More than half of Romanian employees are dissatisfied with their salaries, while 57% say they are open to changing jobs within the next six months, according to a new survey conducted by Undelucram.ro as part of a regional study by the wherewework group. The survey also found that 64% of respondents would accept a new job primarily for a higher salary.

The study gathered responses from 5,173 professionals across Romania between March 30 and April 30, covering industries including banking, IT, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare.

“The data from Romania tells a story of slow-burning pressure. Half of employees are dissatisfied, more than half are open to leaving, and the conversation about artificial intelligence is happening everywhere, except in formal HR communications. Employers who acknowledge what their teams already know - that the nature of work has changed - will retain the talent that will define the next decade,” said Costin Tudor, CEO of wherewework Group.

According to the survey, 52% of Romanian respondents are dissatisfied with their current salary, including 19.2% who said they are “very dissatisfied.” At the same time, 46.5% believe they are not fairly compensated for their work, while 55.7% said their pay is below market levels compared with colleagues with similar experience.

The survey also found growing financial pressure among employees. Around 44.8% identified the gap between wages and the cost of living as their main source of stress, while 22.5% pointed to rising day-to-day expenses. 

More than a third of respondents, 34.8%, said their salary only covers basic expenses or does not fully cover them, while only 5% described themselves as having a high level of financial comfort.

The survey also found that 43.3% of Romanian employees feel their purchasing power has weakened compared with a year ago.

Meanwhile, job mobility intentions remain high, with 25.2% of respondents actively searching for a new job and another 31.7% saying they would leave for an attractive opportunity. Salary was by far the main factor influencing a potential move, cited by 64% of participants.

The study also highlighted mixed perceptions regarding artificial intelligence in the workplace. While 21.8% of respondents see AI mainly as a productivity tool, 33.4% expect it to significantly reshape their work tasks, and 17.5% view it as a potential threat.

Concerns about layoffs also remain elevated, with 54.5% of Romanian respondents expressing some level of anxiety about job security.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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