Charlotte Jacobs, Senior Manager at Swiss recruitment specialist Robert Walters, explains existing trends that contribute to a robust recruitment and retention policy in the finance sector. 

Finance controlled by real-time data   

The move to automated finance processes places different demands on the skills within the finance functions. Charlotte particularly emphasizes the need for analytical skills: "Finance professionals must not only be proficient in setting up and monitoring financial automation, but also have in-depth knowledge of financial processes and be able to see the big picture." 

Decision-making based on real-time data is crucial for companies to be able to act proactively in a rapidly changing environment. This requires an adaptation of the way finance works. Charlotte adds: "The ability to provide relevant information quickly and accurately and communicate it clearly is increasingly important for effective management." 

ESG controller in high demand  

In addition, the demand for environmental, social and governance (ESG) professionals is high as ESG reporting becomes mandatory. On January 1, 2024, the Swiss Federal Council's new ordinance came into force, which sets out new rules for the reporting obligations of large Swiss companies, banks and insurance companies with regard to climate reporting. The ordinance follows the trend of increasingly stringent European regulations on sustainability reporting and is intended to ensure further regulatory alignment with the EU. As a result, ESG is not only becoming an increasingly integral part of the CFO portfolio, but also within the entire organization. 

"Sustainability is a concern that appeals to many professionals," explains Charlotte. "The position of ESG Controller, responsible for ESG reporting, provides a platform to channel enthusiasm for sustainability. In this role, you will analyze a diverse range of company data that is not limited to financial information." 

For finance professionals, the role of ESG controller can be a refreshing career challenge. "The focus on data such as carbon emissions, ED&I, suppliers and sustainability, as well as setting up and implementing data analytics, makes the ESG profession attractive," Charlotte explains. 

The future of the financial generalist  

Although candidates with experience are still in demand at the Big 4, Charlotte recommends looking beyond the CV: "CFOs and hiring managers should focus on long-term goals. What will the finance team look like in five years, and who do we need to hire to realize that vision?"  

Building a finance team that enables horizontal growth is crucial, according to Charlotte. "By training finance professionals broadly, you are not only safeguarding their careers, but also the business for the future. Investing in generalist skills can even lead to potential CFOs being identified within the existing team." 

Source: www.robertwalters.ch

According to the study, 93% of the international companies surveyed want to continue to pay ransoms in the event of a security attack and violate their "do-not-pay" policies in an emergency. Only 1 percent of companies categorically rule out paying a ransom. 35 percent of companies are prepared to pay more than 5 million US dollars to restore data and business processes. Two out of three respondents are willing to transfer more than 3 million in ransom money in an emergency.

Increasing security risks and massive problems with data recovery

Companies are affected by the force of cyber attacks for two reasons. Firstly, the methods of attack are becoming increasingly perfidious and, in addition, most companies' data is inadequately managed and secured. 78 percent say that the threat to their sensitive company data is growing even faster than the data pool as a whole - and this despite a rapid increase in the amount of data that can be collected, stored and analyzed in the business sector. On the other hand, the number of cyberattacks is constantly increasing. Almost all managers surveyed (96%) expect the threat of cyberattacks to increase significantly in 2024 compared to 2023.

Almost 4 out of 5 companies were victims of ransomware attacks between June and December 2023. Just as many (79 percent) doubt the effectiveness of internal cyber defense concepts. They say that their company's cyber resilience and data security strategies are not keeping pace with the current threat situation. 

Data recovery far too slow: lack of cyber resilience causes ransom payments 

Cyber resilience and business continuity challenges are widespread and diverse, as the Cohesity study shows:

• All companies surveyed need more than 24 hours to restore data and thus business processes
• Only 7 percent of respondents can recover data and business processes within 1 to 3 days 
• 35 percent need 4 to 6 days, for almost as many companies and specialist departments, data recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks 
• Almost one in four companies needs more than 3 weeks to restore data and business processes 

Companies test their processes too rarely

Further evidence of the lack of cyber resilience is that only 12% of companies have carried out a stress test of their processes or solutions for data security, data management and data recovery in the last six months. 46 percent have not tested their processes or solutions for more than 12 months.

 "Data security should be a top organizational priority across all functions and departments. The impact of a successful cyberattack or data breach on business continuity, revenue, brand reputation and customer trust is extreme," emphasizes Sanjay Poonen, CEO and President of Cohesity. "AI-powered solutions enable companies to respond very quickly to cyberattacks. These defense systems for better data security and more effective data management protect sensitive company information. They detect attacks on IT security and ensure that tapped files are quickly restored so that all business processes can continue."

Consequences of cyberattacks and successful data breaches

The most serious effects of security attacks are:

• Damage to brand and reputation (34 percent)
• Decline in share price / investments / profitability (31 percent)
• Direct decline in sales (30 percent)
• Loss of trust from business partners (39 percent)

Data security risks and attacks: management responsibility

There is some catching up to do when it comes to awareness and responsibility for threats. Only 35% of respondents say that management fully understands the "serious risks and daily challenges of protecting, securing, managing and recovering data". 67 percent state that their company's CIO and CISO in particular should coordinate better.

"The survey reveals that many organizations are taking far too long to recover their data and systems to avoid significant disruption," said James Blake, Global Head of Cyber Resiliency GTM Strategy at Cohesity. "Many organizations also admitted they would pay a ransom to shorten outages. However, ransom payments almost certainly result in the loss of some data. Not to mention that the ransomware operators were sanctioned. The last thing management needs after a ransomware attack is the prospect of hefty fines or imprisonment for violating sanctions."

Source: www.cohesity.com

On behalf of the jobs network Xing, the market and opinion research institute forsa surveyed five hundred employees in German-speaking Switzerland at the start of the year about their professional situation and their plans for 2024. The most important results:

Willingness to switch in Switzerland remains at a high level

The willingness of employees in German-speaking Switzerland to change jobs has stabilized at a high level following last year's peak. A total of 57% of respondents can imagine changing their employer in 2024. Last year, the figure was 60 percent. Currently, 17% already have concrete plans to change and 40% are open to a change without having already taken concrete steps to do so. In an international comparison with Germany (37% willing to change jobs) and Austria (43% willing to change jobs), the Swiss respondents are significantly more open to a new job. The jobs network Xing measures the willingness to change jobs in German-speaking Switzerland at regular intervals. In the first measurement in 2019, the willingness to change jobs in Switzerland was 51%.

Sustained high level of satisfaction with current job

As in previous years, the vast majority of respondents from German-speaking Switzerland are satisfied with their current job. Specifically, 85% said they were very or fairly satisfied with their current job. The level of satisfaction has remained virtually constant since 2019 - unlike the proportion of those willing to change jobs, which has increased.

Just under a quarter are worried about their job

Just under a quarter (23%) of respondents are very or quite worried that they could be made redundant in 2024. This figure is significantly higher than in Germany (5 percent) and Austria (13 percent). Women tend to be slightly more worried than men that they could be made redundant.

Sandra Bascha, Xing Communications Manager for Switzerland, says: "The figures show uncertainty among the professionals surveyed with regard to job security. So far, however, this uncertainty does not appear to have dampened the willingness to take on a new professional challenge."

New job: More money and job security are the main criteria

At 52%, the desire for a secure job ranks just behind a higher salary (58%) as the second most important factor when choosing an employer. In third place is an attractive company location (50 percent). Flexible working hours (48%), a meaningful job (45%) and good leadership (43%) follow in second place. 29 percent state that a new employer should definitely offer a home office.

Sandra Bascha: "The fact that long-term job security is one of the most important criteria for choosing an employer is hardly surprising given the fear of being made redundant. Nevertheless, the majority are willing to give up their current job if a better one beckons. An attractive location is also much more important than the option of working from home. Whether this is the start of a renaissance of the physical office remains to be seen."

Source: www.xing.com

In a fast-moving world with constantly changing market conditions, companies are required to adapt to conditions just as quickly and flexibly. Profitability is an important keyword here - always linked to efficient processes and improved performance. However, it is precisely at this critical pivotal point that enormous deficits are revealed, particularly in the service sector. For continuous added value and effective, seamless process optimization, investments must be made in technical innovations. This was also highlighted by over 400 executives surveyed in a recent study by Workday and IDC: there is a lack of integrated, data-driven business systems for project management - including resource and financial management. Kyle Wilkinson, Strategic Industry Advisor, Professional and Business Services, EMEA at Workday, outlines the three key findings for the professional services industry. 

1. the state of an entire industry is at risk

Maintaining competitiveness is crucial, especially in the service industry. However, the transition and extended use of technology is no longer optional, but a necessity to sustain the business. The industry's top priority must therefore be to create accurate service offerings with excellent performance in terms of customer experience and satisfaction. This, as well as improving project efficiency and profitability, can only be achieved through the use of technology. 

2. flexibility and scalability are mandatory

When selecting their service providers, customers are increasingly looking for a certain degree of scalability - both upscaling and downscaling. The use of cloud systems by the service industry creates the much-needed agility of their own internal and customer-related processes. This enables them to react to changing market conditions in the short and long term and restructure their business model in a resilient manner.

3. adapt artificial intelligence early on

According to the managers surveyed, there is a huge need for improvement in financial reporting, expense management and insights into available data. In order to make ideal use of big data in its existing form for business recommendations, support from AI systems is a factor that should not be underestimated. This allows the customer experience to be almost perfected, anomalies to be quickly identified and automations to be set up. This optimization of their own resources and processes has a direct impact on the ROI and the resilience of the service-providing company's own business model. 

Digitalization is essential for the service industry

Customers' tolerance levels for poor customer experience are falling rapidly. Service providers can no longer afford to be late in the digital transformation of their business. They should become early adopters of new, helpful technologies in order to implement the required agility, operational efficiency and service experience.

Source: www.workday.com

Without artificial intelligence and machine learning, IT would not be secure in any way today: cybersecurity teams and security analysts need digital helpers to identify viruses, malware, hackers and other threats. When it comes to threat detection, algorithms based on machine learning are showing their full strength and providing increasingly reliable warnings of cyberattacks and virus attacks. They are now so good that they can even recognize potential threats and issue a warning. However, these sophisticated AI capabilities are a double-edged sword: if AI is only used for threat detection, the countless warnings can quickly lead to alert fatigue. Analysts are then no longer able to thoroughly check all notifications and identify actual threats. In addition, on average only around ten percent of the threats found by modern algorithms are actually a cause for concern, meaning that processing all alerts would be a waste of time even if the team theoretically had the necessary capacity to do so. According to Ontinue, it is better for cybersecurity teams to use AI for the following tasks in addition to threat detection:

1. Criticality assessment of IT assets​

IT infrastructures in companies are becoming increasingly complex and are constantly changing. For many cybersecurity teams, it is therefore increasingly difficult to maintain an overview and keep a list of business-critical IT assets, i.e. the hardware and software systems used in the company. Machine learning applications can help to identify these security-relevant parts of the IT infrastructure, for example on the basis of which systems they are connected to, how and by whom they are used and for which processes they are required.

2. Improvement of incident handling​

The correct prioritization of an incident can determine whether a "true positive" alarm, i.e. a real threat to security, is detected and processed in time. Using machine learning to analyze and prioritize potential threats based on different factors can significantly improve security. For example, an AI would check an incident to see whether it could be dangerous for the IT environment used by the company. If this is not the case, it is a so-called benign positive - a security incident that cannot cause any damage and therefore does not require a response from the cybersecurity team. 

3. Automation of security measures​

Without machine learning, the automation of responses to security incidents is not feasible. With the help of machine learning, patterns can be identified that are dealt with as standard in frequently occurring security incidents. Based on this information, cybersecurity teams can then define automated responses to these incidents.

4. Vulnerability management​

Artificial intelligence also comes into its own in vulnerability management: In this context, too, security experts can use machine learning to feed AIs with information from previous attacks. The algorithms then automatically recognize which vulnerabilities have been exploited and warn users about the gaps in the system that are most likely to be targeted by hackers. In this way, cybersecurity teams can prioritize the elimination of precisely these vulnerabilities. 

"The democratization of artificial intelligence has not only advanced cybercriminals," explains Theus Hossmann, Director of Data Science at Ontinue. "Of course, hackers and now even laypeople can use generative AI tools to write malware. But defenders also benefit from increasingly powerful algorithms and machine learning capabilities - but they have to use them wisely: AI-based threat protection is just one piece of the puzzle in a holistic cybersecurity strategy."

Source: www.ontinue.com

For Vecnum, high manufacturing quality is not just an end in itself: play in the joints of the suspension stem would severely impair the riding experience. At the same time, high forces act on the joints when the rider pulls on the handlebars while pedaling. "High oblique forces also occur with the seat posts when the rider sits on them. With high dynamics due to pedaling and the ground," explains company founder Marcell Maier. "Nevertheless, the smallest amount of play is also undesirable here, which is achieved through selected materials and the precise manufacturing process. For example, the upper telescopic tube with the connection for the saddle is extruded in one piece from high-strength aluminum."

Although the parts of the Vecnum products are relatively small, the machining performance is considerable: the aluminum parts of the freeQENCE stem are manufactured from blanks with an initial weight of two kilograms, leaving 300 grams at the end. The freeQENCE parts are currently milled from solid material. Machining is carried out to an accuracy of one hundredth of a millimeter in the envelope, so you have to stay within half a hundredth per machining side. However, the inaccuracy is in the region of a hundredth due to the heating of the machine during machining alone - so the specialists in Isny have to constantly measure and compensate.

The two Robodrill machines in production are each equipped with a TC52 LF touch probe and a Z-Nano tool probe from Blum. The abbreviation LF stands for 'Low Force', the probe works with a measuring force of just 0.65 N when probing in X/Y instead of 2.3 N. The reduced measuring force is particularly advantageous for styli with very small ruby balls or delicate workpieces. High precision with a repeat accuracy of 0.3 µm 2 σ is guaranteed by the multidirectional Blum measuring mechanism on the TC52 LF. Vecnum receives the seat posts as flow-forged blanks, with the oval inner contour and a groove already machined with the broach. The inner contour is measured with the TC52 LF measuring probe so that the outer contour can then be produced in the exact position.

The Z-Nano probes are used to measure the tool length and, for example, to compensate for the change in length caused by the heating of the machine. In the case of sensitive tools such as a 0.8 millimeter drill, a breakage check is also carried out after machining. This works very quickly and reliably, as the measuring mechanism of the tool probe works with very low measuring forces due to the ball-bearing linear guide and lateral forces acting on the tool are excluded. Measuring cutter heads with the Z-Nano tool probe provides an aha effect: all cutting edges are measured and it turns out - no matter how precise the tool is on paper - that individual cutting edges are longer than others and therefore the dimension of the machined surface is different than expected. In this case, measurement during the process is a very important factor for high-precision production.

All the more so because Vecnum does not have a temperature-controlled workshop and does not work around the clock. The outside temperatures and the heating of the machine due to the high cutting volume ensure that the machine geometry changes. To ensure the necessary tolerances on the components, they also rely on measurement technology despite temperature compensation. This is why the machine is recalibrated before each machining operation. This has to be done very quickly - and there is no substitute for in-process measurement. Especially when the measuring points can be approached at a feed rate of two meters per minute, as is possible with the Blum probes. Vecnum recently received an update from Blum for the measuring cycle on the Z-Nano. The new cycle saves a few seconds per measurement by carrying out the pre-positioning, i.e. the first approach of the tool probe, in rapid traverse. This saves a lot of time when, for example, the tools are changed during set-up for a new machining job and all 21 tools in the turret head are measured once.

Marcell Maier has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of machine tools from his professional life. He is also still active in this sector with his engineering firm. He grew up with touch probes and has familiarized himself with the products of various manufacturers: "I like the Blum probes very much, the measuring accuracy is extremely high, the measurements are very fast and the entire measuring system is absolutely reliable. We are therefore very satisfied with Blum-Novotest as a partner, from the products to the support." And something else is very important to the Managing Director: "You often hear the opinion that a touch probe is superfluous on small machining centers - I think that's completely the wrong approach. In order to be able to consistently produce the highest quality, measuring during the process is essential."

Source: www.vecnum.com

Buildings constructed before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos. This applies to three quarters of properties in Switzerland. This is because asbestos was used in a variety of ways until it was banned in 1990 and is still used in many houses today, sometimes even concealed. Due to the age of these buildings, they are increasingly in need of renovation. Climate policy also promotes energy-efficient building renovations. Repair work after a storm or planned renovations of older facilities can also lead to asbestos-containing material that was previously safely installed being worked on. This means that refurbishments are increasingly becoming the focus of asbestos prevention. 

Asbestos assessment is mandatory

An asbestos assessment is therefore mandatory prior to conversion and renovation work in older buildings. However, during unannounced spot checks of construction work on site, Suva found that in many cases these investigations had not been carried out. An investigation is necessary in order to know whether and where asbestos is present. Only then can the necessary protective measures be taken. If asbestos remains undetected, it can lead to an uncontrolled release of asbestos fibers and pose a health risk to tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts. Contamination of the premises can also expose tenants and homeowners to an asbestos risk. Even today, over 150 people die every year in Switzerland as a result of asbestos exposure. If asbestos is not recognized, this also leads to incorrect disposal of the building rubble.

Protection against asbestos starts with planning

Health hazards caused by asbestos can be avoided with the right planning. For this to succeed, all those involved in a renovation project have a responsibility. Through their actions and transparent communication, all those involved can help to ensure that materials containing asbestos are handled correctly. With the "Together against asbestos" initiative, the Forum Asbestos Switzerland FACH and its members as well as other partner organizations such as the Swiss Homeowners Association HEV Switzerland and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE want to raise awareness among the various stakeholders of the risk of asbestos exposure and encourage them to act correctly. The most important information on the topic and what to think about when renovating can be found at forum-asbest.ch. The site also lists contact addresses recommended by FACH for asbestos assessment and remediation by location (building pollutant diagnosticians, analytical laboratories, asbestos remediation companies).

Source: www.forum-asbest.ch

The 2023 Global Data Protection Index (GDPI) is the latest edition of a study in which Dell Technologies regularly examines companies' data protection strategies. In the fall of 2023, 1,500 IT managers worldwide were surveyed, including 675 companies from the EMEA region.

Key findings of the current study: Over half of the companies surveyed worldwide (54 %) experienced cyberattacks or system failures in 2023 that meant they could no longer access their data. For most companies that were affected by a cyberattack, the attackers penetrated from the outside. They sent spam or phishing emails to employees, tricked them into clicking on malicious links, stole their login details or hacked their mobile devices.

The impact of IT incidents with data loss is immense: in 2023, they cost each of the affected companies an average of USD 2.61 million (CHF 2.26 million), caused 26 hours of unplanned downtime and resulted in data losses of 2.45 TB. The costs of IT outages caused by cyberattacks amounted to an average of USD 1.41 million (CHF 1.22 million) in 2023 - more than double the previous year's figure.

Generative AI has an impact on data security

Generative AI (GenAI) is apparently on its way to becoming a new strategic tool for cyber defense. For example, 52 % of survey participants stated that they see the integration of GenAI as an advantage for their company's IT security. However, those responsible are also aware that generative AI further increases the complexity of data security. 88 % of respondents agreed with the statement that this technology will generate large amounts of new data and further increase the value of certain types of data.

Ransomware insurance only offers limited security

When it comes to ransomware, companies show a surprisingly high level of confidence in the effectiveness of ransom payments. 74 % of respondents believe that they will actually get all their data back if they pay; and 66 % think that they will no longer be attacked by the blackmailers in the future after paying a ransom.

At 93 %, a very large majority of respondents stated that their company had insurance against ransomware. However, of those who were actually affected by an attack, only 28 % were able to report that their company was fully compensated. The ransomware insurance policies apparently contain numerous exclusion clauses. For example, many respondents said that their company had to demonstrate best practice to defend against cyber threats, that their policy limits the amount of compensation or that certain scenarios render their policy ineffective.

Source: www.dell.com

The categorization of cyber risks as the greatest business risk means that risk assessment plays an important role and therefore the responsibility naturally lies with the company management. All risks cannot be avoided. What is special about IT risks, however, is that they change dynamically and must therefore be weighed up by the management on a regular basis and sometimes without warning.

Cybersecurity as a business enabler

Today, no CEO can avoid dealing with cyber risks and assessing their relevance for their own company. This is where the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is needed as the most important advisor who has the relevant data at his or her disposal alongside the management. This requires an analysis of internal and external IT security information for a well-founded risk assessment. Companies need to know their IT environment and potential vulnerabilities in detail and consider these in relation to current attack patterns and threats. By identifying and prioritizing the greatest individual risks for their company, they can efficiently deploy security resources exactly where they need them most.

A recent study by Trend Micro in collaboration with the Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security (BIGS) emphasizes that investments in cyber security are far more than a purely defensive measure. It is a significant lever for business growth and customer satisfaction. The study underlines the importance of a holistic and forward-looking approach: cybersecurity is therefore a key element for business success, creates added value for customers and promotes innovative business models. The right cybersecurity strategy will thus become the business enabler of the future.

Addressing the skills shortage with AI

Demographic change, which is particularly characterized by the retirement of the baby boomer generation from the labour market in all sectors, is also reflected in the current Allianz Risk Barometer. The worsening shortage of skilled workers is ranked 10th worldwide.

To help cybersecurity teams struggling with the sheer volume, complexity and rapid evolution of threat data overcome this challenge, there are a number of technological support options. The use of generative AI tools, such as "Trend Companion", can help. Such tools, which are easy to use in simple language, reduce the complexity of security notifications and reports, which speeds up security processes.

Extended Detection and Response (XDR) can also add valuable automation functions to existing corporate security systems. AI-supported XDR can increase the overall efficiency of a company's Security Operation Center (SOC) and reduce the workload of internal specialists. By exploiting the technical possibilities of modern detection and response and maximizing the support provided by automation and AI, companies can best protect themselves against the growing threat of cyber attacks.

Ransomware attacks in particular remain a lucrative business model for hackers. Such incidents are often only discovered when it is already too late. This is particularly the case in smaller companies that simply lack the resources for a sophisticated cyber defense strategy. To protect themselves, companies can rely on advice from Managed Security Service Providers (MSSP) to understand how they can compensate for the lack of specialists and ensure a comprehensive security strategy. This is because hardly any company, regardless of size, is still in a position to tackle the growing security challenges alone.

Source: www.trendmicro.com

However, the implementation of a manufacturing execution system alone is not enough in many cases. Instead, comprehensive solutions must be provided that not only monitor the status of the machines, but also simplify the entire maintenance process for employees and reduce their workload.

The Oetiker Group is the market leader in connection and assembly solutions. Products such as clamps, clips, rings and quick connectors ensure safety, performance and reliability in mobility and industrial applications. They can be found in cars and commercial vehicles, but also in areas such as sanitary and medical applications and household appliances. Due to the high quality requirements for the broad product portfolio, a machine park that is always ready for use and always produces top quality is essential. To achieve this, maintenance staff must not only be provided with efficient maintenance planning, but also with system-specific maintenance instructions. Together with the Connected Worker Platform Operations1 , Oetiker has been able to optimize its existing maintenance processes.

Status quo: Maintenance work is primarily carried out manually

Although Oetiker established a global lean manufacturing culture early on and uses basic methodologies such as Visual Management, 5S and Total Productive Maintenance in all production facilities, the full digitalization of the operational organization was previously lacking. In 2020, the starting signal was given and the company implemented a global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) called Leading2Lean. This ensured the very first technological communication with the machines and systems, which provided answers to fundamental questions - such as machine running times, runtimes, interruptions and their reasons, as well as necessary maintenance cycles. Although this information could be used to set up the maintenance periods, the detailed planning of the maintenance work itself still had to be carried out manually using Excel, Outlook and magnetic boards. This resulted in time-consuming and resource-intensive paper-based maintenance processes with media and system breaks, a lack of transparency and difficult reporting.

The individual challenges of the paper-based maintenance process affected three levels in depth: document handling, the process level and the global perspective. The handling of documents, consisting of analog creation, approval, revision, distribution and digital filing, was very time-consuming due to the manual approach and media disruptions, as hundreds of systems at Oetiker have to be maintained at different cycles on a daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual or annual basis. There are also machine variances per location. The manual processes were unable to map this diversity across the board, meaning there was always a potential risk of error.

Creating an efficient maintenance process with Connected Work

Operations1 proved to be a suitable sparring partner on the path to global digitalization of employee-led maintenance processes. The popular Connected Worker platform was chosen due to its seamless integration options with Leading2Lean, its quick implementation and its high level of user-friendliness. In addition, the software solution is extremely scalable thanks to its modular structure, multilingualism and the ability to map different machine types using structure classes in the backend. For Oetiker Group employees, the implementation of Operations1 significantly simplifies the processes of their daily work: each employee now receives the maintenance instructions relevant to them at the right time. In addition, maintenance is carried out completely digitally using intuitive checklists and test protocols, with the workers going through maintenance instructions step by step via the touchscreen on the tablet. Detailed machine-specific instructions can now also be displayed digitally. In addition, all documents previously stored in mountains of paper are aggregated in a single point of truth that can be accessed at any time of day or night from any location.

This significantly reduces maintenance complexity and increases transparency thanks to real-time process data and automatically generated reports. Machine breakdowns can also be avoided thanks to better planning and regular maintenance. The well-maintained machines now provide a safe, modern working environment for employees. Last but not least, such an efficient maintenance process enables autonomous preventive maintenance: workers can carry out minor maintenance tasks themselves.

Significant increase in OEE thanks to digitalized maintenance

Oetiker has set itself ambitious goals for the complete digitalization of maintenance: the company aims to achieve an overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of 85 % in the long term. This is considered an important key figure for the productivity of a plant and an increase in this figure secures sales in the long term. To achieve this value, the market leader has set itself sub-targets. "Thanks to a digitalized maintenance approach, we were able to increase overall equipment effectiveness at the Canadian site by 11 % after just 6 months," says Jacob Reid, Head Engineering, Oetiker Group. This is accompanied by an increase in plant availability of 5 %, while at the same time the mean time to repair (MTTR), i.e. the average repair time after a machine breaks down, has fallen by 23 %.

These figures speak for themselves and show that the potential of digital maintenance is far from exhausted. So far, 10 out of 13 Oetiker production sites worldwide have been rolled out digitally and the company already has plans to roll out the other 3 sites. "With Operations1, we are establishing a global standard for preventive maintenance in our 13 plants," confirms Susanne Conrad, Head Equipment Engineering at the Oetiker Group. The optimization of maintenance processes will therefore continue to gain momentum in the future.

Source: www.operations1.com www.oetiker.com

A restaurant with a lot of reverberation and background noise is sometimes a problem even with healthy hearing. People with hearing problems are often completely lost because they are unable to filter out the essential acoustic information. Hearing aids can be adjusted according to the environment. However, these audio filters only offer very general default settings and therefore always reach their limits. This makes social contact extremely difficult for people with a hearing impairment - they are excluded from shared conversations in a restaurant, and it is difficult for them to contribute their ideas in a business meeting because they have to concentrate primarily on understanding what others are saying.

Hearing aid manufacturers are working hard to improve these filtering options. However, this requires a more precise knowledge of how rooms behave in detail at different positions. "In room acoustics, we talk about a room having a certain reverberation. But this statement is not enough to describe the differences in room acoustics from point to point," says Prof. Dr. Armin Taghipour, acoustics expert at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Hearing is always about the relationship between two points: the source of the sound and the person hearing the sound. Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the hearing aid manufacturer Sonova are therefore working together on a project funded by Innosuisse to gain a better understanding of sound propagation in a room.

Robots measure the sound in the room

First of all, there is no other way to do this than to measure the behavior of the sound in the entire room. How does it change when the speaking person approaches the hearing person? When they walk around them? When they move away? If it all happens in a corner, or in the middle of the room? "If these detailed measurements are carried out manually by people, they are extremely time-consuming," says Armin Taghipour. That's why he and his team, led by Pascal Jund, Tobias Walker and Manuel Isenegger, have developed robots at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts that can do this autonomously. Thanks to specially developed software, they are able to move around the room independently in the desired way if the boundaries - here a wall, there a table - are defined. They can measure how the sound behaves at each location.

In contrast to what has been common practice up to now, the robots can autonomously measure both the volume of background noise and the room acoustics. For example, if someone is speaking in a canteen, the device can measure the effect on every point in the room. The results from different rooms can then be compared - high, low, large, small, carpeted rooms or rooms with wooden paneling.

Complicated interaction

What sounds quite simple - robots measuring the acoustics of a room - requires the collaboration of specialists from a wide range of fields. Sonova contributed its knowledge of hearing acoustics, audio technology, signal processing and electroacoustics, while HSLU added its expertise in robotics, software development, room acoustics and audio signal analysis and processing.

Data is now being collected in various rooms as part of a student project. This data creates the basis for simulations. These can then be used to modify audio recordings so that they sound as if they had taken place at the measurement location. "For Sonova, this data should provide the basis for creating new algorithms. After all, the most important prerequisite for machine learning to work is large volumes of data," says Hannes Wüthrich, Project Manager at Sonova. In the case of written texts or images, it is often possible to draw on numerous existing data sets - but not so in the case of acoustic data. These must first be generated, as can now be done with the help of the data collected by robots. Ultimately, the use of robots should lead to an improvement in hearing aids and better integrate people with hearing impairments into their environment.

Source: www.hslu.ch

Security technologies are constantly evolving - and with them the tactics of cybercriminals who exploit vulnerabilities in machines and people to gain unauthorized access to systems. In the first half of 2023, the Sophos Cybersecurity Report found that compromised credentials were the main cause of 50 percent of all attacks. For companies, this means going one step further in the direction of data security beyond the implementation of security solutions.

In addition to the usual measures such as the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA), regular monitoring of vulnerabilities and updates plus training, companies should also have the following areas on their radar: innovative solutions for identity management, monitoring of user behavior and data loss prevention (DLP). The integration of AI-supported behavioral analyses is just as important as modern encryption techniques, as they can be the decisive step ahead in the race against cyber criminals.

A thorough security strategy requires a collaborative approach where individuals, businesses and communities work together to ensure a resilient cybersecurity culture. While it is important to have the right tools for cybersecurity, it has never been more important to consider the human aspect of cyber risk. An emphasis on training, awareness and technological innovation is at the heart of the shield against cyber threats. By educating an alert and informed workforce, organizations can significantly reduce risk and protect assets.

Understanding the human factor

Technological advancement and the growing adoption of CSaaS (Cybersecurity-as-a-Service) show: The most successful attacks require threat hunting, investigation and response led by people. They are at the center of cybersecurity, whether it's the IT team, a managed service provider (MSP) or even employees. Organizations need to consider these points and protect against any kind of risk from people who could open the door to cybercriminals.

A prime example is the recent attack on the MGM Resorts International hotel group. The cybercriminal group "Scattered Spider" was able to use fake phone calls to trick employees into providing login credentials and then deploy ransomware to disrupt operations. Through social engineering, the group was able to trick information workers into resetting all MFA technologies and impersonating company users.

Cybercriminals are increasingly taking advantage of people's trust, especially with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. AI-powered, personalized scams are far harder to detect, even for the most prepared employees.

Protection against threats

User training remains an important element of a company's cyber defense. And it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that they do not accidentally give criminals access. Organizations should equip their workforce with basic knowledge and skills to detect and prevent attacker tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).

It's no surprise that technology is increasingly taking center stage when it comes to operational data security, but it needs to be deployed responsibly by a competent user. With the increasing threats to organizations, many are turning to Managed Service Providers (MSP) to strengthen their security strategy. In today's threat landscape, the "one step ahead" tactic is increasingly difficult for internal teams to manage, so much so that currently 93 percent of organizations find even basic security measures a challenge. By working with an MSP, organizations can not only reap the benefits of next-gen solutions, but also tap into a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is essential to staying ahead of attackers. They can rely on dedicated threat hunters and security specialists to watch for threats around the clock.

Current threats require a collaborative approach

Accordingly, the human factor in cyber security remains an important component that can strengthen or weaken a company's security position. A more effective and complete defense against current threats requires a proactive approach that combines technological solutions and human understanding. Individual organizations and communities need to work together to promote best practices and ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge that contribute to the overall security hygiene of the organization.

A proactive security strategy ensures that companies are prepared for the risks that can arise from the careless misconduct of individuals. Avoiding simple mistakes will be crucial, because overlooking them can end in disaster.

Source: www.sophos.de