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One in four Swiss has second job, survey finds

Man vacuums a stadium
Do people take second jobs for more money or to boost their careers? Keystone / Manuel Lopez

Nearly a quarter of the Swiss workforce juggles more than one job at a time, according to a survey of working life.

The survey’s lead author believes the rise in work moonlighting is being driven by inflation forcing up the cost of living, reports the NZZ am Sonntag.

“The trend towards seeking additional income has probably picked up since the end of the Covid pandemic,” PwC’s Tobias Sattler told the newspaper on Sunday. “Financial uncertainty has generally increased.”

The PwC survey found that 58% of respondents have trouble paying their bills at the end of the month.

Trade unions told the newspaper that purchasing power for most workers has declined to worrying levels.

The 23% of survey respondents indicating they hold more than one job is much higher than the 8% recorded by the Federal Statistical Office in 2021.

The discrepancy can partly be explained by many people being unwilling to declare unofficial second jobs, reports the NZZ am Sonntag.

The Swiss Employers’ Association disputes the notion that people need more than one job to pay their bills.

A spokesperson said many workers take on extra posts to expand their skills, accelerate careers or to set up their own businesses with the stability of a stable income.


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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR