The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) announced second quarter 2015 GDP estimates today that showed growth of 0.2% compared to the previous quarter. Those who had predicted a second consecutive quarter of negative growth were proved wrong. These second quarter results mean Switzerland has avoided recession, defined by economists as two consecutive quarters […]
Archives for 2015
Workplace abuse. It’s happening in Switzerland too.
Opinion. On 19 August 2015 Le Temps reported that Amazon is again being accused of making life hell for its employees. How does the situation in Switzerland compare? Swiss companies, and the workplace in general in Switzerland are no better. Cases of employee harassment, including managers and executives, are frequent. Switzerland offers little protection legally. […]
Switzerland narrowly escapes recession. How serious is this?
Tribune de Genève. Today’s quarterly Swiss GDP growth statistics show 0.2% growth compared to the previous quarter narrowly missing two consecutive quarters of contraction, the official definition of a recession. The Tribune de Genève interviewed Andreas Höfert, the chief economist at UBS Wealth Management, ahead of today’s release of the latest quarterly GDP growth estimates […]
Where do the Swiss like to travel?
20 Minutes. In summer many start thinking about beach holidays however none of the top three destinations preferred by Swiss travellers have beaches. Instead they are big global cities. New York took the top spot, followed by London with Paris in third position. For many Swiss, travelling to New York is a dream. The rankings […]
Geneva to fine homeowners without double glazing
GHI. According to an article in the newspaper GHI, all homeowners in Geneva that still have single glazing in their homes at the end of January 2016 will be fined. Double glazing incorporating non-insulated aluminium frames will also attract fines. Housing consumes half of Geneva’s energy and generates two thirds of its carbon emission. The […]
Are international trains terrorists’ new target?
24 Heures. International trains have become the latest security concern after last week’s terrorist attack on a high speed Thaly’s train travelling between Amsterdam and Paris. Last Friday a man armed with a machine gun opened fire before being immobilised by some of the train’s passengers. Now that airports have been well secured, terrorists appear […]
Swiss make their views on paternity leave clear
24 Heures. Being a working mum or dad is not always easy in Switzerland. Long school lunch breaks with no school supervision mean parents need to collect children from school in the middle of the day or find lunch time care which is often over subscribed. Finding help to look after babies can also be […]
Fewer migrants expected in Switzerland in second half of 2015
More refugees are arriving at Switzerland’s Eastern borders daily, yet Switzerland is not the primary destination for refugees travelling via the Balkans. According to the State Secretariat for Migration, the number of people seeking Swiss asylum is even expected to drop in the second half of the year. The State Secretariat for Migration projects that […]
Most UK graduates fail to get a job doing what they studied. Most Swiss do.
A recent report by the UK based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) calculates that nearly 59% of UK graduates end up with non-graduate jobs, such as working in a cafe or bar. The report looks at European countries and only Greece and Estonia perform worse on this measure. In Switzerland less than 10% […]
Coop and Migros compete on a new retail concept
20 Minutes. Coop launches takeaway stores hot on the tail of Migros, which launched one in Bern last week. According to Coop more and more people are eating neither in a restaurant nor at home, choosing instead to eat takeaways. The supermarket has decided to open stores under the brand “Coop to go” to cater […]
