The results of a sociological study conducted by HSBC among foreign specialists (expats) in 34 countries were more than eloquent. Among qualified labor forces, Switzerland holds a stable first place in popularity, even ahead of such rapidly developing Asian countries as China and Singapore. The last place in this ranking is occupied by Egypt, while Russia is in 17th place, behind Vietnam and ahead of Japan.
In addition to Switzerland, China, and Singapore, the top five "prize-winners" also include Germany and Bahrain. These five countries were placed by expats in different ranking lines (from 1 to 34) according to key criteria – such as, for example, the state of the economy or the quality of children's education. The lower the number, the closer the country is to the top of the podium and the higher/positive the country's rating in that area.
Paul Cook, leading manager of the American company "Valspar", which produces varnishes and paints, had the opportunity to work in Switzerland and Singapore. In his opinion, these two countries have much in common: small size, political stability, hardworking population, and the desire to do everything accurately and on time. It is not for nothing that, in the end, Singapore is called the "Asian Switzerland". But as for working days, they look different in Switzerland and Singapore.
"Asia is a continent very demanding of labor forces. The working day there lasts from morning until 'everything is done'. This is partly due, of course, to client expectations, but on the other hand, everyone there is simply obsessed with business, the race for new projects and orders is non-stop in Singapore," he said in an interview with Swissinfo.ch.
Swiss people do not look worse in this context; they are "very ambitious people and set truly bold goals for themselves, but they rely too much on proven paths and algorithms. In Singapore, workers generally have less experience, and the organization of the work process there also leaves much to be desired, so they have to work more than would objectively be necessary," Paul Cook adds.
Expat from China Shengjie Wang, coming from Asia to Europe, first studied at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and then worked at the Swiss branch of the Bermuda-based company "Marvell Technology Group", which manufactures telecommunications equipment, semiconductors, and external digital storage devices. In his opinion, the work process in Switzerland is much more thoughtfully and efficiently organized than in China. Here, one does not live to work but works to live. However, regarding food, health, and overall well-being, he had to experience almost a real "culture shock".
"The quality of life here is almost ideal. Food, water, and air are much better than in China," he said in an interview with Swissinfo.ch. "For Europeans, this is probably normal, but in China, I literally suffered from asthma every winter, and here it has vanished as if by miracle."
But man is a social being; he also needs contacts and social connections. Finding common ground with colleagues at EPFL or at the company was not so difficult for him, but then problems began related to the language barrier, which seriously hindered communication with ordinary Swiss people. "Specialists from Spain or Italy could communicate normally in French within two years, but for Asians, this language is very difficult," says Shengjie Wang.
Raghu Vishwanathan had to try very hard to, as they say, "break the ice" in his relationships with his Swiss, and therefore somewhat reserved, neighbors in the apartment building. But later, he had no problems in terms of communication or contacts, even though he initially struggled with the Swiss dialect of the German language. Although overall, moving from the USA to the Swiss town of Baden, where he was offered a position at the French technology conglomerate "Alstom", turned out to be quite a challenging undertaking.
"In the USA, relationships among colleagues in the office are much more informal, but in Switzerland, people always clearly distinguish between work and private life. Conversations at work are always limited to purely professional topics; Swiss people do not allow everyone to look into their private world."
But very soon, R. Vishwanathan realized that the very concept of "friendship" is interpreted very differently in Switzerland and the USA. In the Confederation, it may be harder to find friends, but the connections built are usually deeper and more heartfelt than in the same United States.
Sjöerd Broers, head of the company "Auris Relocation", which helps expats solve everyday problems related to settling in a new place, is convinced that despite the reserved nature of the Swiss, it is possible to establish contacts with them; it should not be a particular problem. His company supports between 600 and 700 foreign specialists annually when relocating to Switzerland.
"Swiss people can sometimes be terribly stubborn and closed. But foreigners coming to the Confederation for the first time should immediately understand that the first step in building relationships must be taken by them, the expats, that it is their task, not the locals'," says Sjöerd Broers. "Moreover, many companies tell us that it is often more difficult for them to send their employee abroad than to accept a foreign specialist here in Switzerland – many foreigners are initially ready to relocate, whereas Swiss people are at heart homebodies."
However, any move to another country never comes without problems. An unexpected and rather unpleasant surprise for those coming to Switzerland may be the high cost of living, even despite equally high salaries. The same Raghu Vishwanathan had to spend a lot of time before he realized that the perfect quality of infrastructure and services characteristic of Switzerland is very costly.
“Swiss people are convinced that quality goods can and should only be expensive goods. On the one hand, this is largely true, but on the other hand, here, especially compared to other countries, I find myself in a situation of more limited choice. In Switzerland, I had to decide where to go – to the fitness club or the tennis club. In the US, I could easily afford both at the same time.”