Gremi Personal: Employers Need Men. You Can't Fill All Vacancies with Women

Until recently, retail chains had major problems hiring staff. Is that still the case?

The labour market has changed over the past six months. We saw a significant surge in interest at the end of the year. That always happens in retail and e-commerce at this time, but employers are also increasingly reluctant to open new recruitment processes due to cost-cutting and production changes. You could say the employee's market is shifting to an employer's market.

Are we already experiencing this, or is it about to happen in the next few months?

Right now, 23% of companies declare future staff reductions. At least half of our clients are projecting an increase in employment or maintaining the same level. So today, we cannot yet say there is a noticeable lack of interest in our sector. We are talking about workers who do not require qualifications.

How are economic changes — including high inflation and the rise in minimum wage — affecting employment?

I won't hide that rising inflation is slowing down recruitment processes. Due to rising prices, workers will choose jobs closer to where they live.

I also see an opportunity for intermediaries. When we bring workers to Poland, we also offer them accommodation. Having people on-site enables us to fill staffing gaps faster than retail or production companies that conduct recruitment on their own.

The retail sector has made significant investments in automation. Will this reduce demand for workers in this sector?

The retail sector has always been characterised by high employee turnover. I don't think investments in automation will significantly reduce the number of vacancies today. We can see this in the efforts that large retail chains are making to retain staff — the number of bonuses offered, wage increases.

Today, in many stores — large and small, like Żabka — workers from Ukraine are being hired more and more often. Demand for workers is substantial. I don't think automation is saving grocery retail today.

What helps foreigners find work in Poland?

Certainly, knowledge of the Polish language. We run training programmes that speed up recruitment for these positions. We see great interest from workers, especially those who came to Poland after 24 February and have been living here for several months.

It is said that those coming to Poland prefer to work in production rather than retail, due to greater job stability and more convenient hours. Is that true?

Yes, when it comes to simple production work, because a worker coming from abroad is interested in full-time employment. They want to work at least 200 hours a month to earn money, but the changing economic situation shows that workers may have no choice. Location will matter greatly. Many refugees settled in large cities, as not every small town was willing to take in large numbers of Ukrainians. According to Border Guard data, around one million came to Poland, of whom 450,000 found work.

What about Ukrainians crossing our western border? The German market is more attractive than the Polish one — you can earn more there.

Many workers are currently migrating. There is an outflow, and employers must think about providing the best possible conditions to retain staff. It is possible that the rise in minimum wage will help keep more people in Poland. We also need to factor in the situation, which can change dynamically, with regard to the war in Ukraine.

Many people who arrived here recently also prefer to stay in Poland, because they adapt here mentally better than in some other EU countries.

How can the gap left by departing Ukrainians be filled?

We are looking toward hiring people from other countries. We already have people working with us from the Philippines and Colombia. The latter is a very interesting direction, because workers from Colombia can work in Poland without a visa. There is also strong interest from Russian-speaking workers from Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. They previously travelled to Russia for work, but due to the war they are more interested in working in Europe. On 23 November 2022, we signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Agency for External Labour Migration under the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The memorandum comprehensively regulates labour migration issues — from recruitment to employment as a temporary worker.

We will strive to develop cooperation in the field of labour emigration as fully as possible. We see that our partners are also interested in working with Russian-speaking individuals, as management staff in factories or foremen know the language.

The first workers from Asian countries have already started. But we don't hide the fact that the waiting time for such a worker is longer — around six months.

What could be changed in Polish law to make it more foreigner-friendly in terms of hiring?

On our part, we call for simplifying the hiring procedure, although security considerations for Poland must also be kept in mind. A temporary work permit for the time needed to gather full documentation could be a way out of this situation.

The refugees we currently employ are mostly women. Unfortunately, not all vacancies can be filled by women. Employers also need men.

It is said that many women work in warehouses — for example, they operate forklifts?

Yes. Our company trains women in Bydgoszcz, where they obtain forklift operator licences. In that role, they can earn more. As it turns out, a woman who drives a car handles a forklift very well.

Do economic migrants who came to our country not fleeing a war but purely for work think about staying in Poland?

They come mainly to earn money, but they are interested in working as long as possible. The journey to Poland alone is fairly expensive for a worker. A new worker stays in Poland for around 2 years. It is hard to say what percentage of them will stay permanently, as we are only now dealing with a larger influx of workers into Poland.

Is Poland a transit country for them, and do they want to move further west later?

We'll see. For now, our wages are attractive enough for them to come and stay. A lot depends on how well we adapt to integrating workers. Not every company today is open to working with employees and communicating in their language. Everything depends on how quickly employers adapt to such a diverse workforce.

Will there still be wage pressure next year?

A large number of companies are cutting costs, reducing their production capacity and producing less in advance. I think wages will largely remain stable.

Which sectors will cut employment this year?

Some of our clients are not increasing job offers. We have noticed declines in the metallurgy and timber industries. Construction hasn't shown this yet, but looking at the number of apartments being purchased, things will slow down.

How will things look in retail?

I think retail will see a fairly dynamic situation. The food, trade, and e-commerce sectors are growing rapidly. Industries that supply people with everyday necessities will always develop more stably. Let's remember that more than a million people have come to Poland, and they are spending money and buying food.

The war in Ukraine will end one day.

It's hard to forecast that situation, but I believe changes will happen on two tracks. People will certainly return, but we also expect migration toward Poland. Ukraine will have to rebuild. Not everyone will be able to return to their place of residence. Many people have lost their homes. They will need work and money to rebuild. At the same time, some of them will leave to start their lives anew in Ukraine.

It is said that the unemployment rate may rise next year. How will unskilled workers move between sectors?

The most important factor will be the rate of pay. They will be looking for higher wages. I think the hourly or salaried rate will be the main driver of job changes.

Which sectors currently pay the most?

Processing industries — namely meat and fish — have always paid more. They have high turnover and must also offer better pay to workers under those conditions.

Specialist positions — working with forklifts — come with higher pay, but simple production work does not differ much in terms of wages from logistics or warehouse work.

You mentioned the meat industry. Are changes possible there?

The meat industry has its seasonality, but over the past 3 years we have not felt any slowdown. It is growing dynamically. Our clients submit their requirements early, preparing for the season. We are already taking orders from our partners. Meat consumption will remain substantial, as there are genuinely more people in Poland.

How should migration policy be shaped? Do current regulations make hiring foreigners difficult?

Poland has a fairly transparent and straightforward employment policy, but the waiting time for a work permit for people from certain countries is long. In January of last year, major changes occurred that greatly simplified the situation. However, the law lists countries such as Georgia, Belarus, and Ukraine, while the influx of migrants — especially men of working age — from these directions is lower. It would be useful to expand the list of countries. I would draw attention to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan — Central Asia. In the case of Kazakhstan, interest in coming to work has increased by as much as 50% compared to last year. Today, the wait for a worker from these directions is around six months, and much depends on the rules in force in their home country.

Does extending such a permit take less time?

We recommend that workers apply for temporary residence, so they can take advantage of all the benefits of living in Poland. Usually by that point workers already have a temporary residence card. After that, the extension is easier.

source: https://www.wiadomoscihandlowe.pl/artykul/vitalia-korsun-gremi-personal-pracodawcy-potrzebuja-mezczyzn-nie-da-sie-wszystkich-wakatow-zapelnic-kobietami/1