Multiple Job Holding in Switzerland Reaches Historic Highs: Driven by Gender Gap and Work-Life Balance Needs

Switzerland, renowned for its robust economy and high quality of life, is currently witnessing a significant shift in its labor market dynamics. The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reports that multiple job holding has reached an unprecedented 7.8% of the employed population in 2025, a figure notably influenced by the persistent gender gap and the increasing need for work-life balance [1]. This phenomenon, often referred to as "moonlighting," reflects deeper structural changes within the Swiss workforce, with distinct patterns emerging across genders, qualification levels, and sectors.

The Rise of Multiple Job Holding

The trend of individuals engaging in more than one professional activity has been steadily climbing in Switzerland. According to the FSO, the share of persons with multiple jobs has significantly increased from 4.1% in 1991 to 8.1% in 2025 [1]. The latest data from 2025 indicates that 381,400 individuals out of 4.886 million employed persons held more than one job, representing 7.8% of the workforce [2]. The majority of these individuals (323,400) combine exactly two jobs, while approximately 58,000 manage three or more activities simultaneously [2].

This progressive increase underscores a broader transformation in advanced economies, where employment fragmentation is becoming more common. The Swiss scenario, with its high rate of multiple job holding, offers a glimpse into a potential global labor model characterized by extreme flexibility [2].

The Gender Divide and Family Reconciliation

One of the most striking aspects of multiple job holding in Switzerland is the pronounced gender asymmetry. Women are substantially more prone to engaging in multiple activities than men. In 2025, 10.2% of working women held at least two jobs, compared to 5.7% of men [2]. The FSO's English page reports a similar figure of 10.5% for employed women and 5.8% for employed men [1]. This gender gap has widened considerably over the past two decades, increasing from 3.1 percentage points in 2005 to 4.6 points currently [2].

Childcare and domestic responsibilities are significant drivers of this hourly fragmentation among women. Official statistics clearly illustrate this impact on families:

• Women without children: For employed women of the same age without children, the indicator drops to 8.2% [2].

• Working mothers: Mothers with children under 15 years old show a higher rate of 11.0% [2].

The presence of minors in the household increases the need to diversify income sources. The rate is 7.6% when the youngest child is under five years old, climbing to 13.5% for children aged 5 to 9, stabilizing at 12.6% for those aged 10 to 14, and reaching 15.5% when the youngest child is over 15 years old [2].

When justifying their part-time work, 32.2% of women cite a second job, while another 24.6% attribute it to family responsibilities [2]. This highlights the critical role of multiple jobs in enabling women to balance professional life with family obligations.

Figure 1: An illustration depicting the delicate balance between work and family life, a key factor driving multiple job holding, especially among women

Qualification Levels and Sectoral Differences

The propensity for multiple job holding also varies significantly with the level of qualification and across different economic sectors. The Noticias Suiza article provides a detailed breakdown [2]:

Qualification Level / Sector	Multiple Job Holding Rate	Characteristics of Occupational Profile
Tertiary Education	8.7%	Qualified professionals combining consultancies, technical services, or teaching.
Secondary Education II	7.4%	Skilled technicians and employees with stable supplementary contracts.
Unskilled Labor	13.5%	Support and cleaning staff. The female index in this category soars to 20.9%.

In 72.7% of cases, the secondary activity belongs to a different economic branch [2]. The highest overlap occurs in the private household sector, where 61.5% of those whose main employment is there also perform their second job in the same field. This is followed by education (38.8%) and the healthcare sector (37.3%). Conversely, in construction and industry, almost no one repeats sectors; their second job is in a different branch [2].

The Male Pattern: Intensification of Working Hours

The behavior of men with multiple jobs primarily reflects an intensification of productive work. Parenthood has a minimal statistical impact on this group, with 5.9% of fathers holding more than one occupation, a figure that drops to 5.3% for men without children [2].

The unique characteristic of the male cohort lies in their main working hours. A significant 51.1% of men with multiple jobs maintain a full-time primary employment, often equal to or exceeding 90% of hourly occupation [2]. The aggregated workload for these men amounts to 43.4 hours per week, notably surpassing the 38.7 hours of men with a single job [2]. This suggests that for men, multiple job holding is more about increasing overall working hours rather than balancing work with family responsibilities.

Figure 2: A view of the Zurich financial district, representing the professional environment in Switzerland

Broader Implications: Structural and Demographic Repercussions

The rise of multiple job holding in Switzerland is more than just a statistical anomaly; it represents a complex socio-demographic phenomenon with asymmetric effects across social strata and genders. This increased flexibility impacts communities from local to global scales [2].

Hispanic Community in Switzerland

Residents of Hispanic origin directly experience these structural dynamics of the Swiss market. A significant portion of the immigrant population occupies positions in the service sector or cleaning. In the private domestic sector, the female multiple job holding rate exceeds 20%. The fragmentation of hourly work compromises the financial stability of these families [2].

Repercussions in the European Context

At a macroeconomic level, Switzerland's volume of multiple job holding nearly doubles the European average, which stood at 4.1% in 2025 [2]. The Swiss volume is comparable to that of Nordic and Scandinavian economies, with the Netherlands recording 10.3% and Denmark reaching 9.0% [2]. However, Switzerland exhibits shortcomings in its gender equality policies, registering the largest disparity in the entire European region with a 4.6 percentage point difference, compared to the community average of just 0.8 points [2].

Global Perspective: The New Labor Paradigm

The fragmentation of salaried employment reflects a structural transformation in advanced economies. The Swiss scenario anticipates a global work model based on extreme flexibility. Internationally, multiple job holding poses unprecedented challenges for traditional social security systems. The long-term impact on workers' pensions will necessitate future legislative adaptations on a global scale [2].

Figure 3: A woman working in a professional setting in Switzerland, representing the diverse workforce

The surge in multiple job holding in Switzerland to historic highs is a multifaceted issue driven by economic necessity, the gender gap, and the pursuit of work-life balance. While it offers flexibility and additional income, it also highlights structural inequalities, particularly for women and certain demographic groups. While Switzerland steers through these shifts in the workforce, the implications for social security, gender equality, and the overall well-being of its workforce will require careful consideration and adaptive policy responses.

References

[1] Federal Statistical Office - FSO. (n.d.). Multiple employment (several jobs). Retrieved from https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/work-income/employment-working-hours/labour-force-characteristics/multiple-employment.html

[2] Noticias Suiza. (2026, June 25). El pluriempleo en Suiza alcanza el 7,8 % impulsado por la brecha de género. Retrieved from https://noticiassuiza.ch/economia/2026/06/25/pluriempleo-suiza-bfs-brecha-genero-2025/

Video References

• YouTube. (2024). Swiss Job Market Analysis 2024: Opportunities and Challenges. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8Bn5kbggU

• YouTube. (2019). Gender pay gap widens in Switzerland. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IwE9GMOetU 

• TikTok. (2025). Empowering Swiss Women: Bridging the Gender Gap. Retrieved from https://www.tiktok.com/@samiahurstmajno/video/7579192161560808726