class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>
Which corporate culture attracts skilled employees? How can a company successfully promote itself on Linkedin? What improves the (mental) health of staff? What options are there to make working more flexible?
Major players in the Swiss economy have been dealing with such questions for the last year and a half. In addition to the country’s largest employer, Migros, well-known industrial companies such as ABB, Bühler, Geberit, Georg Fischer and Stadler Rail were also involved in the project. Also participating were the Swiss Employers Association, which represents more than 100,000 small, medium-sized and large companies, the staffing service providers association Swissstaffing and the Swiss technology industry association Swissmem.
Manufacturing companies have an attractiveness problem
The strong representation of manufacturing companies is not a coincidence. First of all, employers who offer fixed jobs have an attractiveness problem: Since most of their employees have to come to the factory and working from home is often impossible, they have a hard time finding good people. “Against this background, in the wake of the corona pandemic, we asked ourselves how the working environment could be made more attractive for employees in production,” says Kareen Vaisbrot (45), head of employer policy at Swissmem.
Based on this question, ten so-called “best practices” for today’s working world have been created. The comprehensive guide is intended to serve as a “source of encouragement and ideas” for companies to become modern employers.
One possible measure to increase the attractiveness of Buezer businesses is to set up break rooms in the immediate vicinity of production, ideally with seating and earplug dispensers. Full meal options are also encouraged; or ideally a staff restaurant where production workers have priority.
The guide contains many positive things for employees
It is recommended that companies obtain company social consultancy services to improve health management. “Social counseling service supports employees in difficult situations and helps find solutions to occupational and psychosocial difficulties” is the idea.
Suggestions regarding lifelong learning also sound positive to employees: “Companies are recommended to invest in the professional development of their employees. “Appropriate resources need to be provided for this.”
Working hours should be more flexible
A key element of the guidelines is to make work more flexible in terms of time. A “special extra shift system” is being introduced to give production workers the opportunity to go home for childcare at lunchtime. There is also talk of a pool of “jumpers” or “jumpers” as a possibility to provide more flexibility to permanent staff.
It was even given a separate section to make the working week more flexible. It literally says: “So far it has mostly been about the issue of on-site presence or remote working; the next step could be to make the working week flexible and deviate from the image of the traditional 5-day week.” A work week can also be divided into four or six days.
It is worth noting that total weekly working hours are not in question. But instead of reaching the stated 40 hours in five 8-hour days, this can also be done in four 10-hour days. “Necessity and labor law offer some flexibility in when work is performed,” the guide says.
Or would you prefer a 6-day week?
The authors also consider a 6-day week, with a daily working time of 6 hours and 40 minutes, as a viable option. However, they state: “If working hours are divided for more than five days, a half-day leave must be granted.”
According to the guidelines, the goals of such flexibility are a “modern work culture,” “attractive working time models” to attract skilled workers, and the opportunity for older workers to remain employed.
However, this is clear: Not everyone will view the measures mentioned so positively. In particular, the proposal for a 6-day week is likely to lead to loud protests on the union side.
Guide recommendations were made by employees
However, the peculiarity of suggestions is that they are also submitted by employees. Rather than defining the “ten best practices” top-down, the associations and companies mentioned developed them in collaboration with employee representatives and personnel commissions.
The Swiss Employees Association was also heavily involved. Stefan Studer (60), the company’s managing director, is of the opinion: “More flexibility in terms of time is also in the interest of the employees – provided that such an agreement is reached by mutual consent.”
Studer and Vaisbrot from Swissmem emphasize the uniqueness of the project: “Employees and employers developed these “best practices” in joint, intensive workshops.” “There has never been anything like this in Switzerland.”
Change the labor market sustainably
Asked why unions such as Unia were not included in this group, Vaisbrot said: “Not all employers were included either. “But on this basis we hope that there will be a movement towards pragmatic solutions between employers and employees at company level.”
In the coming weeks, associations will present the guidelines to their members. Tens of thousands of companies and HR managers are expected to receive suggestions for “future work.” Will the traditional 5-day week soon become a thing of the past? Studer from Employee Switzerland answers: “The recommendations and tips are not binding, but should be viewed as a recipe book: everyone chooses what suits them.”
Given the well-known community of authors, the work certainly has the potential to change the Swiss working world in a sustainable way. Almost no one saw the quick victory of the home office coming.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
