Let’s build a better working world
Looking at people as part of an integrated business strategy, organizations are able to gain a competitive people advantage.
EY professionals work globally, collaborating to help clients address complex issues across the end-to-end employee life cycle and gain value from evolving and virtual workforces.
The diversity of our talent, global connectivity and collaborative philosophy means we’re inspired to ask better questions to help organizations design better outcomes, deliver long-lasting results and achieve a competitive advantage.
- We help our clients solve their most complex people-related organizational, compliance and behavioral challenges.
- We support transformations, transactions and integrated mobile talent issues to make our clients successful on their journey.
- We help HR, fostering its role in contributing to the business strategy and the strategic deployment of integrated mobile talent.
- We optimize our clients’ people agenda and connect talent-based initiatives to overall business objectives, leading to financial growth and performance improvement.
EY People Advisory Services are a holistic set of HR-related offerings. We are a global network with 11,000 professionals in more than 130 countries, offering knowledge and experience to more than 2,000 employers. Our end-to-end solutions create both strategic and operational value.
Our People Agenda
Our People Advisory Services offer you focused solutions and experts for every challenge.
Click on a topic on the wheel below to discover our people solutions.
Developments impacting the people agenda
Disruption is not just a buzzword – it is a reality impacting the people agenda in every industry.
This video explains which new reality our clients face and how this relates to our focus of building a better working world.
The disrupting trends that impact business and workforce:
Rise of technology
Technology is transforming the way we do business – impacting how we create, deliver and capture value. Information is now a key business asset and provides organizations with the opportunity to better manage their labor supply and demand. New technology has also given power back to the customer as they begin to own their digital identity and consumption. No business, regardless of size, can compete without responding to this new digital age.
Globalizing workforce
By 2025, there will be nearly 10 billion people on the earth, but only 15% of that population will be in high-income countries. Organizations must think and act globally – looking outside of their previous boundaries for top talent and expanding market strategies, while creating an environment that is welcoming and supportive to global workers.
Shifting demographics
For the first time in history, the developed world’s workforce is on the decline. However, the number of people aged 65 and up is continuing to grow at an unprecedented rate. This growing population, both in size, age and diversity will transform the workforce and an organization’s responsibility towards it. At the same time, these demographic shifts will also dramatically impact consumer spending and behavior.
Employee enablement
As organizations evolve, so does the need to enable, engage and reward top talent in innovative new ways. Engaged employees are a competitive advantage – driving strong, sustainable results by directly impacting customer behavior, brand loyalty and overall brand reputation.
Systems and alliances
Years of cost reductions and optimization efforts have resulted in people or HR functions that are operational in nature – and where compliance levels may be high, tangible business value is often perceived as low.
Additionally, organizations are increasingly focusing on changing their technology platforms, typically ERP (enterprise resource planning) to cloud-based solutions. The drivers for these changes are sound, however, many organizations have already reported challenges which in hindsight stem from limited adoption and benefit realization. Given this and the aim to deliver broader business value, EY takes the same holistic approach to HR Transformation as we do for other functions, such as Finance or Supply Chain – in effect, it’s an operating model change.
EY helps clients to look beyond traditional employees, including contingent workers, automation and technology, to focus on the total workforce. By adopting agile innovation and implementation techniques to improve the pace and quality of outcomes, EY can help organizations reduce cost, improve compliance and increase the tangible outcomes supporting the execution of business strategy.
Our alliances with vendors like SAP, IBM and Microsoft enable us to deliver business-led transformation across people, process and technology.
In particular in the people-related processes, People Advisory Services can leverage partnerships with SAP CONCUR, Service Now, SAP Successfactors, SAP Qualitrics & Microsoft Modern Employer. Also, we have co-working experience with vendors like Beqom.
EY Study: Future of Work?
Are we ready to enter the age of mindset? Although 87% are happy with their job, one out of two employees does not feel ready for the new reality. Every day, people are grappling with challenges such as automation, digitalization and demographic change. Check out the key findings and download the study for deeper insights.
Mind the age gap
Pre-digital natives, and women in non-urban areas in particular, are the most concerned with regard to the changing world of work. Tuning their skepticism into competence and confidence is key to successful transformation.
Entrepreneurs wanted
The participants expect decision-makers to take more responsibility during the transformation process. They demand that supervisors create future-proofed jobs, react to new types of work such as coworking and communicate openly and frequently.
Autonomy is a must-have
Autonomy, flexibility, versatile activities and human company are the most important factors for employees. In contrast, these points have a negative impact on satisfaction: stress, huge workloads, bad payment and long working times.
Trending topics
#EYsolidarity in the COVID-19 crisis
Even where in‑person meetings are no longer a viable option, EY specialists are making a tremendous effort to remain in close contact with their people, their clients, and with the overall economy. We will be offering the following information via ey-solidarity.ch:
- A series of webcasts and best practices
- A priority assessment of COVID-19-related business challenges
- A free first-aid instruction for small and midmarket Swiss enterprises
Past webcasts
Compliance and Remote Webcast
24 November 2020, in English
Tax Compliance during
COVID-19 & beyond
Webcast video | Slide deck
Permanent Establishment and Substance Considerations for Centralized Business Models
Webcast video | Slide deck
Short Term Business Traveler
Compliance and EU Posted Workers
Webcast video | Slide deck
Shadow Payroll and Source
tax implications
Webcast video | Slide deck
Quellensteuerrevision 2021
9 July 2020, in German
Reimagining your workforce: Transforming to become a Modern Employer
3 July 2020, in English, hosted by Amy Martinez and Gerome Deplano
Mobility challenges in Africa
2 July 2020, in English, hosted by Hugh Docherty
Webcast video | Slide deck coming soon
Cross-border flexible working – the new normal
28 May 2020, in English, hosted by Hugh Docherty
Workforce resilience – what is your return to work plan?
20 and 27 May 2020, in English, hosted by Kirsten Carr-Vasey and Isabelle Staiger
COVID-19 Workforce resilience: a safe transition and reimagining the future of work
The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new era, with many challenges, as well as opportunities to achieve new energy, vision and resilience. Building trust and ensuring safety will require a ‘humans-at-the-center’ approach. Executing a trusted and safe transition to physical return and a future transformation requires a two-gear approach:
In the Transition Gear Organizations should focus on:
- Planning for a safe and healthy transition
- Profiling which people to transition when
- Protecting the workforce and keeping them engaged
Read more about a return to work planning here.
COVID-19 and payroll continuity
As companies navigate impacts of COVID-19, there are a number of key issues payroll leaders should consider, as they both seek to overcome challenges today and plan for tomorrow. Read more here.
COVID-19 is accelerating workplace change
COVID-19 is having huge impacts on the way organizations operate and it is accelerating workplace change like never before. Today, change isn’t just about reinvention, it’s about survival. How can EY help you navigate the rapid workplace change? Read more about COVID-19 accelerating workplace change here.
COVID-19: What are the HR levers to pull to support the organization manage the current financial pressures?
It is clear that COVID-19 has impacted business operations. Organizations are facing unexpected and unprecedented financial pressures and Executive teams need to act quickly to secure the future. To do this, HR leaders play a key role in driving actions and strategic planning needed to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis – in the here & how, next and beyond. To do this, HR leaders should be asking/focusing on the following: How will your organization meet the needs of employees, customers and shareholders short- and long-term? What tactics can be employed to reduce our cost base, but retain our talent? Read more here.
6 February 2020: Future of Mobility event
The future of mobility function has arrived and is undoubtedly here to stay. As we embark upon this new decade with the trends of globalization, digitalization, and transformation moving forward at full throttle, how can we instill a mindset that is focused on refining the skills required to prepare for the transformations to come? Read more about the mobility function here.
Digital Day: 700+ colorful minds
At the Swiss Digital Day 2019, the “Workforce 4.0” theme played a leading role. EY Switzerland took a playful look approach: At our booth in Zurich main station, over 700 guests expressed their #colorfulmind in our mindset game and discovered their mindset jobs of the future. But why explain when a short video says it all?