Job postings in Switzerland rose 28% in Q3 this year compared to the same time last year, as per the Adecco Group Swiss Job Market Index carried out by the Swiss Job Market Monitor from the University of Zurich.

This is the first time the number of job adverts have returned to pre-pandemic levels, and when compared to the second quarter, the Swiss Job Market Index was 9% higher.

“Companies are continuing the positive trend in personnel searches compared to the pandemic year of 2020; in the 3rd quarter of 2021, the Adecco Job Index returned to pre-pandemic levels for the first time, which indicates a clear recovery,” said Anna von Ow from the Swiss Job Market Monitor.

In addition, the Job Market Index recognised an encouraging development within the hospitality sector.

According to Adecco Group Switzerland’s CEO, Monica Dell‘Anna: “The hospitality sector had already experienced a revival in the second quarter of 2021.

The number of hotel stays also increased significantly. Many more jobs were advertised in the third quarter of 2021 for the strongly linked hospitality and hotel sectors compared to half a year ago. 

“Even if in this case the pre-Covid-19 levels have not quite been regained, the industry is currently battling with major recruitment difficulties. Many employees in the hospitality sector have found jobs in other industries during the pandemic and now have significantly higher expectations regarding working hours and locations,” she added.

In the third quarter, the number of job postings enjoyed a robust increase compared to Q4 2020 and Q1 2021, which were impacted by the Christmas lockdown and restrictions at the beginning of the year.

The hotel and hospitality sectors reported a 36% decline in the number of job advertisements this year compared to 2019’s pre-pandemic levels.

Von Ow continued: “The pre-Covid-19 level of the index for the hospitality and hotel sectors peaked shortly before mid-March 2020, so it will likely take some time yet until the job market for the hospitality and hotel sectors reaches this level again. The index of the job advertisements for these sectors was 14% lower in the summer semester of 2021 than in the summer semester of 2019 before the pandemic.”