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Precision and Professionalism: Inside Switzerland’s World of Domestic Service
In this episode, Ben W sits down with Laurine Mallet, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet International, to explore the unique dynamics of Switzerland’s domestic service market.
Laurine reveals how Switzerland’s currency, geography, and cultural preferences create distinct hiring challenges and opportunities that set it apart from neighboring European countries.
- Learn why Swiss households predominantly request live-in staff and how this affects recruitment strategies.
- Discover how Switzerland’s salary structure and taxation make it the highest-paying European market for household staff.
- Understand the cultural importance of discretion and multitasking abilities in Swiss domestic service placements.
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Through detailed examples including a multi-year placement with an ultra-high-net-worth family, Laurine demonstrates how Switzerland’s unique position outside the EU creates both opportunities and challenges.
She explains the role of Geneva as the primary hub for international clients, the importance of work permits, and how the agency navigated salary misunderstandings that nearly derailed a successful long-term placement.
Key Takeaways
• Switzerland offers the highest household staff salaries in Europe with significantly lower tax burdens compared to neighboring countries, making it highly attractive to candidates.
• Swiss families predominantly request live-in positions and prioritize discretion above all other character traits, reflecting cultural preferences.
• Geneva serves as the main hub for Swiss household staffing due to its international business community, banks, and airport connections.
• Work permits are essential before applying for Swiss positions, unlike some EU countries where documentation can be processed after hiring.
• Different cantons have varying tax rules and applications, requiring specialized legal advice for proper salary calculations and compliance.
Full Transcript:
Transcript
How Morgan & Mallet Began
Ben W
Hello, Morgan & Mallet podcast listeners. Today we have Laurine, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet, and we are covering hiring in Switzerland and how it differs from the rest of Europe. Laurine, could you tell us a bit about yourself and why you started the agency?
Laurine
We created the company 12 years ago. I worked as a nanny when I was young, and after living in London for three or four years I discovered nanny and household staff agencies there. Morgan Richez was a friend of mine who worked as a private chauffeur. After our experiences with agencies, we wanted to build our own company with our French etiquette, our experience, and our values. Above all, we wanted to follow up with clients and candidates during the recruitment.
I did recruitment myself for eight or nine years and loved it. I met so many people, and it was a great human experience. What I love now is working on the development of the company and communicating with all our teams around the world.
Ben W
I remember you telling me about your London experience. The agency gave you the address and never checked in again, and you realized this could be done a lot better.
Laurine
Exactly. In my longest position, the agency may have called me on the first day, but there was no follow-up after that. The family told me they never heard from the agency either. I was really surprised, especially in an industry providing high-standard service to wealthy households.
What Makes the Swiss Market Different
Ben W
What makes the Swiss domestic employment market unique compared with the rest of Europe?
Laurine
First, the currency is different, and salaries are really different compared to France, Monaco, or Belgium. The cost of living is high, so salaries are higher to match. And Switzerland does not really feel part of Europe, which changes the communication too.
The difference shows in salaries, rent, and suppliers. That is why many candidates stay in France near the border and work in Switzerland. They get a Swiss salary with French living costs.
Legal Framework and Swiss Expectations
Ben W
How does Switzerland’s legal framework differ from the European Union on employment regulations?
Laurine
Every country in Europe has its own rules, so belonging to the EU does not make them the same. Only France and Monaco are really similar. Switzerland has its own rules on things like ending a contract, but the gap is not bigger than between other European countries.
Ben W
What expectations do Swiss families have that set them apart from other employers?
Laurine
They ask much more for live-in positions. When clients request live-in, it is because they can provide separate accommodation, often bought as part of the main property. It is a real pattern in Switzerland.
Ben W
Live-in positions are usually harder to fill. Does that make hiring in Switzerland more challenging?
Laurine
Not really, because candidates want to work in Switzerland. Salaries come first, and the country itself is attractive. Candidates are much happier to take a live-in role in Switzerland than in France. If you see a live-in position in Switzerland with a higher salary than Belgium or France, you are much more motivated to apply.
Salaries and Taxes
Ben W
In the UK, 30 to 40 percent of gross salary goes to taxes and insurance. What is the situation in Switzerland?
Laurine
For the candidate, the gap between gross and net is not big. And for the employer, the charges are nowhere near as heavy as in Belgium or France.
Ben W
So it is not only a high gross salary. Candidates keep far more of their wage than in France or Belgium. From the salary report Morgan & Mallet produced in December, Switzerland was the only country with higher nanny salaries than the US.
Laurine
A full-time nanny in Switzerland starts at a minimum of 5,500 francs a month. In the US it can start from 7,000 dollars, and one recent request we worked on was 110,000 dollars a year. But the cost of living in the US is very high too. New York is very expensive compared to France or even Switzerland, and even office costs are far higher than in Europe.
Discretion and the Swiss Character
Ben W
How important are the typically Swiss qualities of precision, organization, and formality for private households there?
Laurine
Clients often ask for someone multitasking and versatile, whether it is a nanny, a housekeeper, or a chauffeur. But the most frequent request in Switzerland is discretion. Every country asks for it, but in Switzerland clients say it first: I want someone discreet. I think it is cultural.
Background Checks and References
Ben W
How strict is the process for background checks and reference verification in Switzerland?
Laurine
It works like most of Europe. For references we ask for the working contract confirming the years with each family, like the P45 in the UK, and we check the last three employments. For the criminal record, the candidate applies on the government website. It is free and arrives within 48 hours.
The US is completely different. You cannot check a criminal record before presenting a candidate, because of anti-discrimination rules. You verify documents and the driving license first, and the criminal record and some references come at the end. The fines are really high if you break the rules, so every agency in the US adapts. In Switzerland, like the UK and France, you can check everything in advance.
Languages, Candidates, and Cantons
Ben W
Which languages are most valuable for household staff in Switzerland, and do you get many Swiss candidates?
Laurine
French first, then German and Italian. English is requested less. The client base is largely local, and the candidates are roughly half Swiss and half from surrounding countries: French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
Ben W
Is there much difference in employment practice between cantons like Zurich, Geneva, and Vaud?
Laurine
Yes, taxes and their application differ between cantons. We work with a Swiss tax advisor who advises the company, and the process for each canton is built into our internal tools. So when a recruiter prepares a quotation or advises on a salary, the canton-specific rules are already there.
Advice for Candidates and Why Geneva Leads
Laurine
For candidates, the first thing is your papers. Make sure you are able to work in Switzerland before you apply, just as you would for France or the US. Then be aware of rent prices and the cost of living so you are not surprised, and decide exactly which canton you want.
When I did recruitment myself, most of my Swiss work was in Geneva, with some in Lausanne. Geneva is where clients mostly live, because of the airport, the international connections, and the banks.
A Placement That Grew Into a Family Network
Laurine
One family I recruited for started in Switzerland and later extended to France. They are ultra high net worth, well known in our industry, and they asked me for a cook chef. It had to be a very high-level profile, but also someone humble and flexible in his mindset. I found a chef who had spent more than 12 years with another ultra-high-net-worth family and wanted a new experience.
There was a real misunderstanding over the salary, between net and gross and the taxes, and I had to manage it so the chef was not frustrated and the client did not feel taken advantage of. He started, he was very happy, and seven years later he still works for the client. I am still in touch with every candidate I have found a role for.
And it became one family network. The mother was the first client, then her son called me for his property, then her daughter, and so on. Across all their properties we have found more than 10 staff for that one family. When the communication is that good with everyone, it is a wonderful part of the job.
Ben W
A brilliant story to end on. Laurine, thank you very much for your time.
Laurine
Thank you, thanks a lot, have a good day.