What Drives Workforce Decisions in BiH?
What Makes an Employer Truly Desirable in Bosnia and Herzegovina Today, and Do the Same Factors Apply Across All Industries?
The general results of the study showed that employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina most value good treatment by superiors, job security, and the quality of interpersonal relationships. However, a sector-by-sector analysis reveals that the importance of these factors changes significantly depending on the industry.
As part of the analysis, the top 5 most desirable employers were selected within twelve sectors—meaning the companies that, according to respondents' perceptions, hold leading positions within their respective industries.
Stability vs. Development: Where the Labor Market Divides
One of the clearest insights from the study is that the labor market in BiH is split into sectors that attract people through stability and those that attract employees through growth and advancement.
The public sector convincingly leads when it comes to job security, which is a staggering 25% more important here than the average across all sectors. A similar, though slightly milder, pattern is visible in sectors such as oil & gas and food production, where stability and company reputation strongly influence the perception of an employer's desirability.
On the other hand, IT and healthcare clearly stand out as sectors dominated by development. In IT, as many as 60% of respondents cite the opportunity to learn and advance as the key reason for attraction, representing the largest variance in the entire study. A similar trend is present in healthcare, where professional development forms the central element of an employer's value proposition.
Work Atmosphere as a Decisive Factor
While good interpersonal relationships and treatment by superiors are among the leading factors in the general results, the sectoral analysis shows that specific industries emphasize them even further.
BPO, distribution, retail, and fashion & retail significantly outperform the average when it comes to the quality of the work environment, showing double-digit deviations in certain cases. This confirms that the work atmosphere and management style are becoming key advantages in sectors with intense interaction among employees. Conversely, the financial sector records lower values in these segments, indicating room for improvement in internal culture.
The sectoral analysis further shows clear differences in priorities:
- The BPO sector leads in the importance of work-life balance.
- The oil & gas sector remains focused on stability and reputation, but with a lower perception of work-life balance.
- Retail and fashion & retail, despite strong results in work environment quality, record high turnover rates.
- FMCG and manufacturing emphasize advancement opportunities and non-material benefits.
The Largest Gap in the Labor Market
Regardless of the sector, one pattern remains the same: younger generations are more prone to changing employers, while older generations are more stable. Generation Z and Millennials lead the turnover rates in most sectors, while Baby Boomers are the most stable group.
However, the most critical factor influencing the decision to stay is not age, but the alignment between the preferred and actual employer. Employees who work for their first-choice employer show an extremely low inclination to change jobs, often below 5%. In contrast, among those who have not achieved this alignment, the share of those actively thinking about leaving frequently exceeds 40%.
This gap is further confirmed by the broader context of the study, according to which 71% of respondents do not work for the employer they consider their first choice. This clearly highlights the room available for strengthening employer branding and attracting talents who already view these companies positively.
Benefits: No Surprises, but Clear Signals
When it comes to benefits, the labor market in BiH shows a high degree of consistency—bonuses for exceptional achievements are overwhelmingly the most important across almost all sectors.
Right behind them, flexible working hours are playing an increasingly vital role, even becoming the single most important benefit in certain sectors like IT. Employee education firmly remains among the core priorities, particularly in knowledge- and development-oriented sectors.
Interestingly, benefits related to wellness, leisure time, or perks have minimal impact on employee decisions in most sectors, indicating a clear orientation toward concrete, measurable values.
In this context, companies ranked among the top 5 most desirable employers by sector stand out horizontally, as they best reflect the expectations of the workforce within their respective industries.
Conclusion: One Market, Multiple Rules
The results clearly show that there is no universal formula for attracting and retaining employees. Each sector has its own dynamics, and workforce expectations are becoming increasingly precise.
In such a context, understanding these differences is no longer just an added advantage, but the baseline for making quality decisions—both for employers looking to retain talent and for candidates choosing where to build their careers.
About the Survey
The "Most Desirable Employer" survey was conducted between April and December 2025 using the "First Choice Employer" (Top of Mind Awareness) methodology, based on a sample of over 26,000 respondents. Company names were not provided to respondents in the survey—they listed employers independently based on their own perception, providing an authentic insight into which companies they consider the most desirable places to work.
15.04.2026.