Is the local labour market a thing of the past?

You have the capital, the technology and a carefully developed growth strategy. Yet you are faced with a simple fact: the labour market lacks the people who can turn your vision into reality.

The data paints a stark picture. Europe’s population is ageing faster than ever before, with the average age in the EU already reaching 44.7 years. The natural inflow of talent is weakening, and the impact is even more pronounced in some regions.

There are 4.39 vacancies for every job seeker. According to forecasts, the number of vacancies will increase by 1 million by 2035.

What does this mean for your business? Most of the people you need are already employed. You either have to actively persuade them to leave a competitor or start looking beyond your borders.

Why the best people still work for your competitors

The first option is to actively search for suitable candidates in the local market. While managers often assume that salary is the deciding factor behind unsuccessful recruitment, the reality is much more complex:

A clear vision and reason to make a change: You need to explain convincingly why a candidate should leave their current position. Simply presenting a list of responsibilities and benefits is not enough. You need to demonstrate the purpose of the new role, communicate the company’s vision and get talented people excited about the professional challenge ahead.
Complete transparency: Communication should be open and straightforward from the very first contact and throughout the entire process. Any inconsistency can quickly discourage a candidate and undermine trust.
Active communication instead of ghosting: Silence and passivity are among the biggest mistakes a company can make. Even if the process is delayed internally, candidates need to be regularly updated and the situation clearly explained.
Respect and a sensitive approach to candidates: Recruiting people from competitors requires a high degree of sensitivity. Candidates are considering a new role while still working in their current position, which can involve considerable stress. If the process stalls and communication is lacking, they may take it personally.
Open and fair feedback: Even when the decision is negative, it is important to communicate openly. Candidates should understand that rejection does not necessarily mean they lack key competencies and that their potential may be better suited to a different type of opportunity.
A smooth and efficient process: Lengthy decision-making and slow responses weaken candidates’ initial interest and give competing offers an advantage.

Branislav Jančuška, Managing Director of SYNERGIE, adds: “Successful team building is not based on the offer alone, but also on excellent communication, trust and the ability to maintain a candidate’s interest throughout the entire process. Top talent today evaluates more than just the job description. They pay close attention to how professionally and transparently a company communicates with them as a partner.”

International recruitment is no longer a last resort

The second option is to stop limiting your search to the boundaries of the local market. The number of foreign nationals working in Slovakia increased by a significant 64% year-on-year – from 35,318 in April 2025 to 57,914 in April 2026. This trend is highly likely to continue, and by 2031, 90,000 to 110,000 workers from selected non-EU countries are expected to be active in the labour market.

The Czech Republic is seeing the same trend. In 2024, the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs recorded 845,468 employment relationships involving foreign nationals as employees. By March 2026, this figure had increased to 957,235.

At the same time, there is a significant shift in countries of origin. While the share of workers from Ukraine is declining slightly, interest in other highly motivated labour markets is growing. The year-on-year increases speak for themselves:

Nepal: up 303% (to 3,354 people)
Uzbekistan: up 222% (to 5,498 people)
The Philippines: up 134% (to 3,657 people)
India: up 59% (to 9,822 people)

Statistics are one thing; practice is another. One of the fundamental requirements for successful international recruitment is careful candidate selection directly in the country of origin, as demonstrated by the recent recruitment of welders in Manila, the Philippines.

“From the very beginning, we made it clear that the key was for the client to personally select specific candidates in the Philippines who met their exact requirements,” explains Michal Červinka, Business Development Specialist at SYNERGIE, who personally managed the project. “We did not select candidates simply because they were available. Each person was carefully chosen based on their qualifications and professional skills.”

The result? After unsuccessfully searching for 15 specialists in the domestic market for an entire year, the company secured 20 vetted professionals during a one-week recruitment trip to the Philippines.

The future lies in synergy

So, is the local labour market a thing of the past? No. But relying on it alone may no longer be enough. The ideal approach combines both strategies: highly effective recruitment of domestic specialists alongside the willingness to open recruitment to the global talent market.

What is the biggest recruitment challenge your company is currently facing? Get in touch with us.