Employee retention has emerged as the primary challenge for Greek enterprises, according to the new "Recruitment and Selection Practices Survey" conducted by kariera.gr in collaboration with the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). Involving 193 employers, the study reveals that nearly 8 out of 10 employees leave their positions when presented with a better financial offer, placing salary at the heart of labor mobility.
The Salary Transparency Paradox
Despite the upcoming European directive, the research records a significant contradiction in corporate practices. While 46% of participants claim there is no gender pay gap within their organization, 40% admit they have no mechanism in place to monitor such discrepancies. Furthermore, salary disclosure in job advertisements remains limited, with 33.1% of employers preferring silence to maintain "flexibility" during negotiations.
Chara Chatzirodia, Group HR Manager at JDE Peet’s, noted that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark," pointing to ELSTAT data which places the gender pay gap in Greece at 13% for 2024.
AI in Recruitment: Potential and Fears
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining ground, but its adoption is accompanied by significant reservations. The main concerns cited by employers include:
- Data privacy protection (78%)
- Risk of bias and discrimination (58%)
- Loss of the human dimension (53%)
The primary barriers to AI implementation are identified as a lack of expertise (57%) and implementation costs (50%). Nevertheless, 46% of respondents believe that technology will free up time for meaningful relationship-building with candidates.
New Priorities in the Labor Market
The survey highlights that 60% of employers now place greater emphasis on soft skills. As Nikos Foros from kariera.gr pointed out, employer branding and work-life balance are no longer "extra perks" but essential requirements for attracting talent in a highly competitive environment.
