CEE Executives Value Safety and Family Comfort Over Salary When Relocating, New Boyden Study Finds

BUDAPEST, June 11 — Personal safety, quality of life, and family integration have overtaken financial incentives as the primary drivers for executive relocation within Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). This is according to a new regional mobility study released today by executive search firm Boyden. 

The report, which interviewed 30 regional CEOs, General Managers, and HR Directors, reveals a major shift in how senior talent evaluates cross-border career moves. While career progression remains the top professional motivator, an executive's final decision heavily depends on their family's comfort and local bureaucratic hurdles. 

Safety and Lifestyle Truncate Politics and Pay 

When evaluating a country's attractiveness, senior leaders rank safety as the single most critical factor. Quality of life closely follows, while local political landscapes and economic outlooks fall to mid- and low-tier priorities. 

"For senior executives, relocation is rarely an individual decision — it is a family decision," says Norrie Sinclair, Boyden Partner for Hungary. "We are seeing that excellent schooling, healthcare access, and a high degree of spousal support frequently outweigh corporate financial incentives. Companies that understand this and offer comprehensive family integration support see significantly higher talent retention." 

The findings also reflect the priorities of a new generation of internationally mobile leaders. For many millennials, factors such as safety, affordability, lifestyle and family wellbeing increasingly outweigh traditional expatriate incentives such as status and compensation. As a result, dynamic cities such as Warsaw are increasingly competitive with traditional Western European expatriate hubs when attracting internationally mobile talent. 

Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary Lead Regional Appeal 

The study highlights a highly competitive landscape within the CEE region itself: 

• Top Destinations: Poland (ranked highest with 20 points), followed by the Czech Republic (17 points) and Hungary (14 points) remain the most attractive markets for executive talent. 

• The Reality Gap: Executives note that Western European talent pools still hold outdated "second-tier" or "hardship posting" misconceptions about CEE. In reality, regional hubs offer superior work-life balance, high safety metrics, and a lower cost of living. 

• Emerging Hubs: Poland is singled out as a major powerhouse due to its rapid economic growth, market potential, and infrastructure improvements. 

Bureaucracy Threatens Regional Growth 

Despite high interest in moving within CEE—with 70% of executives open to another regional move within the next three years—bureaucracy stands as the largest obstacle. Complex, country-specific immigration and legal frameworks are the top factors making relocation difficult, outranking language barriers and cultural differences. 

The Rise of Local Leadership 

The report also points to an architectural shift in regional corporate structures. Facing tighter mobility budgets and an increasingly sophisticated local talent pool, companies are moving away from expat-heavy management models. Instead, businesses are adopting a hybrid approach: reserving expatriate deployments for highly strategic knowledge transfer while actively mentoring local CEE professionals into senior regional roles. 

About the Study 

The CEE Executive Mobility 2026 report is based on qualitative research and structured interviews with 30 senior executives operating across Central and Eastern Europe. Over 70% of the participants bring more than 25 years of professional experience, representing core regional industries including Energy, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Goods. 

About Boyden

Boyden is a premier leadership and talent advisory firm with more than 75 offices in over 45 countries. Our global reach enables us to serve client needs anywhere they conduct business. We connect great companies with great leaders through executive search, interim management and leadership consulting solutions. Boyden celebrates 80 years in business this year and is ranked among the top ten companies on Forbes’ 2026 America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms list. For further information, visit www.boyden.com.