Wolf Theiss advises companies on employee retention as Polish labor market tightens

More than 830 companies have set up business service centers (BSCs) in Poland, seeking to benefit from the country’s relatively low labor costs and skilled workforce. The industry currently employs nearly 280,000 people, most of them younger than 34 years old, according to data from the Association of Business Services Leaders.

Speaking to the 3rd annual HR in BSC Forum which took place on 30-31 January 2019 in Warsaw, Wolf Theiss Associate and employment law expert, Paulina Przewoźnik, discussed provisions of the Polish Labor Code that can be used to help attract employees, including rules on remote working and flexible hours. Wolf Theiss was a content partner of the Forum, which deals with employment issues in the BSC industry.

“The labor market is undergoing changes as a new generation of employees start work and the constant inflow of foreign investment continues to create huge demand for skilled laborers,” said Paulina Przewoźnik. “For employers to retain top talent, merely offering an attractive remuneration package is not enough. They also need to provide employees with opportunities for career development and ensure the possibility of maintaining a work-life balance.”

In her presentation, Paulina Przewoźnik discussed the procedures that employers are legally required to comply with in order to implement these solutions, in particular, the way employee contracts should be structured to allow for work outside the office. She indicated that employers, in order to protect themselves from discrimination claims, should implement internal regulations specifying who can work remotely and under what conditions. In addition, she also spoke about how employers can provide employees with flexible working time systems that are in compliance with labor laws.