Key Issues in Talent Satisfaction and Retention

Competitive salary and benefits are by far the strongest driver of employer choice in Hungary, both in importance and in prioritization, with pleasant work atmosphere, job security, and work-life balance following closely behind. When looking at priorities, pleasant work atmosphere, though the second most important driver, is often traded off for work-life balance and job security, whereas career progression, despite being less important overall, is prioritized at a similar level by those who value it. That is according to the Randstad Employer Brand Research 2026 study.

Researchers point out that current employers align fairly well with the ideal employer profile on the top five drivers, particularly job security, pleasant work atmosphere, and work-life balance, and even overperform on other areas such as equal opportunities and easy access to work. The largest gap is in competitive salary and benefits, which stands out as the main area where current employers underdeliver relative to talent expectations.

Generational differences
These gaps are more pronounced for certain groups. Older talent have higher expectations of the ideal employer across several core drivers, while Millennials and Gen X generally rate their current employer more positively. Work-life balance shows one of the clearest generational differences, increasing from ~50% among younger talent to ~71% among older talent, whereas career progression opportunities play a more secondary role overall.

Job security and work-life balance
In Hungary, job security is primarily anchored in reliable pay and benefits, with 76% of talent identifying this as the main factor that gives them a sense of security. Other contributors include performance recognition, career continuity, organizational and financial stability, and fair employment practices. These perceptions vary by group: younger talent link job security more to performance recognition, while older talent emphasize organizational and financial stability (~51% vs. ~42%).

Work-life balance is largely shaped by a supportive work environment, which also is reflected in the ideal employer profile where it ranks second. It is further influenced by manageable workloads, flexibility, and time off. Generational differences are evident: younger talent place more value on a positive work environment (~53%), while older talent prioritize manageable workload and expectations (~54% vs. ~43%). Flexibility is recognized as important across generations, with women placing greater emphasis on flexible work arrangements and lifestyle support (50% vs. 41% of men), while men are less influenced by these factors, suggesting these needs are particularly strong among female talent.

Secondary benefits are widely valued, led by flexible work and lifestyle programs, leave and time off, and health and wellbeing initiatives. Flexible work is consistently important across generations, while leave, health and wellbeing, and recognition-related benefits gain greater importance with age. These benefits are also more highly prioritized by female talent.

Factors to consider switching employers
Job-change intentions in Hungary outpace recent employer moves, with 30% planning to switch in the next six months compared with 16% who have recently changed jobs. Too low compensation is the strongest reason talent would leave their employer (62%) and is also the most valued aspect of the ideal employer profile. A significant gap between current experience and expectations highlights that unmet pay needs are a primary driver of attrition, particularly for older employees where 70% of Baby Boomers cite it as a reason to leave compared with 51% of Gen Z.

Career progression is another notable gap, ranking among the top four reasons for leaving but underdelivered by current employers. It is naturally more important for younger talent (30% of Gen Z) and slightly more valued by men (28%) than women (25%), while older employees place less emphasis on it (12% of Baby Boomers).

Work-life balance and a positive work environment rank highly in current employer performance but still influence attrition when expectations are unmet. Younger talent (~35%) and Gen X (37%) are more likely to leave to improve work-life balance, while older employees are more likely to cite a negative work environment (~42% vs. ~30%) or poor leadership (~30% vs. ~25%). This demonstrates that even areas of relatively strong performance carry retention risk if day-to-day experience does not fully meet talent expectations.