Compasso press release: Fighting the shortage of skilled workers

"Reintegration generates added value for everyone involved and makes an important contribution in the fight against the shortage of skilled workers," Martin Kaiser concludes.

Demographic changes in Switzerland mean that fewer and fewer people are available for work. Already today, the Swiss labor market is lacking urgently needed skilled workers in numerous industries. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to make better use of the potential domestic workforce. This also includes people with an impairment.

Compasso supports employers in reintegrating competent professionals into the work process or retaining them in the workforce. "In this way, Compasso makes an important contribution to reducing the shortage of skilled workers," emphasized President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann in his message of greeting to the participants of this year's symposium.

Underline skills

Reintegration is about getting people who have dropped out of the workforce due to accident or illness back into the primary labor market. While experience with early detection and job retention is already good, reintegration efforts are still in their infancy. According to Stefan Ritler, Vice-Director and Head of the Disability Insurance Business Unit at the FSIO, although the number of pensions has fallen faster than expected, the political goals for reintegration from retirement (IV Revision 6a) have not yet been achieved. However, successful practical examples show that reintegration can also succeed. "The crucial thing is to focus on the abilities and skills of the impaired person, not on the deficits," stresses Martin Kaiser, president of Compasso.

The Solothurn IV office provides an insight into practice and shows what can be done concretely on the basis of a successful reintegration. The nursing assistant in question had suffered a discus hernia and was no longer able to perform her job in long-term care. She regained her footing as a medical practice assistant via a job attempt. "A case that is as unspectacular as it is typical," says conference chair Anton Hanselmann, former head of human resources at Frutiger AG and current vice president of Compasso. "The reintegration was successful because all those involved pulled together and made targeted use of the instruments available."

Tools for employers

In order to provide targeted support to employers, Compasso has further developed the information and tools for reintegration. When is my company suitable for people with a health impairment? What general conditions must be met at the workplace? Which legal aspects have to be considered? Compasso offers extensive information on this subject on its revised online portal. Direct IV contact points for employers are also available. "For SMEs in particular, it is crucial to be able to approach the contact persons in an uncomplicated manner," emphasizes Ueli Streit, Head of Professional Development at Compasso.

Consistent collaboration as a key factor

At the end of the event, Stefan Ritler, Vice Director and Head of the Disability Insurance Business Unit of the FSIO, Monika Dudle-Ammann, President of the IV Agency Conference, Dr. med. Fulvia Rota, Board Member of the Swiss Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy SGPP, Daniel Andris, Head of Coordination & Analysis, Mobiliar Vorsorge and Ann-Kathrin Greutmann, Head of Diversity and Health, Zürcher Kantonalbank, will discuss what makes successful professional reintegration possible.

The panelists agree that cooperation between the partners involved, characterized by openness and trust, is the key factor for successful reintegration. "The earlier cases are actively taken up, the greater the chances of success. Watching and waiting is bad advice," says Dr. Barbara Rigassi, Managing Director of Compasso, summarizing another finding of the panel discussion.

"Reintegration generates added value for everyone involved and makes an important contribution in the fight against the shortage of skilled workers," Martin Kaiser concludes. "Our goal is to maintain or regain the labor market capability of as many people with limited capability as possible!"
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