Marketagent Labor Market Compass: Switzerland wants shorter working hours

The survey, which has been conducted quarterly since the beginning of 2024, provides insights into the attitudes of employees. On average, employees in Switzerland would like to work 35.4 hours per week - less than the traditional 40-hour week, but more than in Austria (33.3 hours) and Germany (32 hours). Working from home also remains in demand: those who have the opportunity to work remotely prefer an average of 45%, which corresponds to around two days per week.

The acceptance of long commutes is higher in Switzerland than in neighboring countries: Respondents state a maximum commuting distance of 32 kilometers, compared to around 22 kilometers in Germany and Austria.

"Work hard, play hard"

Almost two thirds of the working Swiss population can identify well with the philosophy "Work hard, live well" (65%). And another top score in a three-country comparison (Austria: 62%; Germany: 58%). "Commitment and performance are still considered important values in Switzerland. However, our data also shows that the focus is increasingly shifting from traditional career patterns to more flexible working models," explains Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland. "Companies that actively promote this flexibility not only secure an advantage in the competition for skilled workers, but also strengthen long-term employee loyalty."

High willingness to switch

Despite a high level of satisfaction with their current job (77%), the willingness to change jobs is high: 51% of employees can imagine changing jobs, even if they are more pessimistic about their chances on the job market than in Germany and Austria. An important incentive for changing jobs is the expected salary increase - Swiss employees hope for an average 31% higher salary.

Marketagent Switzerland surveyed a total of 465 people for the current study in the survey period from July to December 2024.