A majority of Israeli reservists called up during the ongoing war are reporting significant financial hardship, job insecurity and a need for professional retraining, according to a new survey by the country’s Employment Service.
The survey, conducted in February, polled 841 reservists who served on different fronts during the war, which began in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre. Some 75% of respondents reported that they suffered economic harm caused by their service in the IDF reserves. Nearly half described the impact as significant, while 27% said they managed to cope financially.
Job uncertainty was also widespread. Sixty percent said they faced employment instability after their service. Of those, 20% feared losing their jobs, and 41% said they were either fired or had left their jobs after returning to civilian life.
The survey was conducted as part of an initiative that offers employment support to reservists and their families. The Employment Service said the findings reflect the cost that the extended deployment of reserve forces has taken on the civilian workforce.
Roughly 63% of those surveyed said they were dissatisfied with their current employment situation, many considering a career change. About 24% requested vocational retraining. Half said they needed support strengthening their digital and technological skills, and 24.2% sought help improving management and entrepreneurial abilities.
“The wide-scale reserve mobilization created unprecedented challenges in the labor market,” said Einat Meshash, director of the Employment Service. “Reservists are the backbone of national resilience, and the survey data reveals a difficult reality. As a country, we have an obligation to provide them with full and respectful employment support.”
The Employment Service program has been in operation for four months and has already served tens of thousands of reservists and their partners. The initiative provides access to career counselors, vocational psychologists, job coaches and placement coordinators who work with participants to develop individualized employment plans based on their needs and goals.
These plans offer a wide range of services, including professional courses, vocational training, digital skills workshops, job interview preparation, and support for navigating an increasingly AI-driven labor market.
