New directions in recruitment in Poland

The article was published by the Netherlands Polish Chamber of Commerce in Bulletin No. 69 Winter 2019. You can read the whole magazine here.

New directions in recruitment in Poland

Employers are increasingly looking towards the Far East with hope, believing that workers from Asian countries will turn out to be the long-awaited solution to their problems. Tomasz Dudek, Managing Director CEE at OTTO Work Force, explains just why employing workers from that region is a great step into the future.

What is the current situation on the Polish labour market?

“The labour market in Poland has changed into an employee market. Unemployment has hit a historic low and staff shortages continue to deepen. Over the past few years, almost all the leading Polish industries and economic sectors have been experiencing shortfalls in their active workforce. This situation is not going to improve in the foreseeable future due to the demographic crisis resulting from low birth rates dating from the beginning of the 1990s. Labour shortages translate into higher wage demands as well as rising non-financial expectations among the workforce. Although in recent years employers have effectively bridged the labour gap with workers from Ukraine, the needs of the economy keep growing and more and more Ukrainians are now choosing other labour markets than Poland.”

Can workers from Asia be a real opportunity for the European labour market?

“The current situation is forcing Poland to enter into competition with other countries for recruiting and keeping workers. The Ukrainians who chose Poland as their country of employment are not enough to meet the demand in staffing. This is the main reason why recruitment companies are now broadening their search, and looking to markets further afield, such as India, Nepal, Vietnam and the Philippines. The strategy of importing workers from Asia seems to be the only viable option to sustain our economy when European workers are no longer available. In addition, according to employers, workers from the Far East adjust easily to life in Poland. Due to the geographical distance, cultural differences, language and legal barriers, companies often seek the assistance of temporary employment agencies familiar with Asian social and cultural conditions and the work environment there. These agencies deal with all the formalities: from selecting the candidates in Asia to employing them in Poland.”       

What made OTTO decide to recruit workers from Asian countries? 

“Recruiting workers from Asia is a new chapter for OTTO Work Force. Our strategic cooperation with the Japanese group OUTSOURCING Inc. (OSI), and its strong position on the Asian market, has allowed us to enter the global recruitment market. OSI’s organisational structure and the long-standing experience of its recruiters guarantee the recruitment of high-quality workers from the Far East, who are increasingly sought after on the Polish labour market.

“Thanks to our cooperation with organisations from Asia, we are able to accurately verify the candidates’ qualifications and check how they fit the needs of a given company. The Asian recruiters check their professional, language and communication skills, while we also have access to local vocational schools that provide the skills required to perform specific jobs, such as welding or sewing. Our Asian partners are familiar with the local conditions, regulations and mentality of the candidates. They are able to anticipate any potential problems that may come out during the recruitment process and therefore, ultimately, we get highly-qualified workers who can enhance our clients’ workforces.”    

Which countries in Asia are your first workers from? Which sectors are they employed in?

“Currently, we are recruiting our first workers from Indonesia and Vietnam. We are looking for blue-collar workers for the manufacturing industry, logistics, the clothing industry and processing. In the future, we plan to recruit specialised workers, like engineers and IT specialists with fluent English. We always try to adjust our services to the ever-changing requirements of our clients.”

How can companies benefit from hiring workers from Asia?

“Hiring workers from Asian countries is a great step into the future for entrepreneurs who have their company’s long-term strategy in mind. For one thing, Asian workers are highly competent and have a broad professional scope. A work permit authorises them to work legally in Poland for at least a year, which prevents frequent rotation. As an employment company, we strive not only to satisfy our clients with the quality of our foreign workers, but also to provide comfortable working conditions for those workers. We believe the foundation of a company’s success is its staff.”