Swiss labour market Q2 2026: Divergences are widening

Swiss labour market Q2 2026: Selective recruiting becomes the new reality  

The Swiss labour market remained under pressure in the second quarter of 2026. The number of advertised vacancies fell by 2.4% compared with the previous quarter, while year-on-year levels remained virtually unchanged (-0.2%). 

However, behind this overall stability, a significant shift is emerging: the labour market is becoming increasingly uneven, with marked differences across occupational groups. This is creating new strategic challenges for employers. 

A weak market – but not a uniform picture 

While companies are generally recruiting more cautiously, a closer look at occupational groups reveals clear divergence.

 

The labour market is therefore characterised less by a broad-based decline and more by increasingly varied developments across individual occupational groups. 

Three key factors are shaping developments across occupational groups: 

1. Demographic trends are reinforcing structural skills shortages 
   Demand continues to rise, particularly within healthcare. Population ageing is driving a long-term increase in the need for skilled professionals, regardless of economic fluctuations.  
2. The domestic economy is supporting technical professions 
   Skilled trades, construction and industry continue to show resilient demand, particularly due to infrastructure projects, building services engineering and sustained construction activity. 
   
   Martin Meyer, VP Adecco Operations Switzerland, comments: 
   „Demand for technical specialists remains strong. As the construction, building services and infrastructure sectors continue to grow, the shortage of skilled professionals remains a key challenge.“  
   
   
3. AI is having different effects depending on the nature of the role 
   The impact of AI is also proving uneven. While office occupations – particularly general office and secretarial professionals whose work mainly involves administrative support and clerical tasks – have recently seen renewed growth in demand, vacancy volumes for traditional commercial and economics-related professions have declined.  
   
   Lora Odoni, Area Manager Adecco Switzerland: 
   „The effects of AI depend less on job titles and more on the specific tasks and responsibilities involved.“  

Implications and recommendations for employers 

For HR and Talent Acquisition teams, this means that traditional recruiting approaches are becoming increasingly insufficient. Automatically responding to a weaker market by reducing hiring can be a mistake. The key is to understand precisely where demand continues to grow and where it is clearly declining. Employers should direct recruitment budgets towards high-growth roles while assessing where internal reskilling initiatives may be beneficial. 

At the same time, it is no longer enough to think purely in terms of traditional job profiles. As requirements within existing occupations continue to evolve, skills-based workforce planning is becoming increasingly important. Rather than focusing primarily on job titles, organisations should invest more heavily in skills analysis and place greater emphasis on transferable capabilities. 

Despite the overall subdued market environment, competition for talent remains intense in specific areas. Demand continues to be particularly strong in healthcare occupations and technical roles. Employers should therefore continue to optimise their time-to-hire and strengthen their employer value proposition for these target groups.  

Complexity rather than a single trend 

The Job Index Q2 2026 does not point to a single overarching trend but rather to a fragmented labour market. Competition for talent is shifting – but it is not disappearing. Successful recruitment is increasingly becoming a matter of setting the right priorities.

Read the full findings in the latest Swiss Job Market Index study:

View the study

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