The latest data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has revealed that average working hours in Switzerland have fallen in the last five years. However, despite the decline in hours, the alpine nation was found to have the longest full-time working week in Europe.

Amount of hours clocked by Swiss workers has fallen since 2018

In the report, the government found that working hours associated with jobs in Switzerland have fallen since 2018. Between 2018 and 2023, the official average working time for full-time employees fell by 46 minutes to 40 hours and 12 minutes. 

The phenomenon was blamed on a decline in hours cited in Swiss work contracts, falling by nine minutes to a total of 41 hours and 43 minutes a week on average. Overtime hours have also declined, falling by 15 minutes to 40 minutes a week. 

Amount of sick and paid leave given in Switzerland is on the rise

At the same time, the average duration of work absences in Switzerland has risen to 2 hours, 11 minutes per week (+22 mins). Agricultural and forestry staff are the most likely to claim sick leave or accident insurance at 11,6 days off a year. Workers in Switzerland are also benefiting from more paid leave, with average vacation times rising from 4,6 weeks in 2018 to 5,2 weeks in 2023.

Even though a fair number of public holidays fell on weekdays in 2023, 8,1 billion hours were worked by staff in Switzerland last year, a 1,8 percent increase compared to 2022. This was mainly attributed to a 2,6 percent increase in the number of jobs filled.

Full-time workers in Switzerland face longest hours in Europe

Despite the falling hours, the FSO noted that Switzerland has the longest working week compared to other nations in Europe. Once both paid and unpaid overtime are added and absences of a week or more are deducted, the average working week for full-time workers stood at 42 hours and 33 minutes, more than four hours longer than the EU average (38hrs, 5mins). Finland (36hrs, 29 mins) and Belgium (36hrs, 32 mins) have the shortest full-time weeks in the bloc.

However, this picture is muddied by the sheer number of people working part-time in Switzerland. As of 2023, 37,6 percent of the workforce worked part-time, 72,1 percent of whom are women. Once part-time staff are taken into account, the "real" working week in Switzerland last year was 35 hours and 30 minutes long, making it one of the shortest in Europe.