The best employers in Switzerland 2017

Based on feedback from over 15,000 employees surveyed, this year's winners were determined. They are ranked by company size: small companies (20-49 employees), medium companies (50-249 employees) and large companies (250+ employees). On average, 84% of employees at the award-winning employers think "All in all, I can say this is a very good place to work." At the same time, however, employees in Switzerland have decidedly high expectations of their employers.

Employees as a decisive success factor

The best employers in Switzerland are characterized by a trusting and motivating workplace culture. If 84% of employees rate their employer positively and are then also prepared to make a special commitment to it, this is a crucial prerequisite for being successful as a company. According to the study results, respect, cooperation, co-determination and development opportunities within the company are particularly important to Swiss employees. Above all, however, trust in management and colleagues at work is the central factor for a successful workplace culture.

Dr. Athanasios Zikopoulos, General Manager at Mundipharma Medical Company, 1st place in the medium-sized company category, describes this as follows: "The good relationships we have with our employees are just as important to the overall picture as our products and customer relationships. Of course, this also gives us a special perception in the job market as a good employer, which is not only important for our reputation, but also has a positive impact on retention and recruitment. Employees are proud to work for one of the best employers and that their own perception is confirmed externally thanks to the award."

Significant differences between the "best" employers and those not placed

The results show major differences between the best employers and the others. This is particularly true for factors such as recognition, appreciation and employee involvement. 77% of all employees at the best employers feel well informed by their manager, in contrast to only 55% at unranked companies. This difference is even more pronounced with regard to the recognition they receive for their work. Whereas 73% of the employees at the best employers rate this positively, less than half (47%) at the unranked companies do.

Another point is reflected in the perception of fairness with regard to salary and social benefits. Just half of the employees of the unranked companies feel that their employer offers special social benefits. In contrast, 8 out of 10 employees of the best performers rate their companies' benefits as motivating. Among the award-winning employers, 83% consider their job to be relatively secure, compared to just 51% among the others.

"Gender Gap" - Women complain about lack of flexibility and salary fairness

The so-called "gender gap" is evident even among some of the best. Overall, women and men rate their employers similarly, but there are nevertheless striking differences in some areas. Whether women actually earn less than men cannot be assessed via the survey in the Best Employers study. However, employee feedback clearly shows that women are much more critical of their salary prospects than men. On average, even at the best companies, men (71%) are more likely than women (52%) to perceive compensation as fair. In addition, fewer women (75%) than men (85%) find that they have the flexibility to take time off when they feel it is necessary.

The best employers by category

Small companies (20-49 employees)

1st place: Rackspace International GmbH, Zurich
2nd place: CSP AG Schweiz AG, St. Gallen
3rd place: SAS Institute AG, Wallisellen

Medium-sized companies (50-249 employees)

1st place: Mundipharma Medical Company, Basel
2nd place: AbbVie AG, Baar
3rd place: Hotel Schweizerhof Bern AG, Bern

Large companies (250+ employees)

1st place: Google Switzerland GmbH, Zurich
2nd place: Sensirion AG, Stäfa
3rd place: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, Liechtenstein

Health and social services

1st place: Domicil Bern AG, Bern
2nd place: Waldheim Foundation, Walzenhausen
3rd place: GGZ@work, Zug

You can find the detailed list of winners at www.greatplacetowork.ch