Psychological Safety and Low Resilience Drive Romanian Employees to Consider Changing Jobs, Pluxee România Study Finds

According to a recent study conducted by Pluxee România, a lack of psychological safety and low workplace resilience are among the key factors influencing Romanian employees’ intentions to change jobs.

1 in 4 Romanian Employees Considering Job Change in Next 3 Months

The study reveals that 1 in 4 private-sector employees in Romania is seriously considering changing their job within the next three months. Among these, 60% cite a lack of psychological safety, and 48% mention low resilience to everyday stress and challenges as their main reasons.

There is a strong correlation between resilience and job satisfaction: 80% of employees with high resilience report being satisfied with their current jobs.

However, only half of Romanian employees say they work in an environment that supports psychological safety, and just 1 in 4 feel that mistakes are treated as learning opportunities—a factor that hinders innovation and continuous improvement.

Organizations that prioritize resilience and psychological safety can reduce employee turnover intentions by a factor of 2 and 7, respectively.

Resilience: A Strategic Priority for Long-Term Performance

Pluxee România, a global partner in employee benefits and engagement solutions, conducted the nationally representative study on over 1,000 private-sector employees from urban areas.

“In an environment marked by rapid transformation, uncertainty, and ongoing pressure, building employee resilience is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative,” said Gabor Olajos, Country Managing Director of Pluxee România and Bulgaria.

“At Pluxee, we provide a comprehensive ecosystem of innovative solutions to help employers improve employee wellbeing and retention. As a partner to over 35,000 companies in Romania, our mission is to help create workplaces where people feel safe, motivated, and ready to adapt to change.”

Key Findings

• Only 32% of private-sector employees feel fully prepared to cope with unexpected changes at work.
• 8 in 10 employees fear their job security is threatened by economic instability.
• 7 in 10 are experiencing significant or moderate organizational change due to digitization and automation.

The study also found that resilience is lower among younger employees, those new to their organizations, and employees in northeastern Romania. The lowest resilience score (75/100) was found among employees in companies that do not actively support psychological wellbeing.

Psychological Safety – A Critical Component of Engagement

Defined as the freedom to express ideas, make mistakes without fear of repercussions, and feel valued as part of a team, psychological safety is still underdeveloped in most Romanian workplaces.

• Only 1 in 4 employees view mistakes as opportunities for growth.
• Only 1 in 3 feel heard and encouraged by leadership when expressing different opinions.

The data also reveals a strong link between psychological safety and satisfaction: 9 out of 10 satisfied employees also feel psychologically safe.

High Workload Adds to Emotional Pressure

One of the leading contributors to emotional imbalance and demotivation is excessive workload:

• 6 in 10 employees regularly work overtime.
• 2 in 10 work over 5 extra hours per week.

Without solutions that support mental health, flexible work arrangements, and fair recognition, there is a growing risk of burnout and disengagement among Romanian workers.

Methodology