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Switzerland – Demand for project managers up by a third

30 January 2015

The unexpected decision by Switzerland’s central bank (BNS) to scrap its cap on the Swiss franc’s exchange rate against the euro is fuelling demand for temporary workers and fixed term  project managers in the country, according to the Swiss job Index (SJI) from recruitment firm Michael Page.

The SJI is a monthly indicator of the number and types of jobs advertised in Switzerland. The data for the report is collated on the 15th of each month.

Demand for project managers has been increasing, uninterrupted, since autumn 2014. There were 29% more vacancies in January 2015 compared with the same month last year.

Charles Franier, Executive Director at Michael Page Switzerland, commented: “We are already seeing some companies reviewing their workforce planning and recruitment, as well as carrying out an evaluation of their cost structure. The good news is that the review has been conducted in a comprehensive manner and that the increase in prices, due to the exchange rate, will be clearly weighted by the existing benefits, particularly in the area of taxation.”

“We experienced a similar situation during the last strong appreciation of the franc in 2010. Under the current circumstances, project management jobs are key to maintaining sales momentum, while working on long-term adaptations,” he added.

In general, the Swiss labour market performed well in January, with 12% more jobs vacancies across all sectors, compared with January 2014.

Job vacancies increased by 9% in the financial services sector compared with December 2014. Education jobs increased by 8% over the same period. Month-on-month the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors both reported 5% more job vacancies in January 2015.

The German-speaking region of Switzerland accounted for the largest increase in job vacancies during January, a trend that has been ongoing for several months.