The future is on our side!

Digitalization only unfolds its full potential when it's implemented across all company processes. Only end-to-end digitized processes reveal maximum benefits in the form of disproportionate productivity increases.

Andreas F.J. Obereder | CEO and Founder, ATOSS

Optimistic words — and at the same time, they sound like a threat. Many companies struggle with digital transfor­ mation, and investment levels in Europe are only half of what they are in the USA...

Yes, there is a threat. However, it stems from hesitation, complacency, and the illusion that we have time to wait. The window for gradual, incremental change has closed. We are now in the „Disrupt or Die“ phase. We need courage and entrepreneurship because we're facing critical years in which countries, industries, and companies must seize the opportunities digitalization affords them. You rarely get the chance to make such a significant difference in a few years. I find it incredibly motivating and invigorating to contribute, along with over 800 employees at ATOSS, to sustainably and decisively improving the productivity and competitiveness of many companies in Europe!

Last year, you assessed the future prospects of Europe very critically. What's your interim assessment?

The situation is very serious. Let‘s not kid ourselves — it‘s about our prosperity, which will ultimately determine how we and our children will live. Business models, not only of companies but of entire nations, are currently losing their foundation. The demographic changes will further intensify the productivity growth problem. But it‘s not too late — we have a historic opportunity!

And you believe in this historic opportunity for Europe? 

Why not? The conditions are in place. The most innovative companies in the world are not turning away from Europe or Germany—they're investing. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the Munich engineering team is one of the 'innova- tive world leaders' driving groundbreaking developments in chip design Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, gave the signal to the start of his technology location in Germany in February 2025. workforce management system, aiming to significantly enhance service levels for customers and generate more revenue—despite having fewer customers and fewer emplo- yees due to the shortage of skilled workers. In just nine months, our solution was successfully rolled out to hundreds of locations. The lesson is clear: courage to embrace change and speed is important.

However, the majority of companies still fail at digital transformation…

Yes, that‘s true. According to Porsche Consulting, 85 percent of companies are currently missing their digitalization and automation goals. One of the biggest misconceptions is the belief that decades-old software or on-premises systems qualify as digital transformation. That's not true transfor- mation but merely eyewash. Digitalization is not about incremental IT upgrades but about a fundamental resha- ping of how companies ensure their survival in a world characterized by speed, intelligence, and automation. We need a culture of uncompromising digitalization.

What do you mean by „uncompromising digitalization“? 

No half measures, no outdated infrastructure, and no fragmented systems, but a comprehensive and truly consistent commitment to native, cloud-based, AI-driven, fully integrated processes. And I do see the beginning of a shift in attitude here. A good example is the healthcare sector, an industry not typically linked with digital inno- vation leadership. Just last year, we acquired six major hospital operators with a total of over 80,000 employees as new clients. Five of the six operators are transitioning to the cloud with us. Two years ago, this would have been un- thinkable. This is a tremendously important contribution to the economy in Europe, as illustrated by the case of Germany: Almost six million people in Germany need care today—and this number is expected to rise to seven million in the coming years. These statistics highlight how fast the demand for care spaces is increasing. Each year we need 13,000 new places—with currently nonexistent care staff.

What's the solution to the even more dramatic shortage of care staff?

It requires a lot more, of course: what we can contribute is the significant relief of existing staff from administrative tasks. This accounts for up to 50 percent of the working time for doctors, nursing management, and others. Overall, this represents a significant capacity increase that is urgently needed on the patient side.

But won‘t these kinds of changes come too late or too slowly?

No, every day is a new opportunity to shape your future. However, it’s also clear that with each passing day, cat- ching up to competitors becomes more difficult. I have a compelling customer example from retail: Three years ago, there was a CEO change at a European retailer with about 30,000 employees. The new CEO immediately recognized the need for action regarding digitalization and prioritized over 30 projects. This included implementing our digital workforce management system, aiming to significantly enhance service levels for customers and generate more revenue — despite having fewer customers and fewer employees due to the shortage of skilled workers. In just nine months, our solution was successfully rolled out to hundreds of locations. The lesson is clear: courage to embrace change and speed is important.

Do companies even have a chance of survival without first­class workforce management?

No, the demands for flexibility, continuous productivity growth, and attractiveness as an employer in the com- petition for skilled workers are too great. More and more customers tell us: “Without such a tool, modern manage- ment is no longer possible today.“ This importance will continue to increase. The Bertelsmann Foundation predicts the possibility of keeping 1.5 million „retirees“ in the German labor market alone in the coming years. That‘s a good idea, given the shortage of skilled workers. However, it won’t work without specialized working time models and smart deployment planning.

Digital systems produce valuable data — is the analysis of this through “Workforce Analytics“ a buzzword or a game­changer?

No, Workforce Analytics is not a buzzword. Our world is becoming more complex every day, and the amount of data available is increasing exponentially. AI-supported Workforce Analytics allows us to identify risks in the pro- cesses for personnel deployment—such as personnel shortages—before they arise. It optimizes labor costs and productivity without compromising quality. Moreover, it enables real-time adjustments to keep operations running at maximum efficiency. This is not a trend but the foundation for future success.