Some 86% of the general public consider their income level insufficient for a quality of life, while 54% of business sector employees consider their earnings sufficient or more than sufficient, according to the results of the Quality of Life Barometer survey, conducted by the European Business Association (EBA) in partnership with Gradus Research in June 2026.
According to the published data, assessments of current work demonstrate a significant gap between businesses and other citizens: 68% of respondents in the business sector are satisfied with their employment (including self-fulfillment, work-life balance, and protection of rights), while only 10% are dissatisfied, while among the general public, 29% give a positive assessment and 33% a negative one.
At the same time, 61% of employees at EBA member companies and 41% of the general public receive additional support from their employers due to the war. The key retention factors at companies remain the ability to work remotely (61%), team atmosphere (44%), relationships with management (36%), and safe and comfortable conditions (33%).
The most critical areas for both groups remain safety and the environment: 77% of business representatives and 71% of the general public are dissatisfied with the level of safety (8% each are satisfied), while 69% and 63%, respectively, are dissatisfied with the state of the environment.
"The study results confirm that a high-quality work environment remains one of the main factors in life satisfaction. At the same time, we see that the perception of the security situation against the backdrop of a full-scale war remains the main challenge for society," EBA Executive Director Hanna Derevyanko is quoted in the publication as saying. Fifty-two percent of business respondents rated the quality of their social life positively, compared to 30% of the general public. Fifty-two percent of business respondents and 21% of the general public were satisfied with healthcare services, while 33% and 26%, respectively, were satisfied with educational services.
Fifty-two percent of business respondents and 54% of the general public were dissatisfied with the country’s legal framework and regulations.
Overall, 29% of business respondents (35% dissatisfied) and 17% of the general public (45% dissatisfied) were satisfied with their overall experience of living in Ukraine. The highest level of satisfaction was recorded among young people aged 16-24 (24%).
Regarding their place of residence, 71% of the general public and 47% of business respondents remained in their permanent place of residence, where they lived before the full-scale invasion; 16% and 40%, respectively, moved and returned. Those who left their permanent place of residence were 12% of the general public and 13% of business representatives.
"The study results confirm that work remains one of the few areas where people feel stability, control, and the ability to influence their own lives. At the same time, the significant gap between the business and general public assessments demonstrates how the quality of the work environment, employer support, and adequate income determine the overall sense of well-being. In a situation where safety, environmental conditions, and the legal framework receive predominantly critical assessments, a responsible employer becomes a source of resilience for individuals. However, business cannot compensate for systemic risks—measurable improvements in quality of life require changes at the level of state institutions and the public," added the founder and director of the research company Gradus Research.
The survey was conducted in June 2026. The general public sample consisted of 1,000 respondents (urban residents aged 16 and over, excluding occupied territories and war zones), and the business audience sample consisted of 417 representatives of EBA member companies.
