Women are the big losers of the Covid-19 crisis and telework is a “double-edged sword”, according to an annual barometer of working conditions in Switzerland.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/gw
Português
pt
Pandemia agrava disparidades de gênero no trabalho
Even before the pandemic hit, women were rating their workplace conditions worse than men by 1.6-1.8 index points. But this difference has more than doubled in 2020, to 3.3-3.8 index points, the independent workers’ umbrella organisation Travail.Suisse said on Thursday.
This can be explained by an increase in workload in sectors where women are highly represented – such as the retail trade and healthcare services – over the course of the pandemic.
Healthcare is the only sector to receive lower scores than in previous years in all areas covered in the barometer.
Working from home has both its advantages and disadvantages, according to the representative survey of 1,500 employees across Switzerland. Respondents appreciated the peace and quiet of telework and being able to scrap commuting from their schedule, but they viewed less favourably shorter or non-existent breaks and being permanently reachable.
On a more positive note, internal communication with employees had improved during the health crisis, said Travail.Suisse, which conducted its survey in June and July 2020.
Plummeting job numbers
The survey results came as the Federal Statistical Office published its latest employment figures, which showed the number of jobs fell by 0.4% between September 2019 and September 2020.
The sectors hardest hit include manufacturing and the services sector, notably hotels and restaurants. Taking seasonal adjustments into account, there were 5.122 million people in employment, an increase of 0.5% over the previous quarter.
Regionally, canton Ticino posted the biggest decline in jobs (-1.5%). Zurich was the only canton to experience an increase (+0.8%).
The prospects for finding work were also bleak: the number of vacancies fell by 15.1%, to 11,900 job openings.
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.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
This content was published on
The latest work figures show that 85,000 fewer people are employed now than at the same time in 2019 – the biggest decline since 1993.
Women still struggle to break top ranks in Swiss firms
This content was published on
Women represent half of employees in non-management levels in Switzerland, but promotion rates between men and women remain unequal.
This content was published on
More Swiss firms are announcing job cuts after the coronavirus crisis hit their business in the second quarter of the year.
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.