Technology is moving forward at an ever-increasing pace. Companies navigate an abundance of opportunities, advances, and data. There is no way to slow down the rate of change, but we can conjure a better future by automating everything that is new and upcoming.
In 2021 Switzerland was ranked for the 11^th time in a row, as the most innovative economy by the Global Innovation Index of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
The country has always been ahead and managed to utilize new tech to create a range of innovations across several industries. The country is in a highly industrialized location where innovators have access to new tech and research. Their prime location also allows them to quickly introduce their new applications to the rest of Europe.

Investing on innovation

Switzerland has gained, over the years, a reputation for being at the centre of research in AI (Artificial Intelligence). The country even holds most of the patents in the health care industry in Europe. There is no doubt that Switzerland developed into an innovation hub for all types of technology that help the country’s economy grow at a rapid pace.
The rapid development of industry-specific start-ups varies with the region of the country. There is a Crypto-Valley in Zug, Trust-Valley in Lake Geneva, Cryptocurrency bubbles in Lugano and Neuchâtel, and a lot more.
Wearable technology, for example, is having a huge impact on the Swiss insurance industry. It has the potential to help companies better understand their customers with the use of data, and as a result, manage risk and improve processes.
Artificial intelligence, digital personalised health, robotics, advanced manufacturing and blockchain are big players and have been gaining momentum in recent years, especially in the Swiss healthcare sector.  These technologies are emerging in Switzerland and will influence the productivity and competitiveness of the country in the future.

Investing on talent

Information and communications technology is a key area for the Swiss economy. Employing a significant number of well-trained ICT professionals ensures that Switzerland’s economy is at an excellent starting point for further growth and innovations. Unfortunately, the gap between software developer demand and supply is one of the biggest in Europe.
The number of ICT positions open in Switzerland is growing exponentially and by 2026 the Swiss IT Sector will have a shortfall of around 40.000 workers. This means that Swiss-based companies will have to continue sourcing talent from outside Switzerland in the form of contractors and project specialists – or even consider outsourcing and offshoring as a potential solution. From the total ICT sector, the most roles available are as software developers and analytic staff – with 36% of the open roles being for software developers.
Depending on which area you live and work in, rates of pay can differ – much the same as in other countries. Salaries (and the lifestyle cost) are typically higher in the German part of Switzerland and the actual role plays a major part in determining the final salary. Salaries range from CHF 64.500 per year (lowest average) to CHF 203.000 per year (highest average whereby the actual maximum salary could be higher).

Investing in gender equality

Several Swiss companies started to review pay gaps between male and female staff due to the National Strategy for Gender Equality. Adopted by Switzerland’s executive branch, this strategy is an effort to combat discrimination, sexism, and violence.
Women in Switzerland earn roughly 20% less than men. While that is an improvement since 1991, the discrimination gap has worsened since 2000. Not only are women winning fewer promotions at higher levels of management, but they also have a higher turnover rate within firms than their male counterparts. Men dominate high-paid fields such as computer programming, engineering, and technical work.
In sum, ambitious women will find it hard to live in Switzerland and fight gender inequality in the workplace. Jobs in tech are quite wide-ranging but unfortunately, over the spawn of the last 20 years, there has been little to no change to the gap between the number of female and male workers. Women aiming for tech and management positions will have to continue pushing the boundaries and defying the norm.