Seasonal Workers Expect Higher Salaries Than Last Year, Cleaners by 60 Percent

Interest in seasonal work among domestic workers is increasing as the tourist season approaches, as are their expectations for higher salaries, averaging six percent compared to last season, at 1,390 euros net, with waiters, cooks, and housekeepers expecting more than 40 percent higher salaries, according to a survey by the MojPosao portal.

This survey was conducted during the recent job fair Sezonac.hr and included over 460 respondents, of which 67 percent were women and 33 percent were men.

Cleaners Expect the Largest Salary Increase

Among seasonal workers expecting the largest salary increase compared to last year’s averages are cleaners (the portal does not mention male cleaners, ed.) – they want 60 percent higher salaries or around 1,500 euros, followed by housekeepers who expect a 46 percent higher salary or at least around 1,287 euros.

Waiters this season expect a salary increase of 40 percent, to an average of 1,561 euros, salespeople by 35 percent, to around 1,257 euros per month, and cooks by 33 percent, to 1,703 euros. Receptionists expect higher salaries this season of about 32 percent compared to last year, or around 1,447 euros, while warehouse workers expect an increase of 13 percent, to 1,220 euros.

The surveyed workers, most of whom have worked seasonally in previous years, also expect good working conditions, among which 46 percent consider secure income ‘crucial’, as well as guaranteed accommodation in the place where they work, for 38 percent of them.

Although they want higher salaries, they placed the salary amount in crucial conditions in third place, i.e., 29 percent of them, but they marked the salary amount as ‘important’ for the majority or over 60 percent.

Secure income, guaranteed accommodation, and salary amount are the three key conditions for seasonal workers when choosing an employer with whom to take a seasonal job, and the MojPosao portal interestingly points out that conditions such as days off, defined working hours, and the location where they will work are becoming increasingly important to them.

The survey also showed that, on average, the most workers find seasonal jobs in hospitality, 64 percent, followed by sales, 25 percent, and tourism and administration, both at 24 percent.

Advantages – New Knowledge and Higher Salaries, Disadvantages – Short Duration and Poor Accommodation

Acquiring new knowledge and skills is the main advantage of seasonal work for the majority of respondents, 67 percent, while for 53 percent it is a higher salary compared to year-round jobs. Fifty-two percent also cited the advantage of meeting new people, and 40 percent the attractiveness and interest of seasonal work and staying by the sea. Only about 4 percent believe that seasonal work has no advantages.

Among the challenges or disadvantages, the largest group, 47 percent, cited the short duration of seasonal work, while 32 percent mentioned the excessive intensity of these jobs, which is why 21 percent of respondents believe that such a work pace should be better paid.

Almost 40 percent see poor accommodation quality as a key problem.