Swiss employees to work slightly more in 2023 than in previous year

In 2023, employees worked an average of 46 minutes less per week than in 2018, with the average working week amounting to 40 hours and 12 minutes. Keystone / Christian Beutler

Employees in Switzerland worked slightly more in 2023 compared to the previous year, with the average weekly working hours per job increasing by 0.2%.

However, over the longer term, the trend is different: between 2018 and 2023, the weekly working hours per full-time employee decreased significantly, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

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In 2023, employees worked an average of 46 minutes less per week than in 2018, with the average working week amounting to 40 hours and 12 minutes. The FSO attributes this decline to a reduction in contractually agreed weekly working hours by 9 minutes to 41 hours and 43 minutes, and a decrease in weekly overtime by an average of 15 minutes to 40 minutes. On the other hand, average absence time increased by 22 minutes to 2 hours and 11 minutes.

Absences decrease

Illnesses and accidents accounted for almost two-thirds of the annual absence volume. Absences fell significantly in 2023, with employees absent from work for an average of 7.6 days, down from 9.3 days in 2022.

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The lowest absence rate was recorded in the information and communication sector, at 5.9 days per full-time job. Employees in the banking and insurance industry, as well as in the arts, entertainment, private households, and other services sectors, were absent for an average of 6.0 days.

Absences were longest in agriculture and forestry at 11.6 days, and in the property sector and other business services at 9.4 days.

Holiday days on the rise

While employees had to work less on average over a five-year period (2018-2023), they also received more holidays. The number of holiday weeks increased by 0.3 days to 5.2 weeks per year. Employees aged 20 to 49 had slightly fewer holidays (5.0 weeks) compared to younger and older employees, who enjoyed an average of 5.5 weeks (15 to 19-year-olds) and 5.6 weeks (50 to 64-year-olds) respectively.

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High working hours in comparison

In an international comparison, Swiss employees work relatively long hours. Excluding people who are absent from work for an entire week, Switzerland has an average full-time working week of 42 hours and 33 minutes, the highest among all EU/EFTA countries. In contrast, Finland recorded the shortest working hours in 2023, at 36 hours and 29 minutes, followed by Belgium at 36 hours and 32 minutes.

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On average, EU citizens worked 38 hours and 5 minutes per week. However, when part-time workers are included, Switzerland is one of the countries with the lowest weekly working hours, averaging 35 hours and 30 minutes. This is due to the high number of part-time employees in Switzerland.

Using this calculation method, Greece had the longest working week at 39 hours and 48 minutes, while the Netherlands had the shortest at 30 hours and 33 minutes, with an average of 35 hours and 42 minutes.

Adapted from German by DeepL/amva

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