Skills Shortage 2025 Shows Signs of Easing – But Not Everywhere

The Swiss labour market is gradually losing momentum. After a sharp increase in skills shortages in 2022 and 2023, the latest Skills Shortage Index 2025 shows a clear easing for the second year in a row. The index is around 22% below last year’s level and is approaching pre-pandemic figures. For HR professionals, this is good news – but not a reason to relax.

The easing is not across the board. It mainly affects professions where demand is declining due to technological changes or economic factors. In other areas, pressure remains high and requires new HR strategies. 
  

Multiple factors behind the decline: 

• Economic uncertainty: Companies are investing cautiously; many projects are postponed or cancelled. 
• Moderate job creation: New positions are emerging more slowly than in previous years. 
• Demographic effects: An ageing population is changing supply and demand.
• Technological change: AI and automation reduce demand in certain fields, especially office and administrative roles. 

What does this mean for HR? Three recommendations: 

1. Differentiate rather than generalise 

The decline in the index is not universal. While office and administrative roles are less in demand – strongly influenced by AI – other fields remain under pressure:

• Healthcare: Still ranks first despite slight easing.
• Construction and technical trades: Site managers, production supervisors and electricians remain sought after. 

HR needs job-specific strategies. Recruitment, training and retention should focus on real bottlenecks, not overall trends. 

2. Actively shape technological change 

The index clearly shows: office and administrative roles are losing demand. This is driven not only by the economy but also by automation. For HR, this means: 

• Upskill existing employees in digital tools, customer communication and process management. 
• Prepare for new roles at the interface between humans and machines, data management and AI-supported processing. 

Companies should not wait but proactively revise role profiles, create learning opportunities and communicate changes transparently. 

3. Use training strategically 

The study is clear: training is key to addressing structural skills shortages, especially for mid-level qualifications under pressure from technology. HR can: 

• Introduce microlearning formats that are fast and practical. 
• Build internal learning paths for targeted employee development. 
• Involve external partners to deliver sector-specific skills. 

Training must be strategic, with clear goals, measurable outcomes and visible benefits for employees and organisations. 

Conclusion:

The Skills Shortage Index 2025 shows easing, but no all-clear. For HR, this means: more room to manoeuvre, but challenges remain. Those who analyse trends carefully, embrace technological change and invest in training can use this phase to build long-term stability and attractiveness. 
  

Practical tips for HR professionals: 

• Use the index wisely: Analyse developments by profession, not just overall figures. 
• Rethink roles: AI is changing tasks – HR should develop new competency profiles. 
• Prioritise training: Small formats, clear goals, measurable impact – training as a strategic tool. 

Want more insights from the study? Access the full report here. 

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