The Labour Cost Index (LCI) working days adjusted decreased by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2021. In the previous quarter it had increased by 7.1%.

The wage costs (per hour actually worked) decreased by 4.7% and the other labour costs (also per hour actually worked) increased by 7.2%, compared with the same period of the previous year. For the increase of the other costs in the 2nd quarter of 2021 contributed the growth in the employers’ contributions due to the significant reduction of the enterprises that joined the simplified layoff regime.

This development was also a result of the combined effect of the increase of 7.3% in the average cost per employee and the growth of 10.8% in the number of hours actually worked per employee. The increase of the latter component took place in all the economic activities, except for construction, where it decreased, having been particularly high in the activities from the public sector (13.3%). The increase of the average cost per employee was also observed in all the economic activities, having the lower rate of change been observed in the public sector (2.5%).