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

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 2023 were the “Swiss Life 2024” Group-wide strategy, modern and flexible forms of work and work organisation, such as mobile office regulations, “lifelong learning” professional development and economic developments in crisis situations.

Rights of association and the right to collective bargaining are guaranteed by local legislation (EU Charter Art. 12, Swiss Federal Constitution Art. 23); they form the basis for internal guidelines. Collective bargaining agreements and internal regulations exist in Germany, France and Luxembourg.

Collective bargaining agreements and internal regulations exist in France, Germany and Luxembourg.

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. An intensive dialogue took place between employee and employer representatives, particularly with regard to the environment / office design.
  • As part of the 2024 salary review, the staff committee will make a formal application to the Executive Board for a payroll increase.
  • In 2023, the staff committee answered around 410 enquiries from employees, an increase of 27% compared to the previous year.
  • The staff committee is expanding its discount offering for employees. Employees in Switzerland can benefit from an expanded range of discounted products and services via the benefitsatwork.ch platform.
  • The four-year term of office for the members of the staff committee ended in 2023. In this regard, the staff committee elections were held in autumn 2023 for the 2024–2027 period.

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


The new staff representatives were elected by electronic vote in March 2023. A new Business and Social Committee was established, consisting of four subcommittees: “Health and safety in the workplace”, “Business and strategy”, “Social affairs” and “Employment and training”. Elections are held every four years.

 

  • A specific training programme is available to enable the representatives to develop their skills.
  • An extension of the teleworking 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

As part of the annual negotiations, agreements were concluded on measures relating to inflation, gender equality and other issues. The main agreements concluded in 2023 were as follows:

Job and career management

  • Part-time employment to achieve a better work-life balance, part-time work at the end of employees’ careers

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

  • 24 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 cases of harassment or sexist statements

Tariff contracts

98% of employees are subject to a tariff contract. 
Swiss Life Asset Managers in France

Works council elections for a four-year term were held in April 2022. The works council consists of eleven full members and nine deputies. The works council consists of eleven full members and nine deputies. Two works council representatives sit on the company’s Supervisory Board.

Four agreements have been concluded::

  • Salary increases and allowances
  • Value sharing agreement (one-off tax-free bonus)
  • Two changes to variable compensation (tax-free bonuses equivalent to an inflation premium)
  • The internal provisions have been expanded to include ethical rules, preventive and anti-corruption measures, money laundering and the financing of terrorism, whistleblowing and the protection of whistleblowers, use of IT etc. As a result, all Group rules with respect to employees are now legally enforceable.

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

Every full works council member is entitled to a maximum of 22 hours per month. The number of hours of delegation for employee representation on the works council depends on the size of the company's workforce. The use of these delegation hours is at the discretion of the elected representatives. The trade union representative's time allowance is 18 hours per month.

The works council appointed a sexual harassment advisor, who is responsible in particular for advising, informing and supporting employees in combating sexual harassment and sexist behaviour. The company has also appointed a representative with the same responsibilities.

Tariff contracts

100% of employees are subject to a tariff contract.

Swiss Life in Germany

Swiss Life Germany: Swiss Life branch for Germany, Swiss Life Partner Service- und Finanzvermittlungs- GmbH and SLPM Schweizer Leben PensionsManagement GmbH

Agreements signed

  • The works council performs its duties in accordance with the local Works Constitution Act.
  • The mobile working agreements already concluded in previous years have been amended again and currently include a percentage of mobile (voluntary) working of 60% per month.
  • In the healthcare team, the special topic of mental stress and resilience was once again in the focus of occupational health management and involved extensive campaigns. “BR on air” digital live events were once again held this year. The focus was on psychological stress and presenteeism.
  • Due to the upcoming migration of IT applications to the cloud, the framework agreement for the introduction of IT systems was amended.
  • In response to the changes in the modern working environment and employees’ desire for more development opportunities, it was decided with the employer to introduce an e-learning module. This form of learning is suitable for most types of learning styles and meets employees’ individual development requirements. Employees complete the e-learning during working hours in consultation with their line manager.
  • An agreement on an increase in base salaries in 2024 for non-pay-scale employees was reached with the Executive Board.
Number of works council members, dispensation for committee work and area of responsibility
  • The central works council, the highest body representing all locations has five members (two representatives of Internal Services works council, two representatives of Sales Force works council, 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 at the branch office has 13 members, of whom the works council chair has a 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.

Tariff contracts

47% of employees are subject to a tariff contract.
100% of employees are subject to the works agreements. Only executive employees are excluded.
Swiss Life Asset Managers GmbH in Germany
Works council elections were held at Swiss Life Asset Managers Germany on 13 January 2022. A new works council was elected. Following the resignation of the works council chair of Swiss Life Asset Managers GmbH, the works council of Swiss Life Asset Managers GmbH and the works council of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch were reconstituted on 27 January 2022. The works council of Swiss Life Asset Managers GmbH consists of eleven members. The chairwoman has a 100% work dispensation for her activities on the works council and the chairman of the works council of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch has a 60% work dispensation. Due to its formal responsibility, 80% of issues relevant to co-determination are addressed to the works council of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch, as it has the mandate to negotiate on behalf of the Swiss Life Asset Managers Germany companies.

Works council of the KVG (capital management company)

The KVG works council was established in spring 2022 and consists of three members. The chairman of the KVG works council is also the chairman of the works council of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch. Due to the special nature of KVG regulation, issues relevant to co-determination here are closely coordinated with Compliance and Risk. General issues for which it is responsible are referred by the KVG works council to the SL AM works council, which is composed of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch, as a negotiating mandate.

The SL AM works council, which is composed of the companies KVG, SL AM Germany and SL AM Luxembourg’s Germany branch, assumed its duties on 17 May 2013. It consists of five members drawn from the above-mentioned work councils (two from the KVG, two from Swiss Life Asset Managers and one member from the works council that was newly founded in 2023 at Swiss Life Asset Managers Luxembourg’s Germany branch). This works council has a mandate to conduct negotiations on regulations covering all cross-company issues (e.g. mobile working, collective compensation).

Tariff contracts

The tariff contract was terminated on 31 December 2021. All employees who joined the organisation in 2022 are not subject to any tariff regulations. The retroactive effect of the tariff contract in accordance with § 4, cl. 5 of the Collective Agreements Act applied to a small group of employees. The still pending workplace regulations giving rise to this retroactive effect are to be terminated as of 30 June 2024. Most of the employment contracts have now been transferred to Swiss Life Asset Managers GmbH, thus officially ending the retroactive effect.

Swiss Life in Luxembourg

Agreements signed

The tariff contract signed by the employer representatives of the insurance sector and all major trade unions in Luxembourg remains in force until 31 December 2023. The introduction of a “time savings account” for greater flexibility in the workplace is planned for the end of 2023. Negotiations on the extension of the tariff contract beyond 2023 have begun.

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 is 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.

Tariff contracts
55% of employees are subject to a tariff contract.
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.

elipsLife Netherlands

Agreements signed

There is an industry tariff contract that applies to all employees within elipsLife Netherlands. The current tariff contract is valid from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. The works council meets with the employer at least twice a year. In 2023, both a new mobile office agreement and a new regulation regarding working time flexibility were signed, enabling employees to better reconcile their work and free time. Negotiations on the renewal of the tariff contract have begun.

Number of works council members, dispensation for works council activities and area of responsibility

The size of the works council depends on the number of employees. It currently consists of five members.

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