In the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024, the total hourly labour cost rose by 12.4% (according to preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 14.1% in industry and by 11.8% in services.
The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in the following sectors: ‘Construction’ - by 19.7%, ‘Real estate activities’ - by 19.2%, and ‘Arts, entertainment and recreation’ - by 17.9%.
In the structure of the total labour costs, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 13.0% in comparison with a year earlier, while the other (non-wage) costs rose by 9.5%. Among the economic activities in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024, the growth rate of wages and salaries component ranged from 20.3% in ‘Construction’ sector to 0.3% in ‘Mining and quarrying’ sector.
