Summary

The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published work volume statistics for 2025 on 21 May 2026. Switzerland recorded a total of 8.114 billion working hours – stable compared to the previous year. The weekly working time of full-time employees increased by two hours since 2020 to 40 hours and 3 minutes, but remains below pre-Corona levels (2019: 40 hours 54 minutes). Holiday weeks increased to 5.2 per year, while health-related absences slightly rose to 8.2 days per year.

Persons

Topics

  • Swiss labour market statistics
  • Working time and labour force participation
  • Employee protection and health

Clarus Lead

Switzerland positions itself internationally as a country with high work intensity: full-time employees work 42 hours 24 minutes per week – the highest value in the EU/EFTA region. Measured by total work volume per capita, Switzerland ranks 4th globally (behind Iceland, Malta, Cyprus), driven by above-average labour force participation. These data reveal a tension: while jobs are being created (+0.3%), the average annual working time per position is declining (–0.3%), indicating flexibilisation and part-time trends.

Detailed Summary

The stability of total work volume in 2025 masks structural shifts in the Swiss labour market. The increase of 0.3% in jobs was offset by a simultaneous reduction in annual working time per position of 0.3% – an indication of rising part-time rates and flexible employment models.

The recovery in weekly working hours since 2020 (+2 hours) reflects normalisation after the pandemic. However, the level remains permanently below 2019, suggesting structural changes in working behaviour. Holiday weeks increased by 0.2 days to 5.2 per year – a moderate improvement. Young employees (15–19 years) receive 5.5 weeks of leave, more than the core group of 20–49-year-olds (5.0 weeks).

Health-related absences show a clear sectoral pattern: knowledge-intensive sectors such as information/communication and financial services record the lowest absence rates (6.0–6.2 days). Construction and transport/storage lead with 10.1 and 9.8 days respectively – a difference of 68%. By qualification level, there is a clear gradient: managers are absent 5.1 days, unskilled workers 11.8 days. This points to physical strain and occupational safety deficits in manual work.

In international comparison, Swiss work intensity is confirmed. With 22 hours 34 minutes of average weekly working time per capita of total population (EU: 19 hours 24 minutes), Switzerland benefits from its high labour force participation – not from longer individual working hours, but from more employed persons per capita.

Key Messages

  • Swiss work volume 2025 stable at 8.114 billion hours; jobs +0.3%, annual working time per position –0.3%
  • Full-time employees work 42 hours 24 minutes/week – highest EU/EFTA value; below 2019 level (40 hours 54 minutes)
  • Health-related absences strongly dependent on sector and qualification: 6.0 days (IT/finance) vs. 10.1 days (construction)

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: How are part-time rates captured in the AVOL statistics, and to what extent does aggregation to full-time equivalents distort the actual labour market flexibilisation?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Are absences recorded independently by the FSO according to sector and qualification, or do self-reporting and under-recording in less regulated sectors affect comparability?

  3. Causality: Is the increase in holiday weeks (2020–2025: +0.2 days) legally anchored or a result of employer voluntariness? Which sectors are driving this increase?

  4. Causality: Are higher absences in construction/transport primarily explained by physical strain, or do selection effects (employment of workers with better health in IT/finance) play a role?

  5. Feasibility: What measures could reduce the 68% difference in absences between sectors without jeopardising jobs in construction/logistics?

  6. Data Quality: How reliable are international comparisons when definitions of full-time work, holiday weeks, and absences vary between EU/EFTA countries?

Sources

Primary Source: Work Volume 2025: Stable Total Hours with Structural Shifts – Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 21.05.2026

Verification Status: ✓ 21.05.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 21.05.2026