(31.07.2024) Working with "flexible" hours is a common practice in Switzerland. In 2023, nearly half (47.7%) of employees benefited from such a schedule, according to the Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS) published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
The concept of "flexible working hours" includes weekly or monthly schedules with or without fixed hours, as well as annual schedules, the model without formal requirements, and on-call work.
In certain industries, nearly three-quarters of employees work under a flexible model. This includes the "Information and Communication" sector (77.3%), "Financial and Insurance Activities" (75.3%), and "Professional, Scientific, and Technical Activities" (73%).
Another finding of the survey reveals that nearly a quarter of the workforce (26.5%) frequently works on Saturdays, and 15.8% on Sundays. Young people aged 15 to 24 (35.1% on Saturdays and 21.1% on Sundays) and those over 65 (33.9% on Saturdays and 20.7% on Sundays) are the groups most often working outside regular weekdays. These figures vary significantly across different sectors. In the hospitality, agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries, more than two-thirds of employees work on Saturdays, and more than half on Sundays.
In contrast, night shifts remain relatively uncommon (5.6%). The sectors most affected by night work are "Transportation and Storage" (22%) and "Human Health and Social Work" (12%).
Nearly two out of five people (38.4%) work from home at least occasionally. In the "Information and Communication" sector, this proportion soars to 82.9%. Although fixed-term contracts are not widely used overall (8.6%), they make up nearly a quarter of positions in the education sector (24.3%).
Last modification 31.07.2024
