Labour shortage and how to find employees in Romania

The economic recovery after the crisis ten years ago, as well as the massive migration of Romanian workers to Western European countries, have generated the largest labor shortage in recent history on the local market.

Employers are forced either to offer consistent wage packages – which include higher salaries and bonuses, but also flexibility and other benefits such as health insurance, private pensions or profit-sharing - or to look for workers outside the country. Romania has a workforce deficit of one million people, and the Government is considering eliminating taxes to simplify access for foreign workers on the local market, finance minister Eugen Teodorovici recently said. Employers in Romania are willing to consider 15% higher wages to attract talent, according to the Randstad HR Trends, Romania 2018 study. More than two-thirds (71%) of the companies plan to hire for permanent jobs, and most of the available positions are in sales, production and IT. Most companies (94%) complain about the candidates’ lack of qualification. "A competitive wage package is considered the most important factor in attracting top talent by 74% of surveyed employers. It is closely followed by a good work-life balance and a high level of job security. A strong employer brand and a clear mission with a profound purpose are also considered to be important by over 35% of respondents. A non-competitive payroll is considered the main reason why companies fail to attract talent. This is followed by poor leadership and lack of opportunities for career development within the company", the report notes.