Transforming the company has become a permanent injunction. But how can you continue to transform when organizations are already under pressure?
Between pressure on performance, managerial fatigue, the generalization of hybrid work, and the acceleration of artificial intelligence, Swiss companies face an increasingly complex equation: evolving quickly without losing the commitment of their teams.
In this interview, David Rault, Managing Partner of talenco Switzerland and former Global Head of Organizational & Talent Development at Pictet, he shares his perspective on the ongoing transformations and the very concrete levers that today allow performance, clarity, and leadership to be reconciled.
What are the major challenges facing companies in Switzerland today?
The international context directly impacts Switzerland. The rise in the strong franc generates significant pressure on margins and on productivity.
In this context, Swiss companies must focus even more on three key issues: the performance, well-being at work and innovation.
Many leaders and managers are asking themselves the same questions today: how to increase efficiency? How to strengthen motivation? And how, in parallel, to encourage experimentation without weakening productivity?
The whole point is here: preserving performance without stifling initiative.
What should be put in place regarding leadership in the face of this pressure?
It is becoming urgent to implement clear leadership frameworks, which promote collaboration and strengthen psychological safety for employees.
Well-structured leadership also better supports change, while creating an environment of trust that boosts collective performance and innovation.
In parallel, the generalization of hybrid work is profoundly changing the role of management. Managers must now learn to combine effectively:
- the discipline of performance,
- the Clarity in execution,
- and one sustainable management of collective energy.
This is not an easy exercise. Many managers struggle to find their place in an increasingly demanding environment, partly because they are often insufficiently trained.
The consequences are very concrete: we observe a decline in motivation everywhere, a significant increase in burnout, and an increasing risk of mental overload.
What role will artificial intelligence play in this transformation?
From a technological point of view, artificial intelligence will amplify forms of Increased leadership.
But AI will not only create opportunities. It will also reveal organizational weaknesses, especially when coordination is insufficient, roles are unclear, or decision-making processes lack clarity.
When vision and strategy are unclear or insufficiently shared, it directly pays off in commitment, and therefore in productivity.
In other words, the competitive advantage does not lie solely in the technologies themselves. It lies in the ability of leaders and managers to integrate AI in:
- structured decision-making frameworks,
- clear organizational priorities,
- and responsible governance.
This is precisely the type of expertise that talenco has developed and deployed on numerous accounts with TALENCO.AI
Why is Switzerland a strategic market for talenco?
Switzerland is a small market, but a strategic market, at the heart of Europe.
The country is renowned for its innovation, dynamic economy and prosperity. It is also a particularly demanding environment, highly focused on quality, making it an ideal platform for:
- develop international activities,
- test new devices,
- and deploy a differentiating expertise.
In terms of management, Switzerland is diverse and multifaceted. There are significant differences in organizational and managerial maturity between companies.
How would you describe the management approach in Switzerland?
At least two major realities must be distinguished.
Swiss multinationals present in Switzerland
In cities like Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne or Basel, we find groups like Nestlé, ABB, Richemont, Novartis or UBS.
These companies are generally very advanced and innovative. They operate in matrix-based, multicultural organizations with already well-developed leadership and collaboration logics. The populations are often relatively young and highly educated.
The expectations are therefore very high regarding:
- management,
- performance management,
- and training.
Innovative Swiss SMEs
Switzerland is also the birthplace of many very innovative SMEs, sometimes little known to the general public but exporters worldwide.
Many are family-owned and have long operated with more traditional, hierarchical management models. For many of them, a management transformation is currently underway, particularly with the arrival of AI.
Their central question is simple: how can we benefit from productivity and performance gains without losing what makes us strong?
Are the management needs the same between multinationals and SMEs?
No, and that is precisely where the finesse in the accompaniment is needed.
For the multinationals
In my opinion, the priority is a return to managerial clarity.
AI can very concretely strengthen this dynamic, for example to:
- prepare the feedback interviews,
- better manage and exploit data,
- and support the quality of management decisions.
For innovative SMEs
The real challenge is to put in place management more agile, Sometimes even more amusing, which promotes experimentation and the sharing of vision.
In this logic, some tools are particularly powerful, such as Objectives and Key Results (OKR), These allow teams to align their efforts, clarify priorities and create a more collective dynamic for execution.
Where is the actual adoption of AI in Swiss companies?
Artificial intelligence is quickly being integrated into sectors such as banking, pharmacy and industry.
But despite this momentum, many organizations still have a long way to go. Early stage of adoption.
In recent conversations with HR managers and executives, a common observation is that many are deploying tools like Copilot, but without providing sufficient support for deployment and training.
However, successful deployment of AI does not stop at making a tool available. It is also necessary to:
- of awareness-raising,
- conferences,
- of training,
- and especially of AI use cases clearly identified.
Without this, adoption remains superficial and the tangible benefits take a long time to appear.
Are Swiss SMEs ready to accelerate their use of artificial intelligence?
In Swiss SMEs, one could long hear the expression: «There is no fire on the lake.».
But this attitude is becoming increasingly unsustainable. The Y and Z generations will not wait. They want to be able to be active participants, contribute, share their knowledge, and participate in the transformations.
That is why it becomes essential to put in place a Structured deployment strategy and one AI training targeted. This is a key point for turning interest in AI into real gains in performance and engagement.
Why did you choose to join talenco to carry out this ambition in Switzerland?
I wanted to share experiences and expertise accumulated over 25 years.
Having a deep understanding of the consulting and training market, I identified at talenco a community of experts in transformation and talent development which seems particularly innovative and aligned with my values.
What I find there is:
- a commitment to quality,
- real excellence in execution,
- the pleasure of sharing learning experiences,
- and a form of humility that I really appreciate.
And then, you also have to say it simply: they are the most innovative and the most pleasant ones!
What was your path as a HR leader before joining talenco Switzerland?
Over the last twelve years, I worked in investment finance at Société Générale in Paris, then at Volvo Bank, with experiences in Europe, Asia and Istanbul.
I then managed corporate universities as well as Human Resources and Talent Management divisions for the Pictet Group in Geneva and the Brunswick Group in London.
These experiences were extremely educational and exciting. They are now fueling a very strong momentum: that of To share, to help and to encourage leaders and HR in Switzerland to dare to innovate and to succeed in transforming their organizations.
In conclusion, what convictions guide your approach to accompaniment?
The sustainable transformation of companies in Switzerland will not rely solely on technology or on management effects.
It will be based on a demanding balance between:
- strategic clarity,
- quality of leadership,
- talent development,
- psychological safety,
- and structured use of artificial intelligence.
Switzerland has everything to succeed in this transformation: a strong economic fabric, a culture of quality, a strong capacity for innovation and a strategic position in Europe.
We must also dare to evolve management and leadership practices with method, rigor, and enthusiasm. It is precisely this ambition that drives me in this country that I love so much.
The 5 major challenges facing Swiss companies, according to David Rault
Through this interview, one observation emerges: the transformation of companies in Switzerland can no longer be limited to technological projects or theoretical transformation plans. In a context of economic pressure, accelerated artificial intelligence, and organizational fatigue, leaders and HR managers must now face five major challenges:
1. Maintain the company’s performance without exhausting the teams
In a context of economic pressure, mental overload and constant transformations, organizations must find a new balance between efficiency, commitment and well-being at work.
2. Cultivate managerial clarity
In the face of the multiplication of priorities and the increasing complexity of organizations, managers leaders They must recreate readability, clarify roles and strengthen the alignment of teams.
3. Changing the role of leaders in the era of hybrid work
Management can no longer rely solely on control or technical expertise: it is now about establishing leadership that promotes collaboration, autonomy, psychological safety, and collective execution capabilities.
4. Transforming generative AI into a concrete performance lever
The challenge is not just to adopt AI tools, but to develop useful, structured and truly integrated uses within management and operational practices.
5. Succeeding in the transformation without losing the commitment of the employees
New generations expect more participation, meaning and recognition. The companies that succeed will be those that are able to sustainably embed talent and teams in change.
For David Rault, the competitive advantage of Swiss companies will not solely depend on technology or innovation, but on their ability to align strategic vision, inspiring leadership, quality management, talent development, and execution capability. An issue that has become central for all organizations that want to transforming sustainably without losing their teams.
