When the topic of scaling comes up, almost all of the people I talk to first think bigger, better, more international. And names like Amazon, Airbnb or Uber quickly come to mind – companies that have managed to develop from a startup into a multinational player. Scaling is an issue for companies of all sizes. And for some companies, there are good reasons not to grow, but to deliberately cut back in order to survive in changing markets. [Read more…]
Wanted – found? Staff shortages revolutionise the way we think about employees
Is your company one of the lucky ones with enough staff? Congratulations, then you are pretty much on your own. Because for many companies and businesses, the depleted labour market poses an existential challenge. Companies are now reacting, for example, by either extremely simplifying application processes or specifically looking for skills instead of degrees. And then there is the third way: the targeted development of certain knowledge and skills among existing staff. [Read more…]
Pushing innovation: the right strategic response to supply shortages
Over or not over? During the pandemic and at the beginning of the Ukraine war, I often found myself in front of empty shelves when shopping. You remember: toilet paper, noodles and later sunflower oil. And companies from B2B also complained about supply shortages – from basic raw materials to pallets or packaging material. What is the situation today and what have companies learned? [Read more…]
Digitalisation: a quick fix for labour shortages?
Up and down the country, digitalisation is being bandied about as the new panacea in administrative buildings, public authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises. Because they all suffer from the same deficiency disease: too few workers.
Let me first clarify what I mean by digitalisation. After all, the term is often used in the same breath as automation. But digitalisation is not about Industry 4.0 or the automation of production processes. Digitisation means the intelligent use of digital tools to create space for something new. Digitalisation is not a megatrend, according to the Zukunftsinstitut, but has points of contact with all currently observable megatrends.
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Career Changers: great Potential or Risk?
The shortage of skilled workers and labour makes it possible: it is becoming easier for career changers to change industries. Their advantage: most of them have completed vocational training and have professional experience. And they are motivated to give their best in a new professional field. [Read more…]