Swiss Lifts - "Future of Technical Managers" Project Provides Clear Insights
The "Future of Technical Managers" project provides clear insights: Overwork, unclear roles, and a lack of prospects characterize the reality of many technical managers. The industry is now called upon to develop feasible solutions.
What is the current status of the role of Technical Managers (TL) in Swiss cable car companies? This question was the focus of the first phase of the "Future of Technical Managers" project. A broad survey and several workshops with specialists and managers paint a clear picture of the urgent need for action.
Overworked, misunderstood, under pressure
Today, the role of cable car operator is often characterized by a high workload and increasing responsibility. Many cable car operators bear sole responsibility for safety, technology, operations, and various additional duties. Opportunities for delegation are limited, especially in small and medium-sized cable car companies (SBU). Support from management is not always a given.
Structural deficits hinder development
The results of the survey show that the current organization of many technical management functions has structural weaknesses:
• Functions and responsibilities are often unclear or overloaded.
• Working conditions (wages, accessibility, housing) often do not meet today's requirements.
• Training is not always tailored to the actual tasks.
• The shortage of skilled workers is exacerbating the problems of recruiting young talent.
First fields of action identified
In various workshops, the steering group, consisting of representatives from SBU, manufacturers, authorities and the SBS association, developed priority areas of action and concrete solutions:
• Distribute responsibility: Review and establish team solutions, delegation models, and TL pools.
• Improve working conditions: Create wage transparency, flexible models, and attractive frameworks.
• Modernize training: Modular, practical, and differentiated – with a clear role for companies.
• Strengthen leadership: Expand competencies in HR, communication, and conflict resolution.
• Increase legal certainty: Create clarity regarding liability and responsibility.
These areas of action have been prioritized and supported by measures. A generic job description and a fit-gap analysis for the "TL 2030" job profile complement the basis for the next steps.
What next? Your commitment is needed
The next project phase is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025. The goal is the concrete implementation of the prioritized measures – together with experts from various sectors of the industry.
SBS is strongly committed to improving the working conditions of TLs in the future. However, companies themselves are also required to fulfill their leadership responsibilities. It is also a matter of adapting the legal framework where necessary. Are the legal requirements still appropriate? Are they targeted, appropriate to the respective levels, and feasible? These issues will require more work in the future.
