Figures on SMEs: Labor costs

The financial and insurance sector posts the highest average hourly cost in Switzerland.

For companies, labor costs represent a large part of production costs. In 2018, they totaled CHF 61.90 per hour on average, according to the Federal Statistics Office (FSO).

The publication "Employment and income: Panorama?" is no longer being published, as it was an excerpt from the "Employment and Income" pages of the statistical yearbook, published once a year (at the beginning of the year). As the statistical yearbook is undergoing changes (new publication planned for the summer of 2023), there was no publication in 2022.

Sources: FSO, Labor Costs, 2018 (Next publication for 2020: summer 2023); FSO, Employment and Income, 2020 (next publication: summer 2023)

There are large cost differences between the various business sectors. Finance and insurance experience the highest costs, while lodging and restaurants post the lowest costs. Generally, the differences are smaller in the secondary sector than in the tertiary sector.

For an overview of the facts and significant developments in the field of labor and compensation in Switzerland, please see the following document:

Arbeit und Erwerb: Panorama 2020 (only in German and French)

Sources: FSO, Labor Costs, 2018 (Next publication for 2020: summer 2023); FSO, Employment and Income, 2020 (next publication: summer 2023)

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Information

Link

Labour costs

Arbeit und Erwerb: Panorama - 2020 Bundesamt für Statistik (admin.ch) (only in German)

Last modification 24.01.2023