Happy employees – the recipe for success in the future

The online industry is fast-moving and changing constantly. Employee satisfaction and an environment in which innovation is not just a buzzword are crucial for success. This is also the path taken by Scout24 Schweiz AG, which was ranked 6th among the 24 best IT companies in Switzerland.

Today, many companies leave personnel management to chance. Some of them are still financially successful, but the question is for how much longer? The battle for talent is becoming increasingly fierce in Switzerland, and it is becoming ever more difficult for companies to attract good, qualified personnel. This is particularly the case for companies in which human resources work is done on the side and without a management focus; they will face significant problems in the future because more and more employees can choose their employers.

Identification motivates
Against this backdrop, it becomes all the more important to cultivate relationships with the people in the company. Some companies, therefore, put a lot of effort into being perceived as attractive employers. They listen to their employees, have special appreciation programmes and recruit their staff in a targeted manner. It is essential that the applicants fit the values of the company and thus identify with the employer. The higher the identification of the employees, the higher their commitment and motivation. As a result, the turnover decreases and productivity increases. Today, many large companies understand this mechanism.

A recipe for success also for smaller companies
Scout24 Schweiz AG shows that this approach does not only work in large companies. With around 290 employees, the company is comparatively small. For several years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on cohesion and appreciation. The recently published study by the Handelszeitung, which selected the best 250 Swiss companies in 2020, proves that this strategy works. Scout24 was ranked 6th out of 24 in the category ‘Internet, Telecommunications and IT’. "The ranking shows that our efforts are being well-received" said Gilles Despas, CEO of Scout24 Schweiz AG. He is particularly pleased that the company has clearly overtaken well-known companies such as Google, SAP or Microsoft in the employer ranking.

In order to remain one of the leading marketplaces in Switzerland in the future, the company is pursuing a growth strategy. Recruitment is therefore a high priority and new staff are being diligently hired. "We want to become even more agile and innovative and bring the Scout24 ecosystem closer together" explains Despas. To achieve this, he says, it is important that employees feel valued and are given the necessary freedom for creativity and innovation. Only in this way is top performance and innovation possible.

A win-win for both sides
While it is a path to sustainable success for the companies, the concept is also a welcome development for the employees. After all, who wouldn't want to work for a company with which they can identify and that strives to create good employment conditions? One thing is clear; the battle for good staff will continue to intensify, and employee satisfaction will become increasingly central.