New working environments – new working methods

As Switzerland’s third largest employer, Swiss Post aims to provide its employees with an optimal working environment in which to perform their tasks. The “Swiss Post of tomorrow” strategy also addresses changes in the world of work – which have been accelerated tremendously by the pandemic.

Valérie Schelker

Head of Human Resources, Member of Executive Management

The pandemic has permanently changed the world of work – is that the case at Swiss Post, too?

Digitization and greater flexibility were shaping Swiss Post’s working environment long before COVID-19. But the pandemic has clearly given extra impetus to the changes.

What’s changed for employees in the office?

When around 12,000 of our employees began working from home in March 2020, they felt the impact of the change overnight. Many found the situation unfamiliar and challenging. However, now that some time has passed, we view the change in a positive light. Internal surveys indicate that many tasks can be performed efficiently at home. But personal contact remains important and is even essential for some activities, such as creative collaboration within a team or informal knowledge sharing.

Working from home has become part of the new normal. How is Swiss Post dealing with this?

We want to harness the positive experiences from our time spent working from home and combine those benefits with office-based cooperation. Our employees no longer automatically come into the office every day. Instead, they ask themselves: “What can I do better at home, and which tasks do I need to do on Swiss Post’s premises?” We follow the maxim of “business first” – which means consistently focusing on our customers’ and partners’ needs. Every team collaborates with its manager to define who will work from home, on the move or on-site and when, and which form of cooperation functions best. This approach relies on a leadership culture based on trust, self-initiative and personal responsibility.

But working home from isn’t an option for most employees.

Anyone working in delivery, sorting or at the counter obviously can’t work from home. But it’s not just a question of asking “remote working: yes or no?”. The radical changes aren’t just taking place in the office, but also in each of the 100 or more Swiss Post professions. We endeavour to provide the optimal environment for every profession and task.

What does the upheaval in the working environment mean for employees in operations?

Swiss Post plans to invest around 1.5 billion francs in upgrading its sorting and delivery infrastructure by 2030. Tasks and processes are continually changing. We train our employees to adapt to the new working environment and promote lifelong learning. We also support innovative measures to maintain good health. For example, logistics employees increasingly have to handle heavy and bulky consignments. So we’re testing the use of exoskeletons. An exoskeleton is a mechanical, machine-based or robotic support structure worn on the body that provides support with lifting and transporting loads.

What will the future working environment look like at Swiss Post?

There’s no general rule, as everybody’s workplace reality differs greatly depending on their role. When developing tomorrow’s world of work, a holistic view must be taken of employees and their tasks, the premises, infrastructure, tools and new forms of collaboration. This will ensure that our employees remain motivated and have development opportunities.