Press release
Randstad workmonitor Q4/2016
Perception of digitisation by employees
The Randstad workmonitor shows that Swiss companies are lagging behind other countries with regard to their digital strategies. Half of all participants in the Swiss survey also stated that they needed to acquire more digital skills in order to guarantee their future employability.
Very few Swiss companies have a digital strategy
Although 75% of participants in the Swiss survey stated that every company should have a digital strategy, only 51% of respondents claimed that their employer did actually have such a strategy. These values put Switzerland below the global average. Many other countries already view digitisation as a greater priority. Globally, 84% of participants are convinced that every company should have a digital strategy and 59% confirm that their employer has such a strategy. Swiss employers are therefore clearly lagging behind: They either need to draw up a digital strategy or inform their employees about any existing strategy.
Jonathan Isenring, co-founder of the Digital Festival in Switzerland, sees various possible reasons for the Swiss study results: "In Switzerland there is still a tendency for some industries and companies to stay in their comfort zone where digitisation is concerned. Perhaps there is not enough pressure on them to develop a digital strategy. Another factor could also be the rather modest, understated attitude of the Swiss people, who rate themselves lower and less optimistically than is the case in other countries and cultures."
Swiss employees feel ready to face the digital change
The digital working environment requires different skills than those currently found among employers - 63% of all Swiss survey participants agreed with this statement. In contrast, only half of all Swiss respondents feel they need to acquire more digital skills in order to secure their future employability.
Is this assessment a result of the progressive education system in Switzerland? Toni Schmid, Business Economist (FH) and CEO of FH SCHWEIZ, the national umbrella organisation for graduates from Swiss technical colleges, draws the following conclusion from the findings of the study: "In technical colleges, which place a firm emphasis on practical application, the issues of digitisation have always been present and are constantly being expanded. This happens within specific subject areas or sometimes in tandem with specialist departments or cooperations. The graduates are therefore well prepared for the job market. This is confirmed by the very low unemployment rates among students starting out on their careers. To that extent, this position in the lower ranks could be seen as the highest accolade."
Male digital natives want to undergo further digital training
Swiss men tend to feel more of a need to improve their digital skills than Swiss women. Among 18 - 24 year-olds, the difference is extremely pronounced. 77% of male digital natives are convinced that they need more digital skills in order to find a job in the future. Among female digital natives, this number drops to just 47%.
Randstad Mobility Index
The Randstad Mobility Index states how many employees expect to start a new, similar job within the next six months. The Index provides comprehensive findings about the moods and trends on the labour market. In Switzerland, the index rose in the fourth quarter of 2016 from 100 to 101 points (+1).