Swiss professionals remain willing to change jobs

According to the study, more than half (54 percent) of professionals are basically willing to change jobs in 2021. This means that the willingness to change jobs is practically the same as a year ago (56 percent) and is largely unaffected by the Corona pandemic. 16 percent of respondents even have concrete plans to change jobs this year.

Another 38 percent are open to a change, but have not yet taken any concrete steps. Contrary to what the high willingness to change might suggest, the majority of respondents (87 percent) say they are very or somewhat satisfied with their current job. This figure is also on a par with the previous year.

Younger employees increasingly have concrete plans to switch

A look at the age groups shows a significant increase in the number of people aged 18 to 29 who already have concrete plans to switch in the coming year (29 percent vs. 20 percent at the beginning of 2020). Overall, the willingness to switch has decreased among the over-50s. At 37 percent, this is nine percent below the previous year's figure of 46 percent.

Pandemic inhibits active job search

Although the general willingness to change jobs has remained virtually constant, the Corona pandemic sometimes discourages employees who are willing to change jobs from actively looking for one. Forty-nine percent of those latently willing to change jobs say that Corona is one reason why they have not yet actively looked for a new job. This figure is even significantly higher in the youngest age group, 18 to 29. Here, 68 percent of those latently willing to change jobs feel held back in their active planning by the Corona pandemic. In addition, Corona puts a much stronger brake on employees' concrete plans to change jobs in the retail sector than in other industries.

"A high latent willingness to switch makes actively approaching candidates even more important for companies," explains Robert Bertschinger, Managing Director of Xing Switzerland. "There are many people who are open to a change. But in the current environment, they are more hesitant to become active themselves. Hoping that the right candidate will come forward on their own is therefore not a promising strategy."

Middle management slightly less satisfied

While satisfaction with the current job is at least as high as in the previous year among professionals without management responsibility and among members of senior management, the proportion of rather or very satisfied employees in middle management, for example people with team management functions, decreased slightly from 90 to 85 percent. "Middle management members were often particularly challenged in 2020 by working in a home office, as they had to assume their direct management responsibilities under completely new conditions. This pressure could have influenced satisfaction," concludes Bertschinger.

Younger people in particular are worried about their jobs

Overall, 39 percent of respondents are concerned about job security. Younger people in particular are concerned about the current situation. In the 18 to 29 age group, almost half (46 percent) are worried about job security. In a sector comparison, it is primarily professionals in the retail sector, at 56 percent, who are worried about their own job security. The figures are lower in the industry and manufacturing sectors (39 percent) and services (36 percent).

Dealing with Corona: Good marks for Swiss employers

Just under two-thirds (61 percent) of professionals rate their employer's handling of the Corona crisis to date as good or even very good. Only 8 percent rated their behavior as poor or insufficient. The best marks are awarded by employees in the industry and manufacturing sector, while employees in the retail sector are the most critical.