Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Swiss companies want their employees to communicate in English; rents are set to increase in June; and other news in our Friday roundup.
Swiss companies want employees to speak English
Zurich’s daily newspaper, NZZ, has reported on an interesting phenomenon this week: Swiss companies are increasingly requiring their employees to communicate in English.
This may not be all that unusual for international businesses but, as the newspaper pointed out, this is also the case of some small companies that have been unable to hire Swiss employees and are recruiting increasing numbers of workers from abroad who don't speak the local languages.
Furthermore, “this pressure has been felt at the cantonal level as well, and even in some municipal offices,” the newspaper reported.
It has not explained why public administration offices would insist (or even want to) use English, but this is a curious development, nevertheless.
READ ALSO: Which parts of Switzerland are best at speaking English?
Tenants beware: Your rents are likely to rise sharply from June 1st
When the benchmark mortgage rate rises on June 1st – as it is expected to — many landlords will be able to increase rents, Swiss media reported on Thursday.
If the rate goes up from the current 1.25 to 1.50 percent, as experts predict, landlords will be able to increase rents by 3 percent, according to Zurich Cantonal Bank.
Currently, 54 percent of rental contracts in Switzerland are based on that rate, but regionally, the percentage is even higher.
In the Zurich area, as well as in central Switzerland, for instance, more than 60 percent of rental contracts are based on a 1.25-percent reference rate, according to Moneyland consumer platform.
Part-time work has grown in popularity in Switzerland
The number of people employed part time has doubled in the past decade — climbing from 15 percent in 2012 to about 33 percent in 2022, according to data released on Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
This hike is three times greater than that of people working full time — in this category, the increase is 4.4 percent.
Most people working part-time are women with young children as well as older employees — those aged between 55 and 64.
In fact, Switzerland is in second place in the European ranking in terms of part-time workers, just behind the Netherlands, FSO statistics indicate.
Reminder: German strikes disrupt travel today
Due to a strike by security staff at some German airports, SWISS airline is canceling five flights from Hamburg to Zurich and one flight from Hamburg to Geneva.
In addition, two outbound and two return flights to Zurich from Düsseldorf have been also canceled.
Passengers booked on any of the affected flights can re-book for another day free of charge.
A parallel strike by employees of German railway companies this morning will disrupt train traffic as well.
The impact on Switzerland is not yet known, but SBB is planning to replace Deutsche Bahn's trains by Swiss ones at the border
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Swiss companies want employees to speak English
Zurich’s daily newspaper, NZZ, has reported on an interesting phenomenon this week: Swiss companies are increasingly requiring their employees to communicate in English.
This may not be all that unusual for international businesses but, as the newspaper pointed out, this is also the case of some small companies that have been unable to hire Swiss employees and are recruiting increasing numbers of workers from abroad who don't speak the local languages.
Furthermore, “this pressure has been felt at the cantonal level as well, and even in some municipal offices,” the newspaper reported.
It has not explained why public administration offices would insist (or even want to) use English, but this is a curious development, nevertheless.
READ ALSO: Which parts of Switzerland are best at speaking English?
Tenants beware: Your rents are likely to rise sharply from June 1st
When the benchmark mortgage rate rises on June 1st – as it is expected to — many landlords will be able to increase rents, Swiss media reported on Thursday.
If the rate goes up from the current 1.25 to 1.50 percent, as experts predict, landlords will be able to increase rents by 3 percent, according to Zurich Cantonal Bank.
Currently, 54 percent of rental contracts in Switzerland are based on that rate, but regionally, the percentage is even higher.
In the Zurich area, as well as in central Switzerland, for instance, more than 60 percent of rental contracts are based on a 1.25-percent reference rate, according to Moneyland consumer platform.
Part-time work has grown in popularity in Switzerland
The number of people employed part time has doubled in the past decade — climbing from 15 percent in 2012 to about 33 percent in 2022, according to data released on Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
This hike is three times greater than that of people working full time — in this category, the increase is 4.4 percent.
Most people working part-time are women with young children as well as older employees — those aged between 55 and 64.
In fact, Switzerland is in second place in the European ranking in terms of part-time workers, just behind the Netherlands, FSO statistics indicate.
Reminder: German strikes disrupt travel today
Due to a strike by security staff at some German airports, SWISS airline is canceling five flights from Hamburg to Zurich and one flight from Hamburg to Geneva.
In addition, two outbound and two return flights to Zurich from Düsseldorf have been also canceled.
Passengers booked on any of the affected flights can re-book for another day free of charge.
A parallel strike by employees of German railway companies this morning will disrupt train traffic as well.
The impact on Switzerland is not yet known, but SBB is planning to replace Deutsche Bahn's trains by Swiss ones at the border
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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