2025. The year when recruitment became a strategy

This year tested the resilience, flexibility, and adaptability of many HR departments. While managers were planning growth and expansion, the labour market kept putting obstacles in their way.

In 2025, the era of simply posting a job ad and waiting officially ended. The candidate you are looking for either does not exist in reality – or has long been working for your competitor.

Labour market statistics in Czechia and Slovakia are uncompromising

“2025 brought a stable yet much more demanding market – with a stronger emphasis on qualifications, pay equity, more complex local recruitment, and a higher focus on international hiring,” says Dominika Kopčáková, Delivery Director CZ.

This is confirmed also from the Slovak perspective: “The Slovak market has long been struggling with a shortage of qualified employees, especially in IT and technical professions. This problem deepened even further in 2025,” adds Marek Skička, Delivery Director SK.

Data from both countries clearly show that in many cases, companies were on the weaker side:

A drained labour market: In the Czech Republic, unemployment remained at an average of 4.3–4.6%. Slovakia, with an average of 5–6%, saw the unemployment rate reach its historical minimum in January 2025.
Wage spiral: The lack of workers naturally pushed labour costs upwards. Wages rose by 6–7% in both countries. Slovakia’s average wage reached 1,654 EUR, and Czechia’s climbed to 48,171 CZK.

Legislative changes put companies to the test

In Czechia, the labour code “flexi-amendment” and, above all, stricter rules for employing foreigners created pressure for 100% compliance, as the new obligation to report the start of employment before work begins increased the risk of million-crown penalties.

In Slovakia, amendments to the Labour Code came into effect. Companies faced additional mandatory costs. As of January, the minimum wage increased to 816 EUR, and companies with more than 49 employees must contribute up to 275 EUR annually to children’s sports activities—an immediate impact on budgets.

Traditional recruitment models are ceasing to work

At S&you, we perceive this year as the moment when the market matured. The era of “fast-turnover” hiring is ending, and a new era begins—one defined by depth of relationship. Recruitment is no longer just about salary; it is also about authenticity, mutual trust, and leadership competencies.

Christophe Beaujard, S&you Director CZ&SK, puts it plainly:

“Many organizations have realised that traditional recruitment models no longer match the new expectations of professionals: people seek meaning, flexibility, recognition, and development, not just a paycheck. This year, the most successful companies in recruitment were those that invested in employer branding, employee growth, and the leadership skills of their managers.”

Recruitment as a strategic partnership

Successful companies were also transparent and did not view hiring as a competition but as a partnership. The conversation with clients changed as well. The question “Who can you find for us?” shifted to a more strategic: “How do we set up recruitment to make it sustainable?”

“Today, companies want more from us than just CVs in an email. They want data, insights into market sentiment, and an understanding of candidate decision-making psychology. This opened the door to models such as Recruitment-as-a-Service (RaaS) or shared search. For us at S&you, it meant a definitive shift from being a supplier of people to a supplier of solutions,” adds Chris.

What can you expect from 2026?

An end to vagueness: Companies will be under pressure to put their cards on the table—whether regarding salaries or company culture. Transparency will be essential.
Skills over titles: Job ads will prioritise the ability to learn and adapt, rather than the name of the last position held.
Hybrid 2.0: The debate about home office is slowly ending. A new debate begins—how to collaborate effectively, no matter where you sit.

Next year, you will not win thanks to faster processes. You will win thanks to people who want to be part of your organisation and your company culture. Technology may change how employees work—but the depth of why they work does not change.

In 2025, we accomplished a lot together. We are ready to find the right person for you in 2026 as well. Do not hesitate to contact us.