Swiss Employer Award 2024: The best Swiss employers chosen

The Swiss Employer Award is the most representative award for determining employer attractiveness in Switzerland. The detailed assessments of a company's employees are decisive for this award. The questionnaire, which was scientifically developed by the independent survey and consulting company icommit GmbH, consists of around 60 questions and was completed by an average of 76% of all employees of a company. A total of 48 companies were awarded a prize and a further 35 companies received a quality seal. The latter companies outperformed the Swiss benchmark in at least one of the target variables - overall satisfaction with the work situation, commitment or no resignation - but are not among the best employers in Switzerland and are therefore not included in the rankings.

The best employers 2023

A total of 153 companies with almost 43,000 employees who completed the questionnaire took part in the competition for the Swiss Employer Award (for comparison: In the previous year, there were 145 companies with just over 42,000 questionnaires evaluated). The companies were divided into the following size categories: Large companies (1000 and more employees), medium-sized companies 1 (250 to 999 employees), medium-sized companies 2 (100 to 249 employees) and small companies (50 to 99 employees). And these are the winners and rankings:

Large companies (13 participants):

1. Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG
2. Berner Kantonalbank AG
3. Swiss Paraplegic Group

Medium-sized companies 1 (48 participants):

1. Schlagenhauf Group
2. Bossard AG
3. Daetwyler Switzerland Inc.

Medium-sized companies 2 (58 participants):

1. Spectren AG / Almacasa
2. Financial Market Authority (FMA) Liechtenstein
3. Stanserhorn Railway Company

Small companies (34 participants):

1. Chestonag Automation AG
2. KAESER Compressors AG
3. BORM-INFORMATIK AG

When asked about the response rate, Sven Bühler, owner of icommit, says: "It is always amazing how stable the participation rate is. So far, it has always been between 75 and 77 percent. One factor that plays a role is that the survey is conducted digitally, which is very user-friendly. Only a few responses are still submitted in analog form. We have also noticed that younger employees are more willing to provide feedback."

Nevertheless, the 153 participating companies seem small in relation to the total population of over 600,000 companies in Switzerland. And the proportion of "small companies" should - statistically speaking - also be higher. Sven Bühler comments: "In fact, the number of participating companies is always around 150. Companies with 250 to 1000 employees make up the majority. Larger companies form a minority." Nevertheless, the number of almost 43,000 questionnaires evaluated allows for an extremely valid assessment and provides a differentiated picture of the working world.

High satisfaction in banking, dissatisfaction in care and education

So what are the core elements of the survey? Employees rate their employer in all areas of the working environment that are important for satisfaction and commitment. Across all participating companies, these three dimensions of the work situation have the greatest influence on employee commitment:

1. Corporate strategyi.e. employees want to know where the company is heading
2. Involvement of employeesi.e. employees want to be involved and have sufficient freedom to make decisions
3. Work contenti.e. employees want to be able to use their knowledge and skills

The sector comparison shows that commitment to the company and satisfaction with the work situation are highest in the IT, cantonal banks and retail sectors. We measured the lowest ratings at universities, in healthcare (psychiatric clinics and acute hospitals) and in public transport. A positive trend is clearly discernible in the IT and cantonal banks sectors. A negative trend in public transport.

How does Sven Bühler explain this result, especially as the banking sector has fallen into somewhat of a public disrepute with the events surrounding CS? "It is indeed remarkable that many financial service providers received awards this year. It was similar in 2009, when the major financial crisis shook the banking world," says Bühler. "In situations like this, it helps to compare yourself with other companies in the same sector that are doing badly - for example, if a competitor goes bankrupt or suffers a loss of reputation, the employee realizes that their own employer is very good after all. They are happy to work there. It can also be seen that job security is becoming somewhat more important and is gaining in importance; in addition, the companies in the three sectors mentioned are quite homogeneous in terms of their employee structure and operate business models that can still earn a lot of money, making it easier to invest in attractive working environments." The low level of commitment in the education and healthcare sector is certainly also linked to the problems surrounding the labor shortage. "Even if staff are missing or absent due to illness, operations still have to run in these sectors, which means that a lot of overtime often has to be worked. In such situations, the work-life balance and pay perception also suffer. Work pressure is also increasing due to digitalization. The public sector generally has less leverage here than other industries," explains Sven Bühler.

Two special prizes at the Swiss Employer Award

In addition to presenting the awards to the best in their category, the HR Swiss association also awarded a prize for an innovative working environment project that has a positive impact on commitment within the company. The winner of this innovation prize for a modern working environment 2024 goes to Spectren AG / Almacasa with its pioneering project: Almacasa Dialog. This project is convincing because it strengthens the personality of employees so that they can cope as well as possible in a changing world with major professional challenges. The Almacasa Dialogue addresses aspects that help employees at all levels and from all cultural backgrounds to become more aware of their own personalities. to become self-aware and therefore more Being self-aware to develop. This is essential when dealing with challenging resident situations, but also with relatives and others involved in the care process. The discussion guidelines developed are structured according to the dimensions of "love for people", "mindfulness", "personal responsibility", "commitment", "professional knowledge" and "self-reflection" and contain hints, tips and explanations for jointly working through these abstract concepts. After just one year, it is clear that mutual appreciative feedback has increased significantly.

The Swiss Employers' Association awarded another special prize to the company that achieved the best improvement in its working environment compared to the last employee survey. The climber of the year 2024 is Rigi Bahnen AG.

Top employers too: Don't rest on your laurels

In view of this year's results: Where does Sven Bühler see the greatest need for action on the part of companies to become even better employers? "In these complex and uncertain times, employees want predictability, security and clarity from their employer. A clear and credible strategy with a clear focus on a fixed star that you want to achieve is very supportive and meaningful," is Sven Bühler's clear appeal. A stable, well-communicating management team is also helpful; many changes create uncertainty. "And there are also the many transformations that companies have to undertake. How credibly these are communicated and implemented is crucial for employee engagement. And the perception of the pay situation and fairness within the company should not be underestimated," he adds. Employees also want a lot of freedom. However, this is not synonymous with taking on more responsibility, warns Sven Bühler. "In addition, society in general is becoming increasingly polarized in terms of opinions. Successful companies manage to mitigate this polarization. They create a sense of unity, a common path and the awareness that the company is only fit for the future if every employee is committed. For managers, it is important to get all employees on board." And as a final appeal, Sven Bühler addresses the following to employers: "Employees are at the center and must take responsibility for inspiring customers."

Further information and complete rankings