Sharp increase in the number of people leaving work on employer’s initiative
According to Statistics Estonia, in the second quarter of 2020, there were 8,088 vacancies in the enterprises, institutions and organisations of Estonia. Compared to the second quarter of 2019, the number decreased by 28%. In the second quarter, 39,540 persons were hired and 50,184 persons left work. Every fourth person left on the employer’s initiative.
The total number of vacant and occupied posts was 608,175. The economic activities of manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and education held the largest shares in the total number of posts. The number of vacancies was highest in education (1,405), public administration and defence (1,084), and human health and social work activities (1,035).
According to Argo Tarkiainen, analyst at Statistics Estonia, the rate of job vacancies, which is the share of job vacancies in the total number of posts, was 1.3%. “Of all job vacancies, 47% were in the public sector. The rate of job vacancies was highest in public administration and defence (2.7%) and lowest in mining and quarrying (0.5%),” said Tarkiainen.
Most of the vacant posts were in Harju county (74%), including Tallinn (64%), followed by Tartu county (7.6%) and Ida-Viru county (5.3%). The rate of job vacancies was highest in Harju county (1.6%), followed by Ida-Viru and Võru counties (1.2%), and lowest in Hiiu and Saare counties (0.3%).
Labour turnover (the total number of engaged and left employees), which characterises the movement of labour, decreased by 23% compared to the second quarter of 2019. “The number of employees hired as well as the number of employees who left their job were highest in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, and construction. In the second quarter, 12,493 persons left their job on the employer’s initiative, which is a 131% increase compared to the second quarter of 2019,” added Tarkiainen.
To estimate the number of occupied posts and labour turnover, Statistics Estonia uses the data of the employment register of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. The quarterly average number of job vacancies and occupied posts is published as at the end of the month. The main representative of public interest for the statistical activity is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
For further information:
Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181