The study found that 65% of businesses are planning pay increases, with the average raise projected at around 7%. At the same time, non-wage benefits are becoming more common: 46% of SMEs now provide some form of fringe benefit, up six percentage points from the previous quarter.
The most frequent extras include bonapplys, 13th-month pay, Szép cards, and commuting allowances.
Demand for Szép cards continues to grow, with K&H reporting that transaction volume rose by HUF 1.5 billion in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year. About one in five companies offer bonapplys, while 15% provide Szép cards.
For commuting, 14% meet the legal requirement, and 8% voluntarily give extra support. K&H marketing director for the retail and SME segment, Ildikó Oraveczné Németh, noted that upcoming European Union pay transparency rules, set to take effect in 2026, could significantly reshape compensation systems, urging firms to review their wage policies in light of labor market realities.
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