Systematic measurement of LMM goal attainment

In Switzerland, labour market measures (LMMs) are used to tackle impending or existing unemployment. The LMMs support the Unemployment Insurance (UI)’s goal of rapidly re-integrating insured persons into the labour market on a permanent basis.

The project ‘systematic measurement of LMM goal attainment’ aims to strengthen the transparent and targeted use of LMMs in Switzerland through systematic measurement of goal attainment. Ultimately this should result in more effective use of LMM offerings and greater chances of insured persons re-entering the labour market. On the basis of previous evaluations highlighting the optimisation potential regarding the measurement of LMM goal attainment, the project is to be implemented consistently throughout Switzerland in this area.   

Various types of LMM are used in the context of UI, including education and employment schemes and specific measures. The UI Coordination Office, which is based at SECO TC, is responsible for reviewing the success of these measures. The systematic collection of data on goal attainment is designed to equip the enforcement offices in particular with additional tools for more targeted use of LMMs and continued improvement of the LMM offering.  

As part of the project, SECO TC is planning to implement harmonised business processes for the systematic measurement of LMM goal attainment and corresponding functionalities in the information system for employment services and labour market statistics (AVAM). The project aims to establish the goal orientation of the LMMs in the individual re-integration strategy and to make the use of LMMs more transparent. Once the measures have been completed, the goals defined beforehand with the insured person are to be reviewed and the level of attainment systematically documented in AVAM.

In the project, the goals will be defined on the basis of a standardised catalogue of goals managed by SECO TC in collaboration with the enforcement offices. This catalogue is hierarchically structured and comprises topics, goal areas and individual goals. The allocation of standard goals to LMMs is usually the responsibility of the logistics centres for labour market measures. On this basis, personnel consultants can rapidly identify suitable LMMs to achieve the re-integration targets.   

Since the project was approved by SECO TC in April 2023, various conceptual work, which will be consolidated in close cooperation with user representatives from the enforcement offices, will be carried out until the end of June 2024. The aim is for a broad-based solution to be realised in the subsequent implementation phase, which will meet the requirements of the enforcement offices in terms of workability and user friendliness.