Summary

On 6 March 2026, the Federal Council approved its annual report on personnel management in the federal administration for 2025. Of eleven strategic targets for the legislative period 2024–2027, five have already been achieved, including an increase in the proportion of women in senior management positions from 28.7 to 30 percent. The gender distribution shows overall positive developments, while retention rates for apprentices and interns remain a challenge.

Persons

  • Federal Council (collective)

Topics

  • Personnel management federal administration
  • Gender distribution
  • Language diversity
  • Inclusion and disability quota
  • Succession planning

Clarus Lead

The Federal Council approved the Personnel Management Report 2025 and forwarded it to the Finance and Audit Commissions. For the 2024–2027 legislative period, the federal administration is pursuing eleven strategic targets in six personnel policy areas. In the second reporting year, five of these targets have already been achieved, indicating effective personnel policy – although with regional and functional differences in implementation.

Detailed Summary

On 1 May 2024, the Federal Council adopted a comprehensive personnel management framework with eleven strategic targets for the current legislative period. These targets span six central areas: gender distribution, language proportions, employment of people with disabilities, proportion of apprentices, university interns, and their retention rates. The targets are designed as target ranges and define the desired state by the end of 2027.

In 2025, the picture of target achievement is differentiated. The proportion of women in senior management salary classes (30–38) was increased from 28.7 to 30 percent. In the Department of Defence, the proportion of women also improved from 15 to 16.3 percent. For national languages, all four proportions are within the target range: German 69.1 percent, French 23.5 percent, Italian 7 percent, and Romansh 0.5 percent. The proportions of apprentices (4.1 percent) and university interns (2.3 percent) are also within the target ranges.

However, delays are also evident: in overall gender distribution, the proportion of women in middle management salary classes (24–29), in the Border Guard Corps, and in the employment of people with disabilities, the values fall only slightly short of the targets. The greatest challenge remains the retention rate of apprentices and interns, where the targets have not yet been achieved.

Key Findings

  • Five of eleven targets achieved: The Federal Council has already fulfilled half of the strategic targets in the second reporting year of the legislative period.
  • Proportion of women increases: Measurable progress in gender parity is particularly evident in management positions and the Department of Defence.
  • Language balance secured: All four national languages are appropriately represented in the personnel base.
  • Succession planning stable: Apprentices and interns are employed in sufficient numbers, but their long-term retention remains problematic.

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: How are the targets measured and validated? What data sources and collection methods underlie the reporting, and how is their reliability assured?

  2. Delays in Partial Targets: Why do four targets fall "only slightly short" of the targets? What specific obstacles prevent achievement, particularly regarding the proportion of women in middle management and in the Border Guard Corps?

  3. Retention Rate Challenge: What causes apprentices and interns not to remain in the federal administration in sufficient numbers? Are these supply, career, or incentive problems?

  4. Regional Disparities: Are there systematic differences in gender distribution and language representation between individual departments or regions, and how are these being addressed?

  5. Inclusion of People with Disabilities: The current proportion is not mentioned – how far is the federal administration from the target, and what specific measures are planned?

  6. Causality of Measures: Which personnel policy interventions have led to improvements in the proportion of women? Are these measures scalable to other areas?

Bibliography

Primary Source: Personnel Management of the Federal Administration: Federal Council Approves Report – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/u5u6p26Yei9zpxCkGMysb

Verification Status: ✓ 06.03.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 06.03.2026