67% of Ukrainian companies and 71% of companies with foreign capital plan to increase salaries in 2025.
Analysis of changes in salaries in 2022-2024 shows a steady increase in both job seekers' expectations and employers' offers.
This is discussed in a study by analysts at robota.ua.
In 2022 the average difference between “want” and “offer” was minimal – only 445 UAH in January, but by the end of the year it had grown to 2,870 UAH.
In 2023 the situation stabilized, and by the third quarter the difference between expectations and actual offers reached a peak of UAH 3,106. This can be explained by rising inflation and the cost of living.
In 2024 the difference gradually narrows, dropping to UAH 2,202 in October, indicating a convergence of job seekers' expectations and employers' offers.
It is interesting that employers are adapting to the new conditions, gradually increasing salaries.
In October 2024, the average offered salary was UAH 21,533, while the average request from job seekers was UAH 23,735. This demonstrates the market's desire to achieve balance.
What the employer survey showed
As the annual survey from robota.ua showed, the majority of companies, both Ukrainian (58%) and with foreign capital (60%), increased salaries for all employees. This demonstrates the stable desire of businesses to support employees in difficult economic conditions.
However, some companies limited themselves to increasing only a portion of their staff (from 25% to 75%).
Ukrainian companies prefer a uniform increase in salaries (44%), while companies with foreign capital are more likely to focus on performance (55%). This indicates a difference in approaches to motivating staff.
Most companies offer financial bonuses for results (64% of Ukrainian and 71% of foreign companies). However, foreign companies are also more likely to provide employees with health insurance (66%) and corporate transport (42%), which emphasizes their focus on the social package.
67% of Ukrainian companies and 71% of companies with foreign capital plan to increase salaries in 2025. The largest increase in the wage fund (WF) is expected at the level of 11-20% for half of Ukrainian companies (53%) and a third of foreign companies (36%).
The survey covered 221 companies, including 82.8% Ukrainian and 17.2% companies with foreign capital. In terms of size, most respondents have from 51 to 250 employees (38.5%), while large companies with more than 1,000 employees account for 14%. This indicates a high interest of medium-sized businesses in studying the labor market.
Recall that the minimum wage for next year was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine when adopting the draft state budget for 2025.
