The employee-employer relationship at Swiss Life is characterised by close contact between employee representatives and the Corporate Executive Board.

Since 1996, Swiss Life has had a European Works Council (pursuant to EU Directives 94/45/EC and 2009/38/EC).

The ten-person “Europa Forum”, a committee comprising delegates from four countries, meets regularly with representatives of the Corporate Executive Board at ordinary and extraordinary meetings. It deals with transnational information and consultation on topics which affect all Swiss Life employees. The focal points for 2021 were the Covid-19 pandemic, the “Swiss Life 2021” Group-wide strategy, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and the “Swiss Life Way of Working” initiative.

Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are guaranteed by local legisla-tion (EU Charter Art. 12, Swiss Federal Constitution Art. 23); they form the basis for internal guidelines. Collective bargaining agreements exist in France, Germany and Luxembourg (GRI 102-41).

Swiss Life in Switzerland

 

Agreements signed

  • The agreement concerning simplified recording of working hours, which entered into force on 1 April 2016, was formally confirmed at the annual review and will be continued.
  • The staff committee was involved in all the topics listed in the regulations. Intensive dialogue took place between employee and employer representatives, particularly with regard to the current Covid-19 pandemic and the workplace environment/office design.
  • As part of the 2022 salary review, the staff committee will make a formal application to the Executive Board for a salary increase.
  • In 2021, the staff committee answered around 300 enquiries from employees.

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

Nine members; the chairwoman enjoys up to 20% work dispensation for work on the staff committee, the vice chairwoman up to 15% and the members up to 10%.

Swiss Life in France

Agreements signed

Elections to the staff council were held electronically in January 2019. A new business and social committee was established. It has four sub-committees: “Occupational health and safety”, “Business and strategy”, “Social affairs” and “Workplace learning”. Elections are held every four years.

  • A specific training programme is available to enable the employee representatives to develop their skills.
  • Three annual wage negotiations took place in 2019 with wage agreements
  • An extension of the home-working agreement
  • An agreement on the mandate of administrative employees
  • A one-year extension of participation and interest agreements relating to health
  • An agreement on teleworking

No further agreements were concluded in 2021.

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

  • 22 full members of the Economic and Social Committee, each with 30 hours per month, including a secretary with 25 hours per month and an assistant secretary with 15 hours per month
  • A cashier with 15 hours per month and a cashier's assistant with five hours per month
  • Four central delegates, each with 26 hours per month
  • Three mediators responsible for harassment or sexist statements

Collective bargaining agreements

98% of employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
 
Swiss Life Asset Managers in France

Agreements signed

The adaptation agreement (works agreement), which was unanimously signed after the merger, comprises:

  • the amendment to the working time regulations

  • the implementation of working from home arrangements
  • the harmonisation of bonus, fringe benefit, profit sharing and employee savings plans, etc.
  • the employee referendum for the implementation of the agreement
  • the expansion of the works council

Four new agreements were concluded in 2021:

  • The medium-term savings plan or "Plan d'Epargne Entreprise"
  • The long-term savings plan for the supplementary pension ("Plan d'Epargne pour la REtraite COllective PERECO")

These agreements fundamentally change the range of funds available and make it possible to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the "PACTE Act."

  • The new Intéressement profit-sharing agreement for 2021-2022-2023
  • To implement SL AM job classification and variable compensation. This agreement substantially changes the bonus system. The new bonus system respects the general rules for variable compensation in SLAM division and integrates the rules of the French supervisory authority AMF.

Swiss Life Asset Managers France is about to conclude three new agreements by the end of the year:

  • On annual wage negotiations for 2022
  • Equality between women and men at the workplace in terms of recruitment, career development, remuneration, etc.
  • To mobile working. This agreement amends the existing provisions on teleworking in the 2019 adaptation agreement.

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

Prior to the merger of 1 April 2019 between SWISS LIFE REIM (France) and Swiss Life Asset Management (France) there were three representative trade union organisations (CFDT, CFE-CGC and CFTC) with a total of 14 works council members, nine for SWISS LIFE REIM (France) and five for Swiss Life Asset Management (France).

Following the merger on 1 April 2019, a trade union organisation (CFDT) was constituted with eleven works council members in accordance with the agreement on additional works council elections in July 2019. No employee representative carries out his or her duties on a full-time basis.

New elections to the works council will be held electronically at the beginning of 2022.

Collective bargaining agreements

100% of employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
Swiss Life in Germany
Agreements signed
  • The works council performs its duties in accordance with the local Works Constitution Act.  

  • The agreements with comprehensive measures to support employees during the coronavirus restrictions, which proved their worth last year, have been extended, e.g. to support home schooling needs.
  • An agreement setting out comprehensive measures to support employees during the coronavirus restrictions was concluded in good time. Among other things, this covered an extension of the working time corridors and a flexible handling of home schooling requirements.
  • The works agreement on working hours has been significantly adapted to the working time framework to increase flexibility.
  • Due to the pandemic experience, the works agreement on mobile working concluded before the pandemic has been permanently increased to a mobile quota of 40% of monthly working hours.
  • The new, iterative introduction of agile working methods according to SaFe was agreed upon after consultation of all concerned with a regulatory agreement to avoid disadvantages and serves as the basis for a works agreement still to be concluded.
  • A major challenge was the introduction and conclusion of a collective works agreement for the Workday Personnel Information System.
  • In the healthcare team, the special topic of resilience and mental stress at the workplace was once again in the focus of occupational health management with extensive campaigns.
  • An agreement on an increase in base salaries in 2020 and 2021 for non-pay-scale employees was reached with the Executive Board in the spring.  

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

  • The General Works Council, the highest body representing all locations has five members (two representatives of Works Council Internal Services, two representatives of Works Council Sales Force, one representative of employees with disabilities). The chairwoman of the Central Works Council is also the chair of the Works Council Internal Services as well as being a member of the Business Committee and spokesperson/chair of the Europa Forum.
  • The Works Council Internal Services (responsible for the German branch in Garching as well as Swiss Life Partner Service- und Finanzvermittlungs- GmbH and SLPM Schweizer Leben PensionsManagement GmbH) is composed as follows:
  • Eleven members, of whom the Works Council chair with 100% work dispensation for Works Council activities.
  • The Works Council Sales Force is responsible for intermediary distribution at the branch office and comprises five people, none of whom has dispensation

Collective bargaining agreements

47% of employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
100% of employees are subject to the work agreements. Only executive employees are excluded.  
 
Swiss Life Asset Managers in Germany and Swiss Life Investment Management Deutschland Holding GmbH

Agreements signed

  • Group works agreement on IT (launch, operation and further development of IT systems)
  • Group works agreement (GWA) for the introduction and application of the NGA Global Payroll payroll software of NorthgateArinso Deutschland GmbH (NGA)
  • Group works agreement on "Use of learning platforms and content creator tools"

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

The members of the works council representing CORPUS SIREO Real Estate GmbH, Swiss Life Asset Management GmbH and Swiss Life Invest GmbH established a Group Works Council (GWC) on 29 October 2019. It consists of four members of the works council (one part-time, three full-time); the chairman working part-time is dispensed for her work. In connection with the establishment of Swiss Life Investment Management Deutschland Holding GmbH, the objective of the KBR is to define cross-company topics.

The Group Works Council has four members, who are appointed by the abovementioned collective works councils. One member of the works council by Corpus Sireo with 100% dispensation is also a member of the European Works Council. All other members work without dispensation. The Group works agreements are relevant for all employees of Swiss Life Asset Managers in Germany in accordance with the particular agreement’s scope of application.

With effect from 25 August 2021, Swiss Life Investment Management Deutschland Holding GmbH was transferred to Corpus Sireo, which will now operate as Swiss Life Asset Managers Deutschland GmbH. Works Council elections will take place in SLAM DE on 13 January 2022.
 
Swiss Life Asset Management GmbH and Swiss Life Invest GmbH

 

Agreements signed

  • Calculation of variable compensation (bonus) for 2020
  • Basic salary adjustment process for non-management, non-pay-scale employees as at 1 April 2020

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

The works council of Swiss Life Asset Management GmbH and Swiss Life Invest GmbH consists of three members, all working full-time (38 hours/week).
All members work without dispensation. The works agreements apply to around 85% of all employees of these companies.

Collective bargaining agreements/Works agreements

29% of employees are subject to a collective bargaining agreement. The works agreements apply to 85% of employees. The collective bargaining agreement was terminated on 31 December 2021. As a result, employees who join the organisation from 2022 will no longer be subject to the tariff regulations.
 
Corpus Sireo

Agreements signed

  • Reconciliation of interests & redundancy agreement on the relocation of Office Heusenstamm from Heusenstamm to Frankfurt
  • Works agreement on "Motivprofilanalyse System ID37"

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

The committee currently consists of five members (one part-time, four full-time). the part-time employee enjoys full work dispensation for committee work, while two of the other members have half dispensation.

Works agreements

The works agreements apply to 98% of employees.

With effect from 25 August 2021, Swiss Life Investment Management Deutschland Holding GmbH was transferred to Corpus Sireo, which will now operate as Swiss Life Asset Managers Deutschland GmbH. Works Council elections will take place in SLAM DE on 13 January 2022.
Swiss Life in Luxembourg

Agreements signed

On 10 June 2021, a new collective bargaining agreement was signed by the employer representatives of the insurance sector and all major trade unions in Luxembourg, which will remain in force for three years until 31 December 2023. Key elements of the previous agreement have been retained and new ones added. Employees receive a special premium of EUR 500 for their contribution during the Covid pandemic. Overall, the measures of the new collective bargaining agreement are to contribute to improved long-term employability and a better work-life balance. Implementation is achieved through binding agreements between the employee representatives of the individual companies and the employers. These include annual development plans, action plans to improve corporate social responsibility (CSR), offers to prevent psychosocial risks, an agreement to improve the reconciliation of family and working life, an agreement on the right to interrupt working life, and an additional entitlement to five days of social leave.

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

The number of employee representatives and the time required for their work held in directly proportional to the number of employees. In the Global Solutions area in Luxembourg the employee representation consists of five ordinary representatives and five deputies. The employee representatives are entitled to devote 16 hours a week to exercising their mandate.

The Swiss Life Products team (Luxembourg) S.A. has reached the threshold of 15 employees and thus selected its own employee representation in 2019.

Collective bargaining agreements

63% of employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
 
Swiss Life Asset Managers in Luxembourg

Agreements signed

The staff committee of Swiss Life Asset Managers Luxembourg was newly elected in March 2019. Quarterly meetings are held with the Executive Board. No formal agreements were reached between the staff committee and the Executive Board in 2020.

Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility

The staff committee of Swiss Life Asset Managers Luxembourg consists of two active delegates, two deputy delegates and one security delegate. All delegates work without dispensation.  

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