Key developments in May 2026

Oldest watch shop in the world has to close srf.ch: 01.04.2026

Beyer on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse sells its business to Patek Philippe because no succession solution has been found. Patek Philippe takes over 25 employees; the rest of around 60 will lose their jobs.

Lindberg Clinic is on the verge of closure zuerioberland24.ch: 10.04.2026

Swiss Medical Network plans to relocate the inpatient operations of the Lindberg Clinic in Winterthur to Schaffhausen and Zurich. Employees are threatened with job losses; a consultation process has been launched.

Telebielingue: More than 50 people affected by mass redundancies watson.ch: 10.04.2026

At Biel-based regional television TeleBielingue, around 40 employees and 16 regular freelancers are affected. The background to this is the loss of the licence and the associated fee shares of around CHF 3.7 million per year.

Migros lays off more employees out of nowhere bluewin.ch: 14.04.2026

Migros Supermarkt AG is cutting around 20 full-time jobs in marketing and communications; 25 people are affected. The reduction follows previous savings and transformation programmes of the Migros Group and shows that the restructuring is continuing.

Elma cuts up to 100 jobs – maximum 50 layoffs finanzen.ch: 15.04.2026

Elma Electronic is pushing ahead with a transformation program and plans to cut up to 100 jobs, around 12 percent of the workforce, by the end of 2026. Up to 50 dismissals are to be announced in April and May; the headquarters in Wetzikon is also affected. The aim is to reduce costs, increase profitability and save around 4 million Swiss francs.

Helvetia Baloise presents first figures – job cuts confirmed srf.ch: 15.04.2026

The merged insurance group Helvetia Baloise confirms drastic job cuts of 2000 to 2600 jobs worldwide. The measure is part of the merger synergies and is intended to contribute to increasing profitability; more than 1100 full-time jobs have already been cut.

Roof construction company in Lenzburg has to close bluewin.ch: 15.04.2026

Rethan AG has gone bankrupt; the focus is on the exploitation of the production site in Lenzburg, among other things. Before the closure, around 30 people worked for the company.

"Total chaos" after rapid growth: Planted cuts jobs watson.ch: 21.04.2026

Planted Foods reduces workforce after strong growth; Watson reports management departures and job cuts. The company points to efficiency gains, while the market for meat alternatives is under pressure from margins and demand.

Swisscard cuts 40 jobs zentralplus.ch: 25.04.2026

Corden Pharma is temporarily postponing the planned peptide plant in Muttenz; more than 300 jobs were originally planned. The company cites a strategic review, while geopolitical and customs risks are being discussed in the market.

Muttenz BL: Nothing with 300 new jobs – chemical plant won't get nau.ch after all: 28.04.2026

Swisscard cuts 40 of around 650 jobs. The reorganization is related to the changed ownership and banking landscape following the UBS/CS integration; a consultation procedure and a social plan were mentioned.

Labour market in upheaval – "We are in a situation of great uncertainty"
srf.ch: 08.04.2026

SRF reports that Swiss unemployment remains at around 3 percent and that companies are reluctant to hire new employees due to global crises and open trade issues. According to Seco, short-time work is also to be extended again, which indicates ongoing uncertainty.

Consumer sentiment in Switzerland lower than it has been for a long srf.ch: 10.04.2026

Consumer sentiment fell to -42.9 points in March, its lowest level since the beginning of 2024. In particular, the expected economic development, the financial situation and the willingness to make major purchases deteriorated.

Wave of layoffs: How bad is the Swiss labour market? nau.ch: 19.04.2026

Nau.ch bundles several major wind-down reports in Switzerland, including UBS, Helvetia Baloise, Kuehne+Nagel, Sunrise, Galenica and Novartis. The article classifies that the financial sector, insurance, media and industry in particular are under greater pressure.

The economic environment remains dynamic – and with it, the demands on companies to make the right decisions early. Whether restructuring, recovery, or strategic realignment, we are here to help you turn challenges into opportunities.