The survey shows that 43% of Romanian employees are dissatisfied with their salary, and for 63% of them, a higher income would be the main reason for changing jobs. Employers are aware of the situation, but given the economic context, only 13% of them would be willing to significantly raise salaries in the coming year, while 44% say they may do so only occasionally.
The survey was conducted between April 15 – June 1 this year, among 8,898 employees aged 18-65 from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, and Hungary. The study also involved 990 HR professionals from the same countries to better understand the dynamics between employees and employers.
“The survey figures illustrate a reality we already feel: Romanian employees – as well as those from other countries in the participating areas – want higher salaries, but they are aware that the next two years will be difficult and that incomes will most likely stagnate. Human resources professionals know what people want and 44% are considering making specific adjustments, with 13% even considering significant ones. We can say that employers are increasingly aware of their employees’ needs and are adjusting their salary packages to keep their people happy, but at the same time they are keeping an eye on the economy. Whereas until recently we were talking about optimism and ambitious growth, today the key words are caution, adaptation, and balance – for both employees and employers. In an uncertain economic context, every step is carefully calculated, but it is clear that the dialogue between the two sides is becoming increasingly important,” said Costin Tudor, the CEO of Undelucram, part of the wherewework network.
72% of employees are thinking of changing jobs, 28% of them are already searching, and 44% would only take this step if a very good opportunity arose. 13% are satisfied with their current job and 8% are considering a change in 6-12 months. Moldovans are the most likely to consider a job change, with 79% of them considering it, followed by Bulgarians (74%), Greeks are tied with Romanians at 72%, and last place is taken by Hungarians, with 68% of them thinking about changing jobs.
A more attractive salary package (salary and benefits) is the main reason for choosing another job in all five countries participating in the survey. In Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria, the second biggest motivator is a flexible schedule and the possibility to work remotely, while in Greece and Hungary, the desire for a more pleasant working environment (team, manager, organizational culture) is the second most important factor. The work environment is the third-ranked factor that would make Romanians change jobs (13%), followed by professional development opportunities (6%).
Across the five participating countries, 3% of employees would choose another job for soft & life skills reasons (assertive communication, empathy, resilience).
Some 33% of Romanian respondents earn salaries below EUR 1,000; 27% earn between EUR 1,000-1,500; 18% between EUR 1,500-2,000; 14% between EUR 2,000-3,000; and 7% above EUR 3,000.
Salaries in Romania are also the highest in the region – for example, 70% of Moldovans earn less than EUR 1,000 and 6% of Hungarians earn more than EUR 3,000.
Most Romanian employees – 27% – think it would be fair to have a salary between EUR 1,500-2,000, while 18% believe their work would be worth more than EUR 3,000. 6% of employees say they would deserve a salary between EUR 500-1,000.
A significant share of Romanian employees remain dissatisfied with their salaries, as recent wage increases have not kept pace with inflation over the past two years. According to recent data, 29% of Romanian workers have received a salary increase of just 5–10% during this period, while 26% have seen no increase at all.
Currently, 43% of Romanian employees say they are dissatisfied with their salary, including 13% who are very dissatisfied. Only 27% are satisfied, while 4% report being very satisfied with their pay. The remaining 26% are neutral.
Although not the most dissatisfied in the region, Romanian employees face growing pressure from persistent inflation and relatively modest wage growth. For comparison, Greece has the highest share of employees without any pay rise in the past two years (44%), while in the Republic of Moldova, 14% of employees received salary increases of over 20%.
According to the survey, around 44% of employers in Romania are considering making targeted salary policy adjustments, 13% want to make significant ones, and 13% say they are not planning any changes.
In terms of benefits, Romanian workers most frequently receive meal vouchers (68%), private health insurance (56%), and flexible schedules or remote work options (40%). Other popular perks include performance bonuses (32%), extra holiday days (28%), team events (24%), professional training (19%), subsidized transport (18%), access to learning platforms (18%), wellness subscriptions (16%), life insurance (12%), and family health insurance (10%).
These benefits are broadly aligned with trends in neighboring countries, though private health insurance is more dominant in Greece and Bulgaria, while Hungarian employers more often offer performance bonuses, flexible work, and team events.
Around 8% of respondents across the five countries said they were receiving no benefits in addition to their salaries.
Asked what would get them to stay at their current company, Romanians mentioned a higher salary (85%), opportunities for advancement and development (52%), higher performance bonuses (45%), flexible working hours (38%), and more extensive health insurance (22%). A wage increase is the leading factor for employee retention across all countries included in the survey.
At the same time, for 21% of respondents in the five countries, empathetic, professional, non- micromanaging, fair, communicative and supportive leadership represents the main factor that makes them stay with a company for a long time.
If offered a 20% increase in total compensation through benefits rather than money, 48% said they would decide based on the type of benefits included, 31% would accept the offer directly, while 21% would refuse.
Around 51% of employees expect salaries to stagnate, while 37% anticipate moderate increases. Only 6% believe in significant rises in salary and benefits, and 5% expect income reductions. In Greece, Bulgaria, and Hungary, the majority also expect stagnation, while in the Republic of Moldova, most employees count on moderate growth.
Asked what they would add to their current package, 50% of Romanian employees would choose a flexible benefits budget (a monthly budget employees can use according to personal needs: sports, health, education, transport, etc.), 48% would opt for additional vacation days, 44% for holiday cards or cultural vouchers, and 43% for a more flexible work schedule (work from anywhere). Other preferred additions include a development budget (36%), extended medical insurance (34%), and subscriptions to sports, wellness, therapy or nutrition services, as well as support for parents (25%).
In Romania, the flexible benefits budget is the most preferred option for improving the salary package, in line with trends across the region.
According to HR specialists, the average monthly value of employee benefits in Romania most often falls between EUR 100–200 (34% of responses), followed by EUR 200–400 (23%). Around 21% say benefits are worth EUR 50–100, while 12% offer under EUR 50. A small share (6%) report benefits exceeding EUR 400 per month, and 3% say their employees receive no benefits at all.
Looking ahead, 48% of Romanian HR professionals do not plan changes to benefit structures in the next two years, while 33% are considering introducing new benefits. Around 12% aim to increase the benefits budget, and 6% anticipate cuts.