Serbians: What Are They Like and Why You Should Hire Them

In a previous article, we discussed remote workers from Serbia and why they offer great value for remote employees. Their lower cost of living and salary ranges in this east European country are pushing Serbians to seek more opportunities to work remotely for global companies. Serbia has one of the highest proportions of highly educated and experienced remote workers. In a population of about 7 million people, more than 650 000 have a bachelor’s agree (at least). It is estimated that more than three out of every 1 000 Serbians work remotely. Also, more than half of the population has basic IT skills.

But what are the Serbian people like to work with? In this article, we discuss what Serbian people are like and make up your mind with additional reasons why you should hire them for remote jobs.

What Languages Do People in Serbia Speak?

An interesting fact about Serbia is that they have multiple official languages, depending on the province. The official language, of course, is Serbian (forming part of a group of South Slavic languages), which serves as the native language of 88% of the population. The country has many ethnically versatile regions where other regional and minority languages like Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian and Croatian are spoken. Minority languages are granted official status when more than 15% of the citizens in a city or municipality speak it. For example, there are six official languages in the province of Vojvodina.

Serbian is the only European language that can be written in two distinct scripts: Latin and Cyrillic. The official text of Serbia is Cyrillic, although the Latin alphabet is described as the script in official use and is still taught in schools. English is the most popular foreign language spoken in Serbia and is also learned in many schools across the country. Thus, the language is widely spoken and profoundly understood by the Serbians, especially among the younger generation (teenagers to young adults) who are used to being in contact with foreigners.

The Serbian Economy

Even though structural economic reforms are slowly being implemented, Serbia is still recovering from many years of global sanctions and damages caused by wars. Low average wages, high unemployment rates and high public debts are still significant problems for Serbians.

The unemployment rate in Serbia is close to 12%, which is low compared to their neighbours Macedonia (21%) and Montenegro (17%). Many African countries experience the worst unemployment rates of above 20%. However, Serbia’s unemployment rate is still higher compared to other European countries. Some EU-states have unemployment rates of less than 10%. Thus, there is a lot of people waiting for job opportunities and are even eager to look overseas, either for remote work or to search for greener pastures.

The above provides a reason why almost 4% of Serbians have emigrated. This percentage from the 2011 census is less compared to research nine years earlier. Nevertheless, the emigration flow is still high for a relatively small population, considering that more than 600 000 people left Serbia in the last 20 years. The younger generation struggles to find jobs at home after finishing their studies and feel that they are forced to go and create better lives for themselves. Most emigrants tend to move to EU countries. However, since Serbia is still in the process of applying for EU-status, the possibilities for spatial market mobility are limited for Serbians.

Other young graduates that are willing to stay in Serbia are always on the lookout for remote opportunities from global companies. That way they earn an extra (decent) income while being able to stay with family and friends.

Characteristics of Serbians

Most tourists and remote workers who have visited Serbia all commend the inhabitants on being friendly and welcoming, especially towards foreigners. They’re not afraid to show off their hospitality and celebrate events in the most passionate of ways. Serbia may be seen as a “poor” country when it comes to their economy, but the people display their wealth through their food and eating together.

Belgrade is especially thriving in creativity by the presence of musicians, artists, and writers. The creatives in this city are supportive of one another and only live to inspire others in their community. When a Serbian becomes interested in any subject, they throw themselves in it. It is in their culture to do something correctly or not at all. There is no in-between. Serbia is the ideal place for intense analytical conversations about any topic you’re interested in with well-educated people.

Serbia is always abuzz with nightlife. People always seem to have boundless energy at any time of the day. Where most adults go out at late at night only to feel tired and sluggish the next morning, Serbians will wake up the next day as if they are the ray of sunshine itself.

People are also really inventive. Because of their economic circumstances, Serbia learned to find solutions, or at least create temporary solutions, for any situation. And if anyone tells them they can’t do something, a Serbian will go above and beyond to prove you otherwise. Serbia lived through wars and economic despair. Thus the acting out of proud defiance against all odds is in their blood.

In short, Serbians are smart, analytic, and hard workers that never give up and will give their all in their chosen endeavours. As an employer, you will always know where you stand with a Serbian remote worker. They don’t beat around the bush and are quick to point out any issues or problems, but will most likely also know how to fix it. They’re committed to anything they enjoy and believe in.

Where Do I Find People in Serbia?

There are many remote and freelance workers on various platforms. They’re willing to work for any company that pays well for Serbian standards, but not necessarily as high as for remote workers from other European countries used to higher salaries.

If you want to hire high-quality remote workers from Serbia, do yourself a favour and search our database where we have many readily available remote Serbian candidates.