(28.05.2025) Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises are looking to the future with confidence. According to Raiffeisen Bank’s 2024 SME study, 69% of employers rate their economic situation as 'good' or even 'very good,' while only 3% report experiencing difficulties.
Optimism is gaining ground among Swiss companies, with a 7-point increase in just one year. "Neutral" responses have declined by 2 points, while pessimistic views are down by 5 points. Nearly eight out of ten SMEs anticipate stable or growing turnover for the current year.
More than half of the companies (56%; -5.5 points) consider energy and raw material prices to be a major economic risk. Recruitment difficulties also remain a concern for a significant number of employers (44%; -7.1 points). Foreign policy developments have risen to third place among economic concerns (42%), showing a sharp increase compared to 2023 (+9.4 points).
Inflation (80%) and cybersecurity (79%) remain the factors most widely seen as influencing companies' economic development. These are followed by the ability to keep up with technological trends (76%), the stability of financial markets (74%), and geopolitical issues (74%).
Concerns around the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) are also growing. In 2024, nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) viewed AI as a top priority – an increase of 11.5 percentage points from 2023. Yet, integration into operational processes remains limited: fewer than one in ten companies (9%) are using AI tools systematically, while over a third (37%) do not use them at all.
In terms of political expectations, nearly half of employers (44%; -4.1 points) are calling for more stable relations with the European Union, while four in ten (41%; +3.1 points) would like to see a reduction in bureaucracy.
Last modification 28.05.2025
