Competition for qualified specialists is increasing. Employers in the social sector are also feeling the effects of the skills shortage. In order to retain employees and recruit new ones, a positive and appreciative workplace culture is more important than ever in this sector. One company that serves as a role model for a positive work culture is the Heimgärten Aargau Foundation.
For the third time in a row - in 2023, 2024 and now 2025 - our project manager Francine Kräuchi accompanied the Heimgärten Aargau Foundation and repeatedly presented it with the prestigious Excellence@work Award. The Employer Award is recognition for the Heimgärten Aargau Foundation, which makes it one of the best employers in Switzerland.
We would like to congratulate the managing directors, Regula Schär and Sina Debrunner, and all employees on this great success in their employee survey Being named one of the best employers in Switzerland once again is the result of consistent work on our corporate culture.
A big thank you also goes to the competent project manager, Francine Kräuchi, for her tireless efforts in this employee survey.
Among the best employers in Switzerland in 2025
In its 2025 staff survey, Heimgärten Aargau achieved a very commendable motivation score of 88 points. This is well above the external benchmark of 69 points determined by ValueQuest across numerous companies in the social and healthcare sector. The foundation is therefore one of the best employers in Switzerland in 2025.
| Key figure | Requirement | Home gardens Aargau 2025 | External benchmark |
| Participation rate | at least 80 % | 84 % | 75% |
| Motivation | at least 80 points | 88 points | 69 points |
The high participation rate of 84% reflects a high level of commitment on the part of employees. 84 percent of employees completed the questionnaire.
High response rates generally indicate that employees feel taken seriously, trust the employee satisfaction survey process and want to actively develop their workplace. Read more about what the response rate in an employee survey says about your corporate culture here.
Motivated employees: Top 4 factors for the Heimgärten Aargau Foundation
The detailed evaluation of the employee survey shows where the strengths of Heimgärten Aargau lie. The following were rated particularly highly:
- Direct superiors (93 points): Managers enjoy a high level of trust. Such a high rating for leadership culture indicates a strong, trusting relationship between managers and employees. Read here why the quality of leadership determines employee retention.
- Fairness and responsibility (90 points): Employees perceive the working environment as fair and feel valued in their responsible work. Fairness is a key factor for long-term employee retention.
- Work content and meaningful work (88 points): The meaningful activity and the opportunity to make a positive contribution to people and society are a key motivator for employees. Working with women with mental disabilities requires not only professional expertise, but also empathy and patience.
- Health and stress (88 points): The foundation appears to be successful in ensuring a healthy working atmosphere despite the demanding work in the social sector. Particularly in an industry in which workload is the most common reason for dismissal, this score shows that Heimgärten Aargau acts preventively and takes care of the health of its employees.
88% of employees act as ambassadors for Heimgärten Aargau. They speak positively about their workplace, actively recommend it to others and thus make a significant contribution to the foundation's good reputation.
Company profile: Stiftung Heimgärten Aargau
The Heimgärten Aargau Foundation is active in the social services sector and operates three locations in Aarau, Brugg and Kölliken. As a facility for inpatient and outpatient care, the foundation offers living space for women with mental disabilities. The organization thus belongs to the area of residential facilities for people with disabilities and provides social support and care for a vulnerable target group.
Facts and figures
📍 3 locations in Aarau, Brugg and Kölliken
👥 97 Employees create an appreciative working environment
🏆 Awarded 3 times in a row with our employer award Excellence@work (2023, 2024, 2025)
The Heimgärten Aargau Foundation offers a wide range of services, from various forms of housing such as residential groups, shared flats and studios to outpatient support. The approximately 97 employees create an environment in which the clients can live independently.
In the day structure, the women work in various areas, from painting and handicrafts to needlework, sewing, cooking and housekeeping. The Heimgärten Aargau Foundation is recognized by the canton of Aargau and has a service contract that ensures co-financing by the canton.
Certificate for the best employers in Switzerland
The Excellence@work Award is only presented to companies that employee survey with ValueQuest achieve an employee motivation of at least 80 index points and at the same time have a participation rate of over 80 percent. This employer award is therefore based exclusively on genuine evaluations and makes employer quality visible independently and transparently.
As the leading provider and service provider for employee surveys in Switzerland, ValueQuest offers a professional tool for surveying employees and enables an objective comparison with other companies through benchmarking. Around 10 percent of the companies surveyed clear the high hurdle and receive the award.
The award is based exclusively on anonymous feedback from participating employees. There is no self-assessment or embellished descriptions. This makes the award particularly credible for employees and applicants.
Why regular employee surveys make sense
The recurring staff surveys at the Heimgärten Aargau Foundation show why it makes sense to sensible is useful, to survey employees on a regular basis. Since 2023, the organization has conducted an annual employee survey carried out. This continuous survey of employees makes it possible to monitor developments, take the pulse of employees, review measures and react to changes in good time.
More information on the frequency of employee surveys.
The use of a professional tool and the support of an experienced service service provider ensure that the survey is scientifically sound and the results are meaningful. The anonymity of the survey creates trust and encourages employees to give honest feedback.
Swiss employer with a role model function in the social sector
The social services sector, particularly inpatient and outpatient care and residential facilities for people with disabilities, is considered to be particularly demanding and challenging for employees. A study on the skills situation in the social sector in Switzerland from 2024 shows the scale of the challenges: The staff turnover rate is 22%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 16%. Almost 40% of employees have been with the company for less than three years.
The three most common reasons for resignation in the social sector are workload, salary expectations and the desire for a new direction. High emotional stress, a shortage of skilled workers and often difficult working conditions also characterize the picture. According to a study by the Association Commission for the Social Sector, half a million workers will be lost in Switzerland by 2030, and around 1.3 million by 2050.
It is all the more remarkable when an organization in the field of social care and nursing is so clearly above average. The Heimgärten Aargau Foundation proves that good working conditions and high-quality care work in residential facilities for people with disabilities are not a contradiction in terms.
The Heimgärten Aargau Foundation shows how an appreciative work culture works - even and especially in a demanding sector such as social services. At a time when workload, diverging salary expectations and the desire for a new direction are the most common reasons for resignation, the foundation relies on a positive management culture, fair working conditions and meaningful work.
Congratulations on this award!
Article published on November 27, 2025
About Dr. Kathrin Neumüller
Dr. oec. HSG Kathrin Neumüller is Co-Managing Director at ValueQuest and an expert in employee inspiration and empowerment. She also teaches strategic management in the MBA program at the ZHAW. She holds a doctorate from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and studied at the University of Cambridge. Learn more about Kathrin
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