About 4 months before the end of the payment slip can be determined that the Banks their homework have done. Not only have they been able to process QR invoices for payment since their introduction in June 2020, but they are also exploiting their efficiency potential to a large extent. This statement applies somewhat more strongly to the payer side and somewhat less strongly to the biller side. It can also be seen that some banks have positioned their offerings much more broadly, while others are limiting themselves to the necessary minimum or have simply not yet fully grasped that the old payment slips and the QR bill do not function identically. Since many banks have not yet completed the development of services related to the QR bill, this analysis cannot be regarded as a conclusive view, but merely reflects the current (interim) status.

Bank offer for invoice recipient

Those banks that offer processing of QR invoices in pdf format are proving to be very innovative. They thus enable processing without media discontinuity from invoicing to payment and close the gaps for an end-to-end digital process. Thanks to this offer, paying a QR invoice is no longer inferior to eBill in terms of convenience. On the contrary, it is easier for anyone who wants to view the invoice details to receive an invoice as a pdf attachment by e-mail, because a double-click is all that is needed to open it. With eBill, this requires logins and downloads on the biller's website. 11 of the 39 banks surveyed already offer this service or are about to go live, and 2 others are testing it:

Furthermore, the following three important statements can be derived:

1. All banks offer a scanning function in their mobile banking app.
2. Most banks offer the option to use an external reader for eBanking on the PC.
3. Only a few banks use the PC or laptop camera for scans of the Swiss QR Code. For most of them, the smartphone takes over the function of a reader. Although this workaround solves the problem of scanning in eBanking, it makes the cumbersome handling of two different devices necessary.

Bank offer for billers

When looking at the solutions for billers, i.e. SMEs, self-employed persons, associations and donation organizations, the offerings vary greatly between the banks. This is particularly evident in the fact that some banks have transferred the old world of payment slips relatively unimaginatively 1:1 to the QR invoice, while other banks have dealt more with the changed framework conditions. PostFinance stands out as particularly customer-friendly, allowing not only its own customers but also third parties to use its online payment part generator. UBS and Banque Cantonale Vaudoise are particularly innovative: both offer an upload function for debtor lists (Excel) so that QR payment parts can be generated in series for various invoice recipients. WIR Bank Genossenschaft and Raiffeisenbank have also filled this gap. Although they do not offer this service themselves, they cooperate with third-party providers and discount the use of the corresponding solutions for their customers.

The serial function in particular is even more important for QR invoices than for payment slips, because billers cannot subsequently add missing information to neutral number parts on their own printer. This is because the Swiss QR Code cannot be changed once it has been printed. QR payment parts should therefore be created in full from the outset, i.e. including the biller's details and the amount. If these details are missing, the biller and the bill recipient each have to accept a serious disadvantage: The former pays an additional fee of CHF 0.84 per payment (in addition to the counter deposit fee) for the subsequent recording of the missing information when making payments at the post office counter, while the latter is forced to complete the information himself by hand.

Despite digitization: pre-printed paper receipts still on offer

It is worth mentioning that about half of the banks continue to offer an ordering service for pre-printed paper receipts, although it is cost-intensive and offers little added value for most billers. This is because all copies of such a voucher order are identical, apart from a possible reference number. The disadvantages of missing information on the invoice recipient and the amount have been mentioned above. For those corporate customers of banks that serve several different recipients, and for those that want to offer their customers a flawless service even with few invoices, this service is useless. About two thirds of the banks offer the possibility to create fully completed QR payment parts, i.e. payment parts containing both the biller's and the bill recipient's details, online and to download them as pdf and/or image files.

Source and further information: https://qrmodul.ch/

The auditing profession is becoming increasingly attractive and helps the economy develop in harmony with society and the environment. This is more or less the conclusion of this year's auditing conference. In addition, new auditing standards were presented, which will come into force in 2023 - in connection with the updated, internationally compatible independence requirements. Expertsuisse is the driver of this self-regulation in Switzerland. Last but not least, the auditing industry is indispensable for the further development of sustainability reporting. The professional association is also an important driving force in other initiatives such as the further development of corporate governance and the forms of work of knowledge workers.

Political framework conditions for auditing

The spring and summer sessions of the Swiss parliament had a number of topics on the agenda that decisively affect the auditing industry and its work. The federal law on combating abusive bankruptcy is intended to prevent debtors from abusing bankruptcy proceedings to discharge their obligations and thus damage other companies and compete unfairly. The Graber parliamentary initiative to make the labor law more flexible and preserve proven working time models, as well as the motion "Facilitate digital accounting" show that the structures and work surrounding accounting and auditing must adapt to modern ways of working and living as well as new types of information processes.

Developments in the auditing industry in Germany

A view across the national border can help to critically mirror one's own challenges and topics and to benefit from the experience of others. Thus, Expertsuisse invited Ms. Melanie Sack, Deputy Board Spokesperson of the German Institute of Certified Public Accountants (IDW) as a speaker. As different as the two jurisdictions may be, the credo of the German professional colleagues - "Business needs trust" - is very similar to its Swiss counterpart "Auditing creates trust - trust moves". The sustainability issue is also seen in Germany and Switzerland as an opportunity for promoting young talent in the auditing industry and for the economy.

New standards in the area of sustainability

For investors, non-financial environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors play a central role in investment decisions. Likewise, expectations are increasing in many places to consider sustainability criteria in management work - from corporate strategy to reporting. In April 2021, the European Commission published its proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to replace the 2014 Nonfinancial Reporting Directive (NFRD). The directive is to be transposed into national law by December 1, 2022, and initial disclosure standards should be adopted by October 31, 2022. Large and capital market-oriented companies will therefore already have to disclose the 2023 reporting year in accordance with CSRD. However, the timetable seems to be pushed back, with both the shadow rapporteur and the European Council proposing a delayed introduction. According to the director of Expertsuisse, Dr. Marius Klauser, these developments in the EU will also become relevant in Switzerland over the next few years: "Parent companies/subsidiaries in Switzerland will report on sustainability issues in line with EU requirements and will probably also increasingly have these reports audited voluntarily. Through supply chain networking in Switzerland, this topic will then also reach the SME segment."

News at Expertsuisse

During the Audit Conference, Martin Nay (BDO), the long-standing department president of Expertsuisse, was bid farewell with great thanks. Alessandro Miolo (Deloitte) will be his successor in this important Expertsuisse function. Thanks to Expertsuisse, the promotion of young talent will also receive a new impetus: from 2023, auditing training will take a completely new form. More digital and sustainability skills will be taught, and this in a more digital way - flexible, effective and forward-looking.

Source and further information: Expertsuisse

The global economy recovered rapidly after the pandemic. This is shown by comparing the financial crisis of 2008/2009 with the pandemic years. While in 2008 the global economy contracted by an unprecedented 4%, during the pandemic the global economy contracted by 10%. But in both phases, the economy returned to pre-crisis levels within about a year and a half. The global macroeconomic situation is therefore better than expected, explained Prof. Dr. Jan-Egbert Sturm of the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich on this year's Trade Day. The curve is weakening slightly, but it is still at a good level. The situation is somewhat different when the results of the international surveys among producers and consumers are considered. They assess the current situation as slightly gloomy; they expect a further deterioration in the future. Prof. Dr. Jan-Egbert Sturm put it in a nutshell: "From an international perspective, the mood is not good. The glass is half empty. This attitude is putting pressure on the economy."

Boom phase in Switzerland

The situation in Switzerland would be different. The hospitality and wholesale sectors report a slightly above-average business situation. The industrial and manufacturing sectors are booming. Switzerland is in a boom phase. While inventories in the retail sector were judged to be too large before the crisis, they are too small in 2022. A problem for the retail sector is that inventories are being filled worldwide. This is related to the simultaneous high demand from consumers and producers. This development favors the rise in inflation. Demand in the retail sector is largely intact. However, there is a shortage of skilled workers, as for example 55% of construction companies indicate in KOF surveys. Construction is an important customer of the trade. According to the surveys, construction companies could take on a larger volume of orders with more skilled workers. 

Lack of primary products stops exports

For Swiss companies, future developments harbor similar uncertainties as for companies in other parts of the world. One problem is the lack of intermediate products. This was confirmed by Carl A. Ziegler, President of swiss export. Exporting companies are also pleased with full order books. Despite war, inflation and problems on the supply chains, the majority of companies are optimistic, he said. However, the lack of preliminary products is having a very negative effect, he stressed: "If individual parts are missing, entire plants cannot be exported. Companies must therefore no longer rely on just one partner, but must find new suppliers, in some cases in other regions than before." Another challenge is the issue of sustainability. It is true that the exporting companies are mainly SMEs with a high standard of sustainability. Nevertheless, the industry wants to improve further. Swiss export has therefore launched the Ecomove project, which supports the companies in their efforts. 

Consumers must pay more for sustainability

Sustainability is also a key issue in the textile trade, as Carl Illi, President of Swiss Textiles, explained on the Day of Trade. The crux of the matter, however, lies with consumers. Because more sustainability costs money. The question is: Will consumers pay the higher prices? More sustainable sometimes means producing closer to home. However, this does not mean Central Europe. The approval and construction of factories alone takes longer here than in other parts of the world. 

It is still true that around half of the world's textiles are produced in China. In the EU, there are efforts to introduce the carbon footprint and to show it on product labels. However, Carl Illi made it clear: "The textile industry would already be more sustainable if consumers paid the higher prices. New production machines need 30% less water and less electricity. But every new machine must first be earned." There is one obstacle to this. It is true that the textile industry also has full order books worldwide. Consumers are flocking to the stores. But goods are becoming more expensive overall, and not because of increasing sustainability. For example, the textile industry, which is highly dependent on energy, depends on low electricity costs. Carl Illi explains, "Globally, I don't see any producer producing cheaper today than two years ago." The president of Swiss Textiles also expects container prices to remain high. Several costs are rising for textile manufacturers. Old stocks are used up, and new stocks are becoming more expensive. As a result, textile suppliers are passing on the inflation to consumers. In parallel, a shift can be observed in the textile machinery market. The high Chinese cost of electricity and the shortage of labor caused by the lockdowns has encouraged the search for alternative producers. Countries such as Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Turkey, Cambodia and South America are making new investments in textile machinery manufacturing. It remains to be seen how this will affect the issues of sustainability and prices. In any case, the Swiss association is making the industry fit for the future with the new Swiss Textile Recycling Ecosystem. Now it all comes down to the consumers.

Source and further information: Trade Switzerland

Every now and then it is said to be dead: The motivation letter in a job application. But a new study by JobCloud in cooperation with the LINK Institute shows that for many companies such a cover letter is still very relevant. Overall, 74% of the employers surveyed still consider the cover letter to be very important or important, and this figure even rises to 81% for manual jobs. In French-speaking Switzerland, by the way, the letter of application is even more important: 43% consider it very important vs. 36% in German-speaking Switzerland. "However, we know from job seekers that the letter of motivation is particularly time-consuming. In order to receive more applications, employers could take the bold step of explicitly mentioning in the job posting that candidates can refrain from writing a cover letter," says Davide Villa, CEO of JobCloud, which operates the jobs.ch, jobup.ch and jobscout24.ch platforms.

Letter of motivation yes, application photo less important

In contrast to the cover letter, the application photo is losing considerable importance for recruiters according to the study. In the results, it is noticeable that a photo in the resume is considered even more important in German-speaking Switzerland than in French-speaking Switzerland. While 53% of the respondents in German-speaking Switzerland stated that they considered this to be important or very important, this figure is only 38% on the other side of the Röstigraben. On the other hand, 13% of employers in French-speaking Switzerland and 6% in German-speaking Switzerland no longer attach any importance to the photo at all. "Most recruiters Google the applicants sooner or later anyway, where they then often also come across a photo. So the classic application photo no longer has the same significance as it used to," Villa comments. Applicant demographics, such as age or gender, are weighted similarly to references and are important or very important for 60% of the respondents.

The constant in recruiting: the search for qualified employees

The study also asked HR managers about the greatest challenges and difficulties in recruiting. It emerged that the search for qualified employees is particularly difficult. For example, half of the respondents said they had trouble finding skilled workers in Switzerland, and 45% see this as a major challenge outside Switzerland as well. "This is due to the shortage of skilled workers, which is becoming increasingly noticeable in Switzerland and also in neighboring countries," explains Davide Villa. Other major difficulties encountered in the search for personnel are the large number of unspecialized applications (e.g. from lateral entrants) and excessive salary expectations that companies are unable to meet.

Online job portals as the most important recruiting resource

When employers find suitable employees, they are most likely to do so via online job portals: 35% of the companies surveyed state that job portals are their most successful channel for recruitment. In addition, personal contacts (19%) and the company's own career website (11%) prove particularly promising in the search for personnel. "In order to exploit the full potential, it is recommended that employers use multiple channels for their recruitments and carefully consider what the most suitable channels are for the respective positions," concludes Villa.

As part of this study, companies of all sizes in German- and French-speaking Switzerland were surveyed about their needs and behaviors in recruiting. For this purpose, 700 online interviews of people responsible for recruitment were conducted. The survey took place in February 2022 and was organized in collaboration between JobCloud and the LINK Institute.

Source: JobCloud AG

On June 1, 1972, August Manser lays the foundation stone for today's August Manser AG in Altstätten, Canton St.Gallen, when he establishes a sole proprietorship under his own name. Two years later, the first precision mechanic takes up his work and the company develops over time into a stable, innovative family business.

Innovative family business in 2nd generation

Today, August Manser AG describes itself as a leading service company for mechanical and mechatronic systems and services. The company's wide-ranging clientele finds a competent, creative and long-term partner in the modern high-tech operation: from innovation and product development through industrialization and precision manufacturing to the assembly of subassemblies and systems. Since 2019, Michael Manser has been managing the family business in the second generation. "We are an innovative family business. Our most important success factor is our employees," says Michael Manser, "In a future-oriented working environment with training and development opportunities, we work together, with enthusiasm, on our customers' products. Through the networking of innovative ideas, knowledge and new technologies, sophisticated solutions are generated every day. Together with our employees, we continue to develop as a company, because you can only build sustainable success on a strong foundation."

The recipes for success of August Manser AG

Thanks to qualified employees and a future-oriented infrastructure, it is possible to meet increasing customer requirements and the highest quality standards, the company writes. August Manser AG is therefore constantly modernizing its machinery, relying on new technologies and innovative ideas. Today, the company employs about 100 people at two locations in Altstätten; since 1980, it has also been training polymechanics. Manser has thus become an important economic pillar of the region, with an impact far beyond the St.Gallen Rhine Valley. It is also striking that the company employs many long-serving employees, which speaks for the continuing attractiveness of the jobs. In February 2022, Michael Manser was able to congratulate six employees on a total of 140 years with the company.

The Manser Group includes the companies Sedax AG, InLack AG and admantec AG with a total of 50 employees.

Company website: www.manser-ag.com

For once, on June 20, 2022, Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, the prestigious building for "high culture," belonged entirely to the HR world: The fifth New Work Experience, or NWX22 for short, attracted around 2,000 visitors to the banks of the Elbe. As a meeting place for the New Work community from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, it took place this year under the motto "Celebrating Work // Pioneering Culture". The line-up of more than 100 speakers provided a total of 14 hours of programming in various formats ranging from discussions and keynotes to small-scale sessions. As a result, NWX22 may have been the largest networking event in the German-speaking world to date for the HR world. "The corporate culture revolution is in full swing. So much inspiration and expertise on the future of work has not been gathered in one place for a long time," said Petra von Strombeck, CEO of the New Work SEthe operator of the online network Xing and the employer rating platform kununu, and the event's organizer.

The "Great Resignation

It was by no means a "self-congratulation event" for the HRM industry. On the contrary, NWX22 was able to highlight the major challenges that employers and employees are currently facing. The fact alone that at the beginning of 2022, around 37 percent of employees in the German-speaking world were thinking out loud about changing jobs and then actually doing so must make companies sit up and take notice. The main reason for this wave of resignations, the "Great Resignation," is seen as the increasing lack of corporate culture. But the all-encompassing answer to the question "How do I create a working world I like?" does not yet seem to have been found. The fact that all that glitters is far from gold when it comes to "New Work" came to light more than once in presentations and panel discussions.

Work less, but (have to) work longer?

Philosopher Richard David Precht, for example, put his finger on the sore points in the current working world. He noted that the topic of "new work" has now become relevant not only for the "upper third of society," but for everyone. "We are experiencing the end of work as we knew it. We are evolving from a work society to a society of meaning. In the past, it was only reserved for the aristocracy to do what they really wanted to do. Today, everyone is allowed to do that," says Precht. With reference to the increasing automation of work and the criticism of the same, Precht also became clear: "We have now arrived at a state like in the GDR, where work preservation is more important than productivity." Precht also locates a contradiction in the current discussions surrounding the safeguarding of pension systems. In Germany, as in Switzerland, there is talk of raising the retirement age in connection with pension reform. However, technological progress means that we should actually be working less and less - in some companies, the four-day week is even already a reality. "Should we artificially work more to safeguard the pension systems?" wondered Richard David Precht. His proposed solution to this dilemma: tax machines and introduce an unconditional basic income.

Sense and nonsense of "Purpose  

Corporate anthropologist Jitske Kramer also wowed guests with her keynote on "Work has left the building" - and the changes brought about by the "Corona culture shock." She believes that the foundation in the relationship between employers and employees needs to be rebuilt. Not only was the keynote by psychologist and best-selling author Stefanie Stahl about creating meaning in the job, but also the panel "Too much nonsense with meaning? The Value of Purpose in Work" with Petra von Strombeck (New Work SE), Petra Scharner-Wolff (Otto Group), Prof. Dr. Ingo Hamm (business psychologist at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and author of the book "Sinnlos glücklich") and Prof. Dr. Heike Bruch from the University of St.Gallen. Ingo Hamm critically questioned the concept of "purpose," especially the much-cited "corporate purposes" à la "We move you" or "Connecting People." Rather, he said, the moral and psychological side of purpose should also be discussed. According to Hamm, it should be morally permissible to work against company principles if this results in a higher meaning.

Traditional vs. modern work   

The participants in the panel "How much 'new' does work need?", in which Trigema CEO Wolfgang Grupp met with work researcher Prof. Dr. Jutta Rump and Nina Zimmermann, CEO of kununu, were extremely eager for discussion. While for the successful old-school entrepreneur it is primarily traditional values and rules that make for an attractive corporate culture and he values formal interaction, the positions of Nina Zimmermann and Prof. Dr. Jutta Rump could not have been more contrary. "Employees today want to have a say more than ever. No one wants to be told what he or she has to do anymore," says Nina Zimmermann. Jutta Rump, on the other hand, sees the future of leadership no longer in the role of individuals, but in teams.

In addition, committed participants discussed concrete practical topics of the working world in more than 40 sessions - how do companies get good employees faster (New Hiring), how do they retain talent longer (Employee Engagement)? What is good leadership in a world of uncertainty? And how do job seekers find companies that are a good cultural fit for them?

However, the program not only included questions that are currently being hotly debated in the world of work, but also a look beyond the end of one's nose. Thus, the monk and leading master of the "Shaolin Temple Europe" Shi Heng Yi explained in his lecture the meaning and behavior of Buddhist philosophy for people in today's working world. And Tatjana Kiel (co-founder #WeAreAllUkrainians) spoke with Markus Diekmann (founder of Job Aid Ukraine) about the aid work with people in and from Ukraine.

Capitulation to the future?

Fortunately, the war in Ukraine did not remain the dominant topic at NWX22, but the fact that two European countries are waging a conflict against each other by force of arms still shone through from time to time. Richard David Precht, for example, was optimistic that this war would not succeed in stopping our values and progress in technology and society. On the other hand, the remarks of Thomas Sattelberger, member of the German Bundestag for the Bavarian FDP, could be understood as a counterpoint. He spoke of the beginning of a new Cold War ("Cold War 2.0") and the danger that Maslow's pyramid will be reversed: Instead of self-fulfillment, the focus in the future will once again be on simply securing existential needs.

Thinking about the future is important and also necessary. Futurist Ben Hammersley is convinced of this. In his keynote speech, he noted that today's models for the future, which can be depicted in exponential curves, no longer work. Even discussions around pro or contra home office, digitalization, AI and the like would go in circles because it has become impossible to think about the future with previous patterns. "We can't go back to the past, we have to start over," Hammersley said. "Re-invent the future," was his message. One or the other listener may have wondered at this vote: Is even a futurist capitulating to the future here?

NWX22: Work is culture - culture is work

One thing is certain, however - and this is the conclusion of NWX22: The future of work begins now. Those who do not proactively face up to the changes will lose out. Many challenges will not be overcome with patent remedies. Nevertheless, the event offered many opportunities to "celebrate work", true to the motto "Celebrating Work". Numerous live musical acts, such as the Hamburg electropop band Hundreds, the Cologne surf pop band Planschemalöör or the star pianist Alexander Krichel with his interpretation of Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", provided the right atmosphere. This also made it possible to return to the venue: the Elbphilharmonie as a temple of culture - even if for once it was mainly about corporate culture(s).

The Entrepreneur Day on July 6 is dedicated to the current topic "Leading in Instability". Among those appearing at the largest conference for entrepreneurship in the Principality of Liechtenstein region are Joe Kaeser, one of Europe's best-known managers and current Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Siemens Energy, top manager Monisha Kaltenborn (Racing Unleashed), economist Peter Bofinger, Liechtenstein's Minister of Economic Affairs Sabine Monauni, the two entrepreneurial personalities Katharina Lehmann and Markus Kaiser, and moderator Mona Vetsch.

Marco "Büxi" Büchel as closing speaker

A special closing speaker has now been engaged on the topic of "Leading in instability". Ex-ski racer Marco Büchel will be appearing at the 17th Entrepreneur Day and dedicating his talk to the topic "Stand up, straighten your crown, carry on". In his 20-year career, "Büxi" achieved four World Cup victories, 18 World Cup podium finishes and won the World Cup silver medal in the giant slalom in Vail in 1999. Since his retirement from top-level sport, Büchel has gained a foothold in the world of communications and media, including as a ski expert for German television ZDF. He also coaches athletes on their way to the top of the world.

Info and tickets at www.unternehmertag.li

The global economy is under pressure, payment morale is declining and insolvencies are becoming more frequent again as a result. Fast and simple debt collection procedures are critical for companies in this tight economy. Allianz Trade, a market leader in credit insurance, has ranked 49 countries in terms of collection complexity. Payment practices and court and insolvency procedures in each country were evaluated. "Switzerland has well-functioning mechanisms," comments Jan Möllmann, co-CEO ad interim Allianz Trade Switzerland. "This is not the case in other countries. Especially in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, it can be much more complicated for companies to get their money."

Europe is the easiest place to collect debts

The experts analyzed over 40 indicators around local payment practices, court and insolvency procedures. The resulting ranking ranges from a score of 0 (low complexity) to 100 (very high complexity). The result shows: In Europe, collection procedures are the simplest. Eleven countries with the lowest complexity scores are in Europe, followed only in twelfth place by New Zealand, the first non-European country. The countries with the easiest collection procedures are Sweden (score of 30), Germany (30) and Finland (32). Bringing up the rear globally are Saudi Arabia (91), Malaysia (78) and the United Arab Emirates (72). Complexity in these countries is almost three times higher than in Western Europe.

Switzerland in 6th place - also thanks to good payment practices

Switzerland ranks among the top 10, in 6th place (score of 33), with good payment morale, fast legal proceedings and a clear legal situation. Good accounts receivable management is nevertheless an imperative: "The biggest challenge is when customers become insolvent," Möllmann explains. "For small and medium-sized companies in particular, failure to make payments can quickly threaten their very existence. Companies would fundamentally do well to check credit ratings and hedge against payment defaults."

Major differences among Swiss export partners

If we look at the rating for Switzerland's export partners, we see major differences. Switzerland supplies most goods and services to Germany. There, it is easy for companies to collect outstanding receivables (score 30). In second place among the most frequent export destinations is the USA, which has a score of 55, a very high level of complexity. Things also get difficult for defaulting customers in Italy. Switzerland's southern neighbor is the third most popular trading partner. Collection procedures are somewhat easier than in the USA, but are still comparatively complex (score 49).

Source: www.allianz-trade.com

When choosing a continuing education program, it is important to keep the goal in mind. What competence enhancement should be aimed for? The demand for compact courses is growing all the time.

Sustainability as a decision-making factor

Training providers know this: Continuing education courses should impart as much knowledge as possible in as short a time as possible. If you want to build up additional knowledge on a particular topic, seminars and courses lasting one or more days are certainly the right choice. However, if you want to familiarize yourself with a new specialist area or acquire well-founded competencies, especially operational competencies, longer training courses are recommended. These are more sustainable, because important contexts are taken into account, the material can be "internalized" and what is learned can already be implemented in the company during the in-service training - a win-win situation for employers and employees. There is a sustainable expansion of competencies with practical relevance.

It is precisely with this focus that edupool.ch develops offers for SME employees with HR management and project planning tasks.

Human Resources Administrator edupool.ch

Even more attractive after complete revision! This continuing education conveys sound basic knowledge along the most important personnel processes. The edupool.ch diploma with HRSE Equivalency is recognized in the admission to the professional examination.

Payroll Manager, Payroll Expert edupool.ch

These two, independent continuing education courses have been revised to better meet the needs of the payroll field.

Project Manager edupool.ch

This one-semester course provides comprehensive expertise for the successful implementation of small projects - from initialization, planning and control to controlling and closing.

Quality label for continuing commercial education

edupool.ch is the most important quality label and the most important examination organization in Switzerland in non-formal commercial further education. The pioneer and market leader at the clerical level also develops offerings in the areas of basic knowledge, general commercial education and expert knowledge. The edupool.ch diplomas and certificates, which are recognized throughout Switzerland, are co-signed by the Commercial Association and, depending on their focus, by renowned industry and professional associations. Continuing education with the nationally recognized Quality label edupool.ch are carried out by accredited Partner schools (KV continuing education centers) conducted.

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If warning signs indicate that a key employee wants to quit, his or her boss or supervisor should have a stay-put conversation with him or her. Such a discussion has three goals:

• explore whether the assumption is correct. If so,
• find out how far the employee has already distanced himself mentally from the company. and whether he can still be "retuned". And again, if so,
• motivate him to stay.

Invite to a lead conversation

Never casually extend the invitation for a lead interview. If possible, when alone, ask him to talk to you in person. If he asks, do not state the occasion. Instead, say, for example, "Nothing bad, but I'd like to talk about it with you in private." Make an appointment for this - also so that you can prepare yourself. Ask yourself before the conversation, for example:

• What could be possible reasons for the employee's intention to change? And:
• As a leader, what might I have contributed to this?

For example, if you have (unconsciously) promoted the intention to change through your behavior, this will influence the atmosphere in the conversation.

Conduct the lead interview in a place that guarantees peace and confidentiality. And take your time, because such conversations often take an unexpected course. For example, if the employee tells you things that you did not know before.

Enter the conversation with I-messages

At the beginning of the conversation, briefly share your thoughts and fears with the employee. After all, he or she does not yet know what the conversation is about. Avoid long introductions and get straight to the point. Start the conversation with a first-person statement, for example:

• "I have had the impression recently that you are withdrawing. That's why I'm afraid you're mentally saying goodbye to us." Or:
• "Our company is currently in a state of transition. Therefore, I'm concerned that you may feel your job is insecure and look for an alternative job."

Afterwards, express your regret if your fears were true: "I would find that a pity, because I value you very much as a person and employee and would therefore like to keep you." Then wait for the employee to respond. Listen patiently to what he or she has to tell you. Ask questions of understanding at most.

The possible employee reactions

There are four possible employee responses to your push.

• Reaction 1: The employee credibly assures you that your fears are unfounded. Then the conversation is actually over. Nevertheless, you should take the opportunity to put your employee relationship on an even firmer footing. For example, by saying: "I'm pleased about that. Nevertheless, I would ask you to talk to me in the future if something is bothering you. Because as I said before, you are important to me as an employee."
• Reaction 2: The employee emphasizes that your fears are unfounded. But you don't believe him - for example, because of his body language. This is often the case, because employees who are willing to change are usually reluctant to talk to their boss about their intention until they have an alternative job. Even then, you should emphasize that you are pleased about this because the employee is important to you. Afterwards, you should continue the conversation like a normal appraisal interview, for example by saying: "Irrespective of this, I would be interested to know how satisfied you are with your work - after all, things have been quite turbulent at our company recently (for example, due to Corona or as a result of the Ukraine war or due to digitization or thin staffing levels)." The goal here: to explore the potential reasons why the employee might be considering a change of employer, and then possibly resolve them.
• Reaction 3: The employee says he is considering changing employers. Then you should first thank him for his openness and express that you consider this a sign of trust and will handle the information accordingly. After that, you should inquire in detail about the motives for the contemplated change before asking him, "What can I or the company do to make you stay? Because as I said before, you are a valuable employee."
  As the employee's boss or supervisor, you can record the employee's wish list and comment carefully if one aspect is impossible to fulfill. Practice shows that a lack of appreciation, a poor working atmosphere and a lack of satisfaction at work are usually bigger problems than the salary when it comes to retaining highly qualified employees in particular.
• Reaction 4: The employee says he is determined to change employers. Even then, you should first thank the employee for his or her openness and explore his or her motives for the change. Sometimes there are personal reasons: For example, an employee has fallen in love and therefore wants to move to another city. In that case, you can really only wish him all the best. It's different when an employee says, for example, that a family member has become a caregiver, which is why he can no longer do his challenging job or no longer wants to. In that case, the only alternative is usually to let him move or to explore with him what alternative work arrangements or job alternatives are available in his own organization.

The situation is different again if the planned change is due to the current work situation. For example, the poor working atmosphere, the high workload, the poor pay or the low promotion prospects. Then, when an employee openly says "I'm leaving" even though he or she does not yet have a new job, a lot of frustration has usually already built up in the employee. It is correspondingly difficult to persuade the employee to stay. Nevertheless, you should try it with valuable employees - even if you then have to reckon with massive criticism of your management style and behavior, because dissatisfaction with the supervisor is a frequent reason for changing employers.

Exploring the conditions for rethinking

Listen to the complaints calmly, and then say, for example, "I notice you have a lot of resentment built up." The employee will probably reply "yes." You can then reply, for example, "I'm sorry that I didn't register this earlier and talk to you about it. Because you are a valuable employee to me, and I would therefore like to continue working with you. Under what conditions could you imagine reconsidering your decision?"

So after the employee has let off steam, try to steer the conversation into calmer waters - among other things by signaling your appreciation to your counterpart. Then you should try to work out with the employee under what conditions he or she could imagine remaining loyal to the company and to what extent these conditions can be met.

Arrange a follow-up appointment

It is often not possible to reach an agreement on this in a meeting - either because you still have to discuss with colleagues or superiors the extent to which certain wishes can be fulfilled. Or because the employee does not yet know the answer to your question about the conditions under which he or she could imagine staying. Then, toward the end of the conversation, you should first record as a positive result: "Fine, we are both still willing to talk." After that, they should jointly define in a results protocol who will do what by when and with what goal, and agree on a date when they will sit down together again.

It is not uncommon for employees who are willing to change employers to be persuaded to do so and also to become emotionally attached to the company again - especially if they sense genuine appreciation on the part of their employer or supervisor during the stay interview and a genuine effort to fulfill their personal wishes as far as possible. After all, they know that there are always risks associated with a change of employer. That is why such an attempt is worthwhile, because every unplanned termination results in high follow-up costs for a company - and not only because of the then necessary search for a new employee and his or her induction. The so-called "chaos costs" are often much more serious, because a (key) position is usually vacant for a longer period of time.

The notice of termination is already on the table

You can still hold a retention meeting with employees even if their resignation is already on the table. In this case, however, you usually have to offer the employee significantly more than if he or she has not yet found a new job, so that he or she will reconsider his or her decision. Rightly so, because then you have not recognized the change signals in advance. Otherwise, the termination would not be unexpectedly on the table.

Authors:
Klaus Doll is the owner of Klaus Doll Organisationsberatung, Neustadt an der Weinstraße (www.doll-beratung.de). His wife Nikola Doll works as a business coach, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. (www.doll-coaching.de).

Editor's note: The following shows how a company can prevent unwanted waves of layoffs this article.

On June 16, 2022, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) surprised the public by raising its key interest rate by half a percentage point from -0.75 to just -0.25 percent. Many commentators see this as an extraordinary event: "This is the first time in 15 years that the SNB has raised the key interest rate," says Benjamin Manz, CEO of moneyland.ch, a Swiss online comparison service for banks, insurance companies and telecoms. Does this key interest rate increase automatically mean less negative interest on savings and business accounts?

Key interest rate increase greater than expected

The move was basically to be expected, but the SNB intervened surprisingly early, as analyst Felix Oeschger of moneyland.ch says. In addition, the increase was larger than many market observers had initially expected.

The increase in the key interest rate favors a further rise in interest rates for many different financial products. These include medium-term notes and mortgages. However, the interest rate turnaround has already taken place for these products: Interest rates have been rising since the beginning of the year. The situation is different for savings and private accounts, as Oeschger explains: "So far, nothing has changed in the interest rates on bank accounts. If the SNB maintains its course, however, interest rates on savings and private accounts can also be expected to rise."

Less negative interest

The comparison service moneyland.ch has asked various banks how they are reacting to the SNB's decision. Several banks confirm that they will reduce the negative interest rates. UBS and Credit Suisse, for example, say they will also adjust the negative interest rates for both private and corporate customers by half a percentage point. Raiffeisen Switzerland also recommends that all Raiffeisen banks charge only 0.25 instead of 0.75 percent for negative interest in the future.

It is true that the SNB's interest rate change will already apply from June 17. The adjusted fees for private customers, on the other hand, will not come into effect at many banks until July 1, 2022. However, there are also exceptions: Zürcher Kantonalbank is reducing the negative interest rate at the same time as the SNB. At Postfinance, the adjustment is to be implemented for all private and business customers by July 1, 2022 at the latest. Large and institutional customers will be affected first.

Further interest rate hikes expected

The banks' answers show: Even if the charges are not yet history, customers affected by negative interest rates will be asked to pay significantly less in the future. However, negative interest will continue to be charged on banks' sight balances at the SNB if they exceed the exemption amount. "So the banks can still justify negative interest on customer accounts now - but if the SNB takes further interest rate steps, this argument no longer holds water," says Oeschger.

And it is safe to assume that this will not be the last interest rate hike by the SNB. Thomas Jordan, President of the SNB, already indicated when the current interest rate hike was announced that more could soon follow. Oeschger also believes that this is likely: "Because it is questionable whether inflation in Switzerland can be kept in check with today's key interest rate hike alone."

Source: moneyland.ch

Many companies in Switzerland and other developed countries give high priority to the inclusion of queer employees - and this has an overall positive impact on the workplace. This is according to a study by Deloitte entitled "LGBT+ Inclusion@Work". It surveyed 600 people in the LGBT+ community from 12 countries. No one from Switzerland was surveyed, but the situation is comparable.

Visible support important

The study provides a snapshot of the lived experiences of LGBT+ employees. More than 70 percent of them are more likely to stay in their current employment because their organization takes an active approach to LGBT+ inclusion, according to the survey. This is all the more significant in light of the current severe shortage of skilled workers, according to the study authors.

Respondents cited visible support from other employees (so-called "LGBT+ allies") and promoting internal networking and visibility as important prerequisites for an inclusive culture. Despite these efforts, 42 percent of all respondents reported experiencing non-inclusive behaviors and discrimination in the workplace.

Safe outing must be possible

"Many companies around the world have taken steps in recent years to improve LGBT+ acceptance and increase mutual tolerance. And the queer community appreciates this as well. The efforts should be integrated and strategically supported in the general efforts for diversity, equal treatment and inclusion," explains Liza Engel, Chief People Officer at Deloitte Switzerland. "However, companies globally and in Switzerland need to do much more to fully embed LGBT+ in their everyday culture. They need to go beyond individual programs to create a truly respectful culture where non-inclusive behavior is not tolerated. All employees must be able to safely come out in the workplace."

Around 80 percent of respondents in the survey said that their company has introduced measures and initiatives for LGBT+ inclusion. Ninety-five percent of them believe that this has led to meaningful support for LGBT+ employees in their respective companies. The vast majority (93%) of respondents working at global companies (55%) believe that company-level communication and LGBT+ inclusion measures also empower LGBT+ in their home countries.

Discrimination against LGBT+ still takes place

As noted above, more than two-fifths of respondents still experience discrimination in the workplace. Unwanted sexual remarks or jokes (33%), hurtful comments about gender identity (25%) or appearance (23%), and unwanted physical contact (21%) are among the most frequently cited discriminatory behaviors. Of those affected, nearly three-quarters reported their experiences to the company, and six in ten were satisfied with the response.

Many still choose not to share their sexual orientation or gender identity with the majority of their colleagues. One in five people (19%) do not talk about their sexual orientation with anyone at work, while one third (34%) at least discuss it with their closest environment.

Three central elements for inclusive culture

For LGBT+ organizations to be sustainably inclusive, leaders must focus on three critical elements, according to one conclusion from the study: Making sure all employees feel they are doing their best at work; creating an environment where non-inclusive behavior is not tolerated by anyone; and promoting and communicating visible support. Those who implement this consistently may, after successfully passing an assessment, be awarded a label by the Swiss LGBTI Working Group. The label is awarded to companies and organizations that, in a "holistic management of diversity & inclusion, have anchored the diversity dimensions of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender characteristics in their organizational culture through systematic measures and live openness and inclusion in their daily practice." Deloitte, which conducted the study mentioned here, also recently received this label.

Source: Deloitte