Business associations propose measures to boost workforce numbers

The business associations Swiss Textiles, economiesuisse and the Swiss Employers' Association have jointly presented a range of solutions to combat the increasing shortage of skilled workers. At a joint meeting in Bern, the associations proposed ways of making better use of the domestic workforce and continuing to promote immigration, further details of which can be found in a press release.

According to the press release, a total of 130,000 job vacancies in Switzerland cannot be filled at the moment. By 2040, the shortfall on the labor market is expected to rise to 431,000 people. Demographic change is at the heart of this looming crisis. For example, the baby boomer generation is currently retiring, a situation which is being exacerbated by insufficient numbers of new workers coming through to replace them.

For this reason, the associations are keen to make it compulsory for people who have completed an apprenticeship in Switzerland to remain in the country for work. In this context, work-life balance should also be improved with greater incentives created for older people to stay in work longer. In addition, the state should seek to curb the sharp growth in jobs linked to the federal government, cantons and state-related companies, as these take away greater numbers of workers needed in the private sector.

Switzerland should also remain a country of immigration. This is because immigration via the free movement of people in particular “clearly helps”. In addition, productivity is to be increased, with strong research and innovation activities set to be promoted as the basis for this ambition. Furthermore, the associations share the view that streamlined regulations and “a high degree of entrepreneurial freedom” are necessary in order to be able to increase value creation in the future. ce/ko