John Byrne joined EMEA Recruitment in 2015 to build our Procurement & Supply Chain and Operations specialisms within our Swiss recruitment team.

Ten years later, John is now the Country Director for Switzerland. He shares his insights on the evolution of the Swiss market and his career journey.

How has the Swiss market changed in ten years?

Over the last decade, the Swiss market has undergone a significant transformation. More than ten years ago, our target client was predominantly large multi-national corporations with much larger offices, whose recruitment needs covered a greater diversity of seniority levels.

However, as businesses evolved, so too did the demand for more tailored hiring solutions, allowing us to add real value for both clients and candidates with niche needs.

Between 2016 and 2020, Brexit and continued globalization created uncertainty across European markets, prompting companies to rethink their structures and operational strategies.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which created a continued crisis management approach for most businesses, which in turn accelerated those changes dramatically. At the same time, the rise of technology and remote work began reshaping how businesses functioned, paving the way for a more flexible and digital approach.

Between 2020 and 2023, Switzerland experienced a particularly strong and buoyant job market, as both existing companies and new entrants sought to establish themselves.

During the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, we saw a stronger reinforcement of the importance of trusted business relationships, as a contactless work environment placed greater emphasis on agility and a people-first approach. Our longevity in the market definitely paid off and allowed us to maintain high service standards in unprecedented times.

More recently, new challenges have emerged. Elements such as BEPS Pillar 2 and the 15% corporate tax rate have posed difficulties, particularly for cantons with historically lower tax rates. Additionally, the UBS-Credit Suisse situation could have been a major disruption, but Switzerland’s swift response ensured stability before markets reopened.

All these hurdles continue to highlight the innovative, agile nature of the Swiss market, which makes it so enjoyable to be part of. 

Where do you see the Swiss market heading in the next ten years?

I believe organizations continue to choose Switzerland to expand their regional or global footprint and strengthen operations. Switzerland offers many benefits to companies of all sizes, including political and financial stability, a multi-national talent pool/skill base, and neutrality in key strategic decision-making exercises, which maintain its leading position.

I also think Technology and Transformation will be a key investment for all Swiss organizations, as many have been relatively slow in their adoption. We have seen an uptick in demand for recruitment needs in this sector, hence our investment in this area 18 months or so ago.

What is your favourite thing about working in Switzerland?

It’s truly multi-national.

Also, the country’s efficiency - coming from the UK, I never thought having reliable trains was possible!

Having family here, too - a brother, sister-in-law, and three nephews. It’s great being able to see them and go skiing when possible.

Additionally, working in Switzerland for ten years has allowed me to build a large network with strong relationships across Finance & Accountancy, Procurement & Supply Chain, Operations, and Human Resources, that extend beyond work.

What’s your proudest achievement while working at EMEA Recruitment?

Finally getting Procurement & Supply Chain off the ground. The discipline didn’t exist at EMEA Recruitment when I joined. Getting the first hires were hard, but key. The hire of Neil Cope allowed us to build the foundation for a solid team, which has gone from strength to strength.

We now partner with CSCMP Switzerland and became an official sponsor in 2023, while we’ve supported CIPS on regular events for over nine years. They view us as a trusted partner, and we have built a really tight network of like-minded professionals.

I’m also proud of having the opportunity to progress and become Swiss Country Director in July 2022. I have always achieved the high-flyers incentives, while maintaining high service offerings and honest, consultative feedback for all.   

What advice would you give to those considering a career in recruitment?

Be a good listener. Good listening skills, resilience, and hard work are the three most important success factors. Don’t give up when it gets hard.

What you need is an agile sales mindset, but not at the expense of those you work with. Treat people how you would want to be treated.

What are you most looking forward to?

Professionally, supporting our Technology & Transformation division and helping the continued growth across the whole organization.

Personally, watching my son grow and develop - and being there to help him along the way.

Richard Bailey, Managing Director of EMEA Recruitment, reflects on John’s anniversary:

“John has become a fantastic Ambassador for EMEA over the past ten years and it’s with great personal and professional pride that I’ve watched John go from strength-to-strength as the EMEA team have expanded their network across Switzerland.

“The job markets have changed, COVID changed everything, but the foundations John has helped EMEA to build has allowed our business to grow, for which we are very grateful. From Consultant, to Manager, to Director, to Country Director, to Board Member… here is to another ten years!”

You can learn more about John’s specialist experience, as well as how to get in touch with him about your own recruitment needs, through his profile: emearecruitment.com/our-team-members/john-byrne/68

As the Human Resources Director for HEINEKEN Switzerland, Christoph Hajjar knows a thing or two about cultivating success and high-performing teams – as well as the food and beverage industry. He shares his four ingredients for the perfect leadership cocktail.

“If my leadership style were a cocktail, I would call it the Intention Sour.”

What ingredients go into the perfect leadership cocktail? Christoph explains: “The key ingredients would be: a shot of vision for setting up clear intentions, a splash of empathy to understand and support each other, a little dash of resilience for navigating challenges, and a twist of creativity for fostering innovation.”

“It helps having worked for seven years as a barkeeper!” Christoph tells Keely Straw, the Manager of our HR recruitment division in Switzerland.

Christoph has utilized his vision of developing a diverse team to improve the impact of HR in the business. “By creating an inclusive environment where different perspectives and views are valued and encouraged to be brought forward, team members are motivated to share individual ideas and experiences,” he says.

By working in different countries, Christoph has enhanced his empathy with colleagues. He found the move from Switzerland to Austria an unexpected challenge, learning to adapt his communication style in order to build relationships.

It was a lesson that also built his resilience: “Some dear colleagues took me aside and provided honest feedback, such as, ‘You may be used to that, but please consider that the clocks tick a bit differently here.’ They also gave me advice on cues and the natural rhythm of a conversation when you want to get to a decision.”

Finally, how does Christoph challenge his creativity to drive innovation? His team is currently striking the balance between a data-led approach and maintaining the human touch in HR.

“You can’t have one without the other. You need to have that personal touch, as well as the right dataset, including the knowledge of where to get the data and which pieces to pick out to support an informed decision-making process,” he believes.

In his full interview with Keely, Christoph dives into the role of data and artificial intelligence in HR as a decision-making tool: https://www.emearecruitment.com/executive-interviews/christoph-hajjar-human-resources-director-at-heineken-switzerland/255

Do you agree with Christoph’s ingredients for the perfect leadership cocktail?

In 2024, as the Dutch job market began to recover from geopolitical uncertainties, EMEA Recruitment observed that the emphasis on technology continued to drive job opportunities in Human Resources.

Companies adopted more flexible working arrangements, allowing employees to work remotely and maintain a better work-life balance. Upskilling also stayed crucial, with professionals who adapted to new technologies and industry trends in high demand.

Opportunities and Outlook

Looking ahead, 2025 is set to be an exciting and transformative year. The rise of people analytics is opening up new avenues for HR professionals to leverage data in innovative ways, improving recruitment, performance management, and workforce planning.

There's also a strong focus on employee wellbeing, with companies eager to implement comprehensive programmes that support mental health, work-life balance, and a positive workplace culture. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) initiatives will continue to be a priority, creating demand for HR professionals who can drive these important changes.

As HR technology evolves, there will be more roles for people who can manage automated recruitment tools and HR systems, as well as those who can effectively manage remote teams.

As technology progresses, work practices evolve, and the economic landscape changes, the HR sector will offer plenty of new opportunities for adaptable, innovative professionals. Flexible work arrangements will remain key to helping professionals succeed, while businesses will increasingly look for individuals who value learning, development, and growth.

At EMEA Recruitment, we are excited about the year ahead and eager to support our clients and candidates as they navigate this dynamic landscape.

Our HR recruitment team continues to support clients and candidates in managing an evolving HR profession. If you’d like to discuss your requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact Katie Insley for a confidential discussion: [email protected].

Historically, the Netherlands has been one of the most proactive countries when it comes to monitoring temporary labour and supply chains, to make sure that workers are protected, and functions are in place to ensure compliance. From 1st January 2025, the Dutch government has lifted the enforcement moratorium that has been placed on the Tax administration, and they will be actively reaching out to companies to ask if they are utilizing any self-employed individuals and will be asked to provide evidence to demonstrate that an employer-employee relationship doesn’t exist.

EMEA Recruitment is proud to support our clients with their temporary and interim recruitment needs. Whether you’re looking for a ZZP’er (self-employed professional) to lead a project, or require cover for maternity or sick leave, we work with an active network of workers ready to take on their next assignment.

The rules

This law isn’t new - it has been in place for the last eight years – but the Tax administration has been limited in actions it has been allowed to take, unless it was aware of an obvious misuse. It can now be much more proactive in identifying such misuse.

The rules are simple: A ZZP’er – or freelancer – must work on a specific project, with complete autonomy over their schedule and working patterns. Essentially, they must not work like an employee of the client company.

Both the worker and the client company are responsible for preventing false self-employment and could face enforcement action from the Tax Administration.

Your options

If you’re a company trying to navigate the new landscape, we can help you understand your position and options. EMEA Recruitment’s dedicated team in the Netherlands has assessed the legal and financial requirements of the rules, giving you confidence that you are operating within the guidelines.

It is still possible to hire a freelancer to manage a special project, like a transformation, while temporary workers are the way to go for situations where you need to cover an employee who has left the business quickly or is on leave.

Whatever your requirements, make sure you get the help you need and the right advice by reaching out to Rebecca Spicer, who leads our Interim recruitment division: [email protected]

CH Country Director, John Byrne, gives an overview of the Swiss recruitment market and EMEA Recruitment's activities in 2024, along with our predictions for 2025. 

Over the past year, EMEA Recruitment has partnered with clients to navigate the toughest market conditions since the pandemic. Looking ahead to 2025, we anticipate steady growth in Switzerland.  

We have worked closely with our clients to navigate 2024 with resilience and strategic adaptability, despite global economic uncertainties such as fluctuating global markets, a strong Swiss franc, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.

2024 overview

2024 started with the continuation of our clients adopting flexible work arrangements and upskilling initiatives to attract and retain talent, reflecting a shift toward employee-centric recruitment strategies.

However, the second half of the year challenged this, with a few businesses looking to establish a stronger presence in the office. We oversaw a number of projects offering market consensuses for our clients to identify the right balance for them and expect this to be an ongoing theme into the New Year and beyond.

Did your business change its flexible work arrangements in 2024? Our recruitment team would be happy to discuss the market’s holistic stance for insights.

Tech & Transformation

The demand for our services remained robust across key sectors like technology and life sciences, and among a host of newly settled businesses establishing themselves here, driven by Switzerland's continued reputation as a hub for innovation and global business.

We continued to invest heavily in our Tech & Transformation division, focused on senior leadership roles, as the demand for talent increases across sustainability and digital transformation. We’re also seeing new roles in green energy, AI, and data analytics.

Outlook for 2025

Looking ahead, the outlook is cautiously optimistic. Despite global economic uncertainties, Switzerland's low unemployment rate and stable economy continue to provide a solid foundation for the recruitment market.

Our indications suggest that the market is poised for steady growth, with opportunities continuing in newly settled businesses and emerging industries (including AI, biotechnology, and sustainability initiatives).

These factors signal optimism for both candidates and clients alike in 2025. If you need our support in your own career or within your current team, please get in touch and I will connect you with the right expert:  [email protected]

Effective succession planning and cost-conscious recruitment are key to business continuity and long-term success. While organizations grapple with the challenges of managing internal talent and controlling recruitment expenses, partnering with external providers can offer you significant advantages.

Succession Planning: Building a Leadership Pipeline

Succession planning is more than preparing for the inevitable leadership change - it's about ensuring your company thrives no matter the disruption.

With a well-designed succession plan and by proactively identifying and developing future leaders early, you can ensure smoother transitions and that the right talent is in place to step into critical roles when that leadership change occurs.

Additionally, when employees are presented with a clear progression path, it not only boosts their loyalty, heightens engagement, and fosters long-term retention but also cultivates leaders who truly embody your company’s values. 

However, even with the strongest succession plans, gaps may arise, requiring an external recruitment partner - and that's where EMEA Recruitment come into play.

Cost-Conscious Recruitment: Maximizing Efficiency

Recruitment is often costly, requiring time, resources and financial investment. If you're looking to hire cost-effectively whilst securing top talent, it’s important to adopt strategies that minimize costs without sacrificing quality.

More obvious strategies include internal promotion, reducing onboarding costs and time due to the employee familiarity with company operations, and developing a talent pipeline to avoid last-minute costly hires. But have you considered embracing new technology?..

Leveraging an ATS (applicant tracking system) and AI recruitment platforms can help you streamline the hiring process and reduce manual work, saving you time and money. In May we held a TA Roundtable to explore such tools, to discuss these in detail please feel free to reach out. 

The Value of External Recruitment Providers

While there's an upfront cost to using recruitment companies, many external providers offer unique advantages, especially for senior or specialized roles and cost-savings in the long run.

By partnering with EMEA Recruitment, you could benefit from our deep industry expertise, allowing us to top talent quickly. We also provide access to a wider talent pool, including those who may not be actively searching but are open to the right opportunity, freeing you to focus more on internal operations. 

In summary, succession planning and cost-conscious recruitment are most effective when supported by external expertise. By integrating these elements, businesses can ensure smooth transitions, achieve cost-effective hiring, and secure long-term success without overspending.

For a more detailed discussion on how EMEA Recruitment can help you build a strong leadership pipeline and drive your business forward, please don't hesitate to get in touch: [email protected]