The Best Swiss Workplaces 2023

The Great Place to Work consulting firm again surveyed 220 companies of all sizes and industries with a total of around 30,000 employees. The feedback resulted in a ranking of employers that particularly stand out: A high level of integrity on the part of management, as well as a pronounced welcoming culture, were particularly important factors for employee satisfaction this year, according to the report.

55 companies recognized as "Best Workplaces

On May 16, 2023, the winners were announced and duly celebrated in front of around 260 guests at Kaufleuten Zurich. In the category of large organizations (250+ employees), Cisco Systems (Switzerland) GmbH took first place. This is the tenth time the IT company has taken part in this national competition and the sixth time it has made it to the top of the podium. In the Medium category with 50-249 employees, Hilton took first place. In the Small category with 20-49 employees, the IT company baseVISION AG makes it to first place. The Micro category with 10-19 employees is led by goSecurity AG.

In total, 55 organizations were recognized by their employees for having an outstanding workplace culture. Ten companies were in the Micro category (10-19 employees), also ten in the Small category (20-49 employees), 20 organizations in the Medium category (50-249 employees) and 15 in the Large category (250+ employees). Four companies made it into the "Best Workplaces Legends" category for the first time this year: AstraZeneca AG, dbi services and Novo Nordisk Pharma AG were named Best Workplaces for the fifth time, and Cisco Systems (Switzerland) GmbH for the tenth time.

What makes excellent employers

An excellent employer is characterized by the fact that it creates an environment in which employees can sustainably develop their potential. The basis for this is, above all, a high level of trust, achieved through lived values and leadership quality, as defined by Great Place to Work. While pride in one's employer remains the most important factor when it comes to job satisfaction, the integrity of management in particular has become much more important compared to recent years and is one of the top factors for a great workplace culture, according to this year's evaluation. While in 2022 ethical behavior and integrity of management had a very low impact on satisfaction, this year it is among the top 5 drivers for a trust-based workplace culture. For example, employees at Best Workplaces 2023 said they are confident that their leaders keep their promises (79% vs. 52%), exemplify the best qualities of their organization (78% vs. 48%), and behave honestly and ethically (88% vs. 69%).

According to Michael Hermann, consultant and co-owner at Great Place To Work, "The sincerity and integrity of supervisors is no longer just an implicit requirement. Rather, they have a direct influence on the attractiveness of the employer and the commitment of the employees to the workplace. It is gratifying to see that Switzerland's best employers do particularly well in this regard"

Other results of the survey show that investing in your culture pays off: Creating great workplaces for everyone means engaged employees who are proud to work at their organization (85% vs. 61%), who want to work there for a long time (82% vs. 60%) and who act as ambassadors:inside for your great workplace (81% vs. 58%). Excellent workplace culture has been proven to drive productivity and value creation. But not only that: It also helps build an employer brand. In times of skills shortages, this is an important consideration. By communicating the workplace culture to the outside world, employees are more authentic than any commercial, helping to capture the interest of potential employees and build a strong, authentic, and honest employer brand, according to Great Place to Work.

The top 3 employers per category

Best Large Workplaces™ (250+ employees)

1. Cisco Systems (Switzerland) GmbH
   Information and telecommunications technology
   359 employees
2. Salesforce
   Information and telecommunications technology
   501 employees
3. SAP (Switzerland) AG
   Information and telecommunications technology
   971 employees

Best Medium Workplaces™ (50-249 employees) 

1. Hilton
   Hospitality
   155 employees
2. CSP AG
   Services
   65 employees
3. Holle baby food AG
   Manufacturing industry and production
   53 employees

Best Small Workplaces™ (20-49 employees) 

1. baseVISION AG
   Information and telecommunications technology
   34 employees
2. SFL Regulatory Affairs & Scientific Communication GmbH
   Services
   20-49 employees
3. WS Audiology Switzerland AG
   Healthcare
   32 employees

Best Micro Workplaces™ (10-19 employees)

1. goSecurity AG
   Information and telecommunications technology
   18 employees
2. Alohi SA
   Information and telecommunications technology
   10-19 employees
3. OMIT Group AG
   Real estate and housing
   15 employees

Here you will find the complete Ranking of the Best Workplaces™ in Switzerland 2023