International Day of Families: Part-time employment a key to balancing work and family life

The proportion of employees who work part-time is constantly increasing, with no end in sight. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 38% of the working population in Switzerland is employed part-time. This puts Switzerland in second place behind the Netherlands in a European comparison. At the University of St.Gallen (HSG) almost 82% of employees work part-time. Part-time employment is not just a working model, but a way of achieving flexibility and work-life balance. The advantages are manifold: it enables employees to organize their working hours flexibly in order to meet their personal commitments such as childcare, further training, or caring for relatives. The positive effect for the employer is that this can increase employee satisfaction and productivity and reduce stress. By offering flexible working models, HSG strives to create an environment that enables its employees to reconcile work and family life.