Compared to other European countries, the Swiss working week is relatively long at 42 hours per week. A person working full-time will work 42 hours per week, which comes down to 8 hours and 23 minutes per day.
So definitely not a 9 to 5 job.
This, coupled with the high Swiss wages makes it no wonder that working part-time popular.
However, before choosing to work part-time, there are a five key things you need to be aware of.
1. Working time in Switzerland is split into percentages
According to the Swiss Federal Statistic Office, every third employed person works part-time.
But what does this mean?
In Switzerland, working time is denoted in percentages.
Full-time work is typically referred to as “working 100%”, this is considered full-time work (for statistical purposes everything above 90% is considered full-time).
Part-time work is everything below 90%.
The part-time workload is then divided into further segments, namely those working between 50 – 90% and those working less than 50% per week.
As an easy reference, this list shows the relevant percentages and the work load in terms of hours per week and the number of working days.
| Percent of employment | Hours worked per week | No. of working days |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 42 hours | 5 full working days |
| 80% | 33.6 | 4 full working days |
| 70% | 29.4 | 3 and a half days |
| 60% | 25.2 | 3 full working days |
| 50% | 21.0 | 2 and a half days |
| 40% | 16.8 | 2 full working days |
| 30% | 12.6 | 1 and a half days |
| 20% | 8.4 | 1 day |
| 10% | 4.2 | Half a day |
2. Part-time work is still female-dominated
In 2020, 59% of women in Switzerland worked part-time.
In contrast, just 17% of men worked part-time with 81.7% working full-time.
These numbers illustrate a large gender gap in part-time work and part-time work remains largely a female stereotype.
There are multiple reasons for this: such as social and familial obligations for women that make full-time work hard, as well as a greater tendency for women to work in careers where part-time work is common.
But there is also a voluntary aspect.
It’s the voluntary aspect that I would like to address with this post.
For both men and women, it is crucial to not only consider the benefits of working part-time but also to be aware of the potential impact on your income, career, and pension.
3. Working part-time has a larger than equivalent impact on income
The high salaries that are paid in Switzerland can make part-time work even more attractive. Why work a full week, when you earn enough to live a decent lifestyle working just 4 days a week?
This is fair evaluation to make.
However, it’s important to know that reducing your hours not only results in an equivalent reduction in your paycheck but may actually have a greater than equivalent impact on your income.
A study published by the Economic Policy Institute found that, beyond the expected salary reduction, part-time workers received almost 30% less per hour than their full-time working peers.
Moreover, this salary penalty is the highest for men. Men working part-time receive 26% less per hour compared to their full-time working peers.
For women, the adjusted wage penalty is 16%. Therefore, men pay a significantly higher price for working part-time.
4. Impact on your career and chances of promotion
The impact of part-time work goes beyond the reduction in income. It also affects your career and chances of reaching a leadership position.
The 2018 Gender Intelligence Report found that both men and women working between 80 – 90% are less likely to be promoted than those working 100%.
Therefore, working just one day less per week can affect your chances of getting a promotion (and thus also your chances of earning a higher salary).
For reasons I would love to elaborate on in a blog post of its own, I do not recommend an 80% work load. From both personal experience and from others, I have found that working 80% tends to mean squeezing a 100% hour job into four days. Effectively, this means you end up trading your heightened efficiency for a reduction in salary.
In this case, it is very clearly the company that is profiting and not you.
Moreover, I have found that many working part-time tend to plan their errands for their day off and then they spend that day with appointments and visiting the doctor.
In comparison, those working full-time use their mornings, lunch hour, or set an out of office note in their calendar during their working week.
Nonetheless, working part-time can also be positive for your career if you use that time effectively.
For example by building up your own business on the side and generating a second income.
Or if you use that time to pursue further education, such as a master’s degree or a certification that will accelerate your career.
For these purposes a workload of 40 – 60% can be very valuable.
5. Other benefits are also reduced with part-time work
An important component to consider with part-time work is that not only is your pay reduced, but you will also lose a number of benefits that come with full-time employment.
One of these key benefits is the pension plan that your employer contributes to. You can find an overview of the Swiss pension system in this post.
Due to the pension coordination deduction, working part-time in Switzerland can significantly affect the amount you receive for your pension.
This is particularly problematic for those earning a salary on the lower end of the scale.
It is crucial to note that the minimum salary in 2021 for the 2nd Pillar is 21,510 CHF. This is the minimum yearly salary that needs to be earned in order to contribute to the 2nd Pillar.
For this reason, the Swiss Life Insurance Group suggests not going below a workload of 60% in order to minimise the negative impacts on your pension.
These are the five key things that you need to be aware of before reducing your work hours. Do you have anything to add that I have missed? Then add a comment below.
I am aware that for many, part-time work is not a choice. But for those who can choose, I urge you to consider all the positive and negative implications that working part-time can have.
Done smartly and with awareness of the potential risks, working part-time can have benefits and may even bring you further in your career.