If you want to retain skilled workers, you must offer them a future

Recent years have been characterised by uncertainty: trade tensions, geopolitical crises and cost pressures. It is the employees who have borne the brunt of this period. The innovative strength and resilience for which the Swiss economy is praised are down to their efforts. Yet wages have not kept pace with this, whilst work pressure and the cost of living have risen steadily.

In many sectors – such as the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, or the mechanical, electrical and metalworking (MEM) sector as a whole – wages have risen at a slower rate than productivity for years. Employees have made a significant contribution to the competitiveness of companies and should therefore share in the long-term gains in productivity.

Furthermore, an improvement in the economic situation is on the horizon for 2027 – both in the domestic market and in the export sector. Companies have adapted to the new conditions, and investment and exports are expected to pick up again. This path towards stabilisation creates scope for wage increases.

Angestellte Schweiz is calling for an average pay rise of 1.5 per cent for the 2027 pay negotiations, although this demand must be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the economic situation of individual sectors and companies.

To put this into context: inflation of around 0.7 per cent is expected for 2026 and 2027 – alongside further increases in the cost of living, such as health insurance premiums. However, this figure is not a benchmark for the wage negotiations. Anyone who merely receives a pay rise to offset the rise in the cost of living will have the same amount in their wallet at the end of the year as before – nothing more. A genuine pay rise only begins above that level.

Retaining skilled workers is a strategic investment

The shortage of skilled workers remains acute in many sectors, and is becoming most severe in those where value creation is highest. According to the Skilled Workers Monitor published by Angestellte Schweiz, for example, the MEM industry will need around 83,000 additional skilled workers by 2031. In specialised fields, companies are competing for the same talent. Anyone wishing to meet this demand must already be an attractive employer today. Further information on this: https://fachkraeftemonitor.bak-economics.com/downloads/

In this situation, competitive wages are not a cost factor, but an investment. Anyone wishing to retain skilled workers and attract new ones must demonstrate what they are prepared to offer in return.

Added to this is a trend that companies should take seriously: a survey conducted this year by Angestellte Schweiz shows that workers fear for their jobs. Their concern is focused less on the labour market and the geopolitical situation than on their own company and restructuring measures. This concern is particularly pronounced among young workers. Further information on this: https://angestellte.ch/medien/medienmitteilungen/angst-um-den-job-hat-zugenommen-vor-allem-bei-den-jungen

This uncertainty does not retain staff; it drives them away. Companies are therefore called upon to explain in concrete terms what prospects they offer their staff and how they intend to develop these.

“Our employees are, and will remain, the most important factor in the success of our economy,” states Pierre Derivaz, Managing Director of Angestellte Schweiz. “The key issue in this round of wage negotiations is what companies are prepared to invest in order to retain skilled workers,” he says.

Further training and healthy working conditions are part of the remuneration package

Salary alone is no longer enough today. Employees want to work under conditions that enable them to remain healthy, motivated and productive in the long term, even as demands increase. This includes manageable workloads, a management culture that fosters trust, and access to further training.

Employees Switzerland is therefore calling for mandatory training budgets, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Targeted AI training programmes are an effective complement, particularly where the financial scope for pay rises is limited. They equip employees with the tools to keep pace with technological changes – and offer the perspective that AI is a complement to, rather than a replacement for, their work.

“The most successful industrial companies of the future will not be those with the lowest labour costs, but those with the strongest workforce. Good wages, continuous professional development and healthy working conditions are now inextricably linked,” says Pierre Derivaz.

Our wage demands for 2027 are based on the latest analysis by BAK Economics (July 2026).

About Angestellte Schweiz

The employees’ organisation Angestellte Schweiz represents the interests of employees in politics and within companies. For over 100 years, it has been the voice of middle-class employees. The association campaigns for good working conditions, fair wages and secure jobs. It works in partnership with social partners, constructively and reliably, for the benefit of society and the economy. It offers its members a comprehensive range of services tailored to their personal needs: they benefit from further training, advice, services and information – all designed to support each individual’s personal development.

Contact

Pierre Derivaz

Managing Director, Angestellte Schweiz

pierre.derivaz@angestellte.ch, +41 44 360 11 52

Tanja Tanneberger

Communications, Angestellte Schweiz

tanja.tanneberger@angestellte.ch +41 44 360 11 21