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EMPLOYMENT

Study: most Swiss workers are cynical about employer

Swiss workers are less than impressed with their employers, according to research from Zurich’s federal technology institute, ETH Zurich.

Study: most Swiss workers are cynical about employer
Swiss workers: a cynical bunch. File photo: Alan Clark

The Swiss Human Relations Barometer gathers data on how Swiss employees experience their work situation.

Published on Tuesday, the 2016 edition focused on the relationship between employees and employers to understand how they both experience and demonstrate loyalty and cynicism.

The results revealed that while the majority of employees feel loyalty to their company, a third are not satisfied with their boss and colleagues.

And 60 percent display cynical behaviour towards their employer, said the study’s lead Professor Bruno Staffelbach in a press release.

“The results show that the situation is essentially a good one in regard to employee loyalty,” said Staffelbach.

Some 54 percent of employees feel emotional ties to their employer and only 16 percent are seriously considering resigning, found the study.

However a fourth of employees regard some promises made by the company they work for as having been broken and a third are not fully satisfied with their relationship to their superior and with their co-workers.

“As a result, 60 percent of employees manifest cynical behaviour toward their employer by, eg., making deprecatory comments,” said Staffelbach.

To combat employee cynicism companies should demonstrate job security and loyalty to their employees, said the professor.

However Swiss workers show limited willingness to take responsibility for their own careers, the report added.

“While most do not expect their company to plan and further their careers for them, they nonetheless want to stay at one company for a long time,” said the statement.

“The necessity to deal with uncertainty and in some circumstances to even be able to use it to one's advantage, is something that is not recognized by a large and even growing number of employees.”

The study quizzed 1,506 Swiss employees across all regions of the country based on a random sample registry from the Swiss Statistics Office.

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JOBS

What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

Looking for a new job in Switzerland? We've put together some tips on where to search for that new role.

What are the best ways to search for your next job in Switzerland?

The good news is that, as a country that serves as a world centre of finance, pharmaceuticals, and research, Switzerland offers an environment very friendly to English speakers. Unlike some European countries, hiring is a flexible and open process. 

That said, some hints will help you in your Swiss job search. 

Know where to look 

Before beginning your job search, knowing where most of your industry’s jobs are is essential. 

As The Local Switzerland has previously discussed, Zurich is Switzerland’s financial capital, whereas most pharmaceutical players are based in Basel. 

The life sciences are concentrated in ‘Health Valley’, stretching from Geneva to Montreaux. 

Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, and St Gallen also have large universities that employ many researchers from abroad. 

Knowing where jobs are based will allow you to concentrate your search, and give you the time to more fully research and understand the needs of particular companies.

READ MORE: Where are the jobs in Switzerland for English speakers?

Develop your Xing as well as your LinkedIn profile

Most job seekers within professional working environments will have a LinkedIn profile to share with prospective employers. 

Xing is also a significant player in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, and it’s normal for German-speaking professionals to have an accompanying profile on that platform. 

Developing your presence on Xing can demonstrate that you are gaining a greater understanding of the Swiss working environment and establishing yourself as a long-term investment. 

READ MORE: Can you find a job in Zurich if you don’t speak German?

Use specialised job boards 

While many of the big job boards operate in Switzerland—Indeed and Monster, for example—several job boards focus on Swiss jobs specifically or service a key segment of the job market. 

Jobs.ch, jobup.ch, and Jobscout24 are popular sites within Switzerland and are often the first port of call for job seekers. Each has an English version and a user-friendly interface.

Several specialist job boards exist for specialised roles, such as those in the IT or medical research sectors.

Using a profession-based job board allows employers to draw from a more concentrated talent pool while offering job seekers a more significant opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills. 

SwissDevJobs.ch is a popular destination for IT professionals, whereas Praxisstellen.ch specialises in pharmaceutical and medical research jobs. SwissTopJobs.ch is an excellent place to look for C-suite jobs in the finance and banking sectors. 

Networking is essential 

While there is often a perception that job hunting in Switzerland is very process-oriented, you may be surprised to learn that many positions are filled via word of mouth. 

Suppose you have friends or former colleagues already found a position within a Swiss firm. In that case, asking what positions are opening and whether you could apply is not unreasonable or rude. 

Word of mouth and hiring through connections are common in the Swiss IT field, but they are also common within several other industries, particularly among startups. 

Read More: Where are Switzerland’s biggest international companies?

Use your initiative 

You may also be surprised to hear that simply applying to a firm with your resume isn’t looked down upon in Switzerland (or the German-speaking world). 

This is known as an Initiativbewerbung (or simply ‘application on the initiative’), and employers often regard it very favourably.

To make an Initiativbewerbung, you’ll need your Anschreiben or lettre de motivation (cover letter), Lebenslauf or resume (curriculum vitae or CV), testimonials from other employers, and copies of any relevant certificates or qualifications. 

When naming these files, remember to use the German terms—it will help when they are searched for later!

It’s worth taking the time to identify and address your application directly to the head or manager of the particular department you’re looking to work within. This will create a stronger impression, and there’s less chance of losing it in the daily flow of emails and information. 

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