Real data from 120+ recruitment professionals across Central & Eastern Europe.
The first comprehensive look at how employee referral programs work in our region.
CEE Employee Referral Survey provides a region-wide snapshot of employee referral program practices and challenges across Central & Eastern Europe.
81.5% of companies have formal referral programs, but 46% still manage them manually or in Excel. Only 43% use dedicated software or ATS integration.
66% differentiate bonuses by position type (blue-collar vs. white-collar vs. priority roles). Most common bonus for white-collar: €251-500. For priority roles: €1,501-2,000. 74% pay bonuses in one installment, usually after 3 months.
65% rate referred candidates as "good" quality, 8% as "exceptional." However, referrals typically contribute only 6-15% of total hires. Blue-collar referrals are particularly underutilized.
Only 47% claim full GDPR compliance. 22% consider it "not relevant" - a concerning gap in awareness.
62% struggle with administrative burden
62% find it hard to motivate employees to share roles on social media
45% don't measure program effectiveness
42% face internal communication issues
Nearly half of organizations still track referrals manually. This creates errors, lacks transparency, and makes it impossible to scale.
Get the complete 18-page analysis with detailed breakdowns by country, industry, and company size
We’re currently researching HR Technology Adoption in the CEE region. Which digital tools are actually being used, how effective they are and what’s holding companies back.
Western HR practices don't always translate. Our research focuses on CEE realities: budgets, regulations, talent markets, and cultural nuances.
Compare your practices to similar-sized companies in your region. See what works in Poland, Serbia, Romania and beyond.
Not just data for data's sake. Every report includes practical recommendations you can implement immediately.
Key findings on hiring challenges, budget allocation and technology adoption across the region.
Key findings on hiring challenges, budget allocation and technology adoption across the region.
Key findings on hiring challenges, budget allocation and technology adoption across the region.
All reports are free to download for the TA community.
recruiTECH CEE is the leading recruitment and talent acquisition forum in Central & Eastern Europe. We bring together HR and TA leaders to explore the latest global trends, regional best practices, and future-shaping technologies.
Our research initiative provides data-driven insights that help the CEE recruitment community make better decisions, benchmark performance and understand regional trends.
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