Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research 2026: Half of Romanian Employees Believe They Are Underpaid

• 28% of employees intend to change their job in the first half of 2026, more than double the number of those who actually changed jobs in 2025.
• More than a quarter of employees are actively looking for another job out of fear of losing their current one.

Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research 2026:

• Half of Romanian Employees Believe They Are Underpaid
• Over a Quarter Are Looking for Another Job out of Fear of Losing Their Current One
• Companies with State-of-the-Art Technology are Employees’ Favorites

Salary, the most critical criterion for accepting a job offer, remains the primary vulnerability for employers in Romania: only 51% of Romanian employees believe their salary is sufficient, according to the Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research 2026. Compared to the European average (58%), Romania experiences higher wage pressure, with salary being the main driver for choosing an employer for 67% of Romanians. This percentage increases with the age of the workforce. While salary is a priority for 64% of Generation Z respondents, the figure climbs to 71% among generations with more work experience.

“This year’s data from the Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research shows a moderate increase in the intention to change jobs, while actual mobility experiences a slight decline. Salary remains an essential factor for talent, but it does not work in isolation: organizational culture and the employee experience are becoming complementary elements that reinforce the employer value proposition and support long-term staff retention,” states Dagmara Chudzińska-Matysiak, Country Manager of the human resources services company Randstad Romania.

Top Most Attractive Employers in Romania in 2026

According to the 4,030 respondents of the Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research 2026, Microsoft takes the top spot on the podium once again this year, reconfirming its status as a tech leader and remaining the preferred destination for professionals seeking innovation and a future-oriented work environment. Second place is occupied by ZF Lifetec (TRW), while third place goes to British American Shared Services Europe.

Several companies are already successfully meeting employee expectations and standing out as top employers in their respective sectors: IT / Technology – Microsoft, Services – British American Shared Services Europe, Automotive Parts Manufacturing – ZF Lifetec, Automotive Manufacturing – Ford Otosan, Production/Manufacturing – Makita, Pharmaceutical Production & Distribution – Gedeon Richter, FMCG – J.T. International, Telecom – Digi, Finance – Banca Transilvania, Logistics – Delamode Romania, Oil & Gas – OMV Petrom, Retail – eMAG.

Top employers in Romania are highly valued by the workforce for their state-of-the-art technology. However, what truly sets them apart in the eyes of talent is a combination of solid management, strong leadership, and an excellent reputation, which builds trust and credibility among Romanians.

Depending on the nature of their role within an organization, employees value company offerings differently:

• Digital Roles: 69% prioritize work-life balance, and 57% mention a reasonable workload as an essential factor. 72% of them work fully or partially remote.
• Operational Roles: Talent in operational roles focuses more on job security (60%) and salary (73%). They predominantly work on-site (39%), which influences their work-life balance preferences, leading them to place higher value on leaves/vacations and the workplace atmosphere.
• Professional Roles: Professionals pay close attention to career opportunities (58% consider progression essential), recognition, and organizational culture.

These variations across specializations reflect preferences in work design rather than fundamentally different expectations. Consequently, employers do not need to redefine their value proposition, but rather adapt its execution for each specific talent category.

Intention to Leave — Twice as High as Actual Mobility

The Randstad Romania Employer Brand Research 2026 identifies a gap between employees’ declared intention to resign and their actual behavior. While 28% of respondents intend to change their job in the first half of 2026, more than double the number of people actually took this step in the last half of 2025. This gap indicates a phase where employees are evaluating options rather than taking action, highlighting the need for employers to focus more heavily on retention tools.

The main reasons why talent desires to leave their current workplace are:

1. Insufficient compensation (49%),
2. Lack of professional growth opportunities (37%),
3. Desire to improve work-life balance (30%),
4. Fear of losing their job (26%),
5. Feeling of not being fairly rewarded (26%).

Conversely, the study identifies two areas where the offering of Romanian employers aligns well with employee expectations: job security (7 out of 10 employees evaluate their current employer positively on this criterion) and equal opportunities. A sense of security is primarily built on financial foundations: 71% of respondents associate it with fair and consistent payment of salaries and benefits, followed by performance recognition, career continuity, organizational and financial stability, transparent communication, and trust.

The Gap Between the Ideal and Current Employer Profile

The research highlights an interesting discrepancy between the main elements that define the profile of an ideal employer versus the evaluation of the current employer, with a major divergence regarding the ranking of an attractive salary and benefits.

Expectations Across Generations Differ

The study highlights several generational differences:

• Generation Z (1997–2012) emphasizes equal opportunities, professional development, and flexibility. They are the most active in job seeking, with 35% having changed jobs in the last six months.
• Millennials (1981–1996) prioritize security (63%) and represent the most positive generation toward their current employer.
• Generation X (1965–1980) prioritizes salary and organizational stability (56% consider it a primary element of job security). They are also the most affected by the fear of job loss: 30% vs. 23% among Generation Z.

The Randstad Employer Brand Research identifies the most attractive employers from thousands of companies, utilizing a methodology refined over more than 26 years of global analysis. The 2026 edition covered 34 markets, representing more than 75% of the global economy. In Romania, the research was conducted via online interviews in January, surveying a sample of 4,030 respondents from the active population.

About Randstad

Randstad is a global leader in the talent industry, with the vision of becoming the world’s most equitable and specialized talent company. As a partner for talent and through our four specializations — Operational, Professional, Digital, and Enterprise — we provide clients with the high-quality, diverse, and agile workforce they need to succeed in a world marked by talent scarcity. We help people secure meaningful roles, develop relevant skills, and find purpose and a sense of belonging at work. Through the value we create, we are committed to building a better and more sustainable future for all.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Randstad operates across 39 markets and employs approximately 40,000 people. In 2024, we supported over 1.7 million talents in finding employment and generated €24.1 billion in revenue. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. For more information, visit www.randstad.com.

Randstad Romania has a presence in Bucharest, Slatina, Sibiu, Brașov, and Timișoara, serving companies looking for an HR partner with deep market insights, globally recognized tools, and local expertise for their workforce needs — ranging from recruitment to temporary staffing, international mobility, outsourcing, development programs, outplacement, and consultancy. With an enthusiastic team of over 100 professionals and more than 2,500 placements per year, Randstad Romania has been contributing locally to the evolution of the labor market for over 9 years. For more details, please visit www.randstad.ro.