Change on Dachser's Management Board: CFO Robert Erni will not renew his contract, which expires at the end of the year, for personal reasons and will leave the company on June 30, 2023. Dachser CEO Burkhard Eling will then take over as Chief Financial Officer in a dual role. Eling had already held the position of CFO at Dachser for eight years, from 2013 until his appointment as CEO on January 1, 2021. "We would like to thank Robert Erni for his successful work over the past two years. With his immense experience and his fresh view from the outside, he has further developed the finance department at Dachser in a forward-looking manner and provided important impetus for the entire company on the Management Board," says Bernhard Simon, Chairman of Dachser's Board of Directors.

Dachser, a family-owned company headquartered in Kempten, Germany, offers transport logistics, warehousing, and customized services within two business fields: Dachser Air & Sea Logistics and Dachser Road Logistics. With around 31,800 employees at 376 locations worldwide, Dachser generated consolidated net revenue of almost EUR 7.1 billion in 2021. The logistics provider moved a total of 83.6 million consignments weighing 42.8 million tonnes. Dachser is represented by its own national companies in 42 countries, including Switzerland. Dachser Switzerland employs 292 people and generated net revenue of 128.8 million Swiss francs in 2021.

Source and further information: Dachser

A diverse composition and smooth cooperation of the board of directors is elementary for compliance with good corporate governance. A recent study by the auditing and consulting firm Deloitte Switzerland analyzed economiesuisse's recently revised "Swiss Code of Best Practices for Corporate Governance," evaluated data from the annual reports of the 20 SMI companies and the 30 SMIM companies, and spoke with experienced board members.

Progress discernible - sustainability will gain in importance

The Deloitte analysis shows that a long professional career is still judged to be a significant criterion for the selection of members of the Board of Directors. Only 2 percent of people on boards of directors are younger than 40. The most represented age groups are 51-60 years (37%) and 61-70 years (42%). 8 percent of all board members are older than 71. In terms of expertise, the areas of finance/banking (43%) and law (12%) dominate. Boards have made significant progress in terms of gender composition (see chart 1). In 2012, just 9 percent of all board members were women; by 2022, that figure had risen to 32 percent. In addition, board members are sitting in their seats for less time than ten years ago: The average length of a board mandate in 2022 was between 5 and 6 years. In 2012, the average was still 6 to 7 years.

"The boards of directors are the supreme steering bodies of Swiss companies; they set the course for the important issues of the future. This includes sustainability. Aspects such as the impact on the environment and society will gain in importance on boards of directors," says Alessandro Miolo, Head of Audit & Assurance at Deloitte Switzerland and member of the Executive Board, assessing the results.

"Diversity" extends far beyond gender representation

However, for the tasks to be performed comprehensively and for corporate governance to be practiced, further points must be taken into account in the composition of the committees: Members should have different ways of thinking, apply different issues and bring approaches from other industries, corporate cultures and markets. They are helped in this by a broad range of experience as well as management experience at executive board level.

By including these factors, members of boards of directors do not just deal with their own area of expertise in isolation. Rather, representatives with a wide range of experience should also be able to contribute beyond their own subject area. These diverse perspectives are important for addressing forecasts and future issues and finding effective responses to concrete challenges. Boards with outstanding collaboration use this so-called "cognitive diversity" to their advantage. "The revised guidelines in the "Swiss Code of Best Practices for Corporate Governance" are an important response to current developments in sustainability, new legal requirements, and changing economic challenges. In the past, Deloitte has repeatedly worked to strengthen corporate governance in the Swiss economy - for example, through studies on various board topics, participation in expert committees of various associations and, last but not least, through concrete work for our clientele," says Reto Savoia, CEO Deloitte Switzerland.

Sustainability thought too short term

While 79 percent of all 50 SMI/SMIM companies surveyed already publish a sustainability report that addresses challenges, objectives and progress in the area of financial, social and environmental sustainability (ESG). At the same time, only just 27 percent of companies have included ESG objectives beyond the coming financial year in the compensation systems for their executive board members (see chart 2).

There is also a need for further action in risk management, which plays a key role in achieving goals and protecting the company's reputation. Only 44 percent of the companies surveyed reported that they conduct annual risk assessments. One-third of the annual reports did not contain any information on the frequency of their risk assessments, which are carried out by the BoD. The situation is similar when it comes to whistleblowing: 35 percent of all companies do not have a specific hotline for independent and anonymous reporting of suspected violations of applicable laws, regulations or codes.

"Instruments such as the whistleblowing hotline or measures to anchor the risk culture at the top of the company are elementary, so that companies can actively manage risk, identify weak points and thus contribute to protecting their reputation as well as Switzerland as a business location. Far-sighted thinking is central to risk management. This enables the board of directors and management to act in a prepared and pragmatic manner instead of just reacting," Alessandro Miolo continues.

Source: Deloitte

The Swiss Association for Solar Energy has seen a marked increase in membership, parallel to the positive development on the market, according to a press release. At the same time, numerous new tasks have to be mastered, such as the establishment of a professional apprenticeship. All this requires expanded capacities of the association's office. Against this background, the current Managing Director David Stickelberger has decided to step down after 25 years of service and hand over the main responsibility in the operational area of the association: "I am pleased to be able to hand over the management to new, competent hands after 25 years. In my new role at Swissolar, I will continue to work full steam ahead to ensure that solar energy becomes the second mainstay of Swiss energy supply alongside hydropower," says Stickelberger.

David Stickelberger is expected to form the new Executive Board together with his current deputy Andreas Hekler and Matthias Egli until retirement age. He will be responsible for the Market and Policy division. This solution will enable a smooth handover of responsibilities in a dynamic and challenging phase of the association's development.

New management as of May 1, 2023

The Swissolar board has elected Matthias Egli as its new managing director. He will take up his post on May 1, 2023. Born in Lucerne in 1978, Egli has broad professional experience in the energy, construction and ICT sectors. As a trained draftsman, he is very familiar with the day-to-day work in the construction industry. As a second-chance education, he completed a French-language degree in environmental engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. He acquired business management skills with MBA studies at the University of Rochester New York and at the University of Bern: "It is fantastic what the solar industry and the association Swissolar have achieved in recent years. I am very motivated to further accelerate the strong growth of the entire industry with Swissolar in order to achieve the goals of the Swiss energy strategy," says Egli.

Matthias Egli has led teams from strategy development to operational implementation, developed projects and built up companies. In his spare time, he has been involved in the energy transition on various occasions, including as co-founder of the Sunraising and Smart City Bern associations and in his political work in the Bern city parliament. Matthias Egli currently supports energy projects and start-ups with his own company and lives with his family in Wabern near Bern.

Step from trade to industry association

For Swissolar President Jürg Grossen, the association is ready for the step from a trade to an industry association with the competently positioned management: "I am very pleased that we are able to engage a competent and experienced managing director in Matthias Egli and I am convinced that he, together with the new management and the entire Swissolar team, will successfully lead our association into the next decade. My great thanks go to David Stickelberger for his many years of successful commitment at the helm of Swissolar and for his willingness to continue his motivated work on the Executive Board. Many thanks also to Andreas Hekler for his great merits and the reliable, serious work as deputy managing director, which he is happy to continue. With this very competent management team, Swissolar is ready to take the next step towards becoming an industry association," says Grossen.

Source and further information: Swissolar

Messenger services like WhatsApp are among the most used apps in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - 7.3 million Swiss use WhatsApp. Every free minute, the smartphone is used to see what friends and family members are writing. It's not just the young who communicate this way. Current studies show that every age group has conquered messenger services for themselves.

It is surprising that despite this strong market penetration, so many companies have not yet thought about using this channel! Fields in which WhatsApp has already proven itself are:

• Customer service - Quick help
• Sales - Submit simple orders (without PC)
• Appointment - Uncomplicated coordination
• Consulting - Send product information
• Marketing - reference to promotions or discounts
• Events - send ticket and map directly to your smartphone and much more.

In this book, Rolf Limacher explains how to proceed in a structured manner in order to tap this potential. Using numerous examples, he shows how successfully innovative companies are already using this direct channel to their customers.

Important to know: The potential of messenger services is far from exhausted. All of them are constantly evolving and expanding their range of functions. And if one application is no longer successful, there is certainly already a new one that will quickly take its place. In other words, readers of this book are perfectly positioned to apply their knowledge to the new platform.

The book is available directly from BPX Publishing

From Assent Inc (Assent), a provider in the area of sustainability and compliance in supply chains, there is a new qualitative study on the implementation of ESG and sustainability strategies in supply chains at companies with complex manufacturing. In it, 152 people in positions of responsibility were asked about barriers, plans and status quo of sustainability programs. The survey, commissioned by Assent from Endeavor Business Intelligence, was conducted in North America and Europe in October 2022. Respondents were primarily from the engineering, automotive, electronics and aerospace sectors.

ESG enjoys high priority

The study shows that 87 % of respondents give ESG and sustainability within their own supply chain a high or medium priority. The majority believe that supply chains pose a greater risk to compliance with ESG standards than their own production. Accordingly, 88 % of respondents plan to base their choice of suppliers within the next five years on their sustainability efforts, among other factors.

In order to be able to do this, 69 % expect their company to expand its investment in sustainability practices in 2023, despite the tense economic situation. Around two-thirds also state that they intend to create additional positions within the next three years to deal specifically with the sustainable design of their own supply chains.

Customers and climate protection are the key drivers to more sustainable supply chains

The study also asked about the most important drivers for the implementation of sustainability and ESG practices. The most frequently cited reasons are climate and environmental protection (39 %) and corresponding feedback and demand from customers (33 %). Improving their own reputation (27 %), more resilient supply chains (27 %) or hoped-for competitive advantages (27 %) were also frequently mentioned.

On the other hand, the study also shows which consequences companies see as the greatest risks if they fail to make their supply chains sustainable. Nearly half (49 %) see a potential loss of customers as the most serious. This is followed by the risk of non-compliance and the associated fines (32 %), potential negative publicity (32 %) and the possible loss of partners or suppliers (25 %).

Confidence in one's own ability to provide information is low

Only 39 % of respondents are confident that their company is accurate and defensible about corporate influence within the report on their own supply chain with regard to ESG can. One of the reasons for this is that 47 % state that they are highly or very highly dependent on their suppliers when implementing sustainability strategies. 59 % think that this dependency will even increase in 2023. Problematically, at the same time only 25 % believe that their partners and suppliers have the capacity to sufficiently support their own sustainability goals.

"Reliable data from your own supply chain is an absolute must for any effort toward true sustainability," says Sue Fortunato-Esbach, Regulatory & Sustainability Expert, Product Sustainability, at Assent. "However, for many manufacturers, it is difficult to access data that is buried deep within their own supply chain. At Assent, we help our clients do this by having our experts gather information about practices at suppliers through a variety of channels. In doing so, we give companies confidence that they are meeting their own ESG goals and are in compliance with current laws."

Budgets and expertise are limited

Furthermore, the study asked about the obstacles that make it difficult for manufacturers to achieve their ESG and sustainability goals as intended. The most frequently cited limiting factors are cost and budget (55 %), followed by continuous changes in requirements and legislation (41 %). Problems managing existing data (34 %), lack of awareness (33 %), lack of technical expertise (32 %), or not being able to engage certain suppliers (32 %) are also cited.

"Access to appropriate expertise to keep up with ongoing regulatory changes is limited. This severely limits many companies in their ESG and sustainability efforts," says Sue Fortunato-Esbach. "Skills shortages, already overburdened departments and limited budgets make it difficult to create such expertise internally to a sufficient degree. In addition, there are problems with data availability, quality and analysis. Especially for complex manufacturers with thousands of suppliers, it is therefore usually the better choice to turn to specialized partners."

After reviewing over 150 applications, a jury of investors and technology experts has selected ten tech startups to participate in the roadshow in Silicon Valley, one of the world's most important technology hubs. The Roadshow offers entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to accelerate the expansion of their startups in the U.S., expand their professional network and benefit from workshops with investors and industry leaders.

Step into growth

The Venture Leaders program also demonstrates the dynamism and vitality of the Swiss tech startup ecosystem. The selected startups work on a wide range of solutions, from artificial intelligence and sensors to encryption and location technologies, and serve a variety of sectors including agriculture, healthcare, digital marketing and engineering. "The startups selected for the Venture Leaders Technology program are working at the forefront of innovation, so the Silicon Valley roadshow is the natural next step in their growth," said Stefan Steiner, co-managing director of Venturelab. "By connecting with industry experts and investors in this hub of innovation, the program gives entrepreneurs access to invaluable U.S. market insights and industry know-how while strengthening their international network. We look forward to the exchanges and opportunities the roadshow will bring for the Venture Leaders and their future investors."

The ten selected startups are:

Roadshow with an impact on corporate success

This year's Venture Leaders Technology join an impressive group of alumni, including startups such as. Lemoptix and Composyt Light Labs (adopted from Intel), Faceshift (bought out by Apple), HouseTrip (bought out by TripAdvisor), Kooaba (bought out by Qualcomm), Dacuda (adopted from Magic Leap), and the unicorns GetYourGuide and Scandit. "It was very constructive to be challenged by U.S. investors to improve our communication and pitches," said Matteo Vanotti, CEO of xFarm and Venture Leader Technology 2022 participant, who closed a €17 million funding round after the roadshow. "Besides, we could breathe the atmosphere of the Valley populated by tech companies; we came back to Switzerland with a lot of inspirations."

"I can safely say that the Venture Leaders program is unique in many ways," said Nicolas Abelé, founder and CEO of SONIX, also Venture Leader Technology 2022. "The amount of personal and professional development packed into this one week is incomparable."

Kickoff event on February 22, 2023

The Venture Leaders Technology 2023 program is organized by Venturelab and supported by ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, Kellerhals Carrard, Rothschild & Co, the Canton of Vaud and the Canton of Zurich. The companies will Present to the public at a kick-off event on February 22, 2023

Deloitte's Global Marketing Trends 2023 study shows, on the one hand, that the metaverse piques the interest of most chief marketing officers (CMOs) surveyed. On the other hand, about one-fifth of them say they do not fully understand it. The Metaverse is a network of interoperable virtual worlds where users can work, play, meet or shop using virtual or augmented reality technologies. The Metaverse could develop into a gigantic marketing channel, believe staunch supporters of this network.

Metaverse begins without Switzerland

In Switzerland, however, this interest is less pronounced. Only 7 percent of Swiss respondents say their company is already active in the metaverse - compared to 17 percent globally. Swiss CMOs are more likely to observe the metaverse than to become active: While their international colleagues are either already active in the metaverse or plan to do so within the next 12 months (see chart 1), nearly half (42%) of the Swiss marketing executives surveyed will only do so within the next 12 to 24 months, and 12 percent have not yet engaged with it at all.

Swiss CMOs cite the complexity of technology implementation (55%) as the main reason for their non-participation in the Metaverse, followed by skepticism about long-term relevance (35%) and insufficient talent to implement such a strategy (32%). "Swiss companies are not doing themselves any favors with their wait-and-see attitude toward new Web 3.0 technologies and the Metaverse," Roger Lay, Head of Marketing, Commerce and Design at Deloitte Switzerland, is convinced, adding, "It is not yet clear how significant the Metaverse, for example, will be for individual companies and industries in five or ten years. But if marketers don't take their first steps very soon, they will miss the trend."

Sustainability: Come to stay

Sustainability is also increasingly seen as a growth driver and new market. Swiss CMOs have recognized this earlier than their colleagues worldwide: Swiss marketing managers give higher priority to building up competencies and offerings around sustainability (31%) than their international colleagues (21%). They also find this easier in a global comparison (see chart 2). "Most chief marketing officers in this country have recognized the opportunities of sustainability when it comes to their company's reputation and as an opportunity for growth," says Liza Engel, Chief Sustainability Officer at Deloitte Switzerland. In light of demographic trends and increased awareness of the impact of a purchasing decision, she says, sustainability is taking center stage. Engel is convinced: "If companies want to be successful in their sustainability efforts, they need to be honest and transparent in taking concrete sustainability measures, communicate them authentically, bring their clientele along on this journey, and understand that sustainability is crucial for the longevity of a company."

Creativity as a growth driver - not in Switzerland

The study continues to paint a rather conservative picture of Swiss marketing departments. Only about one-third (35%) of respondents believe that the long-term success of their company depends on developing creative ideas. This conviction is more pronounced among their colleagues worldwide: 48 percent of them believe that creativity is a growth driver (see chart 3). By contrast, the majority in this country (51%) believe that problem-solving and decision-making will be the most relevant attributes for the success of their company - internationally, the figure is only 35 percent.

"Swiss companies still allow mistakes too rarely and show too little willingness to take risks and creativity to encourage innovation," Roger Lay is convinced. Only 28 percent of Swiss marketing managers (worldwide: 37%) believe that encouraging risk-taking and "failure" fosters creative thinking. Lay continues, "This is possibly due to the fact that a rather traditional corporate culture still prevails in Switzerland, characterized by risk avoidance and perfectionism. Many marketing managers in Switzerland complain that creativity ekes out a niche existence in their companies and is not seen as a strategic imperative." Against this backdrop, it comes as no surprise that local companies also lag behind when it comes to collaborating with external creatives and influencers, according to another conclusion of the study. Currently, only 23 percent of Swiss marketers would collaborate with such - compared to 33 percent worldwide. "If Swiss companies don't want to lose out to their global competitors, they should encourage creativity and risk-taking, be more open to new technologies and use them more consistently," Lay concludes.

Source: Deloitte

Many Swiss lawyers, trustees and service providers now record their project-specific services with "Plato", a software solution from All Consulting. Thanks to dynamic interfaces, it enables seamless integration with ERP software solutions and other systems. According to the company, the focus is on the digital customer dossier. Abacus Research AG is now taking over this industry solution developed and marketed by All Consulting, including the associated customer base. This is made up of lawyers, trustees and other service providers. This means that Abacus will gain around 600 additional customers directly and at the same time expand its industry portfolio, according to a media release. "With the acquisition of "Plato" and its integration into the Abacus software, we are bringing a software solution to the market that is optimally tailored to the customer needs of lawyers, trustees and other service providers. The software will optimally combine the strengths of both providers. This includes comprehensive and long-standing industry know-how as well as integrated, end-to-end processes," said Christian Huber, CFO and designated Co-CEO of Abacus Research AG. "We are looking forward to the intensive cooperation with the All Consulting team," Huber continues.

With the takeover of "Plato" by Abacus, existing "Plato" users will receive significant added value and, at the same time, a guarantee of continuity: "Plato" will be fully integrated into the Abacus software and will thus benefit from over 35 years of experience in the field of software development. The contact persons and the maintenance contracts remain unchanged. Marcel Rüegg, Partner and Head of Software Solutions at All Consulting: "With Abacus Research AG, we have found a partner who has established itself in the market with a proven solution, is constantly investing in the future with innovations, and shares the same values. We look forward to continuing to serve our existing customers personally and, in new ways, together with the Abacus team."

The software will now be known as "AbaPlato". All Consulting has been a Gold Partner of Abacus for 35 years and implements their comprehensive, modular ERP solution for SMEs.

Sources and further information: Abacus / All Consulting

Interest rate hikes, inflation, recession - the wind has shifted considerably for many companies in recent weeks and months after years of virtually unrestrained growth. The result: many employees have been laid off and are now looking for jobs. But those with IT skills still have a very good chance of finding a new job. An evaluation by LinkedIn of the most sought-after software engineering skills worldwide shows which skills are particularly in demand: programming languages are right at the top. Anyone with knowledge of these languages can help alleviate the shortage of IT specialists.

Knowledge of programming languages increases job opportunities

JavaScript, Java, Python and C++ are among the most widely used programming languages worldwide. Accordingly, it comes as no surprise that they land in the top 10 in the ranking of the most sought-after qualifications in the software sector, with JavaScript taking first place. In view of the increasing digitization of all areas of life, these skills will continue to be of great importance in the coming years and thus an advantage for employees.

But job seekers can also score points with other skills, for example CSS (5th place) or HMTL (6th place): Although neither of these is a classic programming language, they are essential for structuring, formatting or designing websites. Therefore, they are important skills for web and frontend developers, but can also be helpful for workers in other business areas such as marketing. The positive thing about CSS and HTML: they are comparatively easy to learn.

The most sought-after global skills in software engineering in 2023

1. JavaScript
2. Java
3. SQL
4. Python
5. CSS
6. HTML
7. Management
8. Cloud Computing
9. Git
10. C++

Overall, there is only one soft skill on the top 10 list: Management. Nevertheless, this skill should not be underestimated - just because someone is a good developer, for example, does not necessarily mean that they are also a good team leader of developers. After all, with the latter comes new and, above all, different tasks and responsibilities. Anyone who still wants to take the leap into a role with management responsibility should familiarize themselves with these requirements beforehand and check their skills accordingly.

IT skills shortage: Thinking about employees from abroad as well

"Digital transformation meets a shortage of IT specialists - this is the challenge currently facing many companies. But there is a way out of this situation: Many experienced IT professionals are currently looking for new jobs around the world. The task now is to actively approach them, convince them and make them an attractive offer, because of course the competition will not be sleeping either and will try to secure these talents. Since the demand for these talents is very high, the job seekers will probably not only have an offer and have to be inspired for their own company," says Barbara Wittmann, Country Manager and Senior Director Talent Solutions at LinkedIn DACH. "Whether it's a large corporation or a medium-sized company, I advise companies to open themselves up to looking for talent abroad as well and to develop a strategy for doing so. If they don't do this, they will fall behind in national and international comparisons, as IT talent is very mobile globally."

Source: LinkedIn / Hotwire PR

Appreciation is not everything, but without appreciation everything is nothing: If we lack it in our private lives, this is one of the most common reasons why we withdraw and relationships fail. At work, lack of appreciation is the number one reason employees quit. Lack of appreciation can even lead to physical illness: Medical experts attribute a large proportion of slipped discs to a lack of recognition and appreciation[1]. If, on the other hand, we feel accepted as we are, we blossom, trust, open up and let ourselves go. Appreciative relationships therefore provide energy in all areas and bring joy into our lives.

Even if our (business) world seems to be characterized by hard numbers - it only becomes worth living through the soft aspects: Those who treat their fellow human beings with more appreciation not only make the world more beautiful and peaceful, but also infect others with it - because we tend to pass on appreciation that we have experienced. Anyone who would like to become an "appreciator" can use the following 15 principles as a guide:

1. Give yourself completely in conversations and give your current counterpart your full attention. Do not neglect him for possible contacts in the virtual space. Switch your cell phone to flight mode and put it out of sight so that it does not distract you.
2. Listen attentively to the person you are talking to, without already preparing your own answer in your mind. Pay attention to the nuances and sense what moves him. In this way, you strengthen your neural networks for empathy, which is an important basis for appreciation.
3. Get close to nature regularly and take deliberate breaks from using your digital devices from time to time, this will also increase your empathy.
4. Observe what values are important to those around you and consider them when communicating with them. Do not judge anyone for being different. Do not condemn yourself for your mistakes and weaknesses, but see them as areas for development.
5. Dialogue is the art of thinking together: be mindful of what your conversation partner's statements trigger in you. Only then think about a response and allow it to develop from the shared space between the two of you.
6. Meditate regularly or practice mindfulness exercises and consciously develop your awareness of what is happening. Use situations that make you emotional to reflect and get to know yourself better.
7. Show respect for others by speaking non-violently when criticizing them and avoiding "you" messages and judgments. Separate behavior from person. Adhere to the principle that everyone is fully accepted for being human. This does not exclude that he is responsible for his behavior in case of negligence or intent.
8. Be patient and trust that those around you will open up at their individual pace. Respect their boundaries and give them space. Pay attention to nonverbal signals that show someone is uncomfortable or stressed.
9. Be tolerant of mistakes and don't impute intent to others or that they are doing something to deliberately harm you. Most people try to be a good person.
10. Don't judge someone whose situation you haven't been in. Learn to appreciate the differences between you and others and ask yourself what you can learn from them.
11. Be peaceful: It is not about always being right and keeping it, but about the feelings you trigger in your fellow human beings and thereby bring into the world.
12. Clarify your mutual expectations with those around you so that disappointments are prevented. Be transparent, open, but at the same time tactful and discreet. Do not talk about absentees, but in such a way that all your words could be in the newspaper.
13. Appreciate those around you in the ways they understand best. Some feel valued by material gifts, others by praise and recognition, by help and support, by physical closeness or by time spent together.
14. Practice gratitude exercises and open your heart to be more loving toward your fellow human beings. Meet others as equals, even if there are differences in status between you.
15. It is not many shallow contacts that will fulfill you, but the depth of your most trusting relationships. This takes time, so invest more in quality than quantity.

[1] Werner Bartens: Emotional Violence; p.77, rowohlt, Berlin, 2018

Author:
Christian Bernhardt is a lecturer, author, consultant and speaker on solutions to the skills shortage. His new book "Echte Wertschätzung" was published in September 2022 and already jumped into the Amazon bestseller charts in November. It describes 111 ways to lead employees in a more appreciative way. Bernhardt advises companies and holds lectures and trainings in Germany and Switzerland. More at www.bernhardt-trainings.com

Book tip

Christian Bernhardt
Genuine appreciation: Strengthen relationships. Deepen trust. Develop teams together.
300 pages, from 24,95 Euro
ISBN: 978-3-86980-666-2
BusinessVillage Publishing House, September 2022

Over the past three years, the pandemic shift to the home office has taken its toll on Swiss companies. The surge in digitization predicted by experts in this context is very evident in this country: according to a Study of the University of Zurich Before the COVID 19 pandemic, just under 20 % of employees worked from home; during the pandemic, this figure was over 60 %. In many places, hybrid working models were introduced that required a more modern IT infrastructure. For many mid-sized companies in particular, the digitization of business processes became an ad hoc project during this period. The slow reopening of the world in 2022 brought with it a whole new set of challenges. What has happened since then? What impetus did the COVID 19 pandemic provide for the world of work today? Which innovations have been further put on the back burner by supply bottlenecks and price increases?

The ten biggest brake blocks

The results of the 2022 SME study by SAP Concur, a software company that provides travel and expense management services for companies, confirm the digitization push in Switzerland in terms of technical equipment, but there is still some catching up to do when it comes to the digitization of business processes. The question of how employees in SMEs can best communicate with each other is becoming particularly important. It has not yet been answered digitally.

Against this background, the top 10 hurdles for Swiss SMEs in their day-to-day work are as follows:

For the respondents in 2022, the most potential for frustration was poor coordination with colleagues (25 %). One reason for this is the choice of communication tools: even if digital collaboration tools support communication, personal contact on site cannot always be digitized in daily coordination. For example, 47 % of respondents say that digitization and virtual meetings can maintain business relationships remotely, but they do not replace business trips and the associated face-to-face exchanges. More than half of the respondents (55 %) have become aware of the importance of face-to-face contact with customers as well as colleagues as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and the large number of virtual meetings. At the same time, 34 % of mid-market employees still say they travel less than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many employees were not yet traveling at pre-pandemic levels in 2022, approving and accounting for business travel was still a hurdle for 7 %. Especially in light of air travel chaos, wars and continued pandemic rules, just over a third of respondents (38 %) would like their employer to provide apps that make business travel easier.

The best of both worlds

Compared with the rest of the DACH region, Switzerland is clearly ahead in terms of digital equipment in the workplace. In this country, only 15 % of respondents felt thwarted by outdated IT hardware (Germany: 23 %; Austria: 21 %). Only 13 % cited outdated IT software as a hurdle in their day-to-day work (Germany: 19 %; Austria: 18 %). Nevertheless, too many processes in SMEs are still characterized by bureaucracy (24 %) and recurring administrative procedures with no added value (23 %). 38 %, for example, still have to submit invoices on paper and fill out Excel spreadsheets. The billing processes take a correspondingly long time: almost one-third of respondents (29 %) have to wait two to four weeks for reimbursement. According to the survey, there is still a clear need for optimization in Swiss SMEs when it comes to digital solutions for expense management. While 40 % of employers in Austria already use digital solutions to settle employee expenses such as home office costs, expenses or mileage allowances, according to the respondents, this is the case in just under a quarter of Swiss companies (26 %; Germany: 28 %).

"Efficient, digitized processes in the workplace increase employee satisfaction. SMEs should not underestimate this positive influence. The study results clearly show that too much bureaucracy and paperwork in the daily work routine lead to frustration and loss of productivity," says Dennis Torchetti, Head of Switzerland & CEE at SAP Concur. "This makes it all the more important to focus now on IT solutions that reduce monotonous, time-consuming work processes and create space for value-creating activities. Those who continue to put off digital transformation will lose employees and innovation in the long term."

Source and further information: SAP Concur

The year 2022 was characterized by turbulence at the political, economic and monetary level. Geopolitical tensions, especially the war in Ukraine, but also inflation and rising interest rates were at the forefront throughout the year. On the financial markets, these crises and uncertainties led to high volatility and sharply falling bond and equity markets - an unfavorable environment from which compenswiss was not spared. Manuel Leuthold, Chairman of the Board of Directors, emphasizes: "One of compenswiss' main tasks is to keep sufficient liquidity on hand so that the three social security funds can meet their payment obligations at all times. The more liquid asset classes in which compenswiss consequently primarily invests, such as bonds, equities, listed real estate funds and shares, were particularly hard hit in 2022."

Negative net return - but liquidity always sufficient

As of December 31, 2022, the total assets managed by compenswiss amounted to CHF 37,282 million (previous year: CHF 40,882 million). Assets under management consist of non-current assets, which amounted to CHF 34,599 million (previous year: CHF 38,682 million), and cash and cash equivalents (treasury), which amounted to CHF 2,683 million (previous year: CHF 2,200 million).

After taking into account currency hedging, the net return generated on non-current assets reached -12.85% at the end of 2022 (previous year: 5.28%). The net return generated on cash and cash equivalents amounted to -0.23% (previous year: -0.33%). The net returns on the assets of the three social security funds amounted to -12.38% (previous year: 4.94%) for the AHV, -11.24 % (previous year: 4.10%) for the IV and -12.21% (previous year: 5.05%) for the EO. The slightly less negative result for IV is mainly due to higher liquidity reserves.

In 2022, cash inflows, which came mainly from contributions by insured persons, employers, the self-employed and the federal government, fully covered outflows. Eric Breval, director of compenswiss, explains, "Throughout the year, compenswiss had sufficient liquidity to enable insurers to pay out pensions and other benefits without having to sell assets from their portfolio. Despite a clearly negative performance in 2022, there were no effective losses. These were merely book losses. The cumulative performance over the last ten years remains positive."

Total operating and asset management expenses (including stamp duties) are 0.20% of total assets and have remained stable compared to the previous year (0.19%).

Responsible investment policy of compenswiss to be continued

In 2022, compenswiss tightened its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria requirements in line with its statutory obligations - liquidity, security and return. This responsible approach led to an acceleration of divestments, particularly in the coal sector. The Anstalt continued to exercise its voting rights for the Swiss shares held in its portfolio. As a member of the Swiss Association for Responsible Investment (SVVK), the Anstalt continued its shareholder dialogue and normative exclusions. It also developed measurement tools in the area of sustainability which, among other things, enable it to assess the climate compatibility of its market portfolio using the "Swiss Climate Scores" introduced by the Federal Council.

Stabilization of the AHV fund thanks to the AHV 21 reform

On September 25, 2022, the Swiss people and the cantons approved the AHV 21 reform to stabilize the AHV. The people were in favor of a gradual increase in the retirement age for women to 65 and an increase in value added tax of 0.4%. Thanks to these measures, which will come into force on January 1, 2024, the financial balance of the AHV will remain secure for another seven to eight years.

The operating results of the three social insurance schemes AHV, IV and EO for 2022 will be published in April 2023.

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