Anew Randstad survey on HR and salary trends in Greece for 2026 paints the picture of a labor market moving at multiple speeds.
At the heart of the findings lies a stark wage gap between small businesses and larger companies. According to the latest published payroll data from Greece’s social security authority e-EFKA (June 2025), the average full-time salary in very small businesses employing fewer than 10 people stands at just €854 per month.
At the other end of the spectrum, the average full-time salary in companies with more than 10 employees reaches €1,440.
The Randstad survey primarily reflects the reality of medium-sized and large businesses. One in four participating companies has a multinational presence. Around 63% employ more than 50 people, while 42% have workforces ranging from 100 to more than 1,000 employees. Companies employing more than 500 people account for 10% of the sample.
Salary ranges in Greece’s “fast lane” economy
Given the profile of the companies participating in the survey, it is unsurprising that salaries appear significantly higher than the national average.
For employees with three to five years of experience, gross monthly pay starts at around €1,300. In fact, 36% of workers in that experience bracket earn between €1,600 and €2,200 per month.
For professionals with five to 10 years of experience, salaries begin at approximately €2,200, while one in four earns more than €3,000 monthly.
These are earnings that workers in Greece’s small businesses — companies with one to 10 employees that still make up nearly 90% of all enterprises in the country — “can only dream of,” as the report indirectly suggests.
Still, Greece’s economic structure is gradually shifting. Medium-sized and large businesses are claiming a growing share of overall employment. Today, around 50% of private-sector employees work in companies employing more than 50 people.
Which industries dominate the survey
The HR and salary survey was conducted through interviews with 861 senior executives from companies across multiple sectors.
Of the participating firms, 19% operate in manufacturing and industry, 15% in IT and technology, another 15% in wholesale and retail trade, and 9% in hospitality and food services. Financial services, insurance, construction, pharmaceuticals, energy and environmental sectors together account for nearly 20% of the sample.
The report effectively offers an X-ray of Greece’s “first-speed” business economy rather than the market as a whole.
Its findings are particularly noteworthy because they present a labor and salary landscape significantly stronger than the national average. The broader question, however, remains whether small and medium-sized businesses can ever reach similar levels — or whether they are destined either to decline or be absorbed by larger competitors.
Businesses remain cautiously optimistic
Most executives in medium-sized and large companies express cautious optimism about 2026, with 64% expecting sales volumes to increase.
Still, expectations for growth are noticeably more restrained compared to 2025.
For one in two companies (52%), total labor costs represent the biggest challenge for the year ahead.
Meanwhile, 43% say maintaining productivity and improving internal efficiency are their top priorities.
According to the researchers, these figures reflect businesses’ efforts to strike a balance between growth and operational efficiency, while seeking new ways to boost productivity without causing disproportionate increases in operating costs.
Engineers and AI professionals top demand
Participants were asked which five job roles they expect to be most in demand in their sectors during 2026.
Engineers emerged as the most sought-after professionals overall, receiving 64% of responses.
They were followed by operations and supply chain management roles with 29%.
Data analysts and AI specialists firmly established themselves among the top five most desirable professions, with 27% and 25% respectively placing them among their priorities. Sales professionals also received 25% of responses.
At the opposite end, research and education roles ranked lowest in demand at just 2%, while consulting, legal, risk management and compliance positions stood at 3%.
Where hiring will increase
More than half of companies surveyed (54%) plan to increase staff numbers in 2026.
Another 39% expect to maintain current staffing levels, while only 3% intend to make cuts.
Among businesses planning to recruit this year, 42% are looking for sales staff — slightly down from 48% in 2025.
Nearly one in three companies (32%) plans to hire engineers, including architects, electrical engineers and mechanical engineers. This marks the largest increase of any profession, as only 14% had expressed similar intentions last year.
Around 30% plan to recruit IT and technology professionals, down from 41% the previous year.
Meanwhile, production roles are seeing strong growth, with hiring intentions rising to 26%, compared with 17% last year.
Talent shortages intensify
The professions in highest demand — engineering, IT, technology and production — are also proving the hardest to fill.
Nearly seven in 10 companies (68%) say “unrealistic salary expectations” are now the biggest obstacle in recruitment, up from 65% in 2025.
Half of employers cite lack of work experience as a major issue, compared with 40% last year.
Another 47% say they struggle to find candidates with the specific technical knowledge, training and skills required, up from 43% a year earlier.
A growing trend is also worrying employers: candidates accepting job offers only to withdraw later. This phenomenon rose sharply to 36% of responses, from 22% last year.
Why employees are leaving
The search for better salaries and working conditions remains the leading reason employees resign.
According to the survey, 58% leave after receiving more attractive offers from competing employers.
At the same time, 37% resign in pursuit of better career development opportunities.
Despite continued workforce mobility, turnover levels remain relatively controlled, with 75% of businesses reporting staff departures below 16% during 2025.
Greece’s highest and lowest salaries
The survey also provides detailed salary comparisons by industry and job position.
In administrative support, the lowest-paying role is back-office assistant, with salaries ranging from €1,250 to €1,500 per month.
The highest starting salary in that category belongs to executive and personal assistants, beginning at €2,500 and reaching €3,800.
In customer service, the lowest salaries start at €900 for data entry and digitalization agents, with maximum earnings for those roles reaching €1,200–€1,300.
The highest-paying customer service role is head of customer service, with salaries ranging from €3,500 to €4,500.
In production and engineering, salaries are considerably higher overall. The lowest-paid role is line operator, earning between €1,300 and €1,600, while technical directors earn between €5,000 and €7,000 monthly.
In the energy sector, salaries begin at €1,800–€2,500 for environmental engineers and rise to €4,000–€5,000 for technical managers.
In finance and accounting, entry-level salaries range between €1,200 and €1,600 for assistant accountants and finance clerks, while senior executive roles can reach €6,000 to €10,000 per month.
In hospitality and food services, wages vary significantly depending on location. Waiters and hotel receptionists in cities start at around €1,100, while island destinations may pay as much as €500 more for the same roles.
Executive chefs earn between €4,000 and €5,000 in urban areas, while on Greece’s islands salaries range from €6,000 to €9,500.
Those figures appear almost unreal when compared with Greece’s collective labor agreement for the catering sector, which sets the salary for a head chef at around €1,100.
Source: tovima.com
