Swiss employers are cautious about expanding their workforce in the second quarter of 2026.
03/24/2026, 04:5703/24/2026, 04:57
According to a recent survey by the recruitment agency Manpower, the willingness to hire has decreased significantly. And this despite the impact of the Iran war not even being taken into account.
Swiss companies are rather pessimistic about the future. (symbol image)Image: keystone
According to the study published on Tuesday, the companies surveyed expect a net employment outlook (NEO) of 18 percent for the second quarter. This represents a decrease of 8 percentage points compared to the previous quarter and 7 percentage points compared to the previous year.
The survey is based on 581 interviews with Swiss decision-makers conducted between January 1st and February 3rd. This does not yet include the effects of the Iran war.
The NEO is the percentage of employers expecting an increase in hiring activity minus the percentage of employers expecting a decrease.
Switzerland is more cautious than abroad
This means that Switzerland is now falling behind the global (31 percent) and European (21 percent) average, as the experts write. The main reasons for the cautious mood at the beginning of the year were economic uncertainty, weak global demand, increasing automation and the focus on productivity.
Due to the Iran war and the possible negative consequences for the global economy, uncertainty has probably increased significantly.
In general, companies are currently relying more on flexible working models such as temporary work, it is said. “Temporary work seems to be becoming a permanent part of modern HR strategies,” say those responsible for Manpower. (sda/awp)