The Swiss ICT Investor Club (SICTIC) connects angel investors with young Swiss technology startups. According to its own statements, this largest angel investor club in Switzerland has just published its annual investment report: of a total of 153 financing rounds in Swiss early-stage startups in the ICT and FinTech sector, SICTIC investors were involved in 106 rounds. This means that the association, which was founded in 2014 and has around 500 members, covers 69% of all early-stage financing in Swiss ICT and FinTech startups and thus makes a significant contribution to the successful transfer of technology into innovative products and the creation of new, promising jobs.

SICTIC recorded nine exits

The aggregated portfolio of this investor community grows to an impressive 254 startups, some of which have already achieved so-called "unicorn" status, i.e. a company valuation of more than one billion Swiss francs, or are on the verge of doing so. Furthermore, SICTIC reports a remarkable nine exits. "Despite many uncertainties in the market and an increase in inflation, 2022 was an exceedingly strong growth year for venture capital in Switzerland. This not only underlines the quality and robustness of Swiss startups, but also demonstrates the association's leading role as the most active matchmaking platform for Swiss early-stage financing," Dr. Thomas Dübendorfer, President of SICTIC, is pleased to report.

Expansion to other technology sectors

The investor club also announces that, in addition to startups from the ICT and fintech sectors, it intends to support startups from other technology sectors in the future: "We want to expand our successful and efficient matchmaking process to other sectors. On the one hand, this offers opportunities for our investors to further diversify their portfolio - on the other hand, it allows us to make a greater contribution to the Swiss startup ecosystem, as more startups can benefit from our matchmaking process", explains Thomas Ackermann, Managing Director of SICTIC.

Source and further information

The six finalized companies for the Prix SVC Espace Mittelland have probably never had to wait so long: The prize should actually have been awarded in August 2021. But the pandemic meant that the award ceremony had to be postponed twice. On March 15, 2023, the time had finally come: the ceremony was held in dignified style in the Kursaal in Bern in front of 1300 guests. The Swiss Venture Club (SVC) thus honored exemplary SMEs for the fourteenth time. The six finalists not only survived the years of the Corona pandemic, but all emerged from the crisis stronger than before, as they stated in unison.

First place for Sanitized AG from Burgdorf

Moderated by Patrick Rohr, the finalists - Hugentobler Schweizer Kochsysteme, Kästli & Co. AG, mb-microtec AG, Molkerei Lanz AG, Sanitized AG and Thommen Medical - presented themselves to the audience in words and pictures. It was striking that two of the companies, Sanitized and Molkerei Lanz, are headed by siblings. All six companies emerged from a multi-stage nomination process involving 250 companies. In the end, Sanitized AG from Burgdorf won the race: the company has been doing pioneering work for over 80 years, developing innovative, effective and safe technologies for antimicrobial finishes. It has an international network for distribution, production support and quality control. More than 300 brand manufacturers worldwide use Sanitized® as a valued "ingredient brand". The family-owned company, led by fourth-generation CEO Michael Lüthi, employs 65 people. "Sanitized convinced us by its scientific professionalism, translated into discreet high-tech, for a basic human need: Hygiene and by its environmental awareness - with deeds instead of words - with nature-based technologies, recently even with mint extract!" as Walter Steinlin, jury president, pointed out in his laudation.

mb-microtec ag and Molkerei Lanz AG in second and third place

The light show by the duo "In Motion" could have served as an indication that perhaps mb-microtec AG would come out on top in the end. But CEO Roger Siegenthaler was just as happy about his company's second place. mb-microtec is the global market leader in the development, manufacture and distribution of microcomponents for the watch, security and automotive industries, as well as for the space and aviation industries. The in-house watch brand "traser swiss H3 watches" offers uncompromising functionality and robustness with highly resistant materials as well as the self-luminous technology "trigalight". The family-owned company has around one hundred employees and has been led by CEO Roger Siegenthaler since 2014. This company was also recognized by jury president Walter Steinlin in his laudation as a shining example of entrepreneurship indeed.

The bronze rank went to Molkerei Lanz AG. Following the principles of quality, milk from the region, natural ingredients and gentle processing, the private dairy produces dairy products, yogurt, whipped cream and other milk-based specialties in the modern production building at its headquarters in Obergerlafingen. Founded in 1941, the family business is now run by the third generation of siblings Olivia and Gregor Lanz and employs 67 people.

Everyone can feel like a winner at the Prix SVC Espace Mittelland

Also awarded a diploma were Hugentobler Schweizer Kochsysteme AG from Schönbühl, market-leading total provider of development, production, training, sales and service of modern large-scale kitchen equipment and cooking systems; the third-generation SME run by Marc Kästli, Kästli & Co. AG from Belp, market leader for custom-made products in textile sun protection; and Thommen Medical AG from Grenchen, an independent Swiss manufacturer of dental implants. These three companies can also feel like winners, as they are just as innovative in their fields.

Business rendezvous

The event offered the 1,300 invited guests from business, science, politics and the media insights into the region's impressive and diverse entrepreneurship. Reto Portmann, the new SVC Espace Mittelland Regional Director since January 2023, emphasized: "It was wonderful to be able to use this platform to showcase the outstanding achievements of SMEs, which are often too little noticed by the general public. I was particularly pleased with the many meetings with personalities from the Mittelland entrepreneurial community at the networking afterwards." SVC President Andreas Gerber also announced that the contract between the main sponsor Credit Suisse and the Swiss Venture Club had been extended until 2028 - certainly a positive signal given the currently less than uplifting news surrounding the big bank.

Prix SVC as a climate-neutral event

Together with myclimate "Cause We Care", an initiative for climate protection and sustainable tourism in Switzerland, the Kursaal Bern offers CO2-neutral events. The SVC also supports this initiative and is committed with conviction to sustainability in the event sector. With an additional contribution of 1 % on the net invoice amount, the Prix SVC becomes climate neutral and supports the Kursaal's own myclimate "Cause We Care" sustainability fund. The Kursaal Bern doubles the payment into this fund. From this, local sustainability and climate protection measures are financed and at the same time the CO2 emissions of the event are offset with a carbon offset project.

More information: www.svc.swiss

Regular feedback discussions between supervisors and their employees have a positive effect on their performance. This has been proven by studies. They are also important for personnel development. Moreover, when conducted correctly, they increase employee satisfaction and motivation. Nevertheless, in many companies, feedback meetings are held rather sporadically - especially when everyone in the organization is stressed, at least in their perception, for example because so many things are changing. But that's precisely when they would be extremely important.

Avoid a possible escalation

A practical example: A division manager notices that some of his employees or work teams have again failed to achieve the agreed (project) goals. However, he does not express his displeasure about this. This is because he fears: The mood in his department will deteriorate if he once again articulates his expectations emphatically. So everyone continues to muddle along as before. Because the manager does not address the employees about the unachieved goals, they are convinced: Our supervisor is satisfied with our performance. And the unmet goals? They are not that important to him. So over time, the manager's anger potentiates to the point where she eventually "explodes." And because of her pent-up anger, she loses her temper. This in turn hurts the employees emotionally, creating a conflict that is almost impossible to resolve.

Such escalation can be avoided through regular feedback and employee discussions. In them, many possible sources of anger, frustration and thus demotivation are often eliminated - among other things, because in them the participants formulate their mutual expectations for future (joint) work. That is why regular feedback meetings are part of the standard management repertoire in many companies.

Communicate about the goals and expectations

Generally speaking, most managers talk too little with their employees about their work and the expectations and goals associated with it - regardless of whether they work in the company or at home. Yet this is precisely the main function of feedback meetings: to give employees the orientation they need.

Among the topics that can be discussed in them are:

• the quality of the (collaborative) work,
• satisfaction with the work situation,
• the corporate and divisional goals,
• the strategies and plans,
• The employee's duties and responsibilities,
• its strengths and weaknesses,
• possible qualification and support measures,
• possible improvements,
• health promotion,
• the target and bonus agreement.

Feedback and target agreement meetings do not have the primary goal of discussing current problems in everyday (cooperation) work. Rather, the behavior of the employee (and his or her manager) over a period of time is to be considered in summary in order to clarify how the (collaborative) work can be improved. Individual situations and incidents in the past serve at most as explanations.

Because the past is to be reflected upon, feedback discussions make little sense without preparation. In addition, feedback is only effective if it is concrete. For this, you need examples from your everyday professional and work life.

Conduct feedback conversations with conviction

In many (large) companies, it is obligatory to conduct regular employee or feedback interviews. This is good in itself! However, this sometimes leads to managers only conducting these discussions in order to report "completion" to the HR department, for example. In other words, they do not consider these discussions to be a necessary management tool. Their quality is correspondingly low.

In day-to-day operations, it is often the managers who conduct the highest-quality appraisal interviews who would least "need" to do so because they also communicate frequently and openly with their employees in the course of their daily work. To ensure a minimum level of discussion, it makes sense for managers and employees to independently fill out a questionnaire after each performance review and send it to the HR department, for example. The questionnaire may contain questions such as:

• How satisfied are you with the interview process?
• How satisfied were you with the atmosphere?
• How long did the conversation last?
• Were development issues and goals also addressed/agreed upon?
• What should change so that you and your conversation partner benefit even more from the next conversation?

This feedback to the HR department is not a guarantee for high-quality feedback discussions; however, it ensures a minimum quality that can be increased step by step. This is particularly true if the interview is linked to a commitment to agree on concrete (development) goals.

Take enough time

One indicator of the quality of an employee or feedback meeting is its duration. Managers should plan at least one hour per employee for this. This is because a relaxed atmosphere is necessary so that sensitive (personal) topics can also be addressed. The first step is to create this atmosphere.

Feedback discussions are all the more important the more independently and responsibly employees should or must work - for example, because they work largely in a home office. After all, independent work requires adjustment from time to time. This means that managers and employees must agree on tasks, procedures, quality standards and mutual expectations, among other things.

A well-structured feedback and performance review consists of phases:

• Reflection of the past time unit (for example, the past quarter),
• Assessment of the current situation and
• Looking ahead.

It is particularly important that the employee also receives feedback on his "strengths" and "weaknesses". What does he do/can he do well or less well? Because without feedback and an exchange about this, learning areas are often not recognized.

One prerequisite for open appraisal interviews, in which it is also possible to address sensitive issues and identify learning areas, is trust. If a manager does not succeed in establishing a trusting relationship with his or her employees in everyday life, they will not open up in the appraisal interview either. This means that the manager cannot give them effective feedback. In addition, they do not receive any useful feedback from them for their own development.

The time invested pays off

Conducting regular feedback and appraisal interviews with all employees requires a lot of time on the part of managers - also because of the necessary preparation. However, this investment is worthwhile. Because it ensures that there are fewer ambiguities in everyday work, which reduces the management effort.

Studies show that regular employee and feedback discussions (or target agreement discussions) have a positive influence on the following factors, among others:

• the relationship between employees and supervisors,
• the transparency and clarity of objectives,
• the communication and leadership culture,
• transparency and the flow of information,
• the cooperation and performance,
• employees' self-confidence,
• their competence development,
• their identification with the work and the goals,
• their independence and responsibility,
• their quality awareness.

That's why, as a manager, you should conduct feedback and target-setting meetings with your employees out of deep inner conviction. Because the effort is worth it - for you, your employees and the company.

To the author:
Joachim Simon, Braunschweig, is a leadership trainer and speaker specializing in (self-)leadership (www.joachimsimon.info). He is the author of the book "Self-Responsibility in Business" and co-founder of the (self-)leadership coaching app Mindshine (www.mindshine.app).

The XING job network is now offering non-registered users the opportunity to search for a job on XING with a new search function embedded on the homepage. With around 1.4 million job ads, XING Jobs now offers the largest selection of job listings in the German-speaking world, according to the company.

Individually tailored job search

Other new features on the portal include search filter options for job seekers such as "home office" or "flexible working hours" or "childcare", as well as information about the culture of the advertising companies and comprehensive salary data. "The XING Jobs Market now offers the largest and, thanks to custom-fit filters, also the most individual selection of job listings in the German-speaking world. As a result, users can find a new job every 40 seconds on average," says Thomas Kindler, Managing Director of XING.

Anyone who finds an interesting job on the portal can also network with others on XING who already work at the company of their choice in order to exchange information directly and learn more about the position. In addition, job seekers can see how employees rate the company in question as an employer. Furthermore, job seekers can compare salary forecasts for the desired job and detailed self-disclosures from the advertising companies. "Today, anyone looking for a job that suits their individual needs can no longer avoid XING. From unfiltered reviews by employees to networking with others from the company of their choice - we offer job seekers the greatest possible transparency so that they can make the right decisions for their job change. After all, job decisions have a major impact on one's own personal life and are made not only by the head, but also with the heart," Kindler continues.

More than 20,000 active recruiters on the platform

Around 35,000 new job ads are currently posted daily on XING's job market. This means that a new job posting goes online on the platform every two seconds on average. "At a time when there is a shortage of skilled workers, talented people are well aware of their attractiveness on the job market. They want to find the one job that really fits their personal needs. We at XING are now taking this into account with our new personalizable offering," Thomas Kindler continues.

XING also enables its 21 million registered users to get in touch with more than 20,000 active recruiters on the platform to be better found by HR professionals. "Our data shows that a recruiter visits a XING profile every 0.4 seconds on average. So the chances of being found for the perfect job could hardly be better," says Kindler.

Source and further information: www.xing.com 

Switzerland's energy independence is just 30 percent. By comparison, self-sufficiency in food, which is often described as insufficient, is almost 60 percent. With a few simple principles for the optimal use of domestic energy sources, this ratio could also be significantly improved in terms of energy supply. Switzerland, for example, has a large potential of domestic renewable resources which, if used correctly, could cover most of its needs in the long term. However, given the diversity and geographical distribution of resources and demand, it is crucial to optimize their use. A position paper by aeesuisse, the umbrella organization of the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry, summarizes a few guidelines.

Guidelines for the use of resources for heat generation

Space heating and industrial processes account for around 50 percent of Switzerland's total final energy consumption. Numerous energy resources can ensure domestic heat supply, but not all of them are equivalent to each other. First, a distinction must be made between "locational" and "non-local" resources. The "exergetic" potential of the resource, i.e. its ability to provide certain energy services with high added value, must also be taken into account.

Given these different characteristics of the resources that can be used to provide heat, the following order of priority emerges for the use of decentralized on-site resources for heat generation: Groundwater, geothermal, ambient air. Only if these are not locally available in sufficient quantities, (non-local) energy wood and biogas should be used. Otherwise, the coverage of domestic resources is reduced and the need for imports increases.

Guidelines for the use of resources for power generation

While the quality of heat depends on its temperature, there are no corresponding differences in the quality of electric power. Nevertheless, the question of resource prioritization arises: An electric kWh produced in winter, when Switzerland is significantly dependent on electricity imports, is more valuable than the kWh in summer. Further, the high exergetic value of electricity enables high-value and diverse applications. Against this background, electricity should be used primarily for purposes with high exergetic energy demand. Also, wastage of electricity should be avoided, especially in winter. In addition to the existing ban on electric heating in new buildings and the replacement ban, the use of heat pumps in very poorly insulated buildings should be avoided, or these buildings should be energetically renovated beforehand.

In addition, power generation should be expanded in the winter. This would allow more water to be held in the reservoirs from fall to spring, which would reduce electricity imports from abroad. Seasonal energy storage should also be promoted. Currently, reservoir capacity allows only a limited summer-winter transfer of about nine TWh because reservoirs are full at the end of summer and thus no additional capacity is available. Therefore, either some dams need to be increased (potential of additional 2 TWh) or other forms of seasonal storage such as power-to-X need to be used.

Consequences of not implementing the recommendations

If these guidelines were followed in a consistent and coordinated manner, Switzerland would be able to meet almost all of its energy needs domestically and renewably. If, on the other hand, these guidelines are not followed or are implemented too late, Switzerland will be forced to continue importing massive amounts of fossil fuels and expose society to energy shortages. In short, Switzerland's energy independence depends on its ability to use the right resource in the right place for the right purpose.

Source: aeesuisse

Could virtual reality games soon find their way into HR departments? Because results of a study by the University of Cologne and the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences also suggest that virtual reality games can be a useful complementary tool for HR management in companies to predict an applicant's job performance. The study, "Intelligence at play: game-based assessment using a virtual-reality application," by Markus Weinmann of the University of Cologne and his fellow researchers, was recently published in the journal Virtual Reality.

Virtual reality games as "intelligence tests"

Several studies have already shown that video games can provide cues to, or even help develop, intellectual and cognitive abilities. Since intelligence is one of the most widely used predictors of job performance, video games could be of interest to human resource management. Although many companies are increasingly using VR technologies to recruit candidates, few studies have specifically examined whether and how VR games can be used to draw conclusions about intelligence in this area. The study by Markus Weinmann and his colleagues helps to close this gap between research and practice.

Playing under laboratory conditions

Weinmann and his research colleagues invited 103 participants to their lab. Under controlled conditions, they played the commercial VR game "Job Simulator" and completed the short version of the BIS-4 intelligence test. The researchers' analyses show that participants who completed the game faster than others also had higher general intelligence and processing capacity. A 17 % increase in processing capacity correlated with less time spent playing the game (by an average of 3.7 minutes). The results suggest that VR games may be useful adjunct tools in organizations to predict job performance.

Scientific novelty

According to the report of the two research institutes, the results are a scientific novelty, as it has hardly been possible to conduct VR studies with modern VR hardware so far. For example, there are only a few studies that have examined the relationship between behavior in VR and intelligence. "There are already some companies that use games, so-called 'serious games,' for recruiting. The new results fit this specific application of VR games and show that they can be used for recruiting," Weinmann said. The scientists plan to continue their research on the potential of video games for practical applications. Among other things, they are investigating how people behave toward virtual avatars in the metaverse.

Source: Techexplore.com

The path to self-employment can be associated with many uncertainties: Legal form? Foundation documents? Market analyses? Marketing? financing? Insurances? and, and, and. Much of this can be done online today. In addition to the many already existing offers now comes Foundera, a digital business start-up platform of the Mobiliar insurance group. It accompanies founders from the moment of the first business idea and supports them in all the necessary steps related to the foundation. But that's not all: Even after founding, companies can find offers, tips and tricks at Foundera that simplify their daily work, for example with the accounting of Bexio or the relevant insurance. Interested parties can simply select a starter package on the platform that suits them and they will be guided through the individual start-up steps.

Foundera AG is an operationally independent subsidiary of Mobiliar. Dario Renato Morf (picture) is responsible for its further development as Managing Director. He lives in Zurich and has spent the last three years building up and running his own company in the field of employee development for SMEs. Before starting his own business, he spent eight years in various roles at Zurich Insurance. "Foundera plays a key role in our offering for SMEs," emphasizes Andrea Kleiner, head of business development at Mobiliar. "We support Swiss SMEs throughout their entire lifecycle: from start-up to business management to further development, for example in the area of innovation. So that the companies can concentrate on their core business."

Source: Furniture

The independent institute Great Place to Work has once again awarded login Berufsbildung AG with the "Great Start!" certificate. The certificate recognizes companies that offer an exemplary working culture for apprentices. The certification takes place in two steps: On the one hand, the company's training concept is put through its paces, and on the other hand, an anonymous survey of the apprentices takes place. 86 percent of the apprentices at login confirmed: "All in all, this is a very good training company". The following statement even achieved an approval rating of 90 percent: "I can turn to my vocational trainer with all my questions and always receive a direct and open response".

Varied and exciting - in a moving industry

But what makes an apprenticeship at login so special? André Renold, apprentice automation technician in the 2nd year of his apprenticeship: "I couldn't have asked for a better start to my professional life. After two years of training at the technical training center in Spiez, I can now switch to practical work, which makes my apprenticeship varied and exciting." Lea Kröll, apprentice public transport clerk in her 3rd year of training, says: "The world of public transport and aviation has always fascinated me. The apprenticeship gives me the opportunity to look behind the scenes and see how the individual areas communicate and function with each other." Sandro Kneubühl, a logistics technician apprentice in the 2nd year of his apprenticeship, adds: "My team is like a family to me! I also appreciate the variety in my job and that I can start work every day in the beautiful mountain landscape of the canton of Graubünden."

login forms the future for the world of mobility

Michael Schweizer, CEO of login Berufsbildung AG, is delighted with the award: "We are very proud to be one of Switzerland's best training companies again in 2023. Together with our partners SBB, BLS, RhB, the Association of Public Transport and numerous transport companies, we put a lot of heart and soul into ensuring that our junior staff grow up to become competent professionals and strong personalities. The award is therefore also a great confirmation and appreciation for all the vocational trainers who accompany and support the 2,100 apprentices during their training."

Source: www.login.org

For more and more experts, the future of the Internet lies in the metaverse. In particular, the virtual spaces in the metaverse could develop into gigantic marketing channels. According to However, according to a recently published study, Switzerland is in danger of missing the boat.. An association that has just been founded in Bern wants to prevent exactly that and has set itself the goal of creating a broadly supported metaverse ecosystem and advocating for attractive framework conditions in Switzerland so that new business models, companies and jobs can be created. The Swiss Metaverse Association (Metassociation for short) is chaired by Tina Balzli, Partner and Head of Fintech & Blockchain at CMS Switzerland, and Alexandra Hofer, Senior Consultant at furrerhugi. "With this association, we are laying important foundations to position Switzerland as an innovative and forward-looking location that enables metaverse projects. As an association, we network the relevant players, initiate projects and promote dialogue and education," says the co-president, Tina Balzli.

Great need to exchange information about the metaverse

The "Metassociation" project was initiated jointly by Lorenz Furrer, Managing Partner at furrerhugi, and Daniel Diemers, Partner at SNGLR Group. Daniel Diemers also sits on the board of the Swiss Metaverse Association. The 47 founding members include organizations, banks, international companies, startups, universities, associations and individuals. Past meetings with the founding members have shown that the metaverse opens up many possibilities and opportunities, but also brings with it questions and challenges - accordingly, the members' need to exchange ideas and pursue interesting questions is very great. "We are very pleased that the Swiss Metaverse Association has met with so much response. With the 47 founding members, the association has diverse expertise in very different areas - this brings great added value. Together, we can now help shape a future digital world that benefits everyone," says co-president Alexandra Hofer.

Addressing issues around the metaverse proactively

Various events are planned within the framework of the Swiss Metaverse Association. In addition, working groups are currently being formed to address specific issues and topics. Current priorities include the following topics: Tax, the Industrial Metaverse, Regulation, Arts and Culture, Research and Education, Insurance and Banking, Technology and Infrastructure, Health, and Tourism and Sports. In addition, a white paper is being written and a Swiss Metaverse Ecosystem Map is being created. Board member Daniel Diemers, Head Expert Tribe, explains, "We want to learn together, develop ideas, find synergies, work out the challenges and opportunities of the Metaverse, and thus ensure that Switzerland becomes one of the most attractive and best Metaverse locations in the world."

Source and further information

The new study of the Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) "From Surviving to Thriving in Hybrid Work," which was developed in collaboration with leading global research firm HFS Research shows the extent to which IT problems slow down employees. It also provides a roadmap for employers to increase employee productivity and engagement.

Better technology use and support for greater employee engagement 

The report shows: Access to best-in-class technology will continue to be a critical factor in employee engagement and their performance. Sixty-two percent of employees surveyed said that access to technology is a very motivating factor in their job performance. However, the report also shows that how companies adopt and continually support technology solutions is a challenge for employees:

• Nearly half (49 percent) of employees estimate that they lose between one and five hours of work productivity each week because IT issues keep them busy. Yet 42 percent of employers do not measure the loss of productivity due to IT issues.
• Employees want to help improve the IT experience. 92 percent are somewhat to very willing to share their data if it enables better predictive technology support.

Employers should also consider the differences between generations in terms of the perceived value of different workplace technologies. The key here is to strike a balance between what is new and innovative and what increases productivity. For example, Millennials see far more value in chatbots, wearable devices and virtual whiteboards than their Generation Z counterparts.

Investing in employee experience programs

Many companies have recently launched or expanded employee experience (EX) programs to improve employee recruitment and retention. Companies with very mature EX programs believe their employees are more engaged today than they were six months ago (74 percent), compared to companies with immature EX programs (24 percent).

Both employees and employers share similar views on the value of an EX program: more than 60 percent each believe that such a program has a significant impact on employee productivity, talent retention, turnover and profitability.

The new standard for work models is Hybrid Work 

No one needs to prophesy "hybrid work will catch on" anymore, because a hybrid work model has become the standard. However, companies must not only adopt hybrid work models, but also optimize them to attract and retain talent, train and engage new team members, attract new leaders, and maximize engagement and productivity. Other findings from the study include:

• Seventy percent of employers say hybrid work arrangements will continue to be their primary employment model.
• Sixty-seven percent of hybrid workers cite location flexibility for work-life balance as one of the most important motivating factors influencing their job performance.
• Individual decision-making power at work is a necessity - 70 percent of workers say decision-making power is a critical factor in their motivation, while only 57 percent of managers consider it important.

"The convergence of workplace technology and employee engagement has never been more imperative. Organizations continue to face difficult choices and must weigh how to invest in creating the workplace of the future while fostering a strong workplace culture that drives employee satisfaction," said Joel Raper, senior vice president and general manager of digital workplace solutions at Unisys. "Our study underscores what we're seeing with our customers as companies shift to a 'hybrid-first' mentality and embark on the kind of organizational change management initiatives that drive long-term employee satisfaction and productivity."

We spend countless hours of our working time in meetings and workshops. To put it mildly, there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of the knowledge gained compared to the time spent. The unloved meeting itself is only the symptom. The real problem lies deeper.

Which meetings make sense - and which can go away?

A glance at the average Outlook calendar speaks volumes. And although no one is explicitly hired to spend their time in meetings, but rather to perform a defined task, studies show that meetings sometimes take up one-third of weekly work time.

The only way to reduce this abundance is to relentlessly question each session. "But we've been doing our Monday meeting forever!" Exactly. Does that automatically make it meaningful? More likely not. "What would happen if this meeting no longer existed?" This is a fair question. Especially with the countless regular meetings that have already clocked through the new calendar before the year has even begun. What is the concrete benefit of these ritualized meetings? And is a meeting really the best tool for the tasks on the table? This is often not the case. If, for example, the task is to pass on current information, this can be done more quickly and efficiently by mail. Specific questions can also be answered more easily if they are answered directly and personally in the neighboring office or on the phone.

In addition to the quantity of meetings, it is equally important to put the HOW - i.e. the way they are conducted - to the test. Because no matter how bad the reputation of shared togetherness is: meaningful collaboration offers the only opportunity to share knowledge, learn from each other and, through heterogeneous perspectives and expertise, to manage complexity and develop innovative solutions. Only - in which meetings does this actually happen? Which are the meetings from which the participants leave with the good feeling of having achieved something valuable and meaningful?

Success is not only decided in the meeting room

The uncomfortable news right from the start: The course for the success of the joint cooperation is not set in the meeting itself, but much earlier. Keyword preparation. And yes, preparation costs time. But unprepared meetings cost much more time and, moreover, a lot of money. Efficiency? No way!

In order for a meeting to have any chance at all of being considered successful at the end, it is crucial to deal with the specific goal of the meeting and the agenda required for this in advance. Sounds banal? Unfortunately it is not! How about a personal field study in the immediate environment? I am sure that in many cases it will unfortunately always come down to the same thing: Goal? Agenda? No!

A second aspect is crucial when it comes to the goal: Only with a defined goal in mind is it possible to determine who is needed to achieve this goal - and who is not. And it is precisely this group of people that needs to be invited. If relevant players are missing, there is usually no choice but to postpone the topic after some back and forth. But it is no better the other way around. If there are several people in the room who have nothing concrete to contribute, it is understandable that they will be preoccupied with other things in the meantime.

Create framework conditions for successful meetings

Often the separation is not crystal clear, because different topics are on the agenda. So what if there are items in a meeting that affect everyone as well as those that only some are involved in? In this case, it is advisable to deliberately marginalize the topics that only affect a part of the group.

If the relevant participants are then also informed about the goal and agenda in good time, they have the chance to prepare themselves accordingly. At the same time, this also eliminates a phenomenon that came to light in a recent study by collaboration provider Barco: According to this study, almost half of the 3,000 respondents regularly do not know what the meeting is about and what the goal of the meeting is. Among top executives, the figure is as high as 61%.

The framework conditions that need to be taken into account on the way to achieving the goal must also be clarified in advance. Regardless of whether it's strategic requirements from management, budget restrictions or existing obligations to partner companies - if the participants are to arrive at a feasible result in the end, this will only work if all framework conditions are transparent on the table.

Time and duration

Organizational preparation also includes determining the start and duration of meetings. And that is by no means trivial. Especially in the virtual world. In the virtual world, meetings usually start on the hour and end exactly after 60 minutes. At least in the calendar. It's hard to get out of meeting A at 9:00 a.m. and then get into meeting B at 9:00 a.m. on the dot. As a result, meetings start later and then - as payback, so to speak - last longer. Preparing the content and getting in the mood for the new topic? Not a chance!

If, on the other hand, the meeting duration of 60 minutes is shortened, this has two positive effects: The first is the buffer until the next full hour. This makes it possible to prepare for a subsequent appointment if necessary. And the additional benefit: A tighter time limit in the meeting can increase the focus and discipline of the participants.

Work on it instead of talking about it

Meetings often turn out to be a veritable round of chatter. Just like Karl Valentin: "Everything has already been said, but not by everyone. As soon as the participants are asked to write down their thoughts on a specific issue, for example on sticky notes in real or virtual space, things become concrete and useful. That's why it's crucial for constructive meetings to get participants actively involved.

Moderation and other roles

Facilitating a meeting is important to keep the structured, goal-oriented approach in focus and to guide the process. In addition, there are other roles that can support the joint cooperation. For example, for timekeeping and minutes. Ideally, the roles are changed from meeting to meeting. In order to improve as a team in meetings, it is advisable to schedule a short time window at the end of the meeting to reflect on the joint cooperation.

Tips for constructive cooperation

1. Consistently challenge meetings and topics: Regular meetings without added value are time and energy robbers. It is also best to remove topics from the agenda that can be handled better in an asynchronous manner.
2. No meeting without a goal and agenda: Defined goals enable focused work and good preparation.
3. Invite the right participants: Actionable results can be achieved with the relevant players at the table.
4. Shorter meetings are better meetings: Buffer times to the next appointment enable the preparation - the sportive time pressure in the meeting supports the focus.
5. Work on it instead of talking about it: By actively involving the participants, concrete results emerge.

Book Tip:

Michaela Stach: Moderation in Workshop and Meeting. Redesigning collaboration with results-oriented tools and methods. 1st edition BusinessVillage 2022. 254 pages. ISBN 978-3-86980-660-0

Author:
Michaela Stach is a passionate facilitator - also for large groups. With enthusiasm, empathy and appreciation she accompanies teams on the way to sustainable solutions and real commitment. Whether changes in companies, shaping the future in communities or interaction at congresses: With professionalism and liveliness, she brings groups into goal-oriented exchange. She leads the Academy for Systemic Moderation and conducts certificate trainings at two locations. www.akademie-fuer-systemische-moderation.de/

According to the schillingreport published on March 3, 2023, by executive search firm Guido Schilling AG, the 100 largest Swiss employers will reach the required gender benchmarks of 30 % on the board of directors and 20 % on the executive board in 2023. Currently, the status quo is 29 % women on the board of directors and 19 % on the executive board. On boards, the proportion of women rises for the first time by 3 percentage points to 29 %, as companies appointed women to a record 46 % of vacancies. On executive boards, the percentage of women rises from 17 % to 19 %, thanks to 27 % women among new appointees - the second highest in 18 years. "It is crucial that companies succeed in establishing 'diversity' as part of the corporate culture and embedding it in the DNA of the company. In the future, proportions of women and men of 40 to 60 % in both management bodies will be the norm," says editor Guido Schilling.

Unprecedented positive development of women's share in SMI

In the SMI companies, the proportion of women on the boards of directors rose by 4 percentage points to 34 %. This was made possible by the fact that SMI companies appointed women to 54 % of vacancies - an absolute record. "In terms of gender diversity, SMI companies have clearly reached the acceptance phase and are consistently relying on the advantages of diversely structured management teams. Compared to the German DAX-listed groups, which appointed women for 46 % of the vacant seats and thus stand at a proportion of women on supervisory boards of 37 % (+ 2 percentage points), the dynamics in the SMI companies are much more positive, and I am convinced that already in the next two years the SMI companies will overtake or catch up with those of the DAX," says Schilling. This is underlined by the development in the management boards. Over the past two years, the SMI companies have achieved a jump of 10 percentage points from 14 % in 2021 to currently 24 % female members of management. This further increases their lead over DAX boards, where female representation is up from 18 % to 22 %, meeting the required German quota. "For me, the question is how sustainable hard quotas are in the long term. Or are they just a tool to achieve short-term goals?" muses Guido Schilling, referring to the flattening development in the DAX companies. All 40 DAX companies employ women on their supervisory boards, while 6 boards (previous year 8) have no women. Of the SMI companies, all 20 count women on their boards, although 2 still have no female executive board members (previous year 3).

Many female managers from abroad

The fact that the proportion of women has risen in many management bodies should not obscure the fact that part of this is quasi "imported". At the 100 largest Swiss employers mentioned above, the proportion of foreigners in management is rising again after years of stagnation. Whereas in recent years this figure had settled at 45 %, it is currently climbing to a peak of 47 %; Swiss companies recruited the members of their management teams directly from abroad for 46 % of their vacancies. The schillingreport 2023 shows that the proportion of foreigners among female executive board members (54 %) is significantly higher than among males (45 %). The difference of 59 % "nationals" to 64 % "nationals" is remarkable.

Further broadening of the gender diversity pipeline

The gender diversity pipeline is the key indicator for anticipating future developments with regard to the proportion of women in management/top management. In the private sector sample, the proportion of women in middle management increases to 27 % (previous year 25 %) and in top management to 19 % (previous year 18 %). "It is very pleasing to see that companies are succeeding in promoting women at all levels of the hierarchy, as this ensures strong young talent for the step up to executive teams. Nevertheless, a sustainable broad gender mix in the executive team remains a generational project," says Schilling. The pipeline is broader in the public sector, which has unchanged proportions of 29 % women in both middle and top management.

Source: Guido Schilling AG