The majority of Swiss workers are employed in the service sector, mostly in business and finance and tourism. Chemical and pharmaceutical production and mechanical engineering/metals are the main branches of the industrial sector. The importance of agriculture for the economy is in decline.

The service sector with its commercial and financial centre provides employment for the majority of Switzerland's workers. Alongside banking and insurance, commodity trading is an important sector. Tourism also plays a key role for much of Switzerland's Alpine region especially.

Agriculture is important for tourism because it has shaped Switzerland's countryside and traditions. Although the sector is in decline, it still produces the majority of the food consumed in Switzerland.

The two main branches of the industrial sector – chemicals and pharmaceuticals and mechanical/electrical engineering and metals – have a strong export focus. The watchmaking industry is Switzerland’s third largest exporter and is renowned worldwide for its high quality, tradition and innovation.