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Part-Time Talent Pool Assessment

Assessment of the Viability of a Part-Time Marketing Talent Pool in Switzerland Switzerland's dynamic labour market, characterised by a high standard of living, economic stability, and a focus on innovation, presents both unique opportunities and challenges for establishing a part-time marketing talent pool. The country's strong economy, low unemployment rates, and an aging population contribute to potential labour shortages in various sectors, including skilled labour. This context, coupled with evolving societal expectations for work-life balance and the significant participation of women in part-time work, creates a distinct environment for part-time employment strategies.

  1. Target Demographic Size To assess the potential size of a part-time marketing talent pool, it is crucial to understand the current employment status and professional qualifications of women in Switzerland, especially mothers. • How many professionally qualified women are currently not working full-time in Switzerland? ◦ Switzerland has one of the highest rates of women working part-time in Europe, with 58.1% of employed women working part-time in 2021 compared to 18.1% of men. This high proportion is a key characteristic of the Swiss labour market, facilitating women's participation. In 2022, 60.8% of employed women in Switzerland worked part-time. ◦ A significant portion of Switzerland's female workforce, specifically 80% of women in part-time positions, are mothers with young children. ◦ From an economic standpoint, businesses in Switzerland currently underutilize a vast pool of expertise and creativity: there are more than 50,000 housewives with a university degree or high-level professional training. ◦ In 2021, 42.7% of all women in Switzerland were mothers living with at least one child under 15. Of these, 137,000 mothers are not employed, representing a significant loss of talent and productivity to the Swiss job market. ◦ Overall, women could potentially fill up to 60,000 jobs, which is 50% of the current job vacancies in Switzerland, highlighting a substantial untapped resource. • What's the typical duration of career breaks for Swiss mothers? ◦ For mothers who are not employed, the average absence from the labour market is 5 years. A minority (one-seventh) of these mothers do not return to work at all, while those who do return often work in very low part-time positions, averaging 36%. This suggests that career breaks for mothers can be substantial, and re-entry often begins with significantly reduced hours. • How many have marketing, communications, or business development backgrounds? ◦ The provided sources do not offer specific figures on the number of professionally qualified women or mothers on career breaks who specifically have backgrounds in marketing, communications, or business development. However, digital marketing is growing in the Swiss market, with demand for content creators, data analysts, and strategists across various industries, including agriculture, education, manufacturing, and banking. The digital candidates are in demand and have an advantage in the immature market due to skill shortages in digital marketing. • What percentage express interest in part-time or flexible work arrangements? ◦ Over half (58%) of Swiss workers would forgo a promotion for their well-being, and more than 2 in 5 (50%) consider flexibility a significant factor when choosing a job. ◦ 75% of women in Switzerland value stable jobs that allow time for family, friends, and hobbies, a tendency shared by 63% of men. ◦ The share of women (51%) in Switzerland who would seek part-time employment is substantially higher than the global average for women (16%) and men in Switzerland (26%). ◦ Hybrid work is appealing to 72% of women and 63% of men in Switzerland. This is particularly important for women with higher education and managerial roles. ◦ Many individuals in Switzerland are seeking more flexibility in their work arrangements to accommodate personal responsibilities, caregiving duties, or other interests. ◦ A significant share of women in the Swiss labour force want to increase their gainful employment. Of those currently underemployed (working part-time but wanting more hours and immediately available), two in five would like to work full-time, and the remaining three in five would like to increase their part-time work. Mothers are particularly affected by this desire for increased part-time work. ◦ 32% of the Swiss population would prefer to work less than they currently do, indicating a clear demand for more part-time opportunities.
  1. Availability & Commitment Patterns Understanding the realistic availability and commitment patterns of this demographic is crucial for building a viable talent pool. • What are realistic availability expectations for stay-at-home parents? ◦ Swiss managers' perceptions suggest that part-time work can be interpreted as a sign of a lack of career commitment, particularly for men. This perception might influence the types of roles and expectations placed on part-time employees. ◦ Women returning to work after a family break often do so in very low part-time positions, averaging 36%. This indicates that initial availability might be limited to less than half-time employment. ◦ The Swiss Labour Force Survey shows that women are generally employed in lower positions than men and more often in non-managerial roles. This could mean that part-time roles, which are more common among women, are less likely to be in leadership or highly demanding positions. ◦ Despite the high rate of part-time work, Switzerland also has the highest average working hours per week when only full-time employees are considered. This implies a strong work ethic within the full-time segment that might not automatically translate to part-time expectations. • How do availability patterns change as children age? ◦ While sources confirm that mothers tend to reduce working hours when children are young, the sources do not provide specific data or detailed analysis on how availability patterns change quantitatively as children age. They indicate that reconciliation of work and family remains a significant challenge for STEM women and mothers in general. • What factors most commonly cause schedule disruptions or cancellations? ◦ The sources highlight the challenges women face in balancing career aspirations with family and caregiving responsibilities. Juggling competing responsibilities can seem daunting for women returning to work. Mothers-to-be are concerned about reconciling breastfeeding and employment. ◦ However, the sources do not explicitly detail the specific factors that most commonly cause schedule disruptions or cancellations for part-time workers or stay-at-home parents. They implicitly point to childcare obligations and traditional gender roles as underlying pressures impacting work arrangements. • How long do people typically remain in part-time status before returning to full-time? ◦ The sources indicate that many mothers returning to work after a family break initially work in very low part-time positions. While a significant share of underemployed women want to increase their part-time work or work full-time, the sources do not provide a typical duration for remaining in part-time status before transitioning back to full-time employment. The fact that 75% of underemployed women want to increase their part-time work suggests a desire for more hours, not necessarily a full return to full-time immediately.
  1. Skill Retention & Development The effectiveness of a part-time marketing talent pool depends heavily on skill retention and continuous professional development. • How well do marketing skills retain during career breaks? ◦ The sources imply that skills may depreciate during career breaks if not actively maintained. Women are advised to "continue investing in one’s knowledge and competences" through volunteer work, continuing education, career-relevant reading, and professional networks during a career break. This suggests that active measures are needed to retain skills. ◦ There is a significant loss of "skilled female labour potential" when women reduce working hours or leave the workforce. • What training or skill updates do career-break professionals typically need? ◦ Given the rapid evolution of digital marketing, with its emphasis on data analytics, content creation, and technology, career-break professionals would likely need updates in these areas. Digital candidates are noted as having an advantage in the market due to skill shortages and misaligned education programmes. ◦ Switzerland is experiencing a digital transformation, and there is a need to upskill the resident workforce to help close talent gaps. This suggests a general need for digital and technology-related skill updates. ◦ Startups themselves identify "lack of Recruitment and/or HR knowledge" as a barrier, and a survey found an "overall lack of process and monitoring" in startups' recruitment activities. This suggests that professionals integrating into such environments might also benefit from understanding startup-specific operational dynamics. ◦ Creative Entrepreneurship skills were highly desired by surveyed startups (77%), encompassing team building, market fit, and fundraising. This indicates a need for practical business and entrepreneurial training for those seeking to engage with the startup ecosystem. • Are there existing programs for professional development during career breaks? ◦ The importance of continuing education and participation in professional networks during career breaks is highlighted as crucial for maintaining skills and self-confidence. ◦ Companies "can also make an impact by introducing flexible and part-time work models... and by offering returnships". However, the sources do not detail specific, widely available "returnship" programs for marketing professionals. ◦ Academic entrepreneurship courses are highly valued by startups (77% endorsement) as a way to alleviate challenges within the Swiss Creative Tech ecosystem. There are various entrepreneurship programs offered by public and private schools in Switzerland, in English, German, and French, across eight locations and online. However, a manual analysis of these programs shows very few include recruitment or related topics in their syllabus. ◦ Swiss incubators and accelerators exist, but a review of their training programs showed 0% coverage of "recruitment" as a topic. This suggests a gap in formal training for talent acquisition, which could extend to marketing-specific talent acquisition. • How important is staying current with marketing technology and trends? ◦ Extremely important. Digital marketing growth in Switzerland is driven by "high internet usage, technological innovation, and a growing preference for online shopping". Businesses need to "integrate the latest technologies" and "stay ahead of trends". ◦ Content marketing, which is crucial in Switzerland, requires creators to be flexible and produce localized content that considers cultural nuances and language diversity. This implies a continuous need to stay updated on best practices for effective content creation and distribution in a multilingual market. ◦ The digital advertising market in Switzerland is expected to expand annually by 5.29% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a market volume of $4.995 billion by 2028. This sustained growth underscores the necessity of up-to-date skills in digital marketing.
  1. Compensation & Motivation Understanding the financial and non-financial incentives for part-time marketing professionals is key to attracting and retaining them. • What hourly rates would part-time marketing professionals expect in Switzerland? ◦ The average salary for part-time workers in Switzerland is around CHF 38.87 per hour. ◦ For startups, high salary wages are identified as a major recruitment barrier, coupled with the typical lack of budget. This is particularly critical given that Swiss labour costs are among the highest globally. ◦ This suggests that while part-time work is financially viable for many professions in Switzerland, startups might struggle to offer rates at the higher end of expectations compared to established companies. • How important is flexible scheduling vs. competitive compensation? ◦ Flexible working is a top feature candidates look for when applying for a new job (37 mentions in a survey, second only to "fast career growth"). This includes home office and flexible hours. ◦ Work-life balance is the top consideration for both men and women when making a job decision. Flexible working has become a "priority for job seekers". ◦ While salary expectations are a reason for candidates refusing offers from startups (24% of refusals), candidates also value flexible working highly. For women, flexibility in terms of location and hours is very important. ◦ This indicates that while competitive compensation is certainly a factor, flexible scheduling is equally, if not more, important for many potential part-time employees, especially women and mothers. • What motivates career-break professionals to take on project work? ◦ Flexible working (home office, hours) is a key motivator. ◦ Being part of an uncommon and exciting project/company is highly valued by candidates (32 mentions). ◦ Women, in particular, are motivated by the alignment of company values with personal values and appreciation for work performed. ◦ An opportunity to work on interesting products, topics, and technologies is a significant consideration for women, particularly highly educated women (43%) and managers (36%). ◦ For those considering part-time work, financial viability is also a factor, as it is possible in Switzerland to live comfortably on a part-time income. • Are there legal/tax considerations for part-time contractor arrangements? ◦ The "complexity of Swiss Labour laws / administrative process" is listed as a barrier to recruitment by 4 out of 32 surveyed startups. ◦ KPMG outlines general criteria for distinguishing between independent contractors and employees, noting that independent contractors are "economically independent (several clients)" and "not in a subordination relationship with the principal", and they "set own work organization" and "determine working hours and working place themselves". They are "remunerated for work products (e.g., fixed fee or on a time-spent basis)". ◦ This suggests that companies must be careful to correctly classify part-time contractors to avoid legal and tax issues, ensuring arrangements align with independent contractor criteria.
  1. Competitive Landscape for Talent The existing market for part-time marketing work and the challenges faced by qualified talent are important considerations. • What other opportunities exist for part-time marketing work in Switzerland? ◦ The gig economy and freelancing are growing trends in Switzerland, particularly in urban areas, driven by the desire for flexibility and autonomy. This includes professional services, which could encompass marketing. ◦ Digital platforms are facilitating the rise of gig work, and there are ongoing debates about the regulation and rights of gig workers. ◦ Many startups offer temporary contracts (81%) and freelance contracts (53%). This highlights a significant existing opportunity for part-time project-based work. ◦ The overall digital advertising market in Switzerland is growing, with an expected volume of $4.995 billion by 2028. This expansion naturally creates demand for marketing roles. ◦ Advertising and marketing professionals are identified as a shortage occupation in six countries within Europe, but a surplus in six entirely different countries. This indicates a varied landscape, and Switzerland's specific situation depends on local demand and supply. • How do existing freelance platforms serve this demographic? ◦ Job platforms such as LinkedIn, Jobs.ch, and Freelancermap.ch are commonly used by candidates to look for job opportunities. LinkedIn is the most preferred platform (31% of candidates), followed by job platforms (29%). ◦ Startups also strongly rely on LinkedIn and job boards for publishing job advertisements. ◦ However, some discussions suggest that Swiss businesses might outsource IT freelancing to other countries due to cost or other factors. This might extend to marketing as well, creating competition from foreign talent. • What prevents qualified part-time talent from finding suitable work currently? ◦ Employer perceptions and biases: Many companies view mothers as "risky hires," doubting their ability to juggle professional and parental roles. Part-time positions often lead to fewer career opportunities, leaving women feeling left behind. There's a lack of respect for what linguists (and potentially other part-time professionals) do, stemming from pushy negotiation techniques or mass mailers. ◦ Gender bias: Men seeking part-time jobs face a significant disadvantage in job searches and career development compared to full-time workers and even part-time women. Male managers are more likely to perceive part-time work as a sign of lacking career commitment for men than for women. ◦ Scarcity of suitable roles: In some sectors, part-time positions for qualified professionals are rare, forcing women to settle for jobs below their qualifications. ◦ Recruitment process issues: Two in five women would refuse an attractive job offer if they had a negative experience during the hiring process. Startups often exhibit a lack of process and monitoring in recruitment, and the recruitment process taking too long is a common reason for offer refusal (21% of cases for startups). ◦ Language barriers: While Switzerland is multilingual, the demand for German (87%), English (32%), and French (23%) in job adverts, with over a third requiring two or more languages, makes finding ideal candidates difficult, especially with an aging population. ◦ Lack of applications for startups: The most frequent barrier cited by startups for effective recruitment is a "lack of applications" (24 out of 32 startups). This could indicate that qualified part-time talent isn't applying to these roles, possibly due to the issues mentioned above or a lack of awareness. ◦ High salary wages: High salary expectations from candidates compared to startups' limited budgets also create a barrier.

Opportunities and Challenges for Building a Part-Time Marketing Talent Pool in Switzerland Opportunities: • Large Untapped Talent Pool: There is a significant number of professionally qualified women (including those with university degrees) who are currently not working full-time or are underemployed, many of whom are mothers interested in increasing their work hours. This represents a considerable, underutilised resource for the Swiss labour market. • High Demand for Flexible Work: There is a strong and growing preference among Swiss professionals, especially women, for flexible work arrangements, including part-time and hybrid models. This aligns well with a part-time talent pool model. • Financial Viability of Part-Time Work: Working part-time in Switzerland is financially viable for a wide range of professions, making it an attractive option for individuals seeking work-life balance without significant financial strain. • Growing Digital Marketing Market: The digital advertising market in Switzerland is expanding annually, creating a sustained demand for marketing professionals. This growth, coupled with skill shortages, presents opportunities for qualified part-time talent to fill niche roles. • Startup Adoption of Flexible Contracts: Startups already commonly offer temporary and freelance contracts, aligning with the flexible nature of part-time work. • Focus on Impact and Values: Women, a key demographic for this talent pool, are motivated by meaningful work, alignment with company values, and appreciation, offering avenues for employers to attract talent beyond just compensation. Challenges: • Perceived Lack of Commitment: A significant challenge is the prevailing perception among some Swiss managers, particularly male managers, that part-time work indicates a lack of career commitment, especially for men. This can lead to bias in hiring and career progression. • Limited Career Progression: Part-time positions, particularly for mothers, often lead to fewer career opportunities and may not align with qualifications. Women are also generally employed in lower, non-managerial positions. • Skill Gaps and Retention: While professionals are encouraged to maintain skills during career breaks, the sources imply that a lack of continuous engagement can lead to skill depreciation. Formal professional development programs tailored for returners in marketing are not explicitly detailed as widespread. • High Labour Costs: Switzerland's high salary wages pose a significant barrier for startups and smaller businesses seeking to hire, making it challenging to offer competitive compensation packages. • Recruitment Process Inefficiencies: Startups, a potential source of flexible work, often lack structured recruitment processes, which can lead to slow hiring cycles and candidate dissatisfaction, resulting in offer refusals. • Competition from Outsourcing: The option for Swiss businesses to outsource IT and potentially marketing work to other countries due to cost considerations creates additional competition for local part-time talent. • Cultural and Administrative Hurdles: The complexity of Swiss labour laws and administrative processes, combined with cultural nuances and language diversity, can complicate hiring and integration for both employers and job seekers. • Lack of Data and Awareness: Specific data on marketing professionals within the qualified part-time talent pool is limited, and many startups are unaware of market success stories or the need for formal HR/recruitment knowledge. In conclusion, a part-time marketing talent pool in Switzerland holds substantial potential, driven by a large, qualified female workforce seeking flexibility. However, to effectively tap into this resource, employers, particularly startups, need to address deep-seated biases against part-time work, offer genuine career development opportunities within flexible frameworks, streamline recruitment processes, and potentially advocate for policy changes that better support work-life integration. Focusing on non-monetary benefits and adapting to the specific motivations of this demographic will be crucial for success.

Research Phase Documents:

Business Principles: