The new EU Machinery Regulation (Regulation [EU] 2023/1230) brings significant changes compared to the previous Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. This regulation is particularly relevant for companies in Switzerland, especially for the mechanical, electrical and metal industry (tech industry), as it may affect access to the EU market.
In a sensational experiment, the psychologist Martin Seligman discovered "learned helplessness". This can also be observed in many workplaces: Employees who "can" but "won't". But how can managers prevent work-to-rule and internal resignations?
Sustainability has long been a high priority for many Swiss companies. However, ESG issues are still often "only" seen as an add-on. And it is often difficult to motivate employees to achieve climate targets.
Business analytics and people analytics offer enormous potential for more agile corporate planning. Automation using software solutions or with AI support offers companies many advantages. However, risks and ethical aspects must also be taken into account.
The aim of continuing education is usually to acquire new skills - which is obvious. However, the recurring survey of continuing education graduates from the Lucerne School of Business shows that continuing education does much more for its participants.
Whereas a number of years ago it was sufficient in automation technology to develop technically mature, durable products that reliably fulfilled their function, today companies have to think and live quality more comprehensively. The concept of quality must be consistently implemented not only during the manufacturing process, but also before and after.
At the end of 2023, ISO presented a new standard that takes account of the rapid developments in artificial intelligence: ISO/IEC 42001. This new standard addresses the challenges posed by AI, such as ethical considerations, transparency and continuous improvement.
To talk about industry in Switzerland is to talk more and more about "medtech". Pharmaceuticals have been part of the Swiss landscape for many years, but new players are becoming more and more established. The medical devices sector has been on an upward trajectory for some years now, including in Switzerland (see below). Ariaq has chosen to follow this trend with the development of new training courses and on-the-job support.
Switzerland occupies a leading position when it comes to medtech innovations. Empa researchers, for example, are developing polymer fibers that can precisely deliver active ingredients over the long term. These "liquid core fibers" contain drugs inside and can be processed into medical textiles.
Renk-Maag in Winterthur is a leader in the development and manufacture of efficient and reliable gearboxes and drive systems for shipping, power generation and industrial applications. So it is only logical that every cog in the digital quality management system is also trimmed to sustainable top form.
The EFQM Model 2025 was presented for the first time at the EFQM Forum in Istanbul from June 4 to 6, 2024. Social and cultural change in the world of work and advances in AI proved to be the drivers of the model revision. At the same time, sustainable performance improvement is now at the heart of the EFQM model. In order to "emphasize" the long-term viability of the organization, the concept of ecological and economic sustainability has been more clearly delineated.
The term resilience is often applied to individuals: A resilient person has the ability to bounce back from setbacks or crises. However, in the wake of global economic, ecological or social crises, the resilience of entire organizations is also becoming increasingly important.
