Majority of workers in Bosnia and region feel underpaid, survey finds

The survey, carried out via the Paylab platform (Plata.ba in Bosnia and Herzegovina), gathered the opinions of approximately 15,000 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.

Only 27% of respondents across the region reported being satisfied with their current salaries, while 56% said they feel underpaid. Dissatisfaction was notably higher in the Baltics and the Balkans compared to countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Estonia.

“An alarming 77% of respondents said they are considering changing jobs in the next six months, with the figure reaching as high as 90% in the Balkans,” said Jozef Plsko, Director of Public Relations and Communications at Alma Career. “This clearly reflects deep-rooted dissatisfaction—likely influenced by low salaries relative to purchasing power.”

Bosnia and Herzegovina below the average

In BiH, only 24% of respondents reported satisfaction with their pay, with 53% saying they feel undervalued considering their responsibilities. Women in the region expressed lower satisfaction levels than men—24% vs. 30%, respectively.

Age also plays a role. Respondents under 45 were generally more content than those over 45, with satisfaction rates of around 30% versus 23%, respectively. Surprisingly, dissatisfaction appears to grow with age, despite older employees typically holding higher-ranking, better-paid positions.

Among the countries surveyed, the highest satisfaction was recorded in the Czech Republic and Estonia (32%), while the lowest was in Croatia, Latvia, and Lithuania (22%).

What would make employees feel satisfied?

Survey participants were asked what kind of salary increase would make them feel fairly compensated. In Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• 40% said a raise of 21–50% would be sufficient,
• 30% wanted an increase of 11–20%,
• 11% would settle for a 6–10% raise,
• Only 6% hoped to double their salary.

Across all nine countries, 40% of respondents said an 11–20% raise would meet their expectations, while 27% would need a raise between 21–50%. Just 2% said they would only be satisfied with a salary increase of 100%.

There is a clear link between lower income and higher salary expectations. Employees with lower wages tend to expect more significant increases to feel fairly compensated.

In Central Europe (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, and Slovenia), three out of four employees would be satisfied with a raise of up to 20%. In contrast, in other surveyed countries, about half of the respondents expect more than a 20% increase—a likely reflection of wage levels relative to living costs.

High employee turnover risk in BiH and the region

The survey also examined potential employee turnover. A striking 89% of respondents in Bosnia and Herzegovina are considering looking for a new, better-paid job in the next six months—49% seriously, and 40% possibly. Only 11% said they are not planning to change jobs.

These findings point to a much higher risk of workforce instability in the Balkans and Baltic states compared to Central Europe.

Overall, 77% of respondents across the region are open to changing jobs, revealing a strong desire for better compensation and potentially signalling major HR challenges ahead for employers in the region.