The shortage of skilled workers in Switzerland is increasing - especially in the technical sector. The first two places in the Swiss Skilled Worker Shortage Index are occupied by engineering and IT professions. Yet Switzerland's current challenges can hardly be met without the right skilled workers. The focus at the moment is primarily on Switzerland's energy supply and the associated expansion of renewable energies: temperature records, the threat of shortages and rapidly rising prices for fossil fuels and electricity are increasing the urgency of the energy turnaround. "Well-trained and innovative engineers are needed to implement the energy transition," says Ruth Schmitt, head of education at the FHNW School of Engineering. "That's why we're offering high school graduates a new, direct path to a degree starting in the fall semester of 2022. In this way, we want to attract more young people to a technical education." And this path leads via a practice-integrated bachelor's degree program.

Dual bachelor studies for high school graduates

Students who wish to study at a technical university of applied sciences do not necessarily have to have completed a technical apprenticeship. High school graduates are also admitted if they have at least one year of practical experience in the world of work before starting their studies, which fits in with the chosen course of study. Starting in the fall semester of 2022, high school graduates at the FHNW will be able to start their technical studies directly - and build up their practical work experience in parallel. This is possible thanks to a pilot trial by the federal government: The practice-integrated bachelor's degree (PiBS) was launched as part of a package of measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers in the MINT sector (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology).

The PiBS is a dual education: Students attend the study modules at the FHNW and work 40% at a partner company from industry and business. To do this, they either divide the week into study and internship days or study in phases in the full-time model and spend longer practical phases at the company. The study content is the same as in a three-year full-time program. A practice-integrated course of study usually lasts four years, but offers a major advantage, according to the FHNW: "The high school graduates start their professional life and their studies at the same time. This allows them to apply what they have learned in practice right away - and, conversely, to bring their practical experience into their everyday studies. For example, in student projects, a central part of every degree program at the FHNW School of Engineering: From the first semester, students work in teams to implement specific assignments from industry," says Ruth Schmitt.

First places for study start in fall 2022

Anyone wishing to enroll in a practice-integrated bachelor's degree program PiBS must sign a training contract with a company for the entire duration of the program. Brugg Cables and Pfiffner Messwandler are two of the first partner companies to offer internships to high school graduates who have made up their minds and want to start a dual study program in electrical and information technology, energy and environmental technology or mechanical engineering in the fall of 2022. Brugg Cables is internationally active in the systems business with high-, medium- and low-voltage cables and accessories. The company's research and development department is constantly working on new, innovative products for the highest voltage levels and for the complex cabling of power supply systems. The company is located just a stone's throw from the FHNW University of Applied Sciences, but is globally networked. Pfiffner Messwandler, on the other hand, develops, produces and sells products and solutions for customers in the field of energy technology with around 220 employees. "Major technical challenges await us in the energy sector. To master these, we need young people who can shape the grids of the future with their ideas," says Dr. Jürgen Bernauer, CEO of the company, about the motivation to support future students in their careers.

The range of companies offering internships is to be expanded on an ongoing basis.

More information: www.fhnw.ch/technik/pibs

SGES 2022 is probably the most comprehensive business summit in Switzerland on the topic of sustainability. It brings inspiration, knowledge and networking for representatives from business, politics, science and civil society who decide, implement and drive innovation. This year's conference, which will take place on September 7 and 8 in Winterthur, features an exhibition and 270 speakers (including eight keynotes) at 16 innovation forums. Around 1400 participants are expected to attend.

16 innovation forums on various topics

The innovation forums are in-depth conferences. High-profile decision-makers, implementers and innovators from business, politics, science and NGOs show how they transform challenges into successful (business) solutions with added value for the economy, society and the environment. Participants will receive concrete recipes for success on topics such as healthcare and the circular economy, nutrition, cooperative urban logistics, energy-efficient operation of buildings, and sustainable financing and investment opportunities.

Presentations and panels

Moderated by Sonja Hasler, editor at SRF, and Dominique Reber, partner at Hirzel. Neef. Schmid. Konsulenten and member of the SGES advisory board, various topics will be discussed in the plenary session. For example, the question of the circular economy: How can we scale up? Dr. Katrin Schneeberger, Director, FOEN Federal Office for the Environment, and Dr. Torsten Wintergerste, Division President Chemtech, Sulzer Chemtech AG, will speak on this topic. National Councillor Jürg Grossen, himself an entrepreneur and President of Swissolar, the Swiss Association for Solar Energy, will address the issue of concrete climate protection in companies. Secure and sustainable energies will be the topic of the thematic block in which Andreas Kuhlmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Energy Agency, and Alexander Keberle, Member of the Executive Board of economiesuisse, will be speakers. A closing event will also be the presentation of the SGES SDG Award for companies.

Exhibition at SGES 2022

This year, an exhibition will once again be located at the heart of the symposium. In terms of content, this is closely interlinked with the other topics of SGES 2022 and the innovation forums. Exhibition topics include education and sustainability, bioplastics, printing and design, SMEs and innovation, culture promotion and, of course, the circular economy. "Today, no company can avoid the topic of sustainability. We are convinced that sustainability is not a compulsory exercise, but an elementary success factor," says Mario Weiss of Creaholic, for example, a development partner for improving the ecological compatibility of companies in a wide range of industries.

More information and Registration

TA Triumph-Adler GmbH is a German specialist in the field of multifunctional systems and digital office solutions and has a wholly owned subsidiary, TA Triumph-Adler Schweiz AG. The management of this subsidiary is now realigning itself for the expansion of the digital solutions business and has a new General Manager Sales & Marketing in Michael Heegewald. His core responsibilities include the strategic expansion of the ECM & ICT (Enterprise Content Management & Information and Communication Technology) business unit and the service business, according to the company. Heegewald will drive the company's further development into a comprehensive IT solution provider for the document business and contribute his expertise in the sale of software and service solutions to this end, according to the statement.

"There is a lot of potential here," says Michael Heegewald on the reason why he moved to TA Triumph-Adler Schweiz AG. "TA is a traditional company and very ambitious. It's a very good fit for me. I see it as a great challenge to shape the ECM business together with the team and to drive the transformation of the company in Switzerland." Michael Heegewald has worked in the IT industry for more than 20 years, primarily in sales and business development. Most recently, as Managing Director, he steered the business of the IT systems integrator Infoniqa SQL AG in Zurich. Before that, he spent around 17 years as Managing Director of Hirt Informatik AG, where he built up a cloud data center and marketed storage and backup solutions as an independent entrepreneur before selling the company around four years ago.

"With his strong knowledge of the cloud business, his many years of experience as an entrepreneur and his large network in the Swiss IT industry, Michael Heegewald brings the best qualifications for this role. He will optimally complement our existing management team in Switzerland. I am looking forward to working with him," says Christopher Rheidt, Managing Director of TA Triumph-Adler GmbH. With the new addition to the management team, the management of TA Triumph-Adler Schweiz AG will continue to follow the constant path in the usual three-person constellation in the future, following the imminent departure of Michael Gasser at the end of August this year, the company statement continues. Michael Heegewald is now working (per procura) with long-time members Corina Schupp, responsible for commercial management (per procura), and Marcel Graf, responsible for technical management (per procura). Michael Gasser has decided to take on new challenges after more than 15 years with TA Triumph-Adler Schweiz AG.

More information

Global travel prices are expected to continue to rise in the remaining months of 2022 and throughout 2023. This is according to the Global Business Travel Forecast 2023, published by business travel services provider CWT together with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the voice of the global business travel industry, was published. Rising fuel prices, labor shortages and inflationary pressures in commodity costs are the main drivers of expected business travel price increases, according to the report, which uses anonymized data from CWT and GBTA with publicly available industry information, as well as econometric and statistical modeling from the Avrio Institute.

"Demand for business travel and meetings is back, there's no doubt about that," notes Patrick Andersen, chief executive officer of CWT. "Labor shortages across the travel and hospitality industry, rising commodity prices and a greater awareness of responsible travel are impacting services, but projected prices are broadly in line with 2019." And Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA adds, "What we're seeing now are several factors that come into play when corporate travel buyers and procurement officers model their travel programs. This eighth annual joint forecast combines statistical travel data and trend analysis with macroeconomic influences to provide an important reference point for business travel planning."

Macroeconomic influences

The global economy contracted by 3.4 % in 2020, experiencing one of the sharpest declines since World War II. Services sectors, including travel and hospitality, were hit particularly hard, but the global economy recovered quickly from the 2020 lows and grew by 5.8 % in 2021. Economic growth is moderating as the recovery continues, although concerns about another recession are growing. The current baseline scenario for 2022 assumes growth of 3 %, followed by growth of 2.8 % in 2023. The 2023 Global Business Travel Forecast also notes the three main forces putting pressure on the economy and the business travel industry. These include Russia's invasion of Ukraine combined with other geopolitical uncertainties, inflationary pressures driving up costs, and the risk of further COVID outbreaks that could limit business/business travel.

Conversely, the report highlights that companies are placing sustainability among their top priorities, and combating climate change is becoming increasingly important. The report highlights that greater visibility of greener travel options at the point of sale, as well as carbon footprinting and environmental impact assessments, are ways for the travel industry to actively contribute to responsible decision making.

Meetings and events

Prices have increased across most spend categories in all regions, fueled by pent-up demand, a desire to strengthen corporate culture, and an uncertain economic outlook. The cost per attendee for meetings and events is expected to be about 25 % higher in 2022 than in 2019, and is projected to increase another 7 % in 2023. In addition to pent-up demand, corporate events are now competing with many other types of events that were canceled in 2020. And with many companies abandoning office space in favor of remote work during the pandemic, they are now booking meeting space so employees can meet in person, further fueling demand.

Shorter lead times for events, varying from six to 12 months to one to three months, are also contributing to this "perfect storm," perhaps underscored by companies' concern that the current situation could change very quickly. This is particularly noticeable in Asia Pacific, where post-pandemic reopenings have been slower than in other regions, with ongoing restrictions in China driving clients to ensure their events can take place, and as quickly as possible.

Business trip flights

Airfares for business travel decreased by over 12 % in 2020 compared to 2019, followed by a further decrease of 26 % in 2021. Economy ticket prices decreased by over 24 % from 2019 to 2021, while premium ticket prices decreased by 33 %. Prices are expected to increase by 48.5 % in 2022, but even with this large price increase, prices are expected to remain below pre-pandemic levels through 2023. After rising 48.5 % in 2022, prices are projected to rise 8.4 % in 2023.
Rising demand and continued increases in jet fuel prices, which have caused prices to double to more than 160 $/barrel in some markets, according to S&P Global, are putting upward pressure on ticket prices. First-class tickets accounted for over 7 % of all tickets purchased in 2019. The share of these premium tickets fell to 6.5 % in 2020 and to 4.5 % in 2021, but has been rising again since 2022. In the first half of the year, premium tickets accounted for 6.2 % of all tickets purchased. An increasing share of premium tickets will lead to higher average prices, as the average ticket price is made up of economy and premium.

International and cross-border bookings are recovering in most regions, which will lead to a higher share of international ticket bookings and a correspondingly higher average ticket price, despite the uncertainties caused by the war in Ukraine. After two years of minimal or no spending, business travelers will likely be willing to spend more on tickets, especially as availability declines due to labor shortages. This upward trend is largely due to the introduction of vaccines and the reopening of borders.

Hotels and rental cars

Hotel prices fell by 13.3 % in 2020 compared to 2019 and by a further 9.5 % in 2021, but the report expects them to rise by 18.5 % in 2022, followed by an increase of 8.2 % in 2023. In some regions, such as Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and North America, hotel prices have already exceeded 2019 levels, and this is expected to be the case globally by 2023. Hotel prices have already risen sharply in some parts of the world, including by 22 % in North America and a projected 31.8 % in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reflecting an accelerated recovery combined with ongoing capacity constraints. Hotel rate increases were initially driven by strong leisure travel in 2021, but group travel for corporate meetings and events is increasing, and transient business travel is also gaining significant momentum, putting further pressure on average daily hotel rates.

Global car rental prices decreased by 2.5 % in 2020 compared to 2019, before increasing by 5.1 % in 2021. Prices are expected to rise by 7.3 % in 2022, reaching a new high, and increase by a further 6.8 % in 2023. There are many reasons for this: the vehicle industry is still facing capacity constraints, and car rental companies, which downsized their fleets after the pandemic, have not yet fully recovered. Car rental companies have switched to buying used vehicles to increase fleet size and are keeping their vehicles longer. Some rental companies are also buying vehicles from manufacturers that are not among the brands they traditionally support.

Skyrocketing prices, vehicle shortages and the need to monitor door-to-door carbon emissions are driving business travel managers to incorporate ground transportation into overall trip planning from the start. This is especially true when considering the inclusion of electric vehicles. Even if widespread adoption is still a few years away, personal preference should not be underestimated.

Source: CWT

Marcel Sennhauser is taking over as Head of Policy and Communications at the Swiss Association of Master Builders. The 53-year-old engineer HTL with further education at the HSG in St.Gallen and Columbia University in New York took up the position in the function of a member of the Executive Board in full on August 1, 2022, with the intensive familiarization phase already taking place from the end of June. Most recently, Marcel Sennhauser spent twelve years as Head of Communications and Public Affairs and Deputy Director at the chemical and pharmaceutical association scienceindustries, and from 2018 he also held the position of Head of Education, Research and Innovation. His previous professional stations include the media company Tamedia AG, where he played a key role in shaping online journalism in its pioneering phase and also provided decisive impetus in the introduction of online advertising in Switzerland, as well as the Internet auction house Ricardo, where he was responsible for communications and marketing activities.

Marisa Lienberger has already taken over as Head of Finance and IT on July 1, 2022. Lienberger is a federally certified expert in accounting and controlling with further training in corporate finance (MAS) and real estate management (CAS). She brings many years of experience as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as well as in leading positions in corporate finance. For the past nine years, Marisa Lienberger has been Head of Finance + Controlling and a member of the Executive Board at Sto AG in Niederglatt, a subsidiary of the German Sto Group. Other previous positions held by Marisa Lienberger include Chief Finance & Administration at a division of the automotive supplier Autoneum in Winterthur and management functions in controlling, planning and corporate development at the Belimo Group in Hinwil.

The Swiss Association of Master Builders has its headquarters on Weinbergstrasse in Zurich. Its Executive Board is made up of Bernhard Salzmann, Director, Martin Graf, Vice Director and Head of Corporate Management, Marc Aurel Hunziker, Vice Director and Head of Vocational Training, Michael Kehrli, Vice Director and Head of Legal Services, Marcel Sennhauser, Vice Director and Head of Policy and Communications, and Marisa Lienberger, Head of Finance and IT.

Source and further information

The Climate Protection Strategy 2030 is another building block in the framework of the sustainability activities of the IT company Bechtle, which is intended to contribute comprehensively to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. "For us, it is not only a question of corporate responsibility to design our business operations in a sustainable manner, but also a social task to limit global warming in a joint effort," says Dr. Thomas Olemotz, CEO of Bechtle AG. The core of the climate protection strategy is the Group's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030, which is essentially based on saving CO₂-emissions. The planned reductions are flanked by the avoidance and accompanying compensation of emissions through certified climate protection projects.

Climate protection strategy with many measures

The reduction targets for the greenhouse gas CO₂ are distributed across the different emission categories along the value chain according to the Green House Gas Protocol, the so-called scopes. According to this, emissions under Scope 1 (company facilities and vehicle fleet) and Scope 2 (purchased energy for own use) are each to be reduced by 60 percent by 2030. The reduction in Scope 3 emissions, which relate to the upstream and downstream value chain, is to be 30 percent. In concrete terms, these targets are to be achieved, for example, by increasing energy efficiency at the company's sites, by generating its own electricity or by purchasing green electricity, as well as by means of a sustainability-oriented purchasing strategy, more climate-friendly logistics and raising awareness among internal and external stakeholders, as the climate protection strategy states.

Ambitious roadmap

The ambitious roadmap is based on the science-based reduction targets of the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTI). In the SBTI, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature have been working together since 2015 to set transparent and comparable science-based climate targets.

Bechtle has published an annual sustainability report since 2015. The company is a signatory of the UN Global Compact and the WIN Charter and has its sustainability performance regularly audited by EcoVadis.

Source and further information: www.bechtle.com

Not there at all, or far too close. Executive coach Boris Grundl identifies ten leadership personalities that inhibit the development of empowering corporate cultures. But it doesn't have to stay that way, because it's important for everyone to build a positive attitude toward change. "Empowering people to take responsibility and making that visible through results" is how the Leadership Institute (GLI), founded by Boris Grundl, describes leadership. According to Grundl's own account, the "Leading Simple" system provides leaders with tasks, tools and principles for leading themselves and others responsibly and developing sustainable corporate cultures.

Absent ...

To lead a team well, managers need a certain amount of distance. But some overshoot the mark and hand over responsibility completely to their employees - even in an emergency. By doing so, leaders eliminate the possibility of communicative errors and seemingly give free rein. In reality, however, they are refusing to do their job as guides. The "principle of distanced proximity" applies here: In terms of a motivating work climate, leaders take care to maintain a balance between distance and proximity.

... and favorites

Everybodys Darling avoids conflict. Instead of playing with open cards and addressing mistakes, this type praises or appeases and sympathetically takes the position of his counterpart. But the need for harmony stifles development opportunities: Only those who know that and where things are going wrong can change something. If leaders swallow critical words without saying them, they give away the potential of employees and reduce the appreciation for services rendered. If you follow the principle of distanced proximity, you open up space for constructive discussions.

Waiting

Let's see what happens - freely according to the motto: Someone will do it. Such action, like absence, leads to a misinterpretation of freedom and trust. In reality, those who wait fail to respect the work of others. Those who do not stand by employees neither know who is doing a good job, nor do they register discrepancies. Positive control over the team's performance keeps employees on their toes.

Shooting stars

Especially new to the company, these leaders are happy to take on any tasks that are called out to them in order to look good. If you get a lot done, you do a good job? No, this is where action and actionism get confused - a mistake that many succumb to and which, in the worst case, leads to spongy performance. Good leaders focus on results and unflinchingly answer the question: What helps to achieve the next step?

Know-it-all

The lament "I always have to do everything myself" succinctly and accurately describes this type of leader. Their knowledge ranges - as they feel - from labor law to interest calculation. So why should someone else take on the job in hand and possibly do it worse? Many years of experience show that knowledge does not mean ability. Distributing tasks according to core competencies brings more for the individual and the team - a transformation towards trusting delegation allows self-makers greater acceptance of results.

Lone wolf

Always with their sights set on the goal, some leaders block out second opinions. Their motto is: My way or no way; if no one goes along, then they go it alone. Attention: Such leaders quickly find themselves lonelier than they should be! Good leaders understand or learn the necessity of concretely defined areas of responsibility. If everyone is allowed to contribute his or her share to the project, employees develop. Therefore, leaders formulate a purpose with whose core each individual can identify and define clearly distributed tasks.

Ruling

Other views do not exist in the regiment of the ruler. An announcement comes from above, and the followers are guided by it. Some speculate on prestige in higher echelons; for others, governing is in their nature. But authoritarian delegation does not serve the advancement of a company and a team. Instead of giving orders, those who are inclined to govern learn to listen at the other person's pace and to ask questions. This allows interlocutors to think about problems and finally tackle solutions themselves instead of passively waiting for the boss to make a decision.

Workhorses

They shine with professional competence and take over when there is a need. Fulfilling tasks is what drives them. They start their day with "What's on the agenda?", tick boxes, scurry here, help there, rush to meetings. Only to wonder at the end of the day what they have actually accomplished. Human resources research calls such people "watering cans." Their counterpart, the "burning glasses," is focused on desired results. In the understanding of the Grundl Leadership Institute, being results-oriented means focusing on the part of the results that I can influence and becoming the best I can be there.

Scattered

Your schedule is about to burst? No matter. The absent-minded can't say no. Only in emergencies do projects change areas of responsibility. The result is nothing half and nothing whole. If leaders focus on a few task areas and approach the "burning glass", they achieve significantly better results with the same effort.

Skimming

They reap all the laurels - even those for which others have toiled. They channel their energy into personal advancement and also live this control. In this way, egoists squander trust and waste the energy of their employees. The desire for networking and recognition puts the brakes on an honest interest in good results for the company. Mental transformation away from oneself to the desire for good company results generates sustainable motivation: This intrinsic desire releases positive forces in oneself and the team. Convincing performance follows, which in turn raises the status.

More under www.grundl-institut.de, www.verantwortungsindex.de and https://lernwelt.grundl-institut.de/

Together with TaxWare AG and ALAN Software AG, FIVE Informatik AG is part of the FIVE Group, which is domiciled in Schönbühl BE. The portfolio of the group of companies ranges from digitization solutions, the optimization and automation of business processes, infrastructure and IT services to industry-specific software solutions such as TaxWare for tax and pension consulting or ALAN, an ERP for law firms and notaries.

"35 years ago, the foundations were laid for FIVE, which has since successfully held its own in the IT industry under my leadership," emphasizes Ulrich Tschanz, current CEO and member of the Board of Directors of the FIVE Group. "Now the time is approaching to hand over the company's fate into new hands. I am pleased to be able to engage an extremely competent and empathetic successor in Oliver Lyoth. The Board of Directors, the management and the entire FIVE staff are looking forward to working with him."

Oliver Lyoth will join T-Systems Schweiz AG on September 1, 2022, after more than 20 years in management roles, and will take over operational and strategic management from Ulrich Tschanz on January 1, 2023. "I would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in me and I am looking forward to the new challenge," explains the designated CEO. "I will be happy to contribute my knowledge and commitment and, together with the team, lead the FIVE Group into the future." Ulrich Tschanz will continue to be available to the company for dedicated projects and as a member of the Board of Directors from 2023.

Source: FIVE Information Technology

In the Tayloristically organized companies of the past, their areas stood largely unconnected next to each other - equal to columns. And each area had its clearly defined field of activity. Employees also had clearly defined tasks that were either defined in their job descriptions or assigned to them by their superiors. Today, this is different - "at least in those companies that provide complex services for their customers," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Georg Kraus from Bruchsal. As a rule, they have a network-like structure. And divisional boundaries and hierarchical levels? "They play an increasingly minor role in everyday work - especially because services are increasingly provided in cross-divisional and often even cross-company teamwork".

Complex structures require a different management style

In such an environment, traditional leadership, which is largely based on disciplinary power conferred by position, often reaches its limits, explains the management consultant Hans-Peter Machwürth, Visselhövede. Instead, so-called lateral leadership is gaining in importance, "which is based on trust and understanding and strives to connect the interests of those involved as far as possible by creating a common framework of thinking." This type of leadership, because disciplinary authority to issue directives is eliminated, must rely on other sources of power - for example

• a high level of personal authority and integrity or
• a proven expertise or
• targeted networking that strengthens its own informal power base.

According to the classic understanding of leadership, the term "lateral leadership" is a contradiction in terms. According to this understanding, leadership is inextricably linked to hierarchical authority. Despite this, lateral leadership is becoming increasingly important in companies. This is shown, among other things, by the study "Alpha Collaboration - Leadership in Transition; Perspectives for the Collaboration of the Future" of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ), Frankfurt.

Challenge: Winning approval

Lateral leadership means more than coordination, emphasizes IFIDZ Director Barbara Liebermeister. Coordination is primarily aimed at "aligning interests, tasks and activities, for example"; leadership, on the other hand, also involves "influencing people and organizations or organizational units so that they think and act in a desired direction.

The central goal of lateral leadership is to achieve one's own or higher-level goals (for example, of the company or project). Making a compromise can be one way to achieve this, explains Hans-Peter Machwürth. Not infrequently, however, the exact opposite is necessary for this - for example, when achieving the desired top results requires a clear decision between several possible solution paths.

In practice, leadership without authority often proves difficult - especially because the people involved in this process usually have (sometimes) divergent views and interests, for example, due to their different functions and positions in the organization. In addition, according to Georg Kraus, when far-reaching and momentous decisions have to be made, there is no one person who can say at some point: "This is how we're going to do it now - that's it; I'm taking responsibility for this." In lateral management, the opinion-forming and decision-making processes are often correspondingly lengthy, "since the approval or at least acceptance of all those involved must be sought.

Lateral leadership can be learned

Nevertheless, the topic of lateral leadership is gaining massive importance in companies. The reasons for this, in addition to the increasingly network-like structure of companies and advancing digitization, are that problem solutions designed in cross-divisional and cross-functional teamwork are becoming more and more complex.

However, the competence to lead laterally does not fall from the sky, it must be developed according to Hans-Peter Machwürth - both

• with experts and specialists who, in their everyday work, are repeatedly faced with the challenge of convincing other people of the advantages or risks of a possible solution due to their specialized knowledge, as well as
• for managers who want to or have to make important decisions as a team because they are dependent on the active support of their employees, other departments or external cooperation partners/service providers for their implementation.

However, it is important to keep in mind: "Lateral leadership requires certain personality traits," emphasizes Barbara Liebermeister. For example

• an appreciative attitude towards other people and
• the willingness to question one's own thinking and behavior.

Because without these basic attitudes, it is neither possible to open up other people's thought models nor to build up a relationship with them characterized by trust in order to achieve the desired effects.

To the author: Ramon Lacher, Darmstadt, is a freelance journalist. He specializes in professional and career topics.

The metaverse is predicted to have a great future: Gartner predicts that 25% of all people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse as early as 2026. The financial service Bloomberg estimates that the metaverse will have a market size of 800 billion US dollars in 2024, half of which will flow into the gaming market. Whether the development will be so positive also depends on whether payment processes run smoothly there, access to payment solutions in the Metaverse is seamless, and perhaps even traditional means of payment can be accepted.

This is an exciting topic for the payment industry, and one that the Swiss Payment Forum in Zurich on November 21 and 22 will also address. Here, current payment topics such as instant payment, DeFi, SWIFT and crypto transactions, Secure Swiss Finance Network and the development of the Metaverse will be discussed. A very special highlight is the keynote by futurologist Lars Thomsen. In his presentation, he will talk about the seven most important megatrends of the coming decade and about incremental and disruptive innovations.
For over 10 years, the Swiss Payment Forum has established itself as an industry meeting place. As the central information and discussion event for the financial services industry in Switzerland, it offers excellent opportunities to learn from the high-caliber presentations and make valuable contacts.

The organizer is Vereon AG, based in Kreuzlingen. In addition to the Swiss Payment Forum, the company organizes other top-class meetings, conferences and workshops on current topics from business and science. Proven experts from research, science, practice and politics present pragmatic solutions and groundbreaking trends.

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A new phase of life began for 840 apprentices on August 2, 2022: The young people began their training at an apprenticeship with SBB, BLS, Rhaetian Railway or one of the more than 50 partner companies of the login training association in the world of mobility. The introductory week, the so-called "lowo", marks the start of the apprenticeship. Here, the young people learn what to expect during their apprenticeship and get to know their trainers as well as tools and processes. Last but not least, they get to know their future "Gspänli". "Together with our partner companies in the mobility industry, we extend a warm welcome to the new apprentices and trainees. They can look forward to a varied and exciting training. During the training period, they will become professionals in their profession, grow as personalities and can look forward to very good career prospects," says Michael Schweizer, CEO of login.

Two newly designed vocational apprenticeships with "mobility" profile

The newly designed apprenticeship "Retail Specialist EFZ, Public Transport" will in future offer two career paths: Customer attendants drive in passenger trains, inform the guests, ensure punctuality and a safe travel experience; customer advisors work in the travel center, advise customers and arrange their trips. In addition, the vocational training program "Public Transport Specialist EFZ" has also been redesigned with a focus on "Mobility" and "Train Traffic Management".

Great satisfaction among learners

The fact that the apprenticeships are well received by young people is demonstrated by login's renewed certification as a "Great Start!" company. For the fourth time in a row, login 2022 has received the coveted award from the "Great Place to Work®" institute. In an anonymous survey, the apprentices and trainees confirmed their great satisfaction with their training place. One of the main features of the training programs at login are the diverse and attractive training forms and places, such as the Junior Stations, where retail trainees, accompanied by coaches, run their own station. In this way, young people learn to assume responsibility at an early stage and to think and act in an entrepreneurial manner.

login celebrates 20-year anniversary

This year login Vocational Training celebrates its 20th birthday. Since January 1, 2002, login has been the leading apprenticeship organization in the world of public transport and mobility. Since 2014, it has been a public limited company with the sponsoring companies SBB, BLS, RhB and the Association of Public Transport (VöV). In these 20 years, the training association has grown significantly: Today, more than 2,000 apprentices prepare for their degrees in over 25 different vocational apprenticeships at login every year. Since 2002, around 15,000 young professionals have been trained for the world of mobility. While login counted eight public transport companies among its customers at the beginning, today there are 58 including the sponsoring companies. The apprentices are given the opportunity to network across professions and to acquire their skills in different companies and departments.

Source: login Vocational Training AG

Green hydrogen will play a role in the future, but which one? At the first Power-to-Gas Congress in Jar 2021, the focus was on experiences, research reports and examples from Switzerland. More than 200 high-ranking representatives from politics, administration, research and industry informed themselves about the latest state of hydrogen technologies.

This year's congress now focuses on the experiences, solutions and lighthouse projects from abroad and the countries with pioneering roles in Europe, South America and the Middle East. Switzerland is represented in various international bodies on hydrogen technology and has signed a declaration of intent ("Political Declaration on hydrogen") for cooperation between the penta-countries (Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland) in the field of hydrogen. In the federal government's energy perspectives, hydrogen is considered to be useful above all in industry and to some extent in heavy road traffic.

But to what extent will hydrogen be an important energy source for Switzerland to ensure energy supply security and close the winter electricity gap? What is the role of domestic production and what is the role of imports of power-to-gas from other countries? What are the political framework conditions in the EU and Switzerland? How can we create attractive conditions for the production of hydrogen in Switzerland and how can we achieve attractive conditions for the import of hydrogen? These and other questions will be discussed at the congress in Spreitenbach on September 6, 2022.

The Power-to-Gas Congress is aimed at politicians at national, cantonal and municipal level, owners and board members of energy supply companies (EVU), waste incineration plants or wastewater treatment plants, but also at entrepreneurs and decision-makers from traffic, transport, logistics and industrial companies. The rich program will begin at 13:45, and will conclude with an aperitif. Speakers from Germany and abroad will talk about experiences and further developments of hydrogen as an energy carrier.

Registration and further information: https://energie-cluster.ch/events/power-to-gas/