Switzerland ranked first internationally in attracting, developing and retaining talent, according to the 2018 Global Talent Competitiveness Index. The UK ranked eighth.

The index features 119 countries and 90 cities. The index is published by INSEAD, the Business School for the World, in partnership with the Adecco Group and Tata Communications.

For countries, the index assesses policies and practices that enable countries to attract, develop and retain both “technical/vocational skills” and the “global knowledge skills” associated with innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership.

This year’s edition found that the top ten countries have several key characteristics in common and share one major feature: they all have a well-developed educational system providing the social and collaboration skills needed for employability in today’s labor market. Other characteristics in common between the top-ranking countries include a flexible regulatory and business landscape; employment policies which combine flexibility and social protection; and external and internal openness.

European countries continue to dominate the rankings, taking eight of the top 10 spots:

1. Switzerland
2. Singapore
3. United States
4. Norway
5. Sweden
6. Finland
7. Denmark
8. United Kingdom
9. Netherlands
10. Luxembourg

In the cities portion of the index, eight out of the top 10 ranking cities are located in Europe, and two in the US. As in the case of countries, over time, higher GDP levels naturally lead to higher technology penetration, creating ecosystems with better quality education, business, healthcare and infrastructure.

1. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Stockholm, Sweden
3. Oslo, Norway
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Helsinki, Finland
6. Washington DC, USA
7. Dublin, Ireland
8. San Francisco, USA
9. Paris, France
10. Brussels, Belgium

In addition to the talent competitiveness ranking, this year’s report investigated the theme of “Diversity for Competitiveness.” The report found that diversity is not an end in itself, but must always be accompanied by a culture of inclusion in order to flourish and have real impact.

“Focusing on diversity and inclusion is crucial to overcome the fractures and inequalities of our age,” said Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze. “This means nurturing a culture of inclusion, starting at home and school, fighting bias and developing social and collaborative skills, which are key to unleash the power of work and will make the future work for everyone.”