Hungary: wage tensions and skilled manpower shortages

Hungary is facing the paradox of high unemployment combined with businesses struggling to hire and keep skilled workers. The leverage factor being used currently is salary levels. A certain number of big businesses such as Auchan and KIKA have started to respond and are raising their employees’ wages in order to stop them leaving. Negotiations with the unions are probably going to be tough in those sectors where wages have traditionally been low.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Lack of skilled labor. Officially, unemployment in Q4 2015 dropped to 6.2% as compared with 7.1% for the same period in 2014. However the Central Statistics Office indicated that when public works are taken into account, unemployment actually rose from 11.1% to 11.3%. More than 10,000 jobs will remain unfilled because of the low level of wages. In fact, on the basis of purchasing power parity, average salaries in Hungary are roughly 30% lower than the EU average, and in addition, 2/3 of Hungari

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
TRENDS IN 2026 — Reducing workplace absence at all costs: a major challenge for Europe
Workplace absence is on the rise across Europe, particularly among women, older employees and, since the Covid-19 pandemic, young people under the age of 30. Faced with this growing problem, some...
14 January 2026
Italy: banking group Intesa Sanpaolo sharpens focus on quality of life at work
Over the Christmas period Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, penned with trade unions a deal to renew the first part of the company agreement, covering work-life balance, inclusion, parenthood...
14 January 2026
Vincent Lecerf (Orange): “Equality and diversity are competitive advantages for us”
Following the signing of a new agreement on professional equality and diversity in December, the chief HR officer of French multinational telecommunications corporation Orange Group, Vincent...
13 January 2026
United Kingdom: government urged to legislate against forced labour
After consulting victims, businesses and NGOs, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) has published a report showing that the UK is lagging behind in the fight against forced labour. The...
13 January 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
EU: social partners in telecoms sign joint statement on AI
On 16 December, the social partners in Europe's telecommunications sector unveiled a joint statement on artificial intelligence. They propose an action plan for skills and commit to raising...
18 December 2025
2
Italy: collective agreement for rubber and plastics sector focuses on new skills
A month ahead of schedule, the Federazione Gomma Plastica employers' organisation and the Filctem-Cgil, Femca-Cisl and Uiltec trade unions have renewed the collective agreement for the rubber and...
5 January 2026
3
France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026
4
Italy: banking group Intesa Sanpaolo sharpens focus on quality of life at work
Over the Christmas period Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, penned with trade unions a deal to renew the first part of the company agreement, covering work-life balance, inclusion, parenthood...
14 January 2026