to uncertainties and the cost benefits of collective risk bearing. Most insurance solutions reduce the impact of existence-threatening risks with a high extent of damage and low probability of occurrence (fire, natural hazards, defective products, etc.) or particularly frequent risks with a low extent of damage and high probability of occurrence (illness, occupational accidents, collisions, etc.). For the former type of risk, risk-adjusted insurance solutions are essential. If the actual risk is unknowingly significantly higher than the purchased sum insured or coverage, this is referred to as underinsurance. The occurrence of risks that threaten the existence of a company can put an underinsured company in a serious predicament. Equally unfavorable is overinsurance, where the purchased coverage range is unknowingly significantly higher than the effective risk. In this case, a company pays insurance premiums for a non-existent risk instead of putting this capital to good use in its own business activities. The signals about the actual amount of insurable risks or the effective risk can be sent from the risk management to the insurance management in order to ensure risk-adjusted insurance solutions.

Insurability and multivariate risk assessment as links

The information barriers can be overcome by means of minor changes in the organizational and methodological design of risk management. It is imperative to involve insurance managers in risk analyses and workshops in order to promote risk understanding. At the very least, those responsible for insurance, including insurance brokers, should be included in the distribution list of the regularly prepared risk report for the attention of the board of directors. Also under obligation are the insurance officers, whose responsibilities ideally include reviewing the insurability or insurability of the relevant risks. To facilitate this review, some methodological adjustments in risk management are useful. In insurance policies, insured risks (causes) as well as insured losses and costs (effects) are explicitly defined. Recording and documenting the causes of individual risks as part of risk identification and analysis greatly simplifies the comparison with insurable and currently insured causes and hazards.

Expand risk assessment

Furthermore, it is advisable to extend the classic two-dimensional risk assessment according to probability of occurrence and extent of damage by additional variables. In particular, the impact of a risk can be assessed in addition to financial damage according to property damage (equipment, machines, server rooms, parts of buildings, etc.), personal injury (minor injuries, serious injuries, disability, death, etc.) and business interruption (a few hours to several days or weeks), thus providing important impulses for those responsible for insurance. Other variables - depending on the industry and the company's activities - could be environmental damage, compliance violations or reputational damage.

A data breach may not result in property damage or personal injury, but it may have a negative impact on reputation and cause various additional expenses and costs (e.g., for notifying the affected parties). In contrast, a natural hazard (e.g., flooding) causes mainly physical damage and can also lead to business interruption. Finally, a defectively designed product could result in personal injury and property damage, damage a company's reputation, and result in a business interruption (re-engineering of the product). This multivariate risk assessment allows conclusions to be drawn about the insurability of risks and, in combination with the causes, provides indications as to whether a risk could be covered under cyber, property, business interruption, liability insurance or another insurance solution.

Decide based on facts

In principle, a risk is insurable if it is assessed as critical or relevant and is insurable. Nevertheless, insurable risks are at least partially borne by the company itself on the basis of its individual risk-bearing capacity and risk appetite. It is important that the decision on the extent of self-bearing is made consciously and - if possible - based on facts. The organizational and methodological extensions of risk management described above and the link with insurance management create actual transparency about the risk situation and simplify the decision for or against an insurance solution or a specific coverage module. The reconciliation of the risk assessment and thus the effective risk with the current insurance sums also prevents underinsurance and overinsurance and promotes needs-based insurance solutions.

Author:
Max Keller heads the Funk RiskLab at Funk Insurance Brokers AG.
www.funk-gruppe.ch

What is a virtual workstation? This is an invisible desktop computer, i.e. a virtual desktop, which is available around the clock and from any location. All that is required is Internet access and any terminal device with a display and keyboard, such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc. Digitizing the workplace helps reduce your IT costs.

We demonstrate the benefits of a virtual desktop concept with this example:

1. Some virtual desktop providers charge a fixed price per user and month. Others calculate on the basis of actual usage behavior, which is why the amount varies each month. In the former case, the digital workstation is combined with services such as mail and office products and other applications, which are billed monthly. This makes it possible to determine exactly how much a virtual desktop costs in total per month. This cost transparency creates a high level of added value.
2. Another advantage is that users can use their own device. Thus, hardware does not have to be procured at a periodic interval. If older equipment is available, one product is particularly suitable for reducing costs: the UD Pocket from IGEL - a small USB stick for changing workspace environments - is an effective means of continuing to use old, already depreciated hardware as a thin client. Companies plug the UD Pocket Stick into any endpoint, launch Citrix applications and are connected to their corporate desktop. With a virtual desktop, performance is delivered in the data center. Therefore, the devices and network nodes in the company get by with little computing power. The UD Pocket is used by companies to implement the security policy; it is exclusively responsible for displaying the desktop.

To the author:
Thomas Bossard is ICT Architect at GIA Informatik AG in Oftringen.

Why is SAP on Azure by GIA from Microsoft important?

The public cloud solution in the form of a managed service, SAP on Azure by GIA, makes sense for companies with a "cloud first" strategy, a broad Microsoft product range and for companies with a global focus and the desire for local support from Microsoft Azure specialist GIA Informatik AG. This SAP solution for Azure is available within a few hours and is ideally suited for an SAP S/4HANA sandbox. There is no need to invest in new hardware.

Three facts about SAP on Azure by GIA from Microsoft

• SAP on Azure by GIA from Microsoft Azure is globally available and highly scalable.
• Microsoft Azure has strategic partnerships with German software vendor SAP, Nuremberg-based German software company Suse, and U.S. software vendor Red Hat.
• All SAP-supported databases - including non-HANA systems - can be migrated to the Azure Cloud.

Four tips about SAP on Azure that I need to know

• Microsoft's SAP solution for Azure is not a cost-cutting exercise.
• The costs for this Azure solution are not exactly predictable.
• The SAP system solution for Azure requires a modern network and security know-how at the companies on the customer side.
• This SAP system solution for Azure requires specialist personnel for the cloud on the customer side.

What does SAP on Azure offer?

With the services in the Azure Cloud, SAP systems close to other systems - preferably Microsoft products such as Office 365, Active Directory and File Services - can be set up quickly and highly scalable at worldwide locations within a few hours and without investment costs. For SAP Basis operations, there are no significant changes compared to the SAP application from a private cloud or an OnPremise solution. GIA Informatik AG analyzes clients' concerns and puts together a mix of cloud services tailored to them, such as private cloud, public cloud services and on-premise solutions in the SAP and IT environment as a general contractor.

How do I protect and manage SAP on Azure?

The very high security standards of Microsoft data centers offer companies a high level of protection for customer data. SAP on Azure offers global disaster tolerance with its worldwide data centers. The operation of an SAP IT landscape in the Azure cloud is identical to that of an on-premise landscape.

Author:
Roger Lussi is Deputy Head of SAP Technology at GIA Informatik AG. www.gia.ch

Under the title "The good spirit in the company" we follow the story of an ideally regulated company succession. Bruno Aregger, founder and owner of APPLETREE, accompanied Ruedi and Selina Bauberger of Bauberger AG, the Swiss general contractor for industrial relocation, machine assembly and maintenance, during their company succession. In an interview with them, he shows how a generational change can be optimally successful. The third part of the video series deals with the question of how to find the right buyer for the company to be handed over and what Ruedi and Selina Bauberger paid particular attention to in the process.

To be continued. You can find the first two parts of the video series here and here.

The Hays Professionals Index for the first half of 2019 shows a continuous increase in demand for IT professionals over the last few years. The fact that the graph shows a slight decline from the first to the second quarter could be due to the nature of the survey. Published job openings are counted to create the index, and multiple advertisements are filtered out. There is no doubt that IT continues to be on an upward trend. This applies to all specializations, even if demand for certain qualifications fluctuates slightly.

Specialists are sought by companies of all sizes - from startups with two employees to large corporations. Small and medium-sized companies with 20 to 500 employees in particular like to call in a recruiter for permanent placements. These companies are often still too small or too new on the market to be considered a brand and attract applicants with their name. However, this does not mean that they are not attractive as employers, especially since many of them are successfully operating in a growth market.

Particularly high demand for IT specialists in the field of analytics and security

Current boom areas within IT are analytics and security. Thanks to RFID chips, mobile devices, SIM cards installed in cars, increasing credit and loyalty card use and, in general, rapidly growing digitization, not only are ever greater volumes of data accumulating, but the period of time that can be digitally analyzed has also become very meaningful. Business intelligence experts and analysts are therefore sought after by every major company. In parallel, the demand for security experts continues to grow. On the one hand, the huge data lakes of corporations must be protected against unauthorized access, and on the other hand, phishing and ransomware attacks must be prevented - even for small and medium-sized companies. Maximum security has always been the watchword for banks and insurance companies; today, this increasingly applies to industrial companies and service providers that don't have much to do with IT at all. They, too, cannot afford to have their operations suddenly paralyzed. Specialists are being sought both by external security providers and by the companies themselves, which are setting up their own security departments.

The demand for IT professionals in database development in the ERP segment is fueled by SAP's 2025 deadline. From this date, only S/4 Hana and SAP Business Suite 7 on Hana will be supported. After 2025, the demand is expected to weaken somewhat. Experts in the field of machine learning are currently mainly sought in the university environment, although artificial intelligence is ubiquitous as a topic.

Where and how to search?

If companies have trouble finding IT experts with the right qualifications, they turn to a personnel service provider. But even for them, the task is not easy, since suitable candidates are generally in short supply and are only available for permanent employment every few years. In Switzerland, classic security experts and specialists for cyber security, risk, audit or network security are the most likely to be found. For more advanced specializations, especially if cloud experience is required, foreign countries often have to be included in the search. Not only are there hardly any experienced candidates in this country, Switzerland also trains too few IT specialists - with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts being a laudable exception. However, university graduates initially have only theoretical knowledge and, of course, do not specialize in any one subject. For Hays, they become interesting as candidates with three to five years of professional experience.

While recruitment in pharmaceutical research, for example, is always global, in IT good German language skills are desired even if the company language is English. So the search for candidates must not be conducted too internationally. For specialists from Germany, however, a move to Switzerland has become less attractive since the German economy has picked up significantly - all the more so if a developer wants to move here with children and has to find a rare and expensive daycare place here.

The wishes of the employees have changed

The candidates' concerns have changed in recent years. The youngest are guided by brands and are attracted to the large corporations they already know from their studies. Small and medium-sized companies, on the other hand, hardly have a chance to introduce themselves at universities. Flexible working time models with annual working hours, gladly also at a reduced workload, and the possibility of working from a home office are still in demand. In short, the young specialists primarily want a lot of freedom - even if they haven't really proven themselves yet. For the employer, this means: Agile project management alone is not enough to inspire the candidates they are looking for, if the daily Scrum meeting is then scheduled for 8:30 am. In the past, the stability of the workplace was an important concern for candidates; today, fringe benefits and an appealing office setup with table soccer are of greater importance.

A special situation prevails in Zurich, where Google operates its second-largest research site worldwide with 4,000 developers and wants to grow further. Google has no shortage of applicants, of course. However, developers who leave Google not infrequently have difficulty finding a new job. They often specialize in technologies that are far from being ready for the market. Hardly anyone speaks German. They are extremely spoiled when it comes to working hours and working environment, and after all, they have earned significantly more than their future supervisor will receive at another company. For many companies, ex-Googlers are therefore out of the question as employees - just as former bankers have a hard time finding a new professional home in other industry segments.

Attitudes in companies must change

Some companies still haven't gotten rid of the idea that candidates have to be grateful to be invited for an interview. But it's the other way around: the company has to be grateful that someone comes along! All signs indicate that this trend will intensify. The need for action on the part of companies is correspondingly great.

The challenge begins with self-promotion, which - if it exists at all - is primarily directed at potential customers. The effect on job applicants is hardly considered. However, an outdated website alone can keep rows of specialists from taking any further interest in an employer. Then there's the job posting: if it's not worded in a fresh and youthful way, the desired candidates are unlikely to apply. The application process is also crucial - not the systems that are used, but the esteem in which candidates are held. This also includes ensuring that the process does not drag on. If delays do occur, candidates must be informed if they are not to be lost to the competition. Many companies are still far too stuck in the old thought patterns and regard the job applicant as a supplicant.

Demand for IT professionals leads to rethink

Companies must make a special effort to modernize the working environment. The right people should not only be attracted, but also retained! Because once employees have built up product- and process-specific knowledge, it is tantamount to bloodletting when they leave the company.

In the meantime, there has been a rethink in Swiss politics; Curriculum 21 even provides for programming courses in school. As a high-wage country with few raw materials, Switzerland has no other option than to focus on technologies and thus on IT.

About the authors:
Patricia Jergen and Thorsten Morschheuser are recruiting experts at Hays.

Export growth appears to be stalling towards the end of the year. The export sentiment values from Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) as well as the Credit Suisse export barometer are indications that exports of goods and services are unlikely to increase further for the time being, although a decline in exports is not expected. According to the latest S-GE survey, although 47% of all SMEs expect exports to increase in Q4 2019 as well, the figures are at their lowest level in three years. The Credit Suisse Export Barometer has fallen to virtually zero.

Various uncertainties cloud export sentiment

Both the uncertainties surrounding the trade dispute between the US and China and the Brexit are causing problems for industrial companies, according to the export barometer. The composite purchasing managers' index (manufacturing and non-manufacturing) for the eurozone is at its lowest level in more than six years, according to Credit Suisse. This suggests a further weakening of demand from the eurozone - Switzerland's most important trading partner. At the same time, fears are intensifying that the decline in industry could also spread to the service sector and the labor market in Europe. Until now, the indicators for the service sector and the labor market had prevented economists from speaking of an impending recession.

MEM industries particularly affected

The ongoing global uncertainties are hitting the Swiss MEM industries particularly hard. MEM exports are down year-on-year in almost all major markets. Only exports to the USA increased slightly in the 3rd quarter of 2019. In contrast to the trends in Europe, namely in the USA the industrial and services PMIs improved again in September. However, these remained at a relatively low level only slightly above the growth threshold.

Source: Switzerland Global Enterprise

People who make neither active nor passive efforts in their job search have been on the decline for years: Whereas in 2010, 44 percent were still keeping their feet completely still, in 2019, only 39 percent are doing so. In contrast, all activities related to the job search are on the rise. This year, 28 percent are basically open to a new challenge without having actively looked (in 2010, 20 percent were). According to this year's survey, 19 percent have applied for at least one job, compared with 15 percent in 2010, according to the JobCloud Labor Market Study 2019.

Greater use of digital job portals continues

People who are actively searching are increasingly using more and more different sources of information. In 2008, people searched an average of four job portals; today, the figure is 6.5 portals - which can also be explained by the fact that the range of jobs on offer has steadily increased over the past ten years. As digital job portals such as jobs.ch become more widespread, jobs are also becoming more easily accessible to a broader target audience. Online portals continue to be the first port of call for job searches.

Strongest drive to search: money - strongest drive to stay: the team

You don't even have to be dissatisfied with your job to keep your eyes open. The study shows: Those who change jobs primarily want to earn more money - for 44 percent, this is true or very true. But the desire for a fundamental change in professional life is also a strong driver (42 percent).

Further findings of the 2019 labor market study

Although money is a strong motivation to change jobs, it is hardly an incentive to stay. Those who are neither actively nor passively looking for a job cite the good relationship with their teammates as the reason, rather than the great salary: For 91%, this statement is true or very true. Also important to employees is satisfaction with job content and the workplace (88 percent).

Additional findings from the 2019 Labor Market Study will be published soon.

Source: JobCloud AG