Legal and Cultural Aspects of Employing Workers from the East

Workers from the East – Cultural Differences

Are the differences between employing Polish and Ukrainian or Belarusian workers significant? Is it worth hiring workers from the East? Years of their presence in Polish companies and the experience of working together have given all parties an opportunity to get to know each other and learn how to collaborate effectively. Anna Dzhobolda, Director of the International Recruitment Department at employment agency Gremi Personal, shares a similar view: "When it comes to cultural aspects, Polish entrepreneurs have learned to work with employees from the East — particularly from Ukraine and Belarus. Some decision-makers at Polish companies emphasise that among all foreign workers, Ukrainians and Belarusians are culturally closest to Polish employees, and the language barrier is minimal," says Dzhobolda. The ease of learning Polish is a great advantage of workers from the East. They are valued not only as seasonal workers — they find employment across a wide variety of industries.

Workers from the East – A Legally Diverse Group

Workers from the East do not form a uniform group in terms of legal status, as the domestic realities of their countries of origin differ. Poland has also had or continues to have several regulations (including the COVID law and the war law) that govern the recruitment of workers from the East. As a result, different rules apply to Belarusians, different ones to Ukrainians, and yet others to Georgians. The legal situation of men from Ukraine is further complicated by the war and the mobilisation law, the tightening of which is increasingly discussed. Belarus, meanwhile, is a country that still has not introduced biometric passports. In short, employing workers from the East requires knowledge of a great many regulations that apply not only in Poland but also in the workers' countries of origin. These regulations change, creating complex interdependencies. They must therefore be followed very closely and continuously to avoid inadvertently falling foul of the law when hiring employees from Eastern Europe. It is precisely the issues related to work legalisation and the handling of formalities connected with workers from the East that represent the greatest challenge for employers in our country. Legally employing a worker from this region is no simple matter.

Growing Expectations of Workers from the East

It is often said nowadays that the labour market belongs to the manual worker — meaning that Poland still faces a shortage of hands. In this situation, workers can choose where they prefer to work based on the conditions offered. This also applies to workers from the East. Wages, relocation assistance and accommodation — and with it, the standard of that accommodation — can all influence both the hiring and retention of employees. A dissatisfied workforce is easy to recognise by high staff turnover. The same principle can apply to an entire country. Recent research conducted by employment agency Gremi Personal shows that the number of Ukrainians planning to stay in Poland has dropped by half compared to the previous year. Since they make up the majority of workers from the East in Poland, the labour market may soon feel this impact. Interest in living in Germany is also growing — the country is attracting increasing numbers of people with attractive social conditions and higher wages for manual workers. This means that attracting workers from the East in the near future may become even more challenging.

How to Employ a Worker from the East?

How do you employ a worker from the East? The process of hiring workers from abroad requires attention to many different aspects that can be complex and time-consuming. The main issues to consider are recruitment, obtaining the necessary documents, legalisation of residence and work, providing accommodation, arranging transport, and offering support in everyday matters.

The first step is conducting effective recruitment, which involves promoting job offers in countries where potential workers may reside and selecting the appropriate recruitment channels. The next step is supporting the process of legalising residence and work, including translating the necessary documents into a language the worker understands.

An important aspect is also providing appropriate accommodation for workers from abroad. Companies can assist workers in finding housing of a suitable standard and arrange convenient transport to the workplace. It is also essential to provide support in everyday matters, such as compliance with health and safety regulations, medical examinations, and adaptation to the new work environment. Workers from the East may expect the employer to play something of a guardian role, so it is important that the company be prepared to offer appropriate support and assistance with daily questions. All these aspects of the process of employing workers from the East are key to the effective functioning of the team. It is therefore worth considering the benefits of outsourcing the recruitment of workers from the East to an employment agency with experience and expertise in handling such processes.

Although in theory any entrepreneur can hire workers from the East — helping them obtain the necessary documents or simply requiring them to handle it themselves — as Anna Dzhobolda emphasises, when large volumes of workers are involved, companies choose to rely on help in finding staff, which an employment agency such as Gremi Personal can provide. We take on full legal responsibility, support workers in obtaining the necessary permits, and recruit them both in Poland and in their home countries.

From Recruiting Workers from the East to Motivation

The strength of Gremi Personal's approach is that our employment agency offers comprehensive services. Among the people we employ are temporary workers and manual workers. We also place staff for seasonal work. We handle the recruitment of new workers from A to Z — from finding them in their home country (or in Poland) to motivating them so they feel satisfied in their new environment:

Recruitment of Workers at Home and Abroad

Our database contains 120,000 contacts of potential candidates with a variety of qualifications. At the client's request, we can find suitable workers to match job offers. These include manual workers, warehouse staff, and those ready for temporary work. We also support recruitment in Eastern European countries — Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia.

Handling Formalities on Behalf of Workers from the East

For those willing to relocate for work, we handle all formalities and assist in obtaining the necessary documents and permits. When needed, we also organise training — for example, we run courses required to pass the UDT forklift operator exam. This has allowed us to quickly help fill staffing gaps in warehouses, while workers gained new qualifications and the opportunity for better-paid work.

Accommodation Base

Thanks to our experience, we know how important housing matters are for people arriving from abroad. Our own accommodation base allows us to provide workers with good living conditions. We also arrange transport to the workplace, which is particularly important for shift-based work systems.

Round-the-Clock Care for Workers

We surround our workers with support. Dedicated coordinators help them find their footing in new workplaces and provide assistance when problems arise — for example, with communication in Polish. Workers receive help with matters related to legalising their stay, obtaining a residence card, or undergoing medical examinations. Coordinators ensure that people arriving in Poland feel safe in their new environment.

Benefits and Bonuses

We offer our workers loyalty programmes, medical care, and a bonus system. We know that in every industry, an employee satisfied with their working conditions is more loyal to their employer.

The Legal Department Oversees the Employment of Workers from the East.

Our legal department oversees the entire legalisation process and is prepared to cooperate with supervisory authorities such as ZUS, PIP, and tax offices.

Employing Workers from the East – Advantages and Disadvantages

In summary, the most important advantage of workers from the East is cultural proximity, which allows them to quickly acclimatise within a Polish workforce. Such cooperation is already widespread, frequently applied, and praised by Polish entrepreneurs. The disadvantages, meanwhile, include the complex legal situation, dependent on many factors and changing regulations — not only in Poland but also in the workers' home countries. It is precisely in the process of establishing cooperation with workers from the East that it is advisable to draw on the services of an employment agency such as Gremi Personal. We stand out with 16 years of experience and many satisfied clients. Workers from the East are our speciality. As an employment agency, we will not only take on the burden of organisational matters and legal responsibility, but will also help offer solutions that make the position even more attractive.

We invite you to explore our offer. See what benefits cooperation with Gremi Personal can bring to your company:

https://gremi-personal.com/oferta/