In June 2025, 42 percent of working-age Czechs expressed concern about unemployment, according to a new report by the STEM analytical institute. While this marks a slight increase from May, the figure remains among the lowest recorded since STEM began tracking in 1998. The rise in anxiety was especially notable among younger respondents, aged 18 to 29, though fears also persist among middle-aged and older workers. STEM found that unemployment fears are more pronounced among individuals who are financially insecure, but concerns have also begun to rise among those who describe themselves as financially comfortable. While long-term trends show that older workers—especially those aged 45 to 59—routinely express higher levels of concern, the recent uptick among younger age groups reflects growing uncertainty in the labor market. Despite the increase in concern, the survey revealed a significant shift in how people are responding to potential job loss. Willingness to accept lower wages in exchange for new employment has declined sharply. Only 55 percent of respondents said they would agree to work for reduced pay if faced with losing their job—the lowest level since STEM began collecting this data. By contrast, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, 73 percent of Czechs were open to lower wages. During the economic downturn between 2008 and 2014, that figure hovered around 80 percent. STEM analyst Kateřina Duspivová explained that this decline is likely driven by financial pressure. “The willingness to start another job for a lower wage continues to decline, because people simply cannot afford a further decrease in income,” she said. The survey also explored other strategies people might consider in the face of unemployment. While a large majority—88 percent—said they would be willing to work in a different field, only 36 percent were open to relocating to another region for work. According to official figures from the Czech Labour Office, unemployment stood at 4.2 percent in June, unchanged from the previous month. This remains one of the lowest rates in the European Union. At the end of June, there were 315,465 unemployed individuals registered across the country. Year-on-year, the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points. STEM conducted the survey between June 12 and 22, gathering responses from 1,059 individuals aged 18 and over. The findings suggest that while fears about job security are slowly increasing, Czechs are becoming less willing—or less able—to accept compromises in income, signaling growing tension in the face of broader economic uncertainty. Source: STEM and CTK