The Swiss Life corporate culture gives employees plenty of scope to take esponsibility. This can be attributed to good leadership at Swiss Life.

By delegating competencies and responsibilities to employees, managers not only foster their innovation and potential for independent action but also express respect and appreciation. Employees value the trust placed in them, as evidenced for example by the above-average engagement score. As a basis for successful leadership and communication, Swiss Life has established behavioural principles applicable throughout the Group that serve as a formal framework.

Swiss Life’s behavioural principles:

  • I think and act in an exemplary manner and in the best interests of the company
  • I collaborate effectively in the best interests of the company.
  • I act in an efficient and goal-oriented way.
  • I work in a committed and agile manner.
  • I build trust by listening and communicating openly.
  • I pursue continual self-development.

 The behavioural principles for managers in the Swiss Life Group:

  • I think and act in an exemplary manner and in the best interests of the company.
  • I create meaning and understanding within the context of our purpose.
  • I trust my employees.
  • I encourage appreciative collaboration.
  • I promote the development of my employees.
  • I set and achieve ambitious goals.

Transparent human resources management through standardised processes

The following Group-wide standard HR management processes are used to provide optimal support to managers and employees.

  • Regular discussions with all employees
  • Regular performance appraisals and feedback processes (setting of objectives and assessment/Management by Objective) with all employees (100%)
  • Discussions regarding career development and measures
  • Decisions on salaries and promotions
  • Strategy and value-oriented behaviour
  • Assessment and management of employee risks

Newly hired employees by gender per segment

Total 1 858 as at 31.12.2022 Men in % Women in %
Switzerland 203
59.5
138
40.5
France 219 42.6 295 57.4
Germany
102 47.0 115 53.0
International 151 46.9 171 53.1
Asset Managers 222 48.6 235 51.4
Other
3 42.9 4 57.1
TOTAL 900 48.4 958 51.6

Departures of employees by gender per segment

Total 1 617 as at 31.12.2022 Men in % Women in %
Switzerland 212 63.7
121 36.3
France 214 44.2 270 55.8
Germany
81 49.1 84 50.9
International 158 53.4 138 46.6
Asset Managers 134 40.4 198 59.6
Other
6 85.7 1 14.3
TOTAL 805
49.8 812
50.2

Measures taken with regard to the 2021 Employee Survey

Swiss Life performs a Group-wide employee survey on engagement every two years in cooperation with an independent research institute1 to gauge employee satisfaction and establish where there is room for  improvement. The response rate to the survey conducted in 2021 was 84% and the engagement value 76%. The following improvement measures have been implemented (among others):

  • The Switzerland Division has prioritised three areas for action. The optimisation and simplification of processes were addressed using the “lean life process management” approach. The aim is to optimally  coordinate all activities that are necessary for value creation and to avoid unnecessary activities. Around 30 employees were certified as “LEAN Masters” in a training course. In their role as multipliers, they pass on their knowledge to their colleagues and thus ensure the implementation of the project. In order to further develop cooperation and further establish a culture of trust, a large number of workshops and learning opportunities have been implemented. When imple- menting development measures, the focus is on creating communities for networking purposes and learning agile working techniques.
  • The Germany Division has initiated the following measures: The suggestions made by employees on development opportunities and concepts for shaping an efficient meeting culture have been successfully implemented. The topic of social responsibility was regularly discussed in so-called “meet-ups” with the Executive Board. The next step is to specify and implement the ideas developed by the employees at “barcamps” for possible initiatives on sustainability and employee retention.
  • The International Division has identified the themes “Teamwork” and “Trust in leadership” as strengths. The measures taken build on these themes in order to consolidate and further strengthen them. Specifically, this involves a wide range of networking opportunities and events for employees.
  • The Swiss Life Asset Managers division has, among other things, implemented the “AM Academy” based on the results of the employee survey. This is a uniform, division-wide, structured learning platform on which all learning opportunities for employees and managers of Swiss Life Asset Managers are available. In particular, a specific learning programme on health and wellbeing has been set up with its own learning path. Along with the AM Academy, a new talent programme for high potentials has been implemented. In addition to the focus on development, special focus was placed on talent acquisition and employer branding. The first AM-wide employer branding cam- paign was launched, which also includes new websites on career and vacancies.

 

 
1  Korn Ferry, 2021

Awards

Swiss Life’s commitment is also recognised by external organisations:

Division 2022 2021 2020
Switzerland
  • Top apprenticeship company for young sports talents – Swiss Olympic in collaboration with
    the United School of Sports
  • Top 100 most attractive
    employers – «Universum»1
  • Most attractive employer
    for students and young employees – «Universum»1
  • Top Employer (Swiss Life Select)
  • «Best Recruiter» – silver award
  • St. Gallen
    Diversity Benchmarking – We
    participate 2022
  • Committed to the Diversity Charter, Advance Gender Equality in Business
  • Top 100 most attractive Employers by «Universum»1
  • Most attractive employer For students and young employees by «Universum»1
  • Top Employer (Swiss Life Select)
  • «Best Recruiter» – Silber-Award
  • Top apprenticeship company for young sports talents Swiss Olympic
  • St. Gallen Diversity Benchmarking – We participate 2021
  • Top 100 Most Attractive Employers
    by “Universum”1
  • Most attractive employer for students
    by “Universum”1
  • Top Employer Certification (Swiss Life Select)  
  • Best Recruiter – silver award  
  • Top apprenticeship company for young  sports talents Swiss Olympic  
France
  • Top Employer
    (Top Employer Certifi cation)
  • Top Employer
    (Top Employer Certifi cation)
  • Top Employer Certification
Germany
  • Top Employer
    (Top Employer Certifi cation)
  • Top Employer
    (Top Employer Certifi cation)
  • Top Employer Certification
International
     
Asset Manage
  • Fair Trainee Programme –
    Trendence (Swiss Life Germany)
  • Top employer in the property industry – Immobilienzeitschrift (Swiss LifeAM Germany and BEOS)
  • Top Company 2022 – kununu (Swiss Life AM and Livit)
  • First place in the kununu ranking of best employers in Zurich in the category of large companies
  • Fair Trainee Programme by Tendence (Corpus Sireo)
  • Top employer in the real estate sector
    (3rd place BEOS)
  • Red Dot Winner: Brands & Communication Design 2021
  • Fair Trainee Programme by Tendence (Corpus Sireo)
  • Top Employer in the Property Industry by Immobilienzeitschrift (BEOS)
  • Real Estate Manager Award in the Human Resources category (BEOS)
  • Best Recruiter – silver award (AM Switzerland)

1 Employer Branding Research Company, Stockholm