Swiss workers reflect on how Covid-19 spurred job pivots

Stefan Traub had been longing for a career change for years. Then came the shutdown - and the decision to become a train driver. SRF/Milena Burch

Five years ago, the first Covid-19 lockdown in Switzerland resulted in many restrictions – but also new opportunities. A train driver, a café owner and a potter look back at their successful decisions to start new careers in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.

“Stay at home.” That was the unforgettable statement made by then-Swiss President Alain Berset on March 16, 2020. That day the Swiss government declared a state of emergency and imposed a lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Troops were mobilised, events were banned, and shops and restaurants were forced to close. Healthcare services and grocery shops were among the few to remain open.

Everyday life was turned upside down. Many employees had to work from home, while jobs that could not be done remotely were suspended. Short-time working was introduced to support businesses and protect jobs.

Plenty of time to think

But the lockdown also had its positive sides. It slowed down the hectic pace of everyday life, allowing many people to reassess their priorities. Some spent more time with their families, while others gained time for themselves and discovered new hobbies.

For Stefan Traub, the lockdown became a turning point. It made him realise it was time for something new.

Before the pandemic, the then 32-year-old worked as a project manager for a construction machinery company. “I wasn’t unhappy, but I was craving change,” says the Basel native. When the lockdown was announced, he started working from home.

Suddenly, he had plenty of time to reflect. Traub wanted a career change. When he heard that Swiss Federal Railways was looking for train drivers, he seized the opportunity and applied. “I said to myself, Stefan, now is the time.” In summer 2021, he began a one-year training programme. Since then, he has been travelling across Switzerland every day as a train driver.

Would he have taken this path without the lockdown? It’s hard to say. But Traub is certain that the pandemic provided the initial spark.

Many career changes during Covid

According to a study by the business platform Xing, around a quarter of workers in Switzerland changed jobs during the pandemic. The most common reason cited was a better work-life balance.

One in five respondents said they changed employers for more flexible working hours or higher pay. Meanwhile, 30% quit their jobs without having secured a new position.

“The coronavirus crisis prompted many people to rethink how much space their career should occupy in their lives,” says Robert Bertschinger, managing director of New Work, the parent company of Xing.

Seeking more meaning in work

Why did Stefan Traub choose to become a train driver? “For one thing, it was a childhood dream,” he says. The idea of sitting at the front of the locomotive that was pulling 900 tonnes of freight through the Gotthard Tunnel has fascinated him for years.

He also wanted his work to have more meaning. “I want to give something back to society.” He enjoys knowing that people wouldn’t get from A to B without him – and that, in turn, his job wouldn’t exist without them.

Traub is a pragmatic person. “You’re never locked into a career forever. If you don’t like it, you can change again,” he says. But he is convinced that he made the right decision to become a train driver.

Opening a café – despite the pandemic

Anja Gilsenan’s life also changed dramatically during the pandemic. At the time, she was working as a designer. In the middle of the lockdown, she learned that the owners of the Alte Schmitte cafe in Steffisburg, canton Bern, were looking for someone new to lease the property.

Anja Gilsenan used to work as a designer. Today she runs a café in Steffisburg in canton Bern. SRF/Milena Burch

The couple who had run it for over 20 years decided to give up the business during the pandemic. “We had to take the chance and go for it,” says Gilsenan. She had dreamed of owning her own café for a long time. So, she and her husband took it over.

And then came the second lockdown

They renovated the café and eagerly anticipated opening day. Then came the second lockdown. “I hadn’t expected that,” says Gilsenan. But she and her husband didn’t let it discourage them. First, they offered takeaways. Later, they were able to open the café fully –with success.

The Bernese entrepreneur had no reservations about starting a café during a pandemic – despite the risks. “I’ve never had much money and was used to making do with very little,” she says.

At the time, she and her husband asked themselves: what’s the worst that could happen? That they wouldn’t succeed? That they’d lose the money they had invested? None of these were reasons for the then 32-year-old to back down. “We had a lot of support and a strong community, so we weren’t afraid of failing.”

Sometimes, she misses having less responsibility. “My head is always here, even when I’m off work.” But she has never regretted the decision to open the café during the pandemic. “I would have regretted it if I hadn’t taken the risk.”

From travel to pottery

Denise Kratzer still remembers the moment the state of emergency was declared. At the time, she was working in the travel industry – one of the hardest-hit sectors. “Everything collapsed,” she recalls.

How can you earn money with pottery? Despite the uncertainty, Denise Kratzer opened a pottery studio – with success. SRF/Milena Burch

With her job reduced to short-time working, she suddenly had a lot of time at home, which she spent on her hobby: pottery.

During the lockdown, the Zurich native had an idea – her own pottery studio. Initially, it was just for herself. She was making pottery in her cellar but had to travel across the city to get her pieces fired. Then she noticed growing public interest in pottery, with the craft becoming a social media trend.

Negative reactions

Her family was very supportive of her decision to start a pottery business. They knew it was her passion. But some people had outdated ideas. “Some said you can’t make a living from pottery,” she recalls.

But her plan worked.

“I had plenty of time and put all my energy into the project,” says Kratzer. She started small in 2020. Initially, only two people could make pottery in one room due to restrictions, but as measures eased, she began offering classes. One step led to another.

Today, the 47-year-old runs a community pottery studio with six employees. “The pandemic was my springboard,” she says.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva/sb