Ali Mahlodji was born in Iran and grew up in an Austrian refugee home. He stuttered, dropped out of high school and tried out over forty different jobs. In the process, he also learned how unhappy the wrong job can make you. As a 14-year-old, he had already wished for a "Handbook of Life Stories" - a book in which one could be inspired by the life stories of others.

In 2012, he founded the startup whatchado, an Internet video platform on which people talk about their lives, careers and dreams. He wants to encourage people and offer them perspectives. Thousands of people - from apprentices to Austrian presidents - now share their careers and lives on the platform. In a Interview with the ORGANIZER Ali Mahlodji already spoke about his platform, the education system itself and the book project, which is now complete.

"I wrote this book for all those people who in today's world believe too little in themselves and yet want to go their own way," the author writes in a personal email to members of his network. "It is for both young and adult people who have just forgotten what potential they have. But it's also for people in education and for leaders who guide people through their lives," Ali Mahlodji continues. "It's a mix of my life story (refugee, school dropout, 40 jobs, burnout, entrepreneur), the creation of my international business whatchado, but also the experiences from over 6000 life stories from over 100 nations and my work as an EU Youth Ambassador with over 50,000 young people in Germany, Austria and Switzerland."

And what do you do?
From refugee and school dropout to international entrepreneur
320 pages
ISBN: 978-3-430-20234-3
Ullstein publishing house

Website for the book: www.undwasmachstduso.com

Irene Frei (picture), independent interim manager and consultant, is the new Chairman of the Board of Schulverlag plus AG. She replaces Dr. Robert Abt, who is stepping down after 14 years in office. He transformed Schulverlag plus from a public-law organization into today's AG and played a decisive role in shaping the company, which operates successfully on the market. Half of the company is owned by the cantons of Aargau and Bern.

The goal of the new president of the board of directors is to further advance the digitization of teaching materials production and distribution and to lead the company into the digital future, according to a statement from Schulverlag. To this end, she brings profound experience from her work at various media companies and publishing houses.

Martin Hitz, UTA Communova AG, was also newly elected to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is thus now composed of (alphabetical order):

• Irene Frei, President (Owner Irene Frei Interim Management / Consulting)
• Martin Hitz (UTA Communova AG)
• Heinz Röthlisberger, Vice President (Bern Department of Education)
• Marianne Rubli Supersaxo (University of Bern, Research Associate Administrative Directorate)
• Peter Seiler (CEO Res Publica Consulting AG)
• Hansi Voigt (media specialist, founder Watson)

More information: Schulverlag plus AG

Since 1988, Infoniqa has pursued a business policy in the Swiss IT market focused on continuity, enabling qualitative and quantitative growth. With its 70 employees, it is represented in the Swiss market with offices in Baar/ZG, Zurich and Bussigny-près-Lausanne and intends to continue its growth as an IT system integrator for data center solutions, managed services, and as a cloud and information management solution provider in the coming years.

Now completely in the hands of Urs R. Tschudin and Roger Hegglin

The entire history of Infoniqa SQL AG can confidently be described as eventful: In mid-2007, the former SQL AG was sold to Infoniqa Holding GmbH in Vienna. This was followed as early as March 2008 by the purchase of T-Systems Romandie and the subsequent merger with Infoniqa Switzerland. At the beginning of 2012, the two minority shareholders Urs R. Tschudin and Roger Hegglin, with the support of the German private equity firm CornerstoneCapital, bought out Infoniqa Switzerland from Infoniqa Holding, thus making the systems integrator an independent Swiss company again. Now Tschudin and Hegglin have acquired all shares of CornerstoneCapital by means of a management buyout, making them 100 percent owners of the successful company.

Success Story Infoniqa SQL AG

Between 2012 and today, Hegglin and Tschudin, together with their team, were able to increase the sales of Infoniqa SQL AG from around CHF 20 million at the time to around CHF 45 million, with more than half of the growth being organic. The two acquisitions of GlassHouse Technologies AG (end of 2013) and Hirt Informatik AG (end of 2016) also took place during the time of the German participation.

Urs Tschudin, Delegate of the Board of Directors as well as VRP of Infoniqa SQL AG comments on the management buyout as follows: "Since CornerstoneCapital's participation was limited to five years, Roger Hegglin and I seized the opportunity and took over the company completely. As entrepreneurs and not 'just' managers, we have significantly more freedom to make decisions regarding upcoming investments and business direction. As owners, we can focus even better on future challenges and continue to expand the customer base in the cloud business as well as our offerings and services."

Information: Infoniqa SQL AG

After the successful IFM Symposium in fall 2016, the Institute for Facility Management will hold the 2nd IFM Symposium on October 6, 2017 in the Auditorium of the Technopark in Zurich. The theme of this year's edition is: Facility Management - Innovations in FM for healthy living and working spaces. This topic will be discussed with exciting presentations by internal speakers as well as guest speakers from leading international universities, including for example Prof. Vivian Loftness, Carnegie Mellon University (USA), Dr. Forest Flager, Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE), Stanford University (USA) or Dr. Suvi Nenonen, Tampere University of Technology (Finland). The IFM Symposium is aimed at business and public sector professionals and executives, academics, and master's and doctoral students in FM and beyond.

Information and program

While many companies have reported a shortage of skilled workers to date, the next shortage is looming, especially among the next generation of managers. The background to this varies from region to region. And so must the way they deal with this problem. This is the result of a worldwide survey conducted by Korn Ferry Futurestep.

Young leadership talent threatens to dry up

Especially in the South American and Asian regions, young people have been promoted very quickly in recent years to lower- to mid-level managers, some of whom now lack the necessary experience and skills to take the next step up to higher levels as department or division managers, notes Jan Müller, responsible for Korn Ferry Futurestep's business in EMEA. "In particular, they have not been sufficiently trained in managing employees. There is a lot of catching up to do here."

At 27 percent, European HR bosses have also declared the lack of leadership talent to be the greatest challenge for their company. Jan Müller says: "In Germany in particular, the first and second levels are filled with very competent managers, and in many cases successors already exist for top positions. It is becoming more difficult to fill this succession pipeline, as fewer and fewer candidates are coming up. This makes it all the more important for companies to uncover the potential of young employees and develop them specifically into middle management - and retain them in the long term. Otherwise, there is a risk of not having enough management trainees available in a few years." The situation is likely to be similar in Switzerland, where certain sectors, such as the construction industry, are already complaining about the lack of young managers. However, the reason for this is still seen in the lack of interest in construction professions among school leavers.

All industries fight for the same top talent

While it used to be a knighthood for IT professionals to work for a leading software group, for business economists as investment bankers or management consultants, and for engineers in industry, such a sectoral division can no longer be made today. "Everyone is fighting for the same talent," says Jan Müller. "This includes not only specialists such as data scientists or cyber security specialists, but also the best engineers, business people or sales specialists." And so, in the same study, 22 percent of the HR executives surveyed in Europe said they were looking primarily for sales specialists with a technical background - making them the most sought-after candidates on the job market.

"That's why companies today are taking ever greater risks in radically changing their brand core and thus their culture," says Jan Müller. "Automobile manufacturers are focusing on swarm, jeans and service, management consultancies are increasingly mutating into digitization specialists, and IT groups are hiring classic mechanical engineers. That didn't exist to the extent it did five years ago - and today it's a competition that's becoming increasingly global."

Retention of talent becomes a key criterion for HR success

This makes it all the more important to retain and develop talent over the long term once it has been recruited. It is true that the speed at which a vacancy can be filled is still the most important success criterion for recruiters. That's according to 63 percent of respondents in Europe. But this is followed by the length of time the talent stays (51 percent) and the success of the respective candidates in their job after 18 months (42 percent).

"What's the point of filling a position quickly, but then it's gone just as quickly?" says Jan Müller. "HR bosses need to check that their target systems are properly calibrated: Recruiting new employees is a process that can become very expensive due to direct and indirect costs. Accordingly, it must be in the interest of companies to retain the employees they have hired at great expense over the long term. This requires individual programs and a long-term development and option corridor that gives young people the opportunity to constantly learn new things and be allowed to reinvent themselves again and again. And that in the same company."

The study can be viewed on the Internet at:

http://www.kornferry.com/the-talent-forecast/the-talent-forecast

Whether it's because of the heat or the beach figure - especially in summer, many people consciously opt for a healthy, light diet. But do working people manage to forego ice cream in the afternoon and reach for an apple instead, even in a stressful workday? A team of Mannheim-based industrial and organizational psychologists led by Prof. Sabine Sonnentag addressed this question in a study recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Bad mood is compensated by sweets

For the study, 247 working people from various organizations were surveyed about their working conditions and their snacking behavior. The results showed that employees turn to unhealthy snacks such as ice cream or chocolate bars when they want to compensate for their bad mood. This, in turn, is often triggered by high work demands and stress on the job. "If they have to pull themselves together strongly at work in order to cope with their tasks, many people find it harder to do without unhealthy snacks as well," Professor Sonnentag explains this finding. And so people increasingly reach for sweets on such days at work. On the other hand, the participants tended to reach for fruit and other healthy snacks on days when they wanted to pay particular attention to their health.

Further study in progress

"Interestingly, the desire for healthy food does not decrease just because one is exposed to high demands," Professor Sonnentag continues. Thus, it seems to be easier for working people to reach for healthy snacks even on stressful days if a healthy diet is exemplified in the company and promoted by the employer.

Prof. Sabine Sonnentag's team is currently conducting another study on snacking and physical activity in the workplace. "We want to find out exactly where the obstacles to healthier behavior at work lie and how smart technologies can be used to make people more health-conscious," says Sonnentag.

Source: University of Mannheim

In Switzerland, an estimated 300,000 - 800,000 people suffer from chronic insomnia. Only about one percent of those affected receive cognitive behavioral therapy. Thus, all others do not receive the medical care that is considered the gold standard by many experts today. Yet diseases associated with insomnia or other sleep disorders also pose a risk to occupational safety, as we have recently seen on this place have reported.

Unique online sleep therapy in Switzerland

Since 2010, the Clinic for Sleep Medicine (KSM) in Bad Zurzach and Lucerne has developed an online therapy for chronic insomnia, i.e. problems falling asleep and staying asleep, under the brand name KSM SOMNET. Here, KSM sleep experts guide clients online through a cognitive behavioral therapy. The difference to face-to-face therapy is obvious: users do not come to the clinic for a therapy session, but work through several therapy modules on their PC or tablet under the guidance of an online therapist. As a rule, a therapy session lasts eight to twelve weeks. The vision of a therapy that is not tied to a specific time or place and is personally supervised by a therapist has thus been realized - in contrast to many other offers.

A milestone

The inclusion of the service "Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapeutic treatment of insomnia" in Annex 1 of the Nursing Benefits Ordinance as of Jan. 1, 2017, represents a true milestone for the KSM Clinic for Sleep Medicine, according to a statement. The clinic is taking this as an opportunity to further expand its offering of this online sleep therapy. With the expansion of the team of therapists, a software relaunch, the publication of a dedicated information website www.ksm-somnet.ch and the registration of the KSM SOMNET trademark in the Swiss trademark register, the offer is now well positioned to meet the expected demand, the clinic added.

Dizziness, circulatory problems, headaches and aching limbs - for many people, extreme temperature fluctuations cause the body to go crazy. The reason for this is simple: Our modern lives with high-performance air conditioning and heating systems no longer train us to adapt quickly to different weather conditions.

Stimulate metabolism through sauna visits

An exercise deficiency that can be remedied as pleasantly as effectively: Through regular sauna bathing. Because sauna bathing creates a kind of artificial fever in the body, which naturally activates and increases the metabolism quite considerably. In order to dissipate the heat, the vessels under the skin dilate, and blood flow to the uppermost layers of the skin increases dramatically. When cooling down afterwards, the vessels contract again and the pulse rate normalizes.

Sweating in the sauna and the subsequent cold stimulus from cold water, or even more tinglingly, from ice flakes, therefore ensures that the blood vessels first dilate and then constrict again - a vascular workout that is as effective as it is pleasant. "That's why the organism can react much better and faster to heat and cold stimuli in people who regularly go to the sauna," explains Prof. Dr. med. Karl-Ludwig Resch, head of the German Institute for Health Research in Bad Elster.

The right sauna for your own four walls

Regular visits to the sauna, preferably once or twice a week, should therefore be on the agenda not only during the cold season, but especially during the summer months. And of course this is particularly easy if you have your own sauna at home. Manufacturers of wellness and spa facilities such as KLAFS AG offer sauna models for every room situation and every requirement. In this way, the positive effects of regular sauna sessions can also be brought into your own four walls.

Source and further information about products and services: KLAFS AG, Oberneuhofstrasse 11, 6340 Baar. www.klafs.ch

Technology adapts to people, no longer people to technology, is the core statement of the "Accenture Technology Vision 2017″. This study looked at the disruptive technology trends of the next three years and examined and analyzed Swiss companies with regard to these trends.

Disruption is strongly perceived

In Switzerland, people are well aware of the changes brought about by technological change: 86 percent of the Swiss executives surveyed perceive moderate or complete disruption in their respective industries, which is more than the global result (75 percent). However, most Swiss executives also confirm that their company is only investing in digitization in selected business areas. This underscores the gap between the clear perception of disruption and the comprehensive strategies with which Swiss companies are interacting. In this year's Technology Vision, Accenture identified five trends that highlight the importance of focusing on "technology for people" to achieve long-term success. Tomorrow's decision-makers are using these trends for strategies that give them a clear digital edge.

Trend 1: Artificial intelligence becomes the new user interface

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in more and more areas because it enables simple and intelligent interaction between humans and machines. As a result, AI is becoming the new user interface that will fundamentally change the way we interact with virtual systems. Artificial intelligence is now real and people are aware that AI will have a huge impact on our lives. Forty-one percent of experts surveyed by Accenture believe AI will radically change the way their company gains new insights about and interacts with customers. In addition, nine out of ten Swiss companies - 10 percent more than the global average - believe it is important or even extremely important to offer products and services through centralized platforms, assistants or message bots. Swisscom, for example, is using AI to better serve customers by equipping its call center with "Best Solution." This is an AI-driven program that finds a quick and effective solution for the customer, enabling an optimal customer experience.

Trend 2: The ecosystem becomes a macrocosm

Platform providers that enable access to different services via a single access point have completely turned the rules of competition on their head. Companies are now forced to rethink and adapt their previous business models. A single platform strategy is no longer enough. Instead, a comprehensive and robust ecosystem approach is required to give companies a competitive edge in the "new information age". A large majority of Swiss executives surveyed (86 percent) believe that digital ecosystems are fundamentally changing the way their company creates value. More and more companies are integrating their core business functionalities into third-party platforms, and around three-quarters (73 percent) of the companies surveyed are planning initial steps to become part of the digital ecosystem.

Trend 3: Portals for freelancers gain in importance

Technological changes combined with increasing competition are not only influencing what companies provide to their customers, but also their HR strategy. 76 percent of companies confirm this, feeling pressure and a desire for more innovation in human resources. To drive productivity and efficiency, more and more companies are turning to less traditional measures that are flexible and effective, such as mandating freelancers.

The number of online platforms where freelancers offer their support has increased sharply. At the same time, collaborative tools for employees to work together regardless of location are now ubiquitous. These developments are leading more and more companies to dissolve their traditional hierarchies and replace them with online marketplaces for freelancers. As a result, we are witnessing one of the biggest changes in the way companies are organized since the Industrial Revolution. 94 percent of Swiss executives plan to rely even more heavily on freelancers in their company over the next twelve months.

Trend 4: Design for people

As technology is increasingly expected to support employees and customers to achieve required goals, it is essential to adapt technology to people's needs and behaviors. Switzerland's leaders recognize: When technology removes the barriers to effective human-machine cooperation, adapting to specific human behaviors increases not only the quality of the user experience, but also the effectiveness of technological solutions. This change turns a simple relationship into something much more valuable: a partnership. Two out of three decision-makers surveyed said that in the future, companies will need to focus even more on what their customers want in order to better understand how technology can deliver even greater value to consumers.

Trend 5: Breaking new ground

In a digital economy based on ecosystems, not only must new products and services be developed, but new rules must also be established, such as technology standards or ethical norms. In fact, 79 percent of Swiss executives believe that their company will open up completely new digital business areas in the future that have not even been defined yet. In shaping such new digital rules of the game, companies must take a leadership role to achieve their digital goals. Those that lead the way will find a place at or near the center of their new ecosystem. A large majority (81 percent) of Swiss decision-makers feel obliged to define rules for the entirely new business areas.

Source and further information: Accenture

"It takes flexibility to respond to the changing needs of companies in an increasingly complex environment," says Vital Bigler, newly appointed regional director for Zurich and eastern Switzerland at Manpower Switzerland. A native of eastern Switzerland, Bigler knows what he's talking about, having years of experience in human resources. He is 53 years old, holds a Master of Advanced Studies ZFH in Human Resource Management from Zurich's ZHAW/IAP and a certificate from the HSG's St. Gallen Management Seminar for SMEs. He speaks German, French and English. After starting his career as a hotel manager, he held leading positions in human resources for 20 years, including 12 years as regional director for German-speaking Switzerland at a large personnel services provider. In 2012, he founded his own HR consulting company. "The world of work is in a constant state of change, and the demands on companies, as well as on candidates, are becoming increasingly diverse. As one of the leading HR service providers in Switzerland, Manpower Switzerland is actively shaping the future of HR, which is an exciting challenge for me," explains Vital Bigler.

Source: Manpower Switzerland

A new study by technology expert Ricoh highlights the different customer service expectations of different generations. Older customer groups are shown to be less forgiving of brands, while younger customers expect far more information when considering a purchase and in-depth post-purchase interaction to build long-term relationships with brands.

ÄOlder people do not appreciate brands with cumbersome purchasing processes at all.

The study found that 62 % of over-55s would turn their backs on brands with cumbersome purchasing processes, compared to only 43 % of 16-24 year olds. 55 % of customers in all age groups would forgo a purchase if the process proved complicated. Younger age groups, however, value the more advanced interaction with brands far more than older ones. Additional services such as the inclusion of third-party reviews and recommendations are significantly more important to younger consumers. 43 % of 16-24 year olds rated this as a factor that most impressed them when deciding to buy a brand, compared to only 20 % of 55+ year olds. It was also found that older customers were less interested in loyalty programs and incentives for frequent purchases. For only 19 % was this a captivating factor, compared to 38 % among 16-24 year olds.

"Customers reward brands they feel valued by"

Javier Diez-Aguirre, Vice President, Corporate Marketing, CSR & Environment, Ricoh Europe, commented: "Our study highlights one of the core challenges facing brands today - how to manage the diverse preferences of customers across all generations. Brands need to ensure that their customer-facing processes, platforms and technologies are spot-on with the common assessments they use to ensure continued appropriateness and optimal impact. Those that get this right will be rewarded, with 57 % of customers spending more on brands they feel valued by."

Information before purchase

Ricoh's study also found that customers are increasingly making great efforts to gather information before making a purchase. In addition to wanting third-party reviews, 33 % of 16-24 year olds and 37 % of 25-34 year olds use Facebook to engage with a brand before making a purchase. Younger consumers are also frustrated to a higher degree when it is not possible to interact with a brand via social media. This is agreed to by 50 % of 16 - 24 year olds compared to 26 % of over 55 year olds.

Source: Ricoh

As part of the new study, Accenture classified 100 Swiss companies into three digital profiles with different characteristics: Digital Followers, Digital Maintainers and Digital Trendsetters. Companies that have already started their digital journey but are not yet fully ready for transformation are called Digital Followers. They have started selling their standard products and services through digital platforms. Digital Maintainers are companies that are focused on digital monetization but do not yet have a continuous innovation pipeline. The third profile, Digital Trendsetters, includes companies that focus on digital-enabled innovation and have the ability to develop new trends, products and services. According to Accenture's Top500 study, today's trendsetters have grown the fastest in recent years.

Companies need to be bolder

More than half of the companies (54%) that were classified as Digital Followers in 2016 have since moved up to the next higher profile, Digital Maintainers. However, 43% of Digital Followers have not adapted and thus still remain in the Digital Followers category. In addition, almost half of the companies (48%) that were classified as Digital Trendsetters in 2016 had to be downgraded to Digital Maintainers.

"The fact that some Swiss companies have not evolved since 2016 indicates a great potential for development in terms of digitalization," comments Thomas D. Meyer, Country Managing Director Accenture Switzerland. "Companies lack the courage to create new industries and standards. Furthermore, they would need to adapt organizational structures to equip themselves for digital trends; moreover, it is also essential to invest in simple and intelligent interactions, such as artificial intelligence."

Learning to understand digital innovation

Companies can actively influence the maturity of digitization by better understanding the mechanisms of digital innovation and digital asset monetization. Digital innovation is based on the ability of companies to continuously develop innovative solutions for their customers. This, in turn, depends on the use of new technologies and a customer-centric service design philosophy (such as design thinking).

In general, the progress of innovation processes at Swiss companies has led to a higher digital index and corresponding segmentation. The DNA of companies' digital maturity is now visible in all industries. Key influencing factors are, in particular, a high level of commitment on the part of corporate management and an organizational orientation with a strong focus on the digitization of products and services.

Source: Digital Index Switzerland 2017