Study: About 60% of employees in Romania do not feel appreciated by employers

About 60% of employees in Romania do not feel appreciated, but people working in private companies feel more motivated than those employed by the state, according to a study made by APSAP Training Center, released on Thursday.   According to the source, more than half of them say they do not feel motivated by the organization they are part of to progress professionally. “In most cases, Romanian employees not only do not feel appreciated by employers, but 55% of them are not motivated by the companies employing them, while many have major fears about their activity on the job.   63% of state employees feel less appreciated than those employed by private companies,” said Bgdan Costin Farsirotu, the president of APSAP Training Center, quoted in a press release issued on Thursday. He pointed out that public employees no longer feel motivated by their employer to professionally progress.   Asked how motivated they are for professional progress, Romanians working in the private sector feel more motivated, in general, than those working for the state. More exactly, 45% of private employees feel “extremely motivated” versus 37% state employees.   The biggest fear of both public and private employees is that of not having time for personal life. Despite that, pver 27% of respondents would choose a demanding job with motivating salary benefits.   The study shows that the fear of making major mistakes or fail in important projects ranks second, while the fear of overwork and not coping with personal demands ranks third.   “Both in the private abd public sectors, most employees feel motivated by the flexibility of the program and balance with personal life, 48% of people feeling motivated by that aspect as against 29% in the public sector. The need for recognition and appreciation by colleagues and bosses ranks second. Here the percentage is equal – 30%, both for the private and public sectors,” the mentioned source notes.   The survey made by APSAP Training Center also shows that the area with the highest percentage of people who are paid over 12,000 lei is represented by Bucharest-Ilfov – 9%. The highest wages, between 10,000 and 12,000 lei are recorded in that area, that is 5% , next to the Central area (Alba, Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Mures and Sibiu). The income level of 7,500-10,000 lei is found mostly in the Bucharest-Ilfov area, as well as in Sout-Western Oltenia (Dolj, Gorj, Mehedinti, Olt and Valcea).   In the public sector, most respondents say they have Master's degrees, representing 51%, compared to 36%in the private sector. At the same time, in the private sector, most people have undergraduate studies – 49% against 39% in the public sector. This aspect is not negative, since the private sector employes more young people than in the public sector. Thus, young people not just accumulate experience on the job but feel appreciated and rewarded.   Asked about barriers met upon employment, the highest percentage of respondents in both sectors, public and private, indicated the fact that the main barrier was that salary benefits offered were below their expectations. Thus, in the public sector, over 21% of respondents mentioned that problem, compared to a lower percentage of 14% in the private sector.   The survey was answered by 2,000 employees in Romania, participants in authorized training courses. The aim of the survey was to have a clear picture of the Romanian employee's profile, by making a comparison between the private and public sectors.