Switzerland is experiencing subtle shifts in its employment and management landscapes as 2024 draws to a close, with marginal job growth being observed alongside noteworthy appointments aimed at enhancing strategic direction within companies. The recent upswing follows consistent trends indicating resilience within key industries.
Publicis Media Switzerland has prominently brought Evelin Wachter on board as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). This strategic move marks the agency's commitment to not only bolstering its customer service division but also honing its digital offerings. This kind of upward mobility within the company's ranks underpins its philosophy of sustainable growth and innovative development.
Dirk Lux, the CEO of Publicis Media Switzerland, spoke highly of Wachter's promotion, stating, "Publicis Media Switzerland has grown strongly in recent years. With clients such as MediaMarkt, Axpo, and Lego, our team now has over 100 employees. The expansion of our management team is a logical step to continue this success." Wachter will also maintain her position on the board of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), where she champions advancements and standardization within digital marketing.
On another front, employment statistics released by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reveal the state of the Swiss job market as of the close of 2024. Total employment, excluding agriculture, rose by 0.9% year-on-year, translating to approximately 48,300 more jobs than the previous year. This brings the total number of jobs across Swiss companies to 5.5 million as reported on Monday.
Despite the increase, some worrying trends emerge. The number of reported job vacancies has plummeted by 17.1% compared to the previous year, pointing to increasingly easier conditions for companies to fill positions, particularly within the secondary and tertiary sectors. Vacancies, constituting about 1.6% of total employment, show more pronounced reductions, indicating possible shifts within organizational hiring practices.
Interestingly, the report also highlights the percentage of women making up the workforce, which stands at 46.7%. Part-time employment remains significantly female-dominated, with women holding 69.3% of these positions. Full-time roles show incremental growth as well, with 4.3 million full-time jobs recorded and 40,800 more individuals employed compared to last year—an increase of 1%.
The urging need for qualified personnel becomes apparent as recruitment difficulties have softened slightly—with challenges decreasing by 2.5 percentage points from the previous year. The overall optimism for job growth remains cautious, with only 11.7% of businesses planning to hire more staff, down from 12.5% the previous year.
A closer inspection of managerial roles within Switzerland reveals slightly encouraging trends for women. According to the latest study published by CRIF, the proportion of women occupying management positions has risen to 28.4% as of February 2025—an increase of 2.9 percentage points within the last decade. The improvement isn't uniform, though, as regional disparities significantly impact women's representation. For example, the cantons of Aargau and Basel-Country lead with nearly one-third of managerial roles filled by women, compared to the lowest ratio found in Fribourg at 25.5%.
Interestingly, sectors vary widely with respect to women’s participation: the veterinary sector reports the highest female management representation at 55%, with substantial representations also seen within social services. Retail, on the other hand, is starkly imbalanced, where women occupy only 35% of managerial roles, highlighting the challenges still faced within this economic domain.
The momentum toward more inclusive management roles reflects changing attitudes; as Sandra Ondraschek-Norris from the NGO Catalyst emphasizes, “Advancing women in the workplace must involve men,” urging broader accountability from all genders.
The growth of female representation on boards of directors is another noteworthy indicator of progress. A recent report highlights this proportion reaching 24.7%, rising by 2.8 percentage points from previous years, with Basel-City leading at 26.5%.
The mix of growing employment figures and the gradual empowerment of women within management signals positive change within Switzerland's labor market. Although 2024 offers promising data and figures, underlying challenges remain, particularly concerning recruitment difficulties and sector inequalities. Continuous efforts to bolster diversity and adjust hiring practices will play pivotal roles as Switzerland moves forward.
Looking toward 2025, as the workforce adapts to potential changes following these trends, clearer paths for individuals and businesses will shape the strategic outcomes hoped for within this competitive economy.