Tight-fisted bosses push Swiss to be timid about their salaries
In the absence of a salary increase, some employees are asking for training instead.
Nearly two-thirds of salary negotiations in Switzerland fail to result in a raise. This is according to the Talent Trends 2025 survey by specialist recruitment firm Michael Page, which also highlights Swiss reluctance to make salary demands. Only 35% of Swiss employees have attempted to obtain a raise in the past twelve months, compared to 48% in the European Union. And among them, only 37% were successful – compared to 47% in Europe.
"The raise was approved right from the start, but I had to wait several months to see it in my account," says Yann*, who works in pharmaceuticals. He finally received his 700 francs per month raise: "I imagine everyone goes through that; you're a bit trapped in the internal bureaucracy. I find it interesting that these companies decide on salary increases from the outset, year after year; it avoids all that hassle."
This disenchantment is reflected elsewhere, as 76% of Swiss employees plan to leave their jobs within the next three years and 93% say they are open to potential job offers. In France, this figure is 59%, in Germany 70%. However, the Swiss enjoy greater flexibility: 73% can benefit from teleworking, compared to an average of 55% in the EU.
Non-salary benefits are therefore becoming increasingly important. Three-quarters of Swiss employees say they are attentive to elements such as enhanced pensions, private health coverage, or company shares. In the absence of a salary increase, 35% have requested... training.
Another trend: while 69% of candidates feel capable of negotiating with a new employer, 40% don't bother to prepare for this exercise. A point that Yannick Coulange, Managing Director of PageGroup Switzerland, regrets: "You have to rely on reliable data and reach an agreement that's optimal for both parties." Finally, corporate culture weighs as much as salary in the decision to accept an offer, a criterion cited by three-quarters of those surveyed.
20 Minutes
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