While employees remain broadly open to AI and new technologies, the pace of change is accelerating, financial pressure is increasing, and expectations towards leadership are rising. Confidence, security and trust have become central themes in how people experience work today.
At the same time, clear contrasts are emerging: between AI users and non users, between career stages, and between employees’ day to day experiences and leadership perspectives. The Swiss findings highlight where stability still exists — and where uncertainty is beginning to shape motivation, engagement and trust.
“The Swiss workforce is ready for AI transformation and hungry to learn. Success for organisations depends on bridging the trust gap between leaders and teams, and addressing the uncertainty people are feeling.”
What the Swiss workforce is thinking in 2025
AI: enthusiasm meets uneven readiness
Employees remain broadly open to AI — but the level of everyday use is still mixed. While many have tried AI at work, daily use of generative AI and AI agents remains limited, highlighting a clear gap between interest and embedded practice. For many, particularly younger employees, this creates both opportunity and uncertainty around how AI can translate into real value.
Daily AI use also differs by generation — and not always in the expected way. Despite being closest to labour market entry, Gen Z reports the lowest daily use of both generative AI and AI agents, while usage rises among Millennials and peaks in older cohorts, pointing to gaps in access, enablement or confidence rather than openness to AI.
Percentage of employees who have used AI daily at work in the last 12 months, by generation
Where AI is used, the perceived impact is tangible. Across productivity, quality and creativity, most users report positive effects — with productivity and quality gains standing out most strongly. This confirms that AI adoption is already creating value in day to day work, not just experimentation.
Impact of AI on work (past 12 months)
That value, however, is not experienced equally. Senior executives are more likely to report performance gains than managers and non managers, suggesting differences in access, use cases or integration into roles.
Improving performance in various aspects of work based on different roles
A similar tension appears at organisational level. Despite employees’ positive experiences, over half of Swiss CEOs say AI has not yet delivered measurable cost or revenue benefits, highlighting a disconnect between individual productivity gains and enterprise wide value creation.
51% of Swiss CEOs have not yet seen any cost or revenue benefits from AI*
Switzerland sits around the global average when it comes to AI adoption — leaving considerable untapped potential. In a country with comparatively high labour costs, remaining an innovation hub will require organisations to move faster from selective AI use to scaled adoption that delivers impact at enterprise level.
Security: a mixed picture of a strong motivator
Security has become one of the most decisive factors shaping how employees experience work in Switzerland — but it is experienced very differently across groups.
Job security remains relatively solid overall. Senior employees tend to feel more confident about their job security, but the highest levels of confidence are reported by employees who use generative AI on a daily basis — underscoring the strong link between relevance, skills and perceived stability.
66% of employees feel very or extremely secure in their jobs over the next 12 months.
From 59% to over 70%: job security increases significantly with seniority
... daily GenAI users feel the safest, at 74%
42% of employees say they make ends meet at the end of the month but cannot save anything for vacations or the future.
The picture changes when looking at financial security. Many employees report that while they can cover basic expenses, they are unable to save for the future — a pressure affecting roles and career stages alike.
We also see that employees under financial pressure are less likely to trust their leaders — and when trust is lower, motivation and engagement tend to suffer. Security, therefore, goes beyond employment and speaks to confidence in the future and faith in how organisations handle uncertainty.
Employees under financial pressure trust their leadership less.
These findings are reinforced by PwC's Workforce Experience & Benchmarking Study, Switzerland 2025/2026.
Trust in leadership: a widening gap
Trust in leadership is a critical driver of motivation. Employees clearly differentiate between top management and their direct managers: trust is lower at the top, while confidence in direct managers is stronger but still uneven.
At the same time, leadership itself is under considerable pressure. Many Swiss CEOs cite the pace of technological change as their primary concern, highlighting the challenge of providing direction and reassurance while navigating rapid transformation.
Together, these insights reveal a fundamental tension: employees are looking for clarity, credibility and consistency, while leaders are operating under speed and complexity pressure. Bridging this gap will be essential to rebuilding trust — and sustaining motivation — in the years ahead.
Six actions that help organisations move forward
The Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2025 identifies six global areas of action that help organisations strengthen trust, provide security and support employees through ongoing change. Together, they outline what leadership needs to focus on as expectations toward direction, credibility and consistency continue to rise.
Explore the findings of our global study
Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025
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Why this matters now
The organisations that thrive will be those that reduce uncertainty, empower their people with the right skills and lead with authenticity. This year’s study shows that employees remain open, curious and willing to learn — but they need clarity and confidence to turn that openness into sustained performance.
We translate complexity into clarity
From AI adoption to leadership alignment and workforce planning, we help you focus on what truly moves your organisation forward — with practical actions that teams can adopt quickly.
Adrian Jones
Kristi Leibur-Nagel
Teena Madhvani
Partner, People and Organisation, PwC Switzerland