Smart meter solutions ensure that distribution networks for electricity, gas, water or district heating can become more intelligent. This is a key prerequisite for the implementation of the federal government's Energy Strategy 2050. Energy supply companies are accordingly required to convert to smart metering systems by the end of 2027. At the same time, trends such as the switch to heat pumps and electromobility will require dynamic control in the future in order to avoid peak loads and ensure a secure supply of electricity. Together with the energy supply companies, the Swiss telecommunications company Quickline has therefore developed a smart meter solution that enables both measurement and control. 

Predictive solution for measurement and control 

According to Quickline's explanation, the smart meter solution meets the requirements of the federal government. At the same time, it covers the next step in the realisation of the energy transition. "Energy suppliers receive both at once - the possibility to measure and control - and can thus significantly reduce the effort and costs for the conversion of the meters," explains Frédéric Goetschmann, CEO of Quickline. But how does a telecommunications company get involved in energy supply? "Entering the energy market is a logical extension of our offering," says Goetschmann. "For one thing, Quickline offers reliable connectivity as a prerequisite for smart metering. In addition, more than half of our partners are cross-connected companies and supply the population not only with telecommunications services, but also with electricity, water, gas and district heating." So they know what is needed and are convinced that bundling know-how and using synergies also makes sense and is economical for energy services. 

Complete solution from EVU for EVU - everything from one source 

Together, the new Quickline Energy platform was built, which covers various data transmission variants, is METAS-certified and is open to all Swiss energy suppliers. With the platform, energy suppliers receive a comprehensive, expandable complete solution and everything from a single source, from procuring the meter and communication modules to data management and integration into the billing system and customer portal, according to the statement. "Smaller and medium-sized utilities usually do not have the necessary resources and know-how to manage an entire ecosystem. Quickline is the perfect partner for this," says Rudolf Eicher, Managing Director of Energie Seeland AG. "Utility companies outsource complexity and still retain control over value creation - just like in the telecommunications sector."  

New service opportunities thanks to smart meter solution

Frédéric Goetschmann adds: "Converting to smart meters is about more than just switching from analog to digital. An intelligent, future-proof solution opens up new opportunities for energy providers. Thanks to its modular design, the Quickline Energy platform offers the necessary flexibility for future developments and the integration of new services." 

With smart meters, electricity meters and subdivision meters must be read remotely via various communication networks, processed in a central platform and fed into the billing systems of the local energy suppliers. How is security ensured here? Urs Gnehm, Managing Director of Localnet, says: "Quickline has tried-and-tested systems and processes, a reliable infrastructure with the highest security and availability standards, as well as the necessary know-how in setting up and operating platforms, managing interfaces and processing data." Quickline Energy thus combines the accumulated knowledge and experience from telecommunications and energy.

Source and further information: Quickline

Data leaks, cyberattacks, unethical practices by tech companies: the headlines just don't stop. Users feel insecure when dealing with digital applications. What happens with my data? Are automated decisions made without my knowledge? Transparency is missing and there are no possibilities to inform oneself in a simple way. Pragmatic and practical solutions are needed. The Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI) is now providing an answer with the world's first Digital Trust Label.

The Digital Trust Label signals trustworthiness

In clear, understandable language, the label shows the trustworthiness of a digital application. Compliance with standards is checked in four categories and creates trust among users thanks to transparency and reduced complexity. With the label, digital applications are tested on the basis of over 30 criteria. The criteria catalogue was created under the leadership of the EPFL and a dedicated Label Expert Committee, further developed thanks to feedback from public consultations and allows for independent testing and certification.

"Analogous to the organic label and a nutritional value table, the Digital Trust Label acts as a trust mark for the digital world," explains Doris Leuthard, President of the SDI Foundation Board. The label focuses on the users of digital applications and highlights the dimensions of security, data protection, reliability and user interaction. With its multi-level approach, it shows relevant information at first glance and offers interested parties more details.

Companies can send a clear signal

Thanks to the Digital Trust Label, anyone offering a digital application has the opportunity for the first time to have this application verified by a neutral body. Successful certification sends a clear signal to users that the provider guarantees reliable digital interaction. Such a signal is not only effective towards users, but also offers providers guidance in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Registration for certification is now open to all organisations.

Digital Trust pioneers are Booking.com, Swisscom and Swiss Re. They were involved in the development of the label and are currently having selected digital applications certified. AXA, Credit Suisse, the Canton of Vaud and IBM Switzerland are also involved as development partners. The project was made possible by the support of the Mercator Switzerland Foundation.

White paper identifies industries that need to invest in Digital Trust

Together with the presentation of the Digital Trust Label, the first white paper on Digital Trust is published. It defines the framework within which digital trust can be discussed and classified. At the same time, industries are identified which will probably have to invest more in digital trust in the future. These are the healthcare sector, the public sector, the media sector, banking & insurance, HR and the education sector. Finally, ways are shown how digital trust can be achieved among users. Transparency is the first step and with the Digital Trust Label this is now even more possible for companies.

Further information

By 2026, the healthcare industry is expected to grow by 20 % annually and reach a volume of $662 billion Achieve. The industry is using mobile and internet technologies, among others, to improve disease detection, treatment, and patient engagement. And by 2025, the healthcare services sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11,83 % at 35.09 billion USD is forecast. Growth will continue to be driven by increasing insurance demand, technological advancements, and the use of analytics in healthcare (Facts & Factors 2021).

No pioneering role without technological leadership

According to a recent survey by Accenture more and more healthcare organizations have accepted the idea that every business is a digital business. This year has also accelerated exponential change as technology continually reshapes industries and the human experience. As many now begin to envision a post-pandemic reality, the healthcare sector must learn to embrace change and recognize that there is no leadership without technology leadership. The survey shows that 66 % of healthcare executives will be working in the cloud in the next year, and 96 % in the next three years. Petra Jantzer, Managing Director Life Sciences, Accenture Switzerland, says: "Gaining a competitive advantage requires, among other things, re-evaluating and re-engineering the architectural approach and accelerating investments in technologies such as cloud, microservices and APIs. In doing so, it is essential that healthcare C-level management adopts both a people-centric and digital approach across all areas of the organization."

Digitization of healthcare: just the beginning

Today, the potential of cloud technologies is increasingly recognized as a medium for providing data storage, rapid analytics, and computational resources to improve not only the safety, quality, and efficiency of healthcare, but also patient outcomes. And that's just the beginning...

This also applies to research, where, for example, clinical trials are notoriously expensive and even a small speed-up or improvement in the process can make a big difference, and greater transparency of clinical trials could also allow the pharmaceutical industry to move closer to outcome-based pricing. Acceleration and speed affect myriad areas, from genomics (harnessing computing power) to biotechnology (using technology to explore how molecules combine) to storage (finding new ways to research drugs using expanded data storage capacity). High-performance computing (HPC) is critical to health research because it reduces time to results, leading to better care. Since on-premise environments are expensive and difficult to procure, HPC in the cloud provides the scalability and availability needed for these workloads. This is also true for hospitals, where smart technologies are being considered to enable faster intervention for truly patient-centered care.

At its core, it's about data and using technology to collect it and interpret it in the most strategic and efficient way. The past year has shown us how important the digitization of healthcare is.

Quickly informed about side effects thanks to data analysis 

COVID-19 impacted every person and community around the world, and we learned many important lessons, especially about what we didn't have in our health technology systems. Data was moving so fast that we simply were not able to collect real-time information from patients, providers, medical professionals, and researchers to control the spread.

That's why companies from all sectors have agreed to work with the public sector, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to improve outcomes and opportunities for sick and vulnerable people around the world. Technology providers, among others, are also working to help government agencies and the medical community better understand and combat coronavirus.

During the pandemic, for example, Oracle supported the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control in the United States by developing a suite of public health management applications and a national database of electronic health records used in the country's clinical trials and vaccine efforts. More than 500,000 people volunteered to participate in a COVID-19 clinical trial through the health management system. Oracle also developed the v-safe application, which allows any American receiving a vaccination to easily report side effects, such as injection site pain or headaches, through their smartphone or computer. The system now contains tens of millions of records and allows the medical community to use the anonymized data to understand the impact of the vaccine on different populations, such as on pregnant womenfor which no data were previously available (this population was usually not part of the clinical trials).

The public health benefits of these systems are felt far beyond the United States. Working closely with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, these systems have been deployed in Africa to support large-scale vaccination programmes against yellow fever, HPV and COVID-19. 

Using data to stay ahead of the spread

While there was a moment when the world seemed to have a handle on COVID-19, the emergence of other infectious variants of the virus, including Delta and My, threatens to slow the global recovery and challenge current vaccine immunity. To help governments and public health agencies identify and respond to these variants more quickly, Oxford University and Oracle have developed a global pathogen analysis system that combines Oxford's scalable pathogen tracking platform with the power of the cloud. This new tool is a good example of the power of technology, enabling public health specialists in research organisations, public health services and diagnostics companies around the world to better understand infectious diseases, starting with coronavirus.

Researchers use the system to upload pathogen data and obtain comprehensive results quickly, even within minutes. With user permission, the results are shared in a secure environment with participating laboratories around the world. Pooling and comparing the data provides invaluable insight into emerging variants even before they are officially classified as a concern because they tend to spread or reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. 

Access to this kind of real-time, real-world, anonymized data is the future of medicine. Whether it's a pandemic or an ongoing health crisis from tuberculosis to HPV, the further digitization of health data and the ability to securely share and analyze that data on a global scale promises to enable many untapped medical breakthroughs.

Author:
Thierry Buecheler is Head of Key Cloud Business, EMEA at Oracle Industry, Innovation and Insight EMEA.

This year, the VISION trade fair will be held in Stuttgart from 5 to 7 October 2021. According to its own information, it is the leading trade fair for machine vision. After it had not been possible to hold it on the originally planned date in 2020 for well-known reasons, more than 250 companies which have so far decided to present at the trade fair agree: it is important that VISION 2021 takes place. "After this enforced break, we, the exhibitors, together with Messe Stuttgart, can send a positive signal to the international market and the economy and show that the industry is optimistic about the future," says Alexander van der Lof, CEO TKH Group. "Personal encounters at trade fairs are and remain immensely important for exchange and networking. That is why VISION 2021 is an indispensable platform!", is also the opinion of Martin Grzymek, Sales Manager Europe at Teledyne safe. Already now the Messe Stuttgart confirm that around every second exhibiting company travels to Stuttgart from abroad. At the same time, it is assumed that the trade fair will have a much stronger European character this year.

More exchange, more innovations, more trends

Many companies have used the time to implement new technology trends and develop new products. Visitors thus receive the latest information at first hand. "I think that all exhibitors, just like us at Basler, will make an increased effort to present trends and innovations from the computer vision technology of the last few years in a way that is as practical, comprehensible and fun as possible," says Dr. Dietmar Ley, CEO of the Basler AG. The computer vision expert plans to present numerous new products at VISION, such as the new ace 2 cameras with more powerful sensors. For demanding applications, the company has new models of its boost camera series with CoaXPress 2.0 interface in its luggage and will be showing new features of the Basler pylon Camera Software Suite that make it easy to implement complex image processing tasks. Face-to-face exchanges about new products and technology trends will be more prominent than ever before. "The exchange of complex topics and issues can in part only be clarified and explained in a personal exchange, according to the motto: just make a sketch," knows Tobias Wichmann, managing director of the ISW GmbHwhich will be presenting itself at the VISION Integration Area as a total solution provider in the field of machine vision.

New players and constellations at VISION 2021

In addition to the latest technology trends, the fair will also reflect the dynamics of the market: On the one hand, visitors will meet new players, such as exhibiting companies from the automation industry, and on the other hand, they will see new constellations of companies that have emerged on the market as a result of M&A activities, such as the newly founded TKH Vision Group or Teledyne: "VISION is the right setting and time to present these live to the public. And for us it is the ideal opportunity to present TKH Vision as the umbrella brand for the Vision companies of the TKH Group," explains Alexander van der Lof, CEO TKH Group. At the first joint appearance of all seven TKH Vision companies, the TKH Group plans to present a wide range of products for various image processing technologies, as a one-stop shop for a long list of applications. Teledyne is also planning big for VISION and aims to showcase the world's most comprehensive, vertically integrated portfolio of industrial and scientific imaging technology: Embedded Vision with AI, high performance 1D and 2D cameras, uncooled thermal cameras, and numerous sensor platforms. "Many machine vision components and systems have become more innovative and cost-effective in recent years. As a result, the number of application areas for machine vision has increased significantly and this development is not only taking place in the industrial segment, but also in many non-industrial areas. Visitors to VISION 2021 will be able to gain a very good overview of current and future products, technologies and trends," explains Martin Grzymek.

Further information 

Measurements are an essential part of production. Only by measuring suitable characteristics can a statement be made about the quality of a manufactured product. The guideline series VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 describes procedures and methods for measuring and monitoring test equipment for geometric quantities. The test instructions create a basis for the evaluation of new and used measuring equipment. The new Sheet 1.1 is one of two basic sheets of the guideline series and is therefore the basis of all further sheets of the series.

Basis for the monitoring of test equipment

The guideline creates a basis for monitoring test equipment - new or used. It facilitates the cooperation of manufacturers of measuring equipment, users and providers of calibration services and should be used as a working instruction for the performance of test equipment monitoring. The guideline series VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 contains structured instructions for the calibration of commercially available measuring equipment, which is mainly used in production-related areas.

Sheet 1.1 of the guideline is mandatory for the further use of all other guidelines of the series, as it contains the generally applicable requirements for the monitoring of measuring equipment for geometric quantities. Furthermore, it explains the structure of the guideline series, describes how the results are to be documented and shows how characteristic values can be determined for the evaluation of the results. The new edition has been revised with regard to new requirements from international standardization.

Draft of February 2020 is replaced

Issuer of the Directive VDI/VDE/DGQ/DKD 2618 sheet 1.1 "Inspection equipment monitoring - Instructions for monitoring measuring equipment for geometric quantities - Fundamentals" is the VDI/VDE Society for Measurement and Automation Technology (GMA). For 165 years, the VDI Association of German Engineers has been providing important impetus for new technologies and technical solutions for a better quality of life, a better environment and more prosperity. With around 145,000 personal members, the VDI is Germany's largest technical and scientific association by its own account. It also sets standards for standardization in Switzerland.

The new guideline was published in white print in July 2021 and replaces the draft of February 2020. It can be ordered at a price starting at EUR 102.10 from the Beuth Publishing House (Tel.: +49 30 2601-2260).

The Corona crisis in particular has highlighted this: Digitisation in the Swiss healthcare system has a lot of catching up to do. In other areas, too, the digital transformation is not going well: important projects such as the E-ID are failing because of the referendum, the introduction of the electronic patient dossier is being delayed and the digital vaccination card had to be taken offline because of serious security problems.

United to drive the digital transformation in healthcare

In the case of complex, innovative topics such as digital transformation, political projects can be accelerated if the relevant associations agree their positions in advance and present a united front to policymakers. The "Digital Transformation" alliance was founded to promote dialogue among the associations, to define a common vision and roadmap and, derived from this, to draw up concrete political recommendations for action.

Electronic patient dossier as the core

The Alliance "Digital Transformation in Healthcare" has two core tasks. On the one hand, it wants to define the general framework that is needed for the digital transformation in healthcare. On the other hand, it wants to develop priority amendments to laws and ordinances that will help a beneficial electronic patient dossier achieve a breakthrough. "The electronic patient dossier is intended to strengthen the quality of medical treatment, improve treatment processes, increase patient safety and the efficiency of the healthcare system, as well as promote the health literacy of patients," reads the purpose article of the Electronic Patient Dossier Act (EPDG).

Wide support

The priorities are developed in Alliance working groups. The working groups are broadly based in that the various players in the alliance, such as sector and specialist associations, patient organisations, service providers and industry, are represented. The founding members include the FMH, GS1 Switzerland, IG eHealth, Interpharma, Lungenliga Schweiz, pharmaSuisse, Schweizerischer Drogistenverband, Spitex Schweiz and other well-known organisations.

Further information: www.ig-ehealth.ch

Cybercriminals are massively targeting employees and companies in the home office in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In December 2020 alone, the European IT security manufacturer ESET recorded an average of 14.3 million attacks per day on the remote desktop protocol (RDP attacks) in these three countries. Especially with the second lockdown following the Corona pandemic and the efforts of politicians to send as many employees as possible to the home office, these attacks have increased by another 110 percent. If criminals gain these accesses, they have wide-ranging access to the corporate network and can thus steal data or introduce malware such as ransomware.

RDP attacks reveal vulnerabilities

"We can answer with a clear YES that home office workstations have been increasingly attacked since the first lockdown. One indicator here are attacks that specifically target the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Many small and medium-sized companies are not optimally positioned for decentralized work and are open like a barn door. Criminals take advantage of this and are very active here," explains Thorsten Urbanski, ESET spokesperson. "With the start of the second lockdown from the end of October, these attacks have increased again by almost 100 percent. This clearly shows that the attacks, which have already increased rapidly since March, have paid off for criminals so far. IT managers should react here immediately and secure their systems as well as accesses more effectively."

Unfortunately, the contemporary protection of the home office workplace is still in its infancy in many small and medium-sized organizations. "Only a third of the companies surveyed in Switzerland allow their employees to access company servers via a secure VPN connection or multi-factor authentication," Thorsten Urbanski continues. "Companies that allow their employees to access the company network via private computers are acting at risk here. This shadow IT is an open invitation for data thieves," summarizes Urbanski.

Strong increase due to home office obligation

In particular, the discussion about a widespread home office for employees led to an increase in RDP attacks in November and December 2020. The peak so far is December with more than 14.3 million attacks daily. From January 2020 (310,000 attacks) to December 2020, that's a 4,516 percent increase. That the attacks have paid off for the criminals is also shown by the 873 percent increase from March last year (1.5 million attacks), with the first measures to contain the Corona pandemic, to December.

What is the Remote Desktop Protocol?

RDP is a protocol developed by Microsoft for remote access to a computer with Windows operating system. The protocol is available in all versions of Windows XP and later. It allows you to share and control a computer or desktop remotely. It is an easy way for companies to allow employees to work remotely. All that is required to connect to an RDP server is a user name and password.

Tips for a secure RDP connection:
- Minimize the number of users who can connect to the company's servers via RDP.
- Allow the use of RDP only if strong passwords and especially modern multi-factor authentication is used.
- Outside your local network, all users should use a VPN gateway (Virtual Private Network).
- Create policies so accounts are automatically logged out in the event of brute force attacks.
- Change the default port 3389 of the RDP protocol to a different number.

Source: ESET

After the foundation of ConSense Management Systems GmbH in Vienna in 2018 and the opening of a sales office in Friedrichshafen, from where the Swiss market is also served, ConSense GmbH is now taking the next step in its growth: With doubled space at its headquarters in Aachen, the company is creating even more room for product development and services related to quality management and integrated management systems.

Growth in many business areas

The company's growth in the area of software development was strongly driven, among other things, by the independent solution ConSense PORTALwhich is optimized as a web application for mobile devices and thus reduces the expenses for installation, roll-out and maintenance. ConSense GmbH is also significantly expanding other areas of the company. For example, the range of services offered by ConSense Management Consulting has been expanded to include services that go far beyond the application of ConSense software. Furthermore, with ConSense Campus, the software developer has significantly expanded its further education and training offering, which includes online seminars and webinars as well as video tutorials.

Popular user-friendly software solutions from ConSense GmbH

ConSense software solutions adapt to the specific requirements of Companies of all sizes from all industries perfectly. They are particularly user-friendly, modular in design, scalable and suitable for QM systems according to DIN EN ISO 9001 as well as for mapping numerous other standards up to GxP-relevant systems. These features have convinced numerous companies and organizations from a wide range of industries and so the demand for the products of the software developer from Aachen has been increasing continuously for years. Dr. Iris Bruns from the management of ConSense GmbH explains: "With the expansion of our space we see ourselves in the long term best positioned for the growth course of our company to meet the associated confidence of our users. We are pleased to have more space for the further development of our software solutions and especially for the holistic support and assistance of our customers, which is always in the foreground at ConSense."

Source and further information

The AWK Group is an international, independent management and technology consultancy with offices in Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lausanne and Luxembourg. With over 400 employees, AWK supports the digital transformation of organizations from a wide range of industries from strategy to implementation and is familiar with the technologies of the future. Its services range from the development of digital business models, data analytics, cyber security and IT advisory to the management of complex transformation projects.

Similar services - complementary customer orientations

Now the AWK Group is joining forces with Ginkgo Management Consulting, a Hamburg-based consultancy with more than 135 employees that also specializes in digital strategies and transformations. Together, the two companies are now focused on developing and implementing digital business models from a single source. Both companies are very similar in terms of their service offering. In terms of customer focus, they complement each other perfectly, according to the statement. "Our internationally oriented clients are increasingly demanding on-site consulting expertise from the AWK Group outside Switzerland. With the merger with Ginkgo, we are taking the next step by first internationalizing in the direction of Germany and at the same time establishing a presence in Asia," said Oliver Vaterlaus, CEO of the AWK Group. "For Ginkgo, AWK is the ideal partner," adds Lars Godzik, founding partner of Ginkgo. "Through the merger, we gain competencies in the area of public administration and strengthen our service portfolio, for example, in the area of cyber security & privacy."

Part of the AWK Group's strategy

AWK's strategy is to build a leading international management and technology consulting group that is characterized by size and independence, subject leadership,
know-how and relevance and can support globally active customers in their digital transformation with country-specific expertise as well as across borders. At the same time, AWK - already a "Great Place to work" - wants to attract the best international talent and offer them attractive job and career prospects.

Source and further information

Clariter and Bureau Veritas have joined forces to conduct comprehensive testing relevant to the chemical recycling of industrial plastic waste. Clariter, as an upcycler, has developed a process that it says offers a large-scale solution to the world's plastic waste problem and an innovative business model. It paves the way for the circular economy, the company writes. The patented technology converts unwanted plastic waste into high-quality, pure industrial product families: White Oils, Paraffinic Waxes and Aliphatic Solvents. The company has an in-house research and development centre and two laboratories to develop innovative chemical recycling products.

Bureau Veritas is an excellent partner for Clariter, as the company is a world leader in the testing industry and has a global presence, according to a statement published on February 15, 2021. This is in line with Clariter's scaling plans, the company adds. Clariter is able to leverage Bureau Veritas' vast network of state-of-the-art laboratories and global team of experts to work on samples from Gliwice, Poland and East London, South Africa. Bureau Veritas, founded in 1828, employs over 75,000 people in more than 1500 offices and laboratories around the globe.

Source: Clariter

Under the motto "FIT@IVF", which is still valid today, IVF Hartmann, one of the leading Swiss companies for medical consumer goods with 330 employees, started 10 years ago with small steps into the company health management. These included the establishment of a relaxation room and the first sporting activities and events for employees. The impetus for this came from HR Manager Nicole Egger, who already had positive experience with occupational health management measures from previous jobs. The management was quickly won over by the argument that healthy employees lead to a healthy company and thus also to healthy finances. In addition, the corporate vision "We are going further for health" - not only for customers but also for employees - complemented perfectly.

Corporate culture as a supporting pillar

Against this background, the support of an employee-oriented management and corporate culture was given from the very beginning. "The sustainable implementation of a systematic BGM needs a strong cultural foundation so that it is permanently a fixed agenda item in the corporate strategy and in the continuous development process, at least that is what our experience shows," explains Ines Marusic, HR Business Partner and BGM Officer at IVF Hartmann since 2015. "That's why I recommend companies that want to introduce BGM and establish it successfully in the long term to get the management on board as the relevant decision-maker from the outset and to involve HR, so that implementation is aligned with HR development. In addition to our internal competencies, we also make continuous use of the external impulses of the experts from Health Promotion Switzerland, who are a valuable sparring partner for us."

With a holistic approach to the label

In 2015, the decision was made to further professionalize the previously created internal BGM package of measures. In the interests of efficient and targeted implementation, the individual components with a spectrum ranging from management training for employee discussions and burnout prevention to a wide range of health offers were brought together in a holistic BGM model (see graphic) and recorded in a concept.

At the same time, this paved the way for the award as a "Friendly Work Space" by Health Promotion Switzerland, which took place in 2016. "The label is a seal of quality based on scientifically validated criteria. This label is therefore very important to us, because it sends a strong signal both internally and externally that the topic of (employee) health is firmly anchored in the company on a permanent basis and is handled professionally," emphasises Marusic.

Intelligent use of internal competencies

In line with the professionalization of occupational health management, a six-member steering committee with members from various departments under the leadership of the person responsible for occupational health management is now responsible for its implementation. If available, employees who have additional health-related training, e.g. in the areas of nutrition, exercise/sport or relaxation, and who are happy to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues, are also gladly included in the design of the annual occupational health management programme.

BGM brings measurable success

The commitment to this high standard of quality in occupational health management brings measurable success. These are reflected, among other things, in a significant decline in absences and a lower number of serious cases. As a result, absence costs fell by CHF 400,000 from 2017 to 2018 and remained almost identical at this significantly lower level in the following year. Encouraging savings for IVF Hartmann, which the company allows its employees to benefit from again via the return flow into the BGM budget. This also shows the high value of the time invested. For Ines Marusic, it is a good 25 percent of her part-time workload of 70 percent.

Last but not least, a look at the exceptional year 2020. Marusic is convinced of the positive effects of occupational health management in this context: "Thanks to our corporate culture, which has now been characterised for years by a high level of awareness of the physical and mental health of our employees, we were well positioned for this crisis. The existing relationship of trust, for example, has made it much easier to manage at a distance. In addition, our employees have already learned a lot about stress reduction, time management, nutrition, etc. thanks to BGM, and take responsibility for their health accordingly. That's why the lightning changeover to home office worked without a hitch and shows the maturity of the organization. We had no absences purely due to the stress of the crisis situation. I think that speaks for itself."

Health Promotion Switzerland

The foundation, which is under private law and supported by the cantons and insurers, initiates, coordinates and evaluates measures to promote health on the basis of a statutory mandate. This also includes supporting companies and organisations in setting up occupational health management (OHM).
Until 31.3.2021, Health Promotion Switzerland offers companies a simple and cost-effective introduction to occupational health management by means of partial financing.

www.friendlyworkspace.ch/anteilsfinanzierung

A survey conducted by the FHNW of over 1,500 physicians in Swiss hospitals showed that the professional group is particularly challenged in university hospitals and among young physicians in low functional levels. The study illustrates how great the effect of communication is on job satisfaction.

Communication: the most important factor for job satisfaction

The most important finding of the study indicates that positive leadership communication leads to significantly higher job satisfaction and improved well-being among all physicians. Three elements were identified that have a direct impact on job satisfaction: The greatest effect is the tone of communication, which should be as friendly, appreciative, transparent, helpful and equal as possible. It is clear that if the tone is positive, job satisfaction increases significantly. Doctors feel less stressed, are better able to separate private and professional matters and are less afraid to express their opinions.

The information behaviour and the quality of information from superiors have the same effect: If the information behavior is sincere, proactive and trust-building and the information quality is helpful, this significantly increases job satisfaction. In addition to the tone and the information behaviour, the leadership style is important, which should be based on mutual trust and promote intrinsically motivated work.

Young generation demands appreciative tone

Women, assistant doctors and Generation Y doctors are particularly sensitive to the way they communicate. This new generation of physicians, Generation Y¹ named, attaches particular importance to an appreciative tone and transparent communication. They appreciate and demand good team and management communication and like to receive feedback, which has a positive effect on their professional and private satisfaction. This is particularly important to note because this generation is particularly dissatisfied in their jobs, often resigned and significantly more stressed than their older colleagues. They often feel very emotionally challenged and often have too little time to do their work carefully. This particularly affects Generation Y women. Doctors of the Baby Boomer generation, chief physicians and doctors working in rehabilitation clinics are the most satisfied.

Source: www.fhnw.ch