HP Study: Swiss Employees Prioritize AI Skills and Continuing Education

HP Inc. has released the fourth annual HP Work Relationship Index. The global study, which surveyed more than 19,000 respondents across 15 countries, shows that employees with a healthy relationship with their work are better able to cope with uncertainty and feel better prepared for change. In Switzerland, knowledge workers are increasingly relying on AI skills and continuous professional development to adapt to a changing world of work.

Relationship with Work Improves

35 percent of knowledge workers in Switzerland report having a healthy relationship with work—an increase of seven percentage points compared to 2025. This puts Switzerland well above the global average of 29 percent. At the same time, 28 percent of respondents are in the critical zone of an unhealthy relationship with work, which represents a decline of four percentage points. Nevertheless, 55 percent say that it currently feels too risky for them to leave their job—among Generation Z, that figure is as high as 62 percent. The study refers to this phenomenon as «job-hugging.».

Instead of waiting for stability, Swiss employees are increasingly taking proactive steps to prepare for change. According to the study, employees who use AI on a daily basis not only have a better relationship with their work but also demonstrate greater engagement in the workplace.

«The results show that, despite ongoing uncertainty, Swiss employees are increasingly finding ways to adapt to change. Companies can support this process by providing guidance, promoting continuous learning, and facilitating access to the right technologies,» says Peter Zanoni, Managing Director of HP Switzerland. «Those who feel prepared for change also look to the future with greater confidence.»

Employees don't wait for safety

For many employees, a certain degree of uncertainty has long been a part of everyday life. In response, office workers are safeguarding their futures by embracing new options in a changing work environment: More than half of Swiss knowledge workers prioritize transferable skills over the traditional path of climbing the career ladder.

Additional sources of income are also becoming increasingly important. Already, 24 percent of Swiss knowledge workers have an income-generating side job. This trend is particularly pronounced among Generation Z (32 percent), followed by Millennials (21 percent). In this way, these generations are mitigating risks in their professional lives and creating additional security in the face of economic challenges and potential career changes.

AI Is Becoming a Driver of Resilience in the Workplace

AI is increasingly evolving from a field of experimentation into an integral part of everyday work. The daily or weekly use of employer-provided AI tools in Switzerland rose significantly from 44 to 65 percent. Experienced users and managers, in particular, are turning to AI more frequently worldwide and are considering how their professional roles and career paths might change in the future.

38 percent of knowledge workers surveyed in Switzerland already use AI agents in their day-to-day work; worldwide, this figure stands at 43 percent. The more AI agents are integrated into daily work, the more awareness grows of the need to continuously develop one’s own skills. For example, knowledge workers in Switzerland who use AI agents are more likely to believe that their own role will be harder to define in the future than colleagues who use only generative AI (31 percent versus 23 percent). At the same time, they are more likely to worry about being replaced by AI or by employees with greater AI expertise (37 percent, compared to 23 percent among users of generative AI exclusively).

«The use of artificial intelligence is growing rapidly. Nearly two-thirds of knowledge workers in Switzerland now use AI at least once a week,» says Peter Zanoni. «However, the results suggest that greater AI proficiency does not reduce the perceived need for human skills. Rather, there is a growing awareness of the importance of adaptability and continuous learning.»

Technology Must Make Work Better

The results show that the introduction of AI alone does not create sustainable jobs. What matters most is that companies use technology in a targeted way to improve their employees’ work experience—from trust and productivity to development opportunities and employee retention.

Employees have a clear idea of what helps them do their jobs better. Among the most important factors are faster and more reliable devices (51 percent), tools for developing new skills (38 percent), and AI tools tailored to their specific job roles (37 percent). Technologies that help prioritize tasks (37 percent) and technologies that integrate seamlessly into the tool environment (36 percent) are also among the top factors.

As AI transforms workflows, CIOs and IT teams are playing an increasingly central role in employee satisfaction, resilience, and growth. This year’s study makes it clear: technological empowerment is no longer just a back-office issue. It plays the most important role in how companies support their employees in adapting to change, remaining productive, and building a healthier relationship with their work.

«Uncertainty will continue to be part of everyday work life. Therefore, the key is not to predict every change, but to create the conditions necessary to deal with it successfully,» says Peter Zanoni. «Trust, professional development, and technology give employees the confidence to embrace new challenges and seize opportunities. That is precisely where the resilience of successful organizations lies.»

HP conducted the survey between April 15 and May 20, 2026, in 15 countries: the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Australia, Japan, India, Indonesia, and China. A total of 19,506 office workers were surveyed—15,003 knowledge workers, 3,002 IT decision-makers, and 1,501 executives. The data for Switzerland is based on an online survey of 300 knowledge workers.

Source: https://www.hp.com