The Swiss Pension Finance Watch examines the impact of capital market developments on the financing of pension plans in Switzerland on a quarterly basis. This study is part of the WTW published Global Pension Finance Watchwhich contains all results of the most important bond markets from the year 2000 onwards. The study results are published quarterly. Their focus is on investment assets and liabilities. The survey covers pension plans in Brazil, Canada, the euro zone, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey is based on International Accounting Standard 19 (IAS 19) and US GAAP FASB ASC 715. The index represents the quarterly development of the funding ratio under these accounting standards instead of reporting the otherwise typical funding ratio of Swiss pension plans.

Assets decline by 3.3 percent

In the first half of 2022, the significant and steady increase in discount rates offset the declining plan assets, resulting in a further net improvement in the pension obligations on the corporate balance sheets. In the third quarter, bond yields, on which the discount rate is based, were very volatile but closed only slightly higher than in the previous quarter. Compared with the end of the second quarter, pension obligations remained relatively stable overall. Corporate pension obligations under international accounting standards still remain around 20 % lower than at the beginning of the year, close to their lowest level in nine years. Plan assets declined by another 3.3 % in the third quarter, causing the WTW Pension Index to plunge by 4.4 %. As shown in the WTW Pension Index, the illustrative funded ratio (i.e., the ratio of plan assets to pension liabilities) fell from 129.7 % as of June 30, 2022, to 125.3 % as of September 30, 2022.

Negative investment returns: What they mean

For the first time in over ten years, bonds with the most important maturities for pension funds are recording negative investment returns. For pension plans with a term of more than ten years, this means under current conditions that the discount rate falls as the term of the plan increases (possibly by as much as 5 to 10 basis points). Under "normal" circumstances, the opposite is true, in which case a debt holder demands a higher yield as compensation for interest rate change and default risks the longer a bond's maturity is. "Despite volatile market conditions, very poor investment returns so far this year, and the unusual inversion of the corporate bond yield curve, companies can still expect to see an improvement in net pension liabilities on their balance sheets compared to the beginning of the year. On the other hand, the funding ratios of local pension plans are likely to have deteriorated significantly, as the technical interest rate underlying local obligations has remained much more stable," explains Adam Casey, Head of Corporate Retirement Consulting at WTW in Zurich.

For plans with durations up to 16 years, the discount rate improved in the third quarter, while the discount rate for plans with longer durations declined during the quarter. "The shape of the yield curve makes it difficult for companies that report their pension obligations on a quarterly basis to make a rough estimate of whether their obligations increased or decreased during the quarter, as this depends on the duration of the pension plan," explains Adam Casey. When there is an inversion of the yield curve, investors who buy bonds with longer durations are willing to accept lower compensation for their risk exposure than they would receive for exposure with a shorter duration. As a rule, the inversion of the yield curve is therefore seen as an indication that the market is rather pessimistic about the economic outlook for the near future.

Peak inflation soon or already reached - possible opportunities for investing in bonds

For pension funds, the 3rd quarter was again a negative one, although the brief respite in July somewhat offset the particularly poor September. The assets of a typical Swiss pension fund slumped by around 3 % in this quarter. The annual return is currently around -13 %.

As inflation continued to rise, the central banks had to respond with hefty interest rate hikes. It can be assumed that inflation in the USA has already peaked and will now slowly level off. In Europe, the peak is expected in the 4th quarter or at the latest in the 1st quarter of 2023. In Switzerland, inflation was still lower than in its neighboring countries at 3.5 % in August. "The expectation that interest rates will peak in the short to medium term makes an investment in bonds attractive again compared to equities," expresses Alexandra Tischendorf, Head of Investment at WTW.

Real interest rates are showing an increase, albeit still in negative territory. Within the bond segment, opportunities appear to be emerging in the area of investment-grade corporate bonds, as credit valuations have declined from their highs and default rates on high-yield bonds are rising.

It is important that pension fund boards of trustees do not lose sight of their long-term investment horizon and goals despite the challenges presented by the current environment, according to WTW experts. "Pension fund boards of trustees must continue to focus on the long-term, sustainable direction of their investment strategy. This includes aspects such as diversification of risk premiums, consideration of sustainable investment principles, and improvement of risk management and governance," advises Alexandra Tischendorf.

Source and further information: wtwco.com.

Hannes is asking himself the same question. The 49-year-old graduate in business administration is a production manager and member of the management team of an international industrial group. He provides an insight into what is actually thought and done on the management floor. By the way: A smile is definitely allowed due to this business satire...

Correlations and probability calculations, statistics and feasibility arithmetic have replaced discussions about pros and cons. People don't just want to do anything on instinct, but everything should have a solid basis. It would be even nicer if the choice of the color of the new logo, for example, were simply made on the basis of "I like it more" or "I like it less.

Today, psychological reports are used to describe which emotions are triggered by which colors in whom and on what occasion. Data outline which of the colors are already most common among competitors who are also really successful (which can also be substantiated in itself with figures) and then you can no longer stand out.

Now the Executive Committee has decided to continue on this path, the success of which can of course also be proven by a ten-page report with about five tables each, 18 pie charts and recounted about 100 figures.

In-depth analyses for soft factors

As head of production, which is in itself predestined to make calculations, Hannes is allowed to illuminate and scrutinize the internal market. In terms of production, it has long been clear how many IT breakdowns the relevant department has to solve per day, and on which days of the week the focus is. It is also clear after which holidays the most absences due to illness are recorded. It has also long been known how long the average visit to the company canteen, smoking area and toilets lasts. The evaluation shows columns for employees, age and hierarchy groups separately.

Hannes isn't quite sure what to do with all the Big and Small Data stuff, but it's certainly good to know... Now it's all about satisfaction and the soft factors. The idea is not just to know how long the average small talk lasts while waiting by the elevators to the staff restaurant, but how satisfied waiting in front of the coffee machine has made you, watching the medium, dark or light mocha blend combine with the milk for the cappuccino.

Now people are voting for all they're worth

So Hannes begins to systematically designate places where an evaluation box should be placed immediately. The evaluation box "Votix" is a self-produced small voting apparatus on a tripod support and the popular, large buttons with the three smileys "smile", "neutral", "angry". Alternatively, there will also be a smartphone app where the same can be rated.

The process is thus described in concrete terms: Anyone who removes the coffee cup from the machine again is immediately prompted via app (or does it manually on the Votix) to rate the satisfaction of the coffee output. This is how it continues. You can vote on how clean you thought the toilets were, how competently the IT support staff solved the problem, how quickly the receptionist filled out the visitor cards, how satisfied you are with the scent of the new cleaning agent in the underground parking garage, and what you think of the start-up time for the new air conditioning system in the meeting room.

Between Votix, WhatsApp and 4.316 minutes of going to the toilet

Of course, Hannes also builds in a safety loop in the process and the corresponding control programs. Since all voting stations recognize the personnel badge, they also know who has forgotten to vote. Accordingly, this person receives a WhatsApp and an email one hour after going to the toilet with the text: "A short while ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming you to our toilets. Your visit lasted 4,316 minutes and the water consumption was average. We will be glad if you still evaluate us. Thank you, your house service".

Hannes is reassured to have achieved by relatively simple means what people have been worrying about for a long time. Are the employees really satisfied with the peripheral, internal services? Filtering out what the figures really say is a project for the next year, and what the consequences of this might be is also enough if it can still mature into the year after next. There's no need to rush things, especially with such strategically important digital concepts...

Professional conclusion

"Counting and measuring are the basis of the most fruitful, reliable and accurate scientific methods," wrote Hermann von Helmholtz in 1879. Who would have thought how right the physiologist and physicist of old would get it? At the time when Thomas A. Edison brought the first light bulb to light and the Saltpetre War was raging in South America, he anticipated what has become a mantra in companies 140 years later: Only what can be measured in numbers exists. In the wake of balanced scorecards and similar aspects, actual controller thinking has become a statement of reason. Even what is not actually measurable, such as "motivation" or "satisfaction," is squeezed into a scale.

The desire for objectivity is one thing, hiding behind numbers is another. If you deliver bad numbers, you don't have to explain to them why you don't like their efforts. You let the numbers do the talking, and that absolves the manager of today that he should articulate "himself" what he would have to give as feedback. Any kind of performance appraisal is beaten over the bar of what can be measured in numbers.

Now, neither numbers nor measuring are bad, but dealing with the measured actually leaves some room for improvement. The reference point is missing, and then you take it from next door and christen it Benchmark. "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." That's how Albert Einstein put it.

As an effect of this measurement mania, good sense of proportion is readily lost. A so-called pseudo-objectivity often serves as a cover for subjectivity and clear expectations. Protagoras' famous sentence "Man is the measure of all things" gives us the direction. He places man as interpreter before things. Every perception is dependent on perspective.

To the author:
Stefan Häseli is an expert in credible communication, keynote speaker, moderator and author of several books. As a trained actor with years of stage experience, he writes entire evening programs himself. In addition, he has engagements in feature films, TV series, TV commercials and training films. He runs a training company in Switzerland. Here is a video about his new book and the accompanying stage program:
https://vimeo.com/727264868/743d56ee23

The New Work Platform Flesk offers a nationwide network of Workspaces and gives companies access to well-equipped flexible workstations and meeting rooms for their employees. During the pilot phase from March to early October this year, medium and large companies in the private and public sectors - including the canton of St. Gallen, Bison, DEPT, GoBeyond and Ubique - were able to test the system. More than a hundred Swiss Workspaces are already participating, forming a dense network of workplaces that allow employees to work quickly and flexibly in the Flesk app (iOS and Android) can book. Because Flesk takes care of the accounting of the bookings, the companies have no additional administrative effort.

Implementation of self-determined and flexible forms of work

Flesk describes itself as a possible answer to the changing values of the working world, in which flexible, self-determined and team-oriented work are new standards. The shortage of skilled workers and the high level of networking mean that employees and teams want to decide for themselves how, where and when they work. Companies can, for example, use Flesk to give employees the option of using professional work settings throughout Switzerland, such as close to home for less commuting or close to a client for meetings and presentations. Employees can freely choose their workplace in the app to work where they are - the "office GA" for Switzerland, so to speak. All workstations in the network have a high-quality infrastructure that allows various settings such as individual work, video calls or meetings. This not only creates a supplement to the home office, but also an opportunity to bring teams together at inspiring workplaces and promote creative, cooperative forms of work.

Efficient use of resources

Since the Corona pandemic, politics and business have become aware of the relevance of location-independent working. The climate crisis also demands a rethinking of mobility, with the commute playing a central role. With its network of workplaces, the new-work platform Flesk can contribute to a sustainable reduction in commuter flows. Unnecessary vacancies can be avoided and fluctuations in capacity can be better absorbed. This form of flexible workplace management can help companies both increase the satisfaction of employees, who have a diverse choice of settings, and use resources more efficiently and reduce costs. Variable distribution of employee workloads across different, off-site locations can save on rent and energy costs. This model can also be a sensible alternative or addition for companies in view of rising energy costs.

More info: 

• On the web: https://flesk.ch 
• iOS App: https://apps.apple.com/ch/app/flesk/id1605931325
• Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.flesk.app

After the first show, which immediately brought a record deal, somewhat smaller rolls were baked again in the second episode of the fourth season of "Die Höhle der Löwen Schweiz," which was broadcast on October 11, 2022. The first appearance belonged to the founders of "Dancing Queens": There was dancing - which literally swept one of the lions off their feet. Bettina Gimenez from Pfäffikon (ZH) and her business partner Sophie Witte from Germany skillfully promoted their dance online store. This not only offers dance shoes and fitness clothing, but also aims to help find dance schools and dance partners. In short: a one-stop store for dance enthusiasts. What sounds good at first glance, Bettina Gimenez and Sophie Witte could not immediately back up with figures: The targeted turnover of 450,000 Swiss francs for 2022 seemed too low, especially in the eyes of lion Tobias Reichmuth, especially since behind the capital requirement of 500,000 Swiss francs against a ten percent stake stood a relatively high company valuation. Lioness Bettina Hein conceded that the goals could certainly be set higher here. But she was enthusiastic about the business model and was considering an offer - in combination with e-commerce expertise. She, Lukas Speiser and Roland Brack exchanged meaningful glances: Will one of them get on board? Finally, two offers were on the table: Lukas Speiser offered 500,000 Swiss francs, but wanted a 40 percent stake. Bettina Hein and Roland Brack together also offered 500,000 Swiss francs in exchange for a 30 percent stake in the company. After a brief consideration, Bettina Gimenez and Sophie Witte accepted the offer.

Self-made woman with heart for rodents

But the next young entrepreneur wins the sympathy of investors in no time. After she took in two rabbits and couldn't find any natural food for them, she decided to make it herself. This is how "Nager's Wiesenbackstube" was born. Founder Manuela Schläfli from Lützelflüh (BE) produces everything by hand - under difficult conditions. Because when the lionesses and lions ask her what she needs the money for, she answers, "For a heater." And machines. The investors are impressed by her passion and commitment. But when it came to the bare figures and further plans, the enthusiasm gave way rather quickly, especially in Tobias Reichmuth's case. In particular, he missed online distribution. Roland Brack stepped into the breach here and offered the entrepreneur to include her products in his range. Jürg Schwarzenbach also agreed to support Manuela Schläfli with know-how. But in the end, it was not enough for a deal. However, this business case shows how a self-made woman can achieve success through persistent work and sustainability, even without investors.

Million dollar deal for convertible sofa

The dating platform "Noii" with founders Thomas Kuschel and Laura Matter from Dinhard (ZH) enables speed dating from the couch. The start-up from Dinhard (ZH) has even created a dating profile of one of the lions - he becomes a woman on it. This is more or less proof of how much "fake" there is now on conventional dating platforms. "Noii" wants to do a lot of things differently, though: Short videos instead of photos and curated speed dating sessions every Monday evening via Zoom. That also seems to work. In any case, 3000 singles are said to be registered already, 40 percent also in the paid premium area. For the further development of the enterprise the two young entrepreneurs would like an investment of 150'000 francs against 5 per cent company participation. While Tobias Reichmuth, Jürg Schwarzenbach and Lukas Speiser decline, Anja Graf and Roland Brack make a counteroffer: 200,000 Swiss francs in exchange for a 10 percent stake. Thomas Kuschel and Laura Matter say "yes," and the deal is done.

The lionesses and lions were then enthusiastic about the changeability of the sofas from livom möbel GmbH. They were also amazed at the development of sales: from 12,000 Swiss francs in the first year to eight million in the second. And the margins are also impressive: The sofa shown in the show costs 800 francs to produce, and is sold for 2400 francs. It quickly becomes clear: the lionesses and lions want in. But they are not happy with the conditions that the Thurgau-based founding couple Sandra and Tamara Haag have in mind: 600,000 francs in exchange for a 3 percent stake. Again, a very high valuation, which then leads to a counter-offer: 1 million against 10 percent company shares. Tamara and Sandro Haag initially tried to increase the price to 1.5 million, but then settled for one million, because Lukas Speiser clearly explained that this was the only realistic company valuation at the time. Thus, the deal of the evening, again a million-dollar deal, was perfect.

Good ideas, but no more deals

Because no deal was struck with the other startups. The lions were quite enthusiastic about the admittedly cute baby monitor "Sandy" from the company "Dokoki". However, they had reservations about the (too) many functionalities of the device, including the possible monitoring of babies' vital functions. They were shocked to learn how many shares founder Marc Zinner still held in his company: Namely, just nine percent. So it quickly became clear that these could not be ideal conditions for a deal. It should be noted, however, that Jürg Schwarzenbach already holds a stake in Dokoki himself, and therefore took a stand in the evaluation of the company.

The lionesses and lions also didn't want to get in on "Green Leaf. This refreshing drink made from apple juice, elderflower and mint was tasty and in line with current food trends: local ingredients and no artificial additives. However, the growth plans of the young Bernese Marco Henri, Aline Bot and Ismael Seck still seemed a little underdeveloped to the investors. And the concept with decentralized suppliers also seemed too risky to them. Instead of a deal, the founders took many good tips and goodwill with them from the show. Maybe an investment will work out when the brand promise and the brand core are more sharply contoured.

Conclusion of the show: More and more business ideas are now based on the idea of sustainability. However, this does not always seem to go well with the growth targets sought by many investors and the dictates of classic marketing.

More information on upcoming shows: https://www.oneplus.ch/detail/1000604

Business associations were emphatic in warning of an increase in bottlenecks on the labor market. A study now reveals what the flip side of the shortage of skilled workers and the war of talent looks like. 250 HR managers and executives from a wide range of industrial companies in Germany and Austria were surveyed on the subject: "While companies are well aware of the skills a new employee should bring with him, their own existing employee is a rather unknown entity," analyzes Markus Skergeth, publisher of the study "Industriereport Fachkräftemangel 2022" and managing director of Skilltree, a European human resources software. Only six percent of bosses know between 75 and 100 percent of an employee's skills, 28 percent between 50 and 75 percent - and another 37 percent only between 25 and 50 percent. Twenty percent know no more than a quarter of an employee's skills. "This is frightening. While HR departments are profiling and spending tens of thousands of euros on external headhunters, their own employees obviously only regain value when they want to change companies and the red carpet is rolled out at a competitor," says Skergeth.

Parship for employee skills

The study proves what Skergeth and his team use as the basis for their business model: Bringing employees and the company together. With a software platform, both parties find each other - employees can maintain and add to their own skills in the database, and managers can match talent and technical skills with upcoming projects and tasks in a much more targeted way. "Basically, we have applied intelligent mechanisms that have long been used on singles exchanges to the job market. Only instead of character traits, we use professional qualities to do the matching," explains Markus Skergeth of Skilltree. In fact, according to the study, bosses don't even know all the previous knowledge an employee brings with them from a previous job: Only just under 30 percent know roughly, 31 percent have only a selective knowledge of skills from previous jobs, and for 16 percent, an employee's history is completely unknown.

HR planning with obstacles

Another complicating factor in companies is that different departments and functions are responsible for setting up and assembling project teams: In 24 percent of the 250 company representatives surveyed, responsibility lies with the HR department, in 38 percent with the team leaders - and in only 22 percent do team leadership and HR make joint decisions. "Such decisions - the competency-based formation of powerful teams - must be clearly regulated and structured internally. This requires a basis that must not gather dust in folders like a resume. We close this gap with Skilltree," explains software entrepreneur Markus Skergeth. A pleasant side effect for companies that already rely on Skilltree's software-based solution: The churn of dissatisfied and underchallenged employees is significantly reduced. "The interest in leaving a company is often driven by the subjective feeling of a lack of appreciation. However, when employers and employees work together to cultivate the skillset and desired capabilities, take advantage of internal training, and thus address the shortage of skilled workers from within, the satisfaction of individual employees also grows," according to the analysis by study editor Skergeth.

Source and further information: Skilltree

The recruitment process is becoming increasingly complex, the battle for skilled workers tougher. The quality of applications has declined significantly in recent years - across all industries
across. SMEs process an average of 25 dossiers per month. In order to access these, the classic ways of job advertising have long since ceased to be sufficient. Nevertheless, SMEs are still very much in the comfort zone: around 96 % advertise jobs via their own website, 74 % via national job portals. Only 30 % SMEs are exploiting the potential offered by social media recruiting - despite the fact that around 9 out of 10 young professionals (James study 2020) use social media. Many opportunities are still being missed here, write the authors of the HRPuls study, which professional.ch conducted among HR professionals in collaboration with ZHAW (Department of Applied Psychology). TikTok, for example, is the least used in recruiting despite its steadily increasing popularity among the younger generation. A full 99.3 % of SMEs are not yet benefiting from the opportunities the platform offers in recruitment.

HR professionals: Dissatisfied with the state of digitization

HR professionals estimate the status of their digitization at exactly 50 %. This means that SMEs have only tapped half of the potential. Although over 85 % of HR professionals are generally satisfied with their work, the picture is different with regard to digitization. 76 % would like to see more or even much more digitization. This should primarily relieve them so that they have more time for direct contact with employees. Only 18 % state that they are satisfied with the status of digitization.

Tight budget stands in the way of digitization

But what are the hurdles standing in the way of digitization progress in HR departments? The challenge lies in the tight budget. Around 56 % see the biggest problems there. At
Second place with 47 % is the lack of time to deal with new tools and processes. It is striking: HR departments that can rely on more internal support tend to be further along in the digitization of their HR.

Digitization offers many opportunities

The study shows: Digitization brings opportunities and possibilities for HR in SMEs in all corners. However, the greatest potential is seen in three areas: Social media recruiting as well as digital personnel dossiers and employee appraisals. At the same time, the processes should be as cost-effective, user-friendly and efficient as possible. Efficiency is a good keyword here: What do HR professionals want to do with the time gained through digitization? This time should be invested in personnel development, employee concerns, and the social media presence.

Source: HRpuls - so digital rekrutieren KMU (2022), conducted by Michael Burtscher (ZHAW | Department of Applied Psychology) on behalf of professional.ch

Empa researchers have again improved the efficiency of flexible CIGS solar cells. Already last year a record could be reported. Independently certified measurements now showed a value of 22.2% in the conversion of light into electricity, which is an improvement on the previous record value of 21.4%. By comparison, the maximum efficiency of a rigid crystalline silicon solar cell is 26.7%. The team led by Romain Carron, group leader in Empa's Thin Films and Photovoltaics Laboratory under Ayodhya N. Tiwari, presented their latest results at the "8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion" (WCPEC-8) in Milan on September 26, 2022.

Thin semiconductor layer optimized again

The flexible solar cells are processed on a polymer film with a light-absorbing semiconductor layer consisting of a copper-indium-gadolinium-selenium compound. This mineral layer is deposited by a low-temperature co-evaporation process. Empa scientist Shiro Nishiwaki changed the composition of the layer to improve the performance and output voltage of the cells. "Two different approaches to alloying the crystal led to similar improvements in device performance," says Romain Carron. Therefore, the results can be transferred to an industrial scale in different ways, but with equivalent results. The solar cell's efficiency of 22.2% was independently confirmed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany.

Flexible solar cells: An area of research since 1999

Ayodhya Tiwari and his team have been researching flexible thin-film solar cells for more than 23 years. They have set several efficiency records over the years. Their "record streak" started in 1999 with an efficiency of 12.8%, then went on to 14.1% (2005), 17.6% (2010), 18.7% (2011) and 20.4 %(2013), and finally reached 20.8% in 2019 and 21.4% in 2021. However, given the already very high efficiencies, any increase, no matter how small, will require careful study of the factors limiting energy conversion and innovative approaches to address them, according to the statement. The current increase in efficiency is due to the alloying of the light-absorbing semiconductor layer, whose electronic properties have been improved.

Wide range of applications

Toxic leadership is widespread. Dishonest, unfair, unkind, ungrateful leaders lower employee satisfaction, motivation and performance. Stress, cynicism and exhaustion increase. Terms like "quiet quitting" are on everyone's lips. Unworthy managers take their worries home with them, and their private lives are also poisoned. (In one previous articles this topic has already been examined from a different perspective).

Leadership failure harms not only people, but also the company. It is therefore economically valuable and morally imperative to take a closer look: Why do toxic leaders persist so persistently? What are the consequences - for the employees, but also for the company? What can we do, as managers, as HR managers, as employees? In a live talk on the Youtube channel of the Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences on Oct. 12, 2022, from 3 to 4 p.m. Discuss:

• Prof. Dr. Birgit Schyns, Professor of Organizational Psychology, Neoma Business School
• Prof. Dr. Peter Michael Bak, Professor of Psychology, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences Cologne
• Prof. Dr. Georg Felser, Professor of Business Psychology, Harz University of Applied Sciences
• Prof. Dr. Christian Fichter, social and economic psychologist and head of research at Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences

The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions via chat.

Experts agree that reducing CO2 can make a significant contribution to improving the climate. But this is not equally easy to put into practice everywhere. In some industries, emissions are difficult to reduce, especially in those sectors that rely on fossil fuels in large quantities, either for high-temperature energy or for chemical raw materials. These include the iron and steel, cement, chemical, and building materials industries, which together account for about 30 % of the world's annual CO2 emissions. Heavy-duty transport also produces emissions that are difficult to reduce. Trucks or shipping, for example, are more difficult to electrify than passenger transport because they require enormous batteries that increase vehicle weight and entail long charging times.

Particularly large CO2 emitter: China

Many countries are exploring ways to decarbonize. Relatively wealthy countries such as the US and much of Europe are developing strategies focused on renewable energy generation and electric vehicles. China, on the other hand, faces very different challenges because of its particular carbon emissions profile, which stems from the much larger role of heavy industry in its economy. A new study published in the journal Nature Energy examines how China - by far the largest producer of iron, steel, cement and building materials - can use clean hydrogen ("green" or "blue" hydrogen) to decarbonize sectors with hard-to-reduce emissions (the so-called "HTA sectors") and meet its 2030 and 2060 decarbonization pledges. Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules - H2O - using renewable electricity, while blue hydrogen is produced conventionally from fossil fuels, but in combination with carbon capture and storage.

The role of clean hydrogen

The new study by the Harvard-China Project on Energy, Economy and Environment, a joint U.S.-China research program based at Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is the first to use an integrated modeling approach to assess the potential use of clean hydrogen in China's energy system and economy to meet its 2060 net-zero target. "Filling this research gap will help provide a clearer roadmap for China's CO2 emissions reduction," said Xi Yang, lead author of the study and a researcher with the Harvard China Project. "Our goal with this study was to design a role for clean hydrogen in China's energy economy, which can then serve as a reference for other developing countries with large heavy industry and transportation sectors."

The study examined three questions: What are the main challenges in decarbonizing the HTA sectors? What role could clean hydrogen play both as an energy carrier and as a feedstock in against emissions that are difficult to reduce? And would widespread application of clean hydrogen in HTA sectors be cost-effective compared to other options?

Models against emissions that are difficult to reduce

To analyze the cost-effectiveness and role of clean hydrogen in China's overall economy - with a focus on the under-researched HTA sectors - the team developed a model of an integrated energy system that includes supply and demand in all sectors. The results show that widespread application of clean hydrogen in HTA sectors can help China achieve carbon neutrality cost-effectively, compared to a scenario without clean hydrogen production and use. Clean hydrogen can save $1.72 trillion in investment costs and avoid a loss of 0.13 % of total GDP (2020-2060) compared to a pathway without hydrogen.

The researchers also examined which type of clean hydrogen - green or blue - would be most cost-effective. Their study shows that the average cost of green hydrogen in China can be reduced to 2 $/kg of hydrogen by 2037 and 1.2 $/kg by 2050, making it much more cost-effective than blue hydrogen (1.9 $/kg). "China has rich untapped resources of solar and wind energy, both onshore and offshore," said Chris P. Nielsen, co-author of the study and executive director of the Harvard China Project. "These resources give China advantages in developing green hydrogen for use in the industrial and transportation sectors.

Several flies at one blow

And while tackling hard-to-reduce emissions is critical to climate action, decarbonizing the HTA sectors could bring other benefits. New markets for green hydrogen could also support the energy system's transition to renewable energy sources. Nielsen explains that green hydrogen generation would provide a comparatively flexible form of electricity demand that does not need to be met immediately, as most electricity loads do. Instead, it can often be scheduled, at least within short periods of time. Such demand flexibility is valuable to grid operators because it helps them account for the inherent variability of renewable energy sources, which are affected by changing meteorological conditions. In this way, several flies could be hit at once.

Source: https://techxplore.com/

The three main formats of the Swiss Digital Days 2022 are all about setting the course for the digital future. A proactive approach to current and future challenges is essential to secure Switzerland's position as a leading digital location. Diana Engetschwiler, Deputy Managing Director of digitalswitzerland, says: "The main formats are intended to sensitize the population, business and politics to the digital challenges in terms of sustainability, diversity and talent development. Because these topics are important for the preservation of Switzerland - not only as a business location, but as a place to live."

NextGen - Generating enthusiasm for digitization

The NextGen event series enables school classes to discover digitization topics in a playful way and to reflect on the associated future skills. Children aged 10 to 15 thus learn about new technologies and methods and are encouraged to want to help shape our digital future. So far, 144 schoolchildren have taken part in the NextGen format at the Biel, Liestal, Zurich, Lausanne and Lugano sites and explored sensor and robotics solutions, among other things. In this way, the NextGen workshop participants learned, for example, how a distance sensor works and programmed a parking aid for cars with the knowledge they acquired.

Prof. Dr. René Hüsler, Director of the Department of Computer Science and Deputy Rector of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts: "The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts supports the NextGen format so that young people can be shown the potential of digitization and learn the necessary skills for the future. The shortage of skilled workers can only be countered with early involvement of the 'Next Generation'. This main format of Digital Days 2022 fits very well with our diverse activities for young people in the STEM field."

#herHACK - Swiss Digitaltage 2022 with Hackathon by and for women

The event, which has a symbolic character, is intended to encourage women to pursue a career in the technology industry. Following last year's premiere, the promotion of women in technical professions is the focus of the Digital Days for the second time. The offer is aimed at women of different ages and educational backgrounds, with no specific prior knowledge of programming, to raise awareness and enthusiasm for technology. Women are still heavily underrepresented in the tech industry. This needs to change as soon as possible. This year, women are once again working in teams to find solutions to social challenges that contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030. Since the kick-off on September 15 in Basel, 4 workshops have already taken place. Digital solutions so far revolve around topics such as gender equality in the workplace, clean energy production and climate protection ideas for Swiss SMEs.

GreenTech - digital solutions with sustainable impact

Solutions that enable us to live, work and produce more sustainably are more in demand than ever. At the GreenTech Startup Battle, a total of 20 young companies present particularly sustainable project ideas that preserve and protect natural resources. Five of the seven finalists have already been selected after five weeks: mobileup from the capital region, myFeld from northwestern Switzerland, viboo from the greater Zurich area, resilio from French-speaking Switzerland and Hive Power from Ticino. mobileup brings together supply and demand for used electronic equipment, MyFeld is the first online garden in Switzerland, viboo offers self-learning predictive control as a cloud service for heating and cooling equipment manufacturers, resilio accompanies companies in their sustainable digital transformation and Hive Power convinced the jury with innovative solutions for smart grids. The final will take place on October 27 in Zug. The prizes are CHF 10,000 in prize money, 25,000 AWS credits and 1 year of venture services or a coworking space.

Source: digitalswitzerland

More and more people are seeing the ability to work from home as an advantage, according to a blog from major UK electrical retailer Ebuyer. But how do different employees prefer to work? What kind of work environment do people who are more introverted prefer, and what kind of environment do extroverts feel comfortable in? With the help of an expert in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a well-known personality testing method, Ebuyer gathered a few factors that go into designing a workplace for different personalities. The following compilation shows which elements a home office or a conventional office should contain to make employees with different personality profiles feel comfortable.

If you are more extroverted

Overall, extroverts are more outgoing compared to introverts and need the opportunity to interact with other people to stay stimulated. An office shared with colleagues or a home office with many incentives to stay motivated is ideal for them.

• Space on the desk: A large desk with opportunities to move around is ideal for extroverts. Sitting on an exercise ball or using a treadmill under the desk to keep moving can be tools of choice. A standing desk is also a good way for extroverts to move around and get into work at the same time. The desk should be large and have an abstract and colorful design. It can look a bit messy, but pen holders and traditional office organization tools are ready to help when the need for organization arises.
• Ambience: Mixed bright colors and inspirational quotes will make extroverts feel comfortable. Ideally, the space should provide a pleasant environment where other people live. You need regular meetings with other team members, such as team lunches and lounge areas where people gather to talk.
• Lighting and sound: Modern lighting or even lighting effects create the right mood. Extroverts like it when upbeat music comes out of the speakers, like pop, rock or bossa nova. Turning on a TV can also be an option.
• Illustrative material and decoration: Interactive elements such as whiteboards or maps help extroverts visualize their work. Playful decoration with games and toys should be part of the workplace design.
• Company: Extroverts like to have lots of people around to talk to and attention-grabbing pets, such as a dog, to keep them busy and entertained.

If you are more introverted

Introverts typically prefer a quieter, more personal space and a minimalist design. For this reason, working from home may be a better option for some to escape the hustle and bustle of an office.

• Space on the desk: The desk for introverts should be a quiet space with minimal distractions. Some prefer a creative, cozy space or space for personal items such as books or prints hanging on the walls.
• Ambience: Overall, introverts prefer a minimal, clean environment, with some requiring smaller appliances for entertainment. They appreciate a separated personal space where they can relax and where plants provide a balanced feeling. To create this separated space, they can use room-dividing elements and furnish the room with beanbags and egg chairs for reading so they can relax during breaks.
• Light and sound: Introverts like a quiet room where there is either complete silence or only light background noise. Being able to hear relaxing sounds of a water fountain or natural white noise helps them concentrate. When music is played, they are more likely to hear classical pieces or light jazz in the background.
• Illustrative material and decoration: Introverts will benefit from bulletin boards for documents to keep the space clutter-free, and lots of plants to create a zen ambiance. The room is furnished with minimalist images that include soothing colors and shapes like shades of blue and green.
• Company: Introverts enjoy the company of a small pet that doesn't need much attention and is quiet, such as a cat or an exotic iguana. Ideally, they have a space to themselves and the ability to stay away from colleagues.

Introverted vs. extroverted is just one part of the well-known MBTI personality index. The Myers-Briggs personality test takes into account even more than just these two personality types.

Source and visualizations of office configurations: https://www.ebuyer.com/myersbriggs (in english)

The ApprenticeshipPulse measures the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on apprenticeship companies and their current and future apprentices in Switzerland. The latest results show the situation of apprentices in September 2022 and compare it with the situation since the beginning of the pandemic - especially with the last survey in June 2022 and one year ago.

Supply of apprenticeships declines slightly

The results show that 72 percent of companies are offering the same number of or more apprenticeships for the start of apprenticeships in 2023 than in 2022, compared with 74 percent of companies in September 2021. However, the study authors point out that this offer may still change in the coming months and that the recruitment process for apprentices in Western Switzerland has not even started yet. Future ApprenticeshipPuls surveys will show whether this decline in the number of apprenticeships on offer will prove to be true and could become a challenge in view of the rising number of students.

Career starters with better prospects

By contrast, the outlook for career starters is more encouraging: Compared with previous years, a higher proportion of companies believe that entering the workforce is easier this year than before the COVID 19 pandemic. Only a small proportion still feel that the situation is currently more difficult. Specifically, in September, 28% (25% in June) of establishments indicated that it was currently easier for apprenticeship graduates to find a job than before the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, only 7% (12% in June) felt that it was currently more difficult to get a job. Notably, even compared to one and two years ago, establishments rated job entry as easier currently. In September 2021, 32% still stated that it was more difficult for apprenticeship graduates to find a job than before COVID-19, and in September 2020 this figure was as high as 47%.

The results are particularly encouraging because the apprentices had completed a large part of their apprenticeship during the pandemic, the study continues. This positive outlook is also supported by the fact that the apprenticeship companies consider the overly choosy apprentices - especially with regard to working conditions and wages - to be the greatest challenge for career entry. In addition, this year the training companies have continued to employ a relatively large number of apprentices in the company after they have completed their apprenticeship, albeit often in a temporary position.

Home office also plays a more important role in vocational training

Despite the abolition of all measures, the home office has remained a component of in-company training for apprentices, as the current Apprenticeship Pulse shows: 6% of all apprentices still spend at least one day in the home office. However, this proportion varies according to occupational field, with home office still part of the daily routine of in-company training for 29% of learners in the top occupation "IT". However, home office is limited to an average of one day per week for most learners. The results show that home office can have both positive and negative effects on the learners. On the one hand, according to the companies, the grades of the company QV worsened for the weaker learners due to home office. This is possibly related to the fact that the apprenticeship companies consider distraction to be one of the biggest challenges in the home office. Thus, the companies find it particularly important that the learners in the home office have clear rules regarding presence and accessibility and that the vocational trainers and learners meet regularly in the office. On the other hand, the home office has influenced the soft skills of the learners: In particular, the motivation but also the resilience of the learners has decreased in the view of the companies.

Source: www.lehrstellenpuls.ch