HR Time: Can We Boost Employee Satisfaction Without Raising Salaries  

With over 150 HR professionals gathered at the top of a skyscraper on Strojarska Street, the "HR Time" event, organized by Alma Career Croatia, marked the first major post-summer meeting of the local HR community.

The event kicked off with a thought-provoking presentation titled Are We a Nation of (Un)Happy Employees?, where Antonija Bušić Crnković, Marketing Manager and Senior Researcher at Alma Career Croatia, shared the latest findings from the National Employee Satisfaction Index.

A key focus of the presentation was the question: “How likely are Croatian employees to recommend their workplace to friends or family?”

The results were based on the eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score), a widely used measure of employee loyalty and satisfaction. Scores can range from -100 to +100, with negative results indicating dissatisfaction and positive results reflecting loyalty and satisfaction.

Bušić Crnković revealed a concerning national eNPS score of -60, highlighting a widespread sense of employee dissatisfaction across Croatia. The audience responded with knowing nods, confirming the critical work culture that seems pervasive in the country.

Particularly troubling were the results from the public administration and local government sectors, where the eNPS score sank to a staggering -86, emphasizing just how deep the dissatisfaction runs.

Panel Discussion: Creative HR Strategies Without Salary Increases

The eNPS findings set the stage perfectly for the panel discussion that followed, titled Creative HR Practices: How to Improve Employee Satisfaction Without Salary Increases.

Bringing together industry leaders from various sectors, the panel explored innovative strategies to boost employee morale and engagement, without relying on pay raises.

Among the speakers were Mateja Magdić, Head of HR at ACG Europe; Sandra Miletić Škopac, HR Director at Zvijezda; Bruna Kostelac Košir, Chief People Officer at M Plus Group; Sanja Karan, HR Manager at Ars Futura; and Aida Bogućanin, HR Director at Sparkasse Bank DD BIH.

Magdić shared insights from the Restart project, which aimed to reorganize company structure to better align with production growth. The key to success, she explained, was involving employees at every stage of the process, which not only strengthened their connection to the company but also helped reshape the organizational culture through focus group feedback.

Miletić Škopac highlighted the power of individual development plans. Through the You Are Our Star initiative, the company assessed employee performance, resulting in 460 career development plans and offering many employees opportunities for growth and new challenges.

Aida Bogućanin from Sparkasse Bank DD BIH stressed the need for a fresh approach to engaging younger employees, especially those entering the workforce straight out of university. By focusing on individual assessments of employee skills and potential, the company was able to identify and nurture 12 new young managers—what Bogućanin affectionately referred to as “the bank’s own children.”

At Ars Futura, mental health support has become a standout employee benefit. Sanja Karan explained how the company introduced free psychotherapy services, with 20% of the workforce regularly taking advantage of them. "While it does come with a cost," Karan noted, "we’re proud that management understands the value of this benefit."

Kostelac Košir from M Plus Group shared insights from a collaborative study with top universities like Oxford and Harvard, focusing on the impact of the pandemic and remote work on employee well-being.

The overall takeaway from the event was clear: continual investment in employee satisfaction and loyalty is essential, but there are countless creative approaches beyond financial incentives that can make a real difference.

As a final note, the event also announced that applications are now open for the Best Regional HR Practices award. Every effort counts toward creating a better workplace!