A new survey conducted by Great Place to Work has revealed the highest-rated companies to work for in Switzerland. Firms in the higher echelons were characterised by employing competent managers and offering good salaries and flexible working hours.

Workplaces in Switzerland ranked by Great Place to Work survey

To create the ranking, Great Place to Work surveyed 76.900 employees working for over 250 companies in Switzerland. In the survey, workers were told to rate their employers via 60 different questions. These questions ranged from whether they thought management fulfilled promises made to staff, to whether they wanted to work at the company for a long time or felt pride in their work.

Great Place to Work noted that while a quarter of companies analysed paid the organisation for a more in-depth dive into their firm’s work culture, the ranking is done independently of this service and the survey remains the dominant factor in their report.

Trust between managers and employees key for Swiss workers

Alongside the more obvious factors like salaries and working conditions, Great Place to Work noted that companies that create a high degree of pride and trust between management and employees faired best in the ranking. “Management integrity” - whether bosses can be trusted to fulfil promises, and are honest and ethical - was one of the most prised aspects for staff in Switzerland this year.

Michael Hermann, co-owner of Great Place to Work, told 20 Minuten that “benefits can make a difference, but what is crucial is the entire package of recognition, appreciation and compensation”. For instance, “No benefit can compensate for the amount of motivation that is lost when your boss inappropriately confronts you in front of colleagues or customers in a meeting.”

Hilti has the best large workplace in Switzerland, survey finds

This year, Liechtensteiner construction and tool manufacturing firm Hilti was rated as offering the best workplace in Switzerland among large employers. The company has hovered around the podium places for the last five years, but has only now achieved first place. DHL Express Switzerland and SAP Switzerland AG rounded out the podium places.

Speaking to 20 Minuten, Hilti spokesperson Nadine Bernhardt said that alongside high salaries and flexible working hours, it had been working on various other projects to improve employee satisfaction. These include developing vegetarian restaurants, gyms, spas and wellness facilities at its sites, inviting all staff to workshops informing them what their impact has been on company success, offering free e-bikes and e-charging stations for electric cars and conducting regular surveys into what they can do to improve.

Finally, Bernhardt said that, much like what was found in LinkedIn’s survey of top Swiss employers, companies that offer clear career progression and rewarding jobs are also rated highly. She noted that at Hilti, four out of five management positions are filled by employees already at the company.

Hotel chain Hilton wins gold for medium-sized employers

When it comes to medium-sized companies (those who employ 100 to 249 workers in Switzerland), hotel chain Hilton took the top spot. Innosolv took first place for companies with 50 to 99 workers, goSecurity won gold for firms with 20 to 49 staff and Urovant Sciences placed first for companies with 10 to 19 workers.

Best workplaces in Switzerland in 2024

In all, here are the best large workplaces in Switzerland in 2024, according to Great Place to Work:

1. Hilti AG, construction
2. DHL Express Switzerland, logistics and transport
3. SAP (Switzerland) AG, information and telecommunications
4. Stryker Switzerland, healthcare
5. Hôtels Intercontinental Geneve, hospitality
6. LGT Bank, banking and insurance
7. Salesforce, software and telecommunications
8. Wüest Partner, real estate and property consultancy
9. Allianz Switzerland, insurance and financial services
10. Axpo, energy

For more information, and to see which smaller companies made the list, check out Great Place to Work’s website.

Thumb image credit: Roman Korotkov / Shutterstock.com