Swiss employees want a higher pay in 2025 – How will employers respond?

The 2025 salary survey conducted by Swiss recruitment specialist Robert Walters sheds light on professionals' expectations for salary increases in the coming year. Charlotte Jacobs, Senior Manager at Robert Walters, shares key findings from the survey.

Pay rises? Only if you asked!

The Robert Walters survey reveals that only 34% of Swiss employees received a pay rise from their employer in the past year. Of those, 7% had to request it themselves, while 11% had to switch employers to secure higher pay. Meanwhile, one-third of employees who didn’t ask for a raise received nothing, and 14% of those who did make a request were turned down.

Over the past year, we’ve observed that many employers are acting reactively rather than proactively.

“If companies want to retain their top talent, they must focus on rewarding and valuing employees - without making them ask for it,"  says Charlotte.

Barely half are satisfied with current salary

The same survey shows that only 4% of employees in Switzerland describe themselves as ‘very satisfied’ with their current salary, including fringe benefits. While 30% consider themselves ‘satisfied’, they still see room for improvement. Just over a quarter (27%) remain ‘neutral’, whereas 36% admit to being ‘dissatisfied’, feeling that their salary package falls short of their expectations or market standards.

“A competitive salary package is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity,” Charlotte emphasises. “Employers must recognise that dissatisfaction with salary can swiftly result in a loss of talent. In fact, 46% of professionals surveyed are considering changing jobs if they do not receive a salary increase within the next 12 months.”

Expectations for 2025

Robert Walters also explored professionals’ expectations regarding salary developments, and the findings reveal high hopes: 73% of surveyed employees are optimistic and anticipate receiving a salary increase in 2025.

One in four (24%) are hoping for a modest increase of 1–5%, while 13% are aiming for a rise of 6–10%. Additionally, 14% are hoping for substantial increases of 11% or more. However, one in five professionals are less confident and believe it is unlikely they will see any salary rise in the coming year.

“Salary growth remains essential, but it is not the sole factor determining job satisfaction,” says Charlotte. “Professionals place value on the complete package: a competitive salary, flexible working options such as remote work, alignment with the organisation's values, meaningful job content, opportunities for growth, accessibility, and effective management.”

What will employers do?

More than half of employers (51%) believe their employees are satisfied with their current salary package, while 30% think the opposite. Despite these perceptions, 74% of employers plan to implement salary increases by 2025. To boost employee satisfaction, many employers have also introduced additional benefits over the past year, such as optimised bonus schemes, company shares, extra holidays, or external training opportunities.

“It is encouraging to see employers investing in extra benefits, but these should not replace a competitive salary,” warns Charlotte. “An effective package combines competitive pay with benefits that address employees’ needs.”

These findings highlight the importance of adopting a strategic approach to salary packages and benefits in order to attract and retain talent in a competitive job market.

To benchmark salaries, employers can use Robert Walters' free digital salary survey tool.