Short-time working affects a third of the MEM industries - politicians must act
A survey conducted by Swissmechanic shows that around a third of companies in the Swiss MEM industries are affected by short-time working. Small and medium-sized companies in particular are struggling with the effects. Politicians are called upon to find faster and less bureaucratic solutions to ensure the competitiveness of the industry.
In a recent survey of Swissmechanic member companies, the effects of short-time working on the Swiss mechanical, electrical and metal industry were examined. The results illustrate the variety of experiences that companies have had with this measure and provide a glimpse of future prospects.
Company sizes and short-time work
The majority of participating companies are not directly struggling with short-time working. A total of 70% of respondents stated that they had not introduced short-time working. However, among the companies that have had to resort to this measure, small and medium-sized enterprises are disproportionately affected: Around 45% of companies with 10 to 49 employees and 29% of companies with 50 to 249 employees used short-time working.
Different duration
The duration of short-time working varies depending on the company. Around 36% of the companies that have introduced short-time working have been doing so for more than six months. A further 26% have been affected for three to six months, while 30% have implemented short-time working for one to three months. Only 6% have applied the measure for less than one month.
Influence of varying degrees
The impact of short-time work on the workforce also varies: In 41% of the companies affected, 26 to 50% of employees are affected by short-time work, while 28% of the companies stated that 76 to 100% of their workforce are affected. Short-time working affects production and services in the companies to varying degrees. In 45% of the companies, the impact is described as moderate, while 17% of the companies reported a strong impact.
Compensation requested
47% of the companies stated that they had received state support, such as short-time working compensation. 39% have not yet taken advantage of this support, while 13% have already submitted an application.
Bureaucracy and authorization
The majority of companies (45%) reported that approval for short-time work was granted relatively quickly, but that bureaucratic hurdles were not entirely absent. 21% of the companies experienced very fast and unbureaucratic approval, while 17% stated that the process was lengthy and bureaucratically complex.
(Too) much effort
Some companies even described the processing of short-time work settlements as extremely complicated and time-consuming. Only inadequate instructions for filling out the forms could be found, and it takes several months before the first money flows. If the proportion of short-time work is only small, the effort involved often exceeds the actual benefit. There is an urgent need for action here. The overwhelming majority of companies (75%) expect short-time work to last even longer. Only 24% of the companies expect the measure to end soon.
Little hope for the future
The survey shows that short-time work continues to be an important support for many companies in Switzerland to cushion the impact of economic uncertainties. The companies affected are represented in various sectors and company sizes, with small and medium-sized companies in particular benefiting from this solution. However, the outlook for the future remains uncertain and many companies must expect short-time working to last longer.
Source: www.swissmechanic.ch
