First Swiss Hospitality Award: Who are the top employers?

First Swiss Hospitality Award: Who are the top employers?

The Swiss hotel and gastronomy are in the spotlight in November 2025 when the first award ceremony for the most attractive employers in the industry takes place as part of the IHO. This important event not only presents the best employers, but also recognizes the importance of employer attractiveness in a sector that is increasingly confronted with a shortage of skilled workers. The award is on 16. November 2025 awarded, as part of the IGEO, from 15. until November 19, 2025 takes place in the Messe Basel and celebrates its 60th anniversary, as Hotel Inside

The basis for the award forms a comprehensive study, led by Prof. Dr. Sandra Rochnowski from the University of Economics and Law Berlin. She examines what makes an employer really attractive in the hotel industry. Over 30,000 data points and more than 1,000 qualitative questionnaires were recorded to identify the top companies in the Swiss hospitality industry. This initiative is not an isolated case; Rochnowski has already shared valuable knowledge at other events, including at the German Hotel Congress in February 2023.

sustainability as the key to employer attractiveness

The topic of sustainability plays a central role in this. An online Stepstone online study from 2019 has shown that over 70 % of the respondents consider sustainability to be important and almost half are willing to forego salary in order to work for a sustainable employer. This underlines the growing influence of environmental and climate protection on the decisions of workers in gastronomy, such as

The hotel industry increasingly recognizes the importance of sustainable action in order to bind employees in the long term. Companies such as the Hotel der Birkenhof and Gut Sonnenhausen actively invest in environmentally friendly measures and training for their employees. The team is included in the Hotel Klosterbräu in decisions, which promotes identification with the workplace.

With the employer attractiveness rating, initiated by Rochnowski and supported by Employer attractiveness-rechtivity-guestwelt , a valuable orientation for companies is offered. This rating will be released at the German Hotel Congress annually from 2025 and is another step to tackle the shortage of skilled workers in the catering trade.

The IGEO 2025 will not only distinguish the best employers, but also serve as a shop window for innovative approaches and sustainable strategies that are becoming increasingly important in the hospitality industry. For everyone involved, from exhibitors to specialist visitors, it will be a compulsory event that shows what the future of the hotel industry can look like.