Half of Swiss see themselves working beyond retirement age
Around half of all respondents to a survey by the Swiss Life insurance group said they could imagine continuing to work after retiring. Around a third said this was already the case.
The report, which surveyed 1,472 respondents aged between 55 and 70, also found that men are more likely to be working beyond their retirement – one-third of male respondents said this was the case, compared with one-quarter of women.
Of those who either do work beyond retirement or envision doing so, around a quarter said that financial pressures were the deciding factor, the report said.
Calculated across the population, the numbers mean that in 2019 some 190,000 people were working into their retirement. This marks an increase of 75% since the turn of the century, according to official data from the Federal Statistical OfficeExternal link.
The vast majority of respondents to the Swiss life survey said that working after retirement – unless forced on them by circumstances or need – was only something they would do under certain conditions, such as good health, a good work atmosphere, and an appreciation for their employer.
More
More
Two out of five Swiss aged 50+ want to work past retirement age
This content was published on
Many Swiss over 50 years old retire early or are deterred from working past the retirement age because of a lack of incentives and job opportunities.
The most common retirees to keep working were self-employed, farmers, freelancers, and managers. The least likely were administrative employees, labourers or craftspeople, retail workers and carers.
In Switzerland, the official retirement age is 65 for men and 64 for women. Moves are also in the works to raise the retirement age for the latter, although efforts to reform the country’s pension system are invariably subject to debate; in the past decades, two separate proposals to reform the system were rejected by voters at the ballot box.
The government says that the current situation, what with an ageing population, can only guarantee basic pension payments up to 2030.
More
More
Switzerland mulls raising the retirement age for women
This content was published on
Like in many industrialised countries, Switzerland is trying to align the age of retirement between men and women.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Too old to be hired, too young to retire
This content was published on
The second-floor office in the Regional Employment Centre (RAV) serving central Bern is full of large plants. Birds twitter outside the windows, and the sun shines in. Spring has sprung in the Swiss capital, but the people coming to RAV aren’t necessarily enjoying the weather. They’ve lost their jobs, and finding a new one can…
Pension reform in Switzerland: a democratic balancing act
This content was published on
All major efforts since 2003 at reforming the Swiss pension system have failed. Is this a case of democracy meeting its limits?
Planned pension reform sees women working a year longer
This content was published on
The Swiss government plans to incrementally increase the retirement age of women to 65 while offering incentives for all people to work longer.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.