The labor market in Northern Greece is entering a new phase of development, where business growth is directly linked to their ability to attract, develop and retain the right human capital. In an environment where the shortage of specialized talent remains intense and artificial intelligence accelerates digital transformation, employers are redefining their strategies, investing in competitive compensation, professional development opportunities, upskilling and modern technologies.
Randstad, the global leader in the human resources services sector, incorporated the labor market of Northern Greece into the overall HR Trends survey for the third consecutive year, presenting a market that is becoming increasingly competitive, more people-centered and steadily technology-oriented. This year’s report captures the main trends shaping the labor market for 2026, highlighting the priorities, challenges and strategies of businesses in human capital management.
The HR Trends survey was conducted from October 2025 to March 2026 and uses data from the general HR Trends 2026 report, in which 861 participants took part, 182 of whom come from Northern Greece. The findings will be presented in detail at the webinar titled “trends in HR: Northern Greece”, on Thursday, July 9 at 11:00 p.m., with Konstantinos Papadopoulos, Regional Manager Northern Greece, Randstad Greece, and Aris Vamvakas, Key Account Manager, Randstad Greece, and the key trends, challenges and opportunities shaping today’s labor market in Northern Greece will be analyzed. You can register for the webinar, here and see the survey findings in detail by clicking here.
The new priorities of employers in Northern Greece
The labor market in Northern Greece continues to transform, with businesses increasingly seeking employees who combine technical knowledge with strong human skills. According to the HR Trends 2026 survey, resilience, adaptability and flexibility remain the most sought-after skills for the next three years, with 66% of businesses considering them decisive, compared with 61% in 2025. At the same time, digital skills are further strengthening their importance, rising from 52% to 61%, followed by teamwork (54%), self-motivation (51%), empathy (46%) and artificial intelligence skills (42%), which continue to gain ground in employers’ priorities.
In the staffing process, businesses continue to face significant difficulties in finding suitable candidates. 55% of businesses consider talent attraction the biggest challenge they face, followed by managing expectations regarding compensation and benefits packages (52%), talent shortage (44%) and managing the lack of specific skills (41%). At the same time, four in ten businesses, as reflected in Randstad’s survey, state that they struggle to maintain high levels of employee engagement, while issues such as the smooth integration of new employees and the effective management of different generations in the workplace are also gaining increased importance.
How businesses are responding to new needs
Responding to the changing demands of the labor market, businesses are redefining their human resources strategy, investing in policies that strengthen both employee experience and retention. Improving salaries continues to be the most important measure for addressing human resources challenges (55%), followed by education and training programs (50%), improving transparency and internal communication (41%) and offering professional development opportunities (38%).
At the same time, businesses are increasingly turning to more modern human resources management practices, such as frequent feedback on employee performance and the provision of personalized benefits packages (36%), the implementation of performance evaluation systems through KPIs (36%), as well as the adoption of hiring practices based on candidates’ skills, reflecting the transition to a more flexible and people-centered human resources management model.
Six in ten businesses plan to increase their workforce in 2026
Despite the challenges they continue to face in attracting talent, businesses in Northern Greece maintain positive prospects for 2026, as 60% state that they plan to increase their number of employees during the year and only 5% will proceed with reductions.
The intention to hire is primarily linked to business growth by 89%, a significantly increased percentage compared with 2025 (70%). At the same time, the importance of implementing investment plans as a reason for new hires is also strengthening (35% versus 23% in 2025), as is the need to develop new skills within the company (31% versus 23%). This is followed by the creation of new jobs (50%).
The most sought-after roles in Northern Greece
Randstad’s survey confirms that the most sought-after roles for 2026 in Northern Greece reflect the changing needs of the labor market and the accelerating digital transformation of businesses. At the top of demand are engineers (59%), AI specialists (33%) and data analysts (25%), followed by specialties in operations & supply chain (20%), human resources (HR) (19%) and IT & software (15%).
Moderate salary increases in 2026
Businesses in Northern Greece maintain a restrained but positive stance toward salary competitiveness and compensation development. 24% of employers state that the salaries their company offers are higher compared with those of competitors, while the majority assess them as similar.
At the same time, most businesses plan compensation increases over the next 12 months, with 76% of those planning salary increases for 2026 estimating that these will mainly range between 1% and 5%.
Compensation and career development opportunities determine employer attractiveness
According to the survey findings, an employer’s attractiveness in 2026 is shaped by a combination of competitive compensation, development opportunities and a stable work environment. Attractive compensation and benefits packages (86%) remain the most important factor in attracting talent, while the value of professional development opportunities (74% versus 65%) and the company’s financial strength (68% versus 63%) appears significantly strengthened as factors that enhance an employer’s attractiveness.
At the same time, businesses are increasingly investing in a comprehensive benefits package, with emphasis on training, employee support programs and flexible working schedules. As regards financial benefits, companies support their workforce with performance bonuses, mobile phones and private medical insurance.
Retaining human capital requires competitive compensation and development prospects
Employee mobility will remain at stable levels for the majority of businesses in Northern Greece, as 63% of companies recorded an employee departure rate lower than 16% during 2025.
As for the reasons for departure, the most important factors for changing work environment continue to be receiving a better professional offer with higher compensation or better working conditions (60%) and more professional development opportunities (43%), while choosing a different career path and heavy workload are gaining increased importance.
Businesses are accelerating AI adoption
Artificial intelligence is now a strategic priority for businesses in Northern Greece. The percentage of companies that actively support the use of AI and plan to expand its utilization more than doubled compared with 2025 (41% versus 20%), while the technology is now being integrated into more and more business functions, chiefly those of information technology/technology, human resources, marketing/advertising, administration, as well as finance. (43%), while choosing a different career path and heavy workload are gaining increased importance.