Swiss Firms Go Hybrid to Meet Changing Workplace Needs

Post-pandemic employee expectations force companies to transform their technology and business for an evolving, competitive labor market, ISG Provider Lens

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, enterprises in Switzerland are rethinking the future of work and adopting hybrid work modes to respond to future societal changes, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group  a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

“Employers are both updating their capabilities and making organizational changes to compete for talent, often with the help of workplace transformation service providers.”

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Future of Work — Services and Solutions report for Switzerland finds that broad-based changes in work in Switzerland over the last 12 to 18 months have included the introduction of simplified technology solutions, virtual work infrastructure, analytics and automation to support diverse workforces with changing expectations. Allowing hybrid work has been a major part of these changes.

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“New technologies give companies in Switzerland the flexibility to offer new workplace experiences that employees demand, but more than technology is required,” said Uwe Ladwig, managing director, ISG Switzerland. “Employers are both updating their capabilities and making organizational changes to compete for talent, often with the help of workplace transformation service providers.”

It is now common for enterprises in Switzerland to let employees work at home all but two or three days per week, while some are allowing them to work remotely four days per week or even permanently, the report says. This boosts comfort and productivity for many workers. However, companies are still adapting to the challenges hybrid work can bring, such as keeping remote workers engaged during meetings at a central facility.

As in other regions, companies in Switzerland also need to satisfy different generations of employees, ISG says. While the digital natives of Generation Z (born in the late 1990s and early 2000s) are well prepared for remote work and virtual collaboration, enterprises are enhancing offices to make them more productive for this group. At the same time, they must also meet older generations’ workplace expectations.

“Workplaces are no longer one-size-fits-all,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “The workplace of the future in Switzerland needs to be co-created by all parties, with the prime focus being employee requirements.”

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The rise of hybrid work in Switzerland has also made the security of organizational data and devices a major challenge, ISG says. Many companies, often working with managed workplace services partners, are adopting Zero Trust frameworks, multifactor authentication, analytics and automation to avoid unauthorized access and prevent threats.

The report also examines other Swiss workplace trends, including efforts to minimize the carbon footprint of work, the expanded strategic role of IT departments and the use of digital workplace support services to offer multiple channels for different types of employees.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens Future of Work — Services and Solutions report for Switzerland evaluates the capabilities of 27 providers across three quadrants: Workplace Strategy Transformation Services, Managed Workplace Services — End User Technology, and Digital Service Desk and Workplace Support Services.

The report names Accenture, ELCA, Swisscom and Unisys as Leaders in all three quadrants. It names Aveniq, Bechtle and Wipro as Leaders in two quadrants each and Capgemini and Fujitsu as Leaders in one quadrant each.

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