Summary

Swiss employment grew moderately in Q4 2025: +0.2% year-on-year to a total of 5.544 million employees. At the same time, open positions fell by 4.3%, while recruitment difficulties eased slightly. Employment prospects appear positive, with more companies planning to expand their workforce.

Persons

Topics

  • Labour market development
  • Employment rates
  • Open positions
  • Recruitment trends

Clarus Lead

The Swiss economy continues to create jobs, albeit at a slower pace. The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reports employment growth of 0.2% for Q4 2025 – a moderate but stable sign for the labour market. Crucial for employers and policymakers: the number of open positions fell by 4.3%, indicating some easing in the search for skilled workers. At the same time, more companies are planning to expand their workforce than to reduce it – a signal for cautious optimism.

Detailed Summary

Swiss companies employed a total of 5.544 million people at the end of Q4 2025, an increase of 8,600 positions compared to the previous year. Growth was concentrated in the service sector with +9,700 positions (+0.2%), while industry and construction shrank by 1,100 positions (–0.1%). Converted to full-time equivalents, growth was +0.3% (10,800 positions). The share of women rose to 46.8% of total employment; part-time work remains female-dominated (69.4% female share).

Quarterly momentum was stronger: seasonally adjusted, the workforce grew by 12,700 positions (+0.2%), with increases in industry/construction (+5,600, +0.5%) and services (+7,800, +0.2%). In parallel, open positions fell to 86,000 (–3,900 year-on-year, –4.3%), with an average ratio of 1.5% of all positions. 36.2% of companies reported recruitment difficulties for qualified staff – a minimal decline of 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous quarter.

Employment prospects are brightening: 10.1% of companies plan workforce expansion (previous quarter: 9.8%), while only 5.2% are aiming for reductions (previous quarter: 5.4%). The employment indicator rose to 1.03 (+0.2%), pointing to growing confidence.

Key Messages

  • Stable, moderate growth: +0.2% annual growth corresponds to 8,600 new positions; full-time equivalents +0.3%
  • Sectoral divergence: Services growing (+0.2%), industry/construction shrinking (–0.1%)
  • Labour market easing: Open positions –4.3%, recruitment difficulties slightly declining
  • Optimistic outlook: More companies planning expansion than reduction; employment indicator rising

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: Is the survey based on complete company coverage or sampling? What delays exist between data collection and publication?

  2. Sectoral Blind Spots: Why is the industry/construction sector shrinking while services are growing? Are structural shifts or cyclical weakness responsible?

  3. Recruitment Dynamics: If open positions fall by 4.3%, yet 36.2% of companies still report difficulties finding skilled workers – does this indicate a mismatch (wrong qualifications) or genuine shortage?

  4. Gender Disparity: Women account for 69.4% of part-time work but only 40.7% of full-time employment. Does this reflect preferences or structural barriers?

  5. Indicator Reliability: The employment indicator of 1.03 is based on company forecasts – how reliable are self-reported statements about planned hiring?

  6. Regional Variation: Is growth and recruitment difficulty evenly distributed across cantons/regions, or are there hotspots?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO) – Press Release "Slight Increase in Employment in Q4 2025" – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/1WUmJoG1uktkVhxxX5dnS

Verification Status: ✓ 26 February 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-check: 26 February 2026