Survey Reveals Concerns of Czech Workers Amid Economic Crisis and Rising Prices

A recent survey conducted by Grafton Recruitment highlights the concerns of Czech workers regarding their quality of life and the impact of the current economic crisis. The survey, conducted online between February and March 2023 with 1,500 respondents from across the Czech Republic, reveals that 38% of workers perceive life in the country as bad. Additionally, half of the respondents have been forced to cut back on expenses due to inflation and rising prices.

The survey indicates that a significant number of employees (one-third) are feeling the effects of the economic crisis in their work. Among the respondents, 3% reported losing their jobs, primarily affecting white-collar workers. Others experienced wage reductions (7% of white-collar workers and 11% of blue-collar workers), changes in working hours (3%), or alterations in job duties (8%). Only 42% of the participants agreed that life is good in the Czech Republic, with blue-collar workers being the least likely to hold this view (25%), while IT workers were the most positive (68%).

The rising prices have prompted nearly half of the employees surveyed to start saving money, primarily on energy, restaurants, and food. Martin Malo, director of Grafton Recruitment and Gi Group, noted that even IT workers, despite their above-average salaries, are cutting back on energy costs. Blue-collar workers are facing the most challenges, with 17% of them struggling to pay their bills and 32% reporting that they won’t be able to take a vacation. Many employees have reduced spending on Christmas presents (over a quarter of respondents), food (39%), and car travel (19%).

Malo expressed concerns that the removal of tax incentives for employee benefits, proposed by the government as part of a consolidation package, could further exacerbate the situation. Employers may find it difficult to provide benefits at the same extent as before, impacting millions of workers who would lose contributions to sports, culture, medical expenses, vacations, and children’s camps.

While the survey results paint a relatively bleak picture, they still show a more positive outlook compared to neighboring Slovakia. In Slovakia, a staggering 68% of workers believe that life in the country is not good. The consequences of the crisis are more pronounced among Slovak workers, with 4% having lost their jobs and one-fifth witnessing layoffs among colleagues. As a result, half of the Slovak respondents have begun economizing, reducing expenditures on restaurants, energy costs (48%), and food (45%).

Martin Malo suggests that this situation in Slovakia, characterized by a worsening work climate, has led to an increasing number of Slovak applicants. Industries such as IT and business services, which offer remote work opportunities, can benefit from this trend and fill vacant positions that previously faced a shortage of applicants in the Czech Republic.

Article by Prague Forum