Switzerland: Employers Lag Behind Other European Countries in Dealing with the Challenges of Aging Workforce

According to the Adecco Institute's first Demographic Fitness Index for Swiss companies, Swiss companies are less prepared for their aging workforce than the average of selected European Union member states. Specifically, in comparison with 7 EU countries (United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands), Switzerland only ranks second last.

By 2020, compared to the year 2000, there will be over one third more Swiss workers aged 50 to 64 years, and one fifth less workers aged 30 to 44 years. While Swiss companies' awareness about these demographic changes is very high, they are among the least prepared in Europe, with almost half of all firms putting no thought at all into this and not taking measures in order to react. In fact, most (nearly 60%) have done no analysis of their company age structure.

Source: Adecco Institute Press Release (April 17, 2007)

Switzerland: Employer Group Counsels Firms on Keeping Older Workers

According to a report in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Rudolf Stämpfli, president of Schweizerischer Arbeitgeberverband--Switzerland's main employer group, has called on companies to extend the working lives of older employees to guarantee their retirement. At a news conference addressing aging issues, Stämpfli said that employers and society as a whole need to show greater flexibility over the question of Switzerland's ageing workforce and be more aware of the qualities of older workers.

Among other things, the employer group believes that companies' human resources strategies should be properly adapted to the older workforce. In addition to improving the counselling of employees throughout their careers, it recommends introducing alternative employment practices, including a flexible retirement age and part-time work.

A copy of Stämpfli's remarks at the press conference are available in both German and French.

Source: Neue Zürcher Zeitung (English) "Employers urge greater focus on older workers" (August 29, 2006)

Switzerland: Firms look to retain their older employees

According to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper of Zurich, research shows firms including ABB Switzerland are seeking to address an anticipated future shortage in the labour market. The Swiss Employers' Association and the Swiss organisation for the elderly, Pro Senectute, are currently working on guidelines for firms. According to the director of the employers' association, Peter Hasler, workers should be allowed to gradually reduce their working hours before retiring completely.

A spokesman for ABB Switzerland, Lukas Inderfurth, told swissinfo his company was looking at ways of improving its policy towards workers in the 50 plus bracket. "Older workers are becoming more and more important for the firm in view of the evolving demographic situation in Switzerland," Inderfurth said. A key government advisory committee warned in October that a rise in the retirement age was inevitable in the long run, and that the "dogma" of drawing a pension from 65 would have to be abandoned. The government is also in favour of pushing back the age at which workers draw pensions, and has been withdrawing incentives to early retirement.

Source: "Firms look to retain their older employees" swissinfo (January 3, 2006) in English