Randstad Romania Workmonitor 2026 Study: 82% of Romanians choose their job based on salary, but work-life balance keeps them loyal
Half of them consider a second job as economic caution deepens, and turn to AI for professional advice
- 43% of talent would quit jobs that didn’t fit their personal lives
- Job vacancies requiring AI skills have risen by 1.587%
- 50% of employees turn to AI for professional advice
- The linear career is replaced by "portfolio career"
Pay is the top factor for 82% of Romanian employees when looking for a new job, while work-life balance has overtaken salary and job security as the main reason for staying in their current role, reveals data from Workmonitor 2026 Research conducted by Randstad Romania, a leader in the human resources services market. 47% of Romanian employees say they have taken on or are looking to take on a second job, well above the global average of 40%. At the same time, one third report increasing or planning to increase their working hours in their current role — up from one in five employees in 2025. These findings signal a more cautious workforce focused on income stability and personal well-being over professional mobility.
"As with every edition, Randstad Romania's flagship report captures insightful human resources trends and needs. In a context marked by economic uncertainty and rising living costs, Romanian talent has become increasingly pragmatic — actively navigating their own career paths and seeking greater control over their professional future. This shift is creating a clear tension in today’s workplace: while employers acknowledge that autonomy drives performance, many still struggle to operationalize it in practice. At the same time, in an environment where half of employees turn to AI for professional advice, leadership models must evolve to remain relevant and credible,” says Dagmara Chudzińska-Matysiak, Managing Director, Randstad Romania.
Economic pressure drives secondary income and longer working hours
With greater economic strain on both businesses and employees, traditional work formats are becoming increasingly fluid. Beyond the 47% exploring second jobs (compared to the global average of 40%), around one third of respondents say they have increased or plan to increase their working hours in their current role — up from one in five employees in 2025.
While 82% of talent cite pay as the most important factor when looking for a new job, work-life balance (48%) remains the main reason for staying in their current role — ahead of pay (30%) and job security (17%).
Compared to last year, Romanian employees appear more risk-averse than in previous years. Fewer respondents report requesting pay rises or threatening to quit to negotiate better conditions. Dissatisfaction no longer translates as quickly into resignation, and even a lack of belonging — traditionally a strong driver for moving on — is also less motivation to consider leaving than in 2025. For employers, diversifying work formats and ensuring a sense of security are now the ultimate levers for retention.
The traditional career ladder replaced by "portfolio career"
Employers increasingly value skills and experience over formal qualifications (80%) and consider the traditional linear career path — one career or company with regular promotions — outdated. Nearly two in five (37%) say they want a “portfolio career,” moving across sectors and roles throughout their professional life (global: 38%). At the same time, 42% still prefer a traditional linear career path (global: 41%).
Flexibility remains a decisive factor for Romanians: 40% would not accept a new job without location flexibility, 42% would refuse a role without working-hours flexibility (global: 43% for both). 43% of employees say they have left jobs that did not fit their personal lives (global: 39%), while 30% resigned because they lacked independence in how they performed their work (global: 25%).
In comparison, 75% of employers agree that greater autonomy leads to higher engagement, productivity and retention (vs. 72% globally). However, 85% do not allow employees to set their own schedules.
Romanians value trust and collaboration
The workplace is under pressure, yet remains a balancing force in an increasingly unpredictable economic environment. Trust is the key to stability: over 70% of Romanian employees trust their company’s leadership and their colleagues. More than 60% have a strong relationship with their manager, and feel more connected to him/her more than to the company as a whole. Yet, 50% of them use AI for work advice instead of consulting their manager.
Collaboration is another appreciated value: 84% feel more productive when collaborating (global: 78%), 77% rely on intergenerational collaboration (global: 74%). 100% view generational diversity as a productivity lever and want to see management spend more time improving team collaboration (global: 90%).
Closing the AI reality gap: training demand and job displacement fears
AI adoption has accelerated significantly over the past year, evolving from the experimental stage to a core business tool. 80% of employers, particularly in technology and logistics, invested in this direction in the last 12 months.
Demand for AI skills continues to rise. Dedicated training ranks among the top three desired learning areas, increasing from 40% to 44% year-on-year. Two-thirds of employees want greater investment in AI skills development from their employers.
While AI-related job postings have surged dramatically, with vacancies requiring specific skills rising by 1,587%, 21% of Romanians believe AI will not affect their job at all and 34% fear their role may disappear within the next five years. 70% of employers estimate it will impact workplace tasks, compared to 48% of employees.
63% consider that AI makes their job easier and enables them to focus on more fulfilling tasks, yet 44% believe the primary beneficiaries of its adoption will be companies rather than employees. However, they are somewhat unclear about the structural implications of new technologies on their own roles and future careers.
About Randstad
Randstad is a global talent leader with the vision to be 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 workforces that they need to succeed in a talent scarce world. We help people secure meaningful roles, develop relevant skills and find purpose and belonging in their workplace. Through the value we create, we are committed to a better and more sustainable future for all.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Randstad operates in 39 markets and has approximately 40,000 employees. In 2024, we supported over 1.7 million talent to find work and generated a revenue of € 24.1 billion. Randstad N.V. is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, see www.randstad.com
Randstad Romania has a presence in Bucharest, Slatina, Sibiu, Brașov, and Timișoara, serving companies seeking an HR partner with in-depth market insights, world-class tools, and local expertise to meet their workforce needs, from recruitment to temporary employment, international mobility, outsourcing, development programs, outplacement, and consulting. With an enthusiastic team of over 100 professionals and more than 2,500 hires annually, Randstad Romania has contributed locally to the evolution of the labour market for over 9 years. For more details, visit www.randstad.ro.
About Workmonitor
The Randstad Workmonitor 2026 explores the views of working people in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. The survey was conducted between 10 and 28 October 2025 among 27,062 workers, and between 9 and 30 October 2025 among 1,225 employers, across 35 markets. For this research, Randstad partnered with Evalueserve, a global research and analysis firm. Secondary data was compiled by Randstad Market Intelligence from over 3 million job postings. The Romanian edition was conducted online among 500 employees aged 18 to 67.