Am I entitled to a higher salary if I speak French?

Marco is part of a working group for a national project. His colleagues are from St. Gallen and Lausanne; he is from Lugano. How should they communicate? In German, the majority language around the table? Each in their own language, relying on mutual understanding? Marco suggests conducting the meeting in English. The idea would facilitate exchanges, but is controversial in principle.

This fictional scene is not so far from reality. In our country, language skills, whether national or not, are an important issue in the world of work. Studies have found a correlation between the salaries of working people and their language skills: according to RTS, employees who are proficient in a second national language earn 10 to 20% more. In addition, employment agencies regularly report difficulties in recruiting bilingual people, especially in French-speaking Switzerland in regions that are not on the border.

Is it really that obvious? Are the influence of English and AI changing the game? To shed some light on the matter, we met with Philippe Humbert, sociolinguist and project manager at the Institute of Plurilingualism at the University of Fribourg.

How important is it to be proficient in a second national language in today's Swiss job market?

P.H.: The issue depends heavily on the sector, the job and the geographical location of employers. In bilingual cantons, even if a language is a minority language – such as French in Bern – there is a legal obligation to provide services to the population in that language. This applies to public administration, but also to healthcare, the police and, indirectly, certain businesses and SMEs. In this context, bilingual French-German profiles are often given priority, even if they are not systematically rewarded in terms of salary. It should also be noted that not everyone understands the term ‘bilingual’ in the same way. Some companies may require their employees to have a good understanding of the other language without demanding complete mastery.

Is the increasingly prominent role of English in society changing the situation?

The cultural, economic and political influence of French is no longer the same as it was eighty years ago. Nowadays, platforms such as Netflix, which offer a wide range of entertainment in English, are helping to strengthen the position of English in Switzerland. This is a matter of cultural consumption, but it also influences the labour market, which is intertwined with societal practices. In my opinion, this is not a cause for concern, but the current trend is also to give English an importance that is not justified in all areas. Technology, science and tourism are sectors where English is virtually indispensable. However, this mainly concerns specific circles with ongoing international business or academic contacts. In Switzerland, French-speaking people would not accept, for example, their health insurance manager calling them in English to settle a matter.

A 2023 study by the Adecco Group found that German is more often required in job advertisements in French-speaking Switzerland than the opposite. Can we conclude that, in terms of multilingualism, working people from minority language regions have to make more effort to remain competitive in the market?

It is clear that companies that limit themselves to French are restricting themselves to a smaller market in Switzerland. And for a French-speaking person with big career ambitions at the national level, it will be difficult if they do not know German – except, perhaps, in certain fields mentioned above where many things are settled in English. This is even more evident in Italian-speaking Switzerland, where it is very difficult to start a career without mastering a second national language. Italian speakers in Ticino and Graubünden are often forced to learn German or French during their post-compulsory education. I am not even talking about Romansh: there are hardly any monolingual Romansh speakers left today.

However, we must be careful when establishing direct cause-and-effect links between language skills and employability. At the Institute, we have conducted research on this subject with the unemployment insurance agency. A bilingual woman approaching retirement age will find it more difficult to find a job, despite her qualifications and years of experience. As for younger people, French-German bilingualism can sometimes play a decisive role in obtaining a job for which they do not necessarily have all the qualifications. Given the many criteria that influence a hiring decision, it is difficult to isolate a single variable.

Does the number of languages spoken have a real influence on the salary negotiated at the time of hiring?

Quantitative studies highlight a debatable correlation, which tends to oversimplify reality. In Switzerland, people whose multilingualism is most valued (French-German-English) often have a higher level of education and socio-economic status. It is therefore not surprising to find them in positions of responsibility and with higher salaries.

On the other hand, it is possible to have a precarious professional situation even if you are proficient in languages. Studies have looked at the multilingualism of call centre employees and baggage handlers at Swiss airports. In these contexts, multilingual people who generally know a national language and a migrant language do not earn higher salaries. However, compared to their monolingual colleagues, their tasks are sometimes more varied and their clientele more diverse. For example, they may be called upon for sporadic assignments, where they are faced with a customer who suddenly requires skills in a language that few employees speak. Companies have therefore recognised the potential of these multilingual resources, which they sometimes exploit outside working hours without compensation, which is a real problem.

Finally, is the rise of AI and the translation tools that come with it likely to change the paradigm?

AI is indeed beginning to disrupt certain language practices. From a research perspective, however, we lack perspective. Personally, I do not believe that AI can completely replace a person with all their linguistic and professional skills. It can facilitate tasks such as translating, revising or writing certain types of texts. But it does not take into account the socio-cultural aspects of our language practices, such as irony or complex implicit nuances. Furthermore, with languages that are less prevalent on the web, such as Swiss German, Romansh or Albanian, it is not as effective. It also presents risks of hallucinations: competent speakers will always be needed to be vigilant about its possible deviations.

Source: Access to the labour market, unemployment and language skills | Scientific Competence Centre on Multilingualism

https://www.rts.ch/info/economie/2025/article/maitriser-l-allemand-un-atout-pour-booster-sa-carriere-en-suisse-28769970.html