Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. PwC Romania Survey: Share of companies anticipating...

PwC Romania Survey: Share of companies anticipating staff reduction this year increases to 11% 

February 27, 2025

The share of companies anticipating staff reduction this year increased to 11% in January 2025, from 2% in January 2024, according to the HR Barometer survey conducted by PwC Romania.Although, overall, there are more employers (47%) who anticipate an increase in the number of employees, as well as stagnation (42%), the percentage of companies expecting staff reductions has significantly increased this year compared to the same period in 2024."Measures to increase taxation, taken by the government to reduce the budget deficit, such as the elimination of tax breaks for IT, agriculture, and construction, as well as the slowdown in national economic growth and that of other countries, have begun to change the dynamics of the labour market. In addition, the business environment is expecting new fiscal measures. As a result, companies are feeling increasing pressure on their budgets, which is reflected in the inability to compensate for the tax breaks eliminated by the state, reduced salary increases for this year, and even staff reductions," the study shows.At the beginning of 2024, the Retail, FMCG, and Distribution sectors were the only ones reporting staff reductions of 14%, according to the HR Barometer. In January 2025, this sector continues to estimate a 17% reduction in staff for the year.In 2025, other sectors also appeared in the survey, indicating plans for staff reductions. Thus, 45% of respondents in the IT and telecom sectors anticipate a reduction in the number of employees, and 7% foresee stagnation in their workforce, compared to last year when no employers in this sector estimated declines. Additionally, 81% of respondents anticipated growth, and 19% stagnation.Also, compared to the HR Barometer from January 2024, when the majority of companies (92%) in the pharmaceutical sector expected growth and the remaining 8% anticipated stagnation, the survey at the beginning of this year shows that 22% of companies in the pharmaceutical sector estimate a decrease in staff numbers. Staff reductions are also anticipated in the automotive industry (22%), manufacturing (15%), and financial services (13%).Regarding salary budgets, the general market estimated salary increases of 7.3% in 2025, compared to the previous year when the increase was 11.6%. Most salary increases are influenced by the individual performance of the employee, followed by company performance and market evolution. Only one in four employers adjusts salaries or grants bonuses to reflect inflation or the rising cost of living.The HR Barometer survey was conducted by PwC Romania between January 14 and 20, 2025, based on information provided by 130 participating companies from IT and Telecom (22%), outsourced services (17%), financial services (12%), industrial products (10%), consumer goods, distribution (9%), retail (9%), pharmaceuticals (7%), automotive (7%), and construction (2%).  

Read in full - click here
Council of Europe anti-torture committee signals serious deficiencies in Romanian forensic psychiatric hospitals

A report published on Wednesday, October 15, by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (or CPT) urges Romanian authorities to address serious shortcomings in the treatment and conditions of detention of patients in forensic psychiatric hospitals. The deficiencies in the Romanian system were identified by the Committee representatives during a visit […]

Romanian electricity distributor Electrica completes Satu Mare 2 photovoltaic park

The state-owned Electrica (BVB: EL), one of the main players in Romania’s energy sector, completed the Satu Mare 2 photovoltaic park, a strategic project that marks an important step in diversifying the production portfolio. Located near the commune of Botiz, Satu Mare County, the park has an installed capacity of 27.056 MW and represents an […]

Western Romania: Artifacts from Italian museums in Timișoara exhibition on Pompeii

More than 100 items, ranging from frescoes and paintings to sculptures, photographs, and other rare artifacts from Italian museums, will go on display in Timișoara for an exhibition looking at the city of Pompeii. Titled The Fragility of the Eternal. From Pompeii to the Grand Tour to Today, the exhibition will be open from November […]

Romanian-born robotics startup in London secures USD 165 mln funding

Robotics startup Dexory, founded in London by Romanians Andrei Dănescu, Adrian Negoiţă, and Oana Jinga, has secured new Series C funding of USD 165 million, according to an announcement made on LinkedIn and quoted by Ziarul Financiar. The company has developed an autonomous robot, the tallest in the world, reaching 16 meters, and a platform designed […]

NEPI Rockcastle inaugurates its first PV park in Romania as part of EUR 110 mln green energy plan

NEPI Rockcastle, Central and Eastern Europe’s largest owner and operator of shopping centers, has inaugurated its first photovoltaic park in Chișineu-Criș, Arad county, in western Romania. The investment is part of its green energy programme, which includes a EUR 110 million plan for photovoltaic projects across Central and Eastern Europe.  According to the company, these […]

Romanian man sneaked into Drents museum days before Dacian treasure theft, Dutch press says

A Romanian man sneaked into the museum five days before the theft of the Cotofenești Helmet and the Dacian gold bracelets from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands. The new information, revealed from the criminal case by Dutch RTL Nieuws, shows that Andrei B. is believed to have...