Swiss healthcare firm openly bans Gen Z from job application
A Swiss healthcare provider has sparked controversy with a job advert that openly excludes Gen Z candidates. The listing, posted by Spitex service Fit for Care on jobs.ch, calls for a 'care team leader with heart and mind – no Gen Z'. The wording has drawn criticism, particularly as it also rejects applicants with a 'Monday/Friday sick note mentality'.
The advert remains live on the jobs platform, though the company has since removed references to Gen Z and sick leave attitudes from its own website.
The controversial posting was highlighted by NZZ am Sonntag, which questioned why an entire age group was being ruled out. The newspaper received no response from the company.
This isn't the first time younger workers in Switzerland have faced public criticism. In 2022, Graubünden hotelier Ernst 'Aschi' Wyrsch labelled young people as 'effeminate', claiming they lacked resilience and were overly sensitive. His remarks echoed wider debates about generational differences in the workplace.
Research, however, paints a different picture. A March 2025 study by Germany's Institute for Employment Research (IAB) found no evidence that Gen Z is lazier than older colleagues. Yet HR specialists note persistent tensions, with younger employees often clashing with older managers over work attitudes and expectations.
Official data shows that young professionals in their mid-20s now take nearly two weeks of sick leave annually—more than in previous years. Meanwhile, employment rates for 20- to 24-year-olds have climbed by 6.2% since 2015, outpacing other age groups. Part-time work has also risen sharply over the past three decades, driven by economic shifts, labour market pressures, and policies like individual taxation. No direct link has been established between education reforms and these employment trends.
The advert's exclusion of Gen Z has reignited discussions about age-based hiring practices. While the company has edited its website, the original posting stays online. The incident reflects broader tensions as workplaces adapt to changing generational attitudes and health-related absences among younger staff.
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