Coca-Cola Hungary won PwC’s Most Attractive Employer Award in the FMCG category for the fourth time

PwC Hungary has surveyed the job preferences of young and experienced employees in Hungary for the sixth time. The research shows that the global economic events have increased the importance of financial security, stability, and long-term career prospects for employees. Although base salary remains the most important factor, growing insecurity has changed job preferences: career prospects and overtime pay have overtaken flexible working hours and a predictable work schedule in job seekers’ list of priorities. PwC’s Most Attractive Employer Awards were also announced: Coca-Cola Hungary has won in the FMCG category for the fourth time.

Workplace: a safe spot in an uncertain environment

According to PwC’s survey of nearly 25,000 respondents, in an ever-changing and uncertain geopolitical and economic environment, key employee preferences have changed significantly compared to previous years. Financial security has become more important than work-life balance or meeting social needs. Employees increasingly expect their employers to provide this.

In line with this, items related to well-being have declined compared to the year before. Although the possibility to work from home and human factors such as good relations with colleagues and superiors are still essential, a secure and stable workplace is now more important.

For young workers, physical presence is more important than flexible working hours

Students perceive their work and career as a lesser part of their identity, and the employer-employee relationship as more transactional. Base salary remains the highest preference, followed by overtime pay and career opportunities.

„For younger workers, employers should pay particular attention to developing workplace relationships and employee engagement, failing which the transactional approach can easily be detrimental to retention. The results also show that young workers have much lower expectations of the ratio of home office – this could be due to fatigue induced by online learning in higher education, or that they prefer on-the-job training in person,” – said Márta Reguly, head of PwC’s HR Consulting team.

The four-day working week is still a distant dream

This year’s survey also asked employees about new topics such as the introduction of a four-day working week. While the idea itself is very popular and there are ongoing experiments to introduce it in Hungary, the survey shows that it is not a high priority for employees. One reason for this may be that in the current economic climate, it is considered less of a realistic option.

What can employers do?

The survey also showed that environmental factors have a strong stressful effect on employees, which may have lessened their flexibility, openness, and social expectations. According to PwC Hungary, increased attention needs to be paid to supporting employees during this period in order to lay the foundations for the company’s resumed growth in a more favourable economic environment.

Coca-Cola Hungary strives for stability and creating security

Coca-Cola Hungary won PwC’s Most Attractive Employer Award in the FMCG category again this year.