Over the last three years, the number of employees in the business services industry increased by nearly 30%, according to the yearly report of the Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) in Romania.

More than half of the companies responding to the survey said they expected the number of employees to grow between 10 and 30% in 2022.

The survey was done by ABSL and PwC, between August and October, among 71 companies totaling approximately 50,000 employees. 

The sectors that saw the highest increases and needed the most employees are IT, customer support, finances, and accounting. 

“The degree of process complexity, at least for the top three services, is increasing by the year as basic activities get automated. This is why employees with high technical skills are needed, compared to the share of entry-level employees, which was quite high three-five years ago. Other important aspects are the digital skills and the foreign languages,” Ciprian Dan, the president of ABSL, explained.

The pandemic increased the employees’ loyalty, with the average departure rate at 18% this year compared to 26% in 2019, the report found.

The outsourcing industry is among the top three ones in 2022 regarding pay increases, with 11%, after 17.7% in insurance and 16.8% in retail. It is also among the top industries with the highest average base salary, with RON 10,691 gross monthly. 

The highest salary increases in the industry were recorded in Bucharest and the regions of Transylvania and Banat, while in Muntenia and Moldova the salaries stagnated or increased by smaller percentages.

The best-paid foreign languages were Chinese, Czech, and Swedish. 

The report found that employees appreciate the flexibility in being able to choose their benefits, with well-being programs, therapy sessions, medical services, and additional days off among the most appreciated. A total of 40% of the companies active in the business service industry offer flexible benefits.

“Hybrid work has become a reality in the industry, and almost all companies adopted it in 2022. A total of 78% of the companies in the industry require their employees to work from the office a minimum of one-two days per week,” Francesca Postolache, vice president of ABSL, said.

The companies active in the business services industry estimate for this year revenues that are 22% higher compared to last year. Furthermore, 70% of the companies estimate they will see a turnover increase in the coming period, and 94% say that Romania offers numerous investment opportunities in this sector.

(Photo: Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com