NEI Analytical Report: National Employment Index – The Primary Indicator of Labor Market Health in Poland (Q1 2026)

National Employment Index (NEI) is a proprietary, integrated indicator of the Polish labor market’s health, combining employment data, labor costs, business sentiment, and broader economic conditions into a single, clear measure. An NEI score of 50 points in Q1 2026 indicates that the labor market has reached a neutral equilibrium level. Despite ongoing challenges related to declining employment, rising unemployment, and economic uncertainty, the market is showing the first signs of stabilization. NEI is a proprietary, integrated indicator of labor market conditions in Poland that brings together employment trends, labor costs, business sentiment, and economic performance into one transparent metric.

The report, prepared by the Gremi Personal Analytical Center, examines how companies are adapting to slowing demand, optimizing labor costs, and focusing on retaining key employees. At the same time, workers are increasingly choosing job security over the risks associated with changing employers in pursuit of higher wages. The analysis highlights how a new balance is emerging between employer expectations and employee priorities amid growing economic uncertainty.

The report includes:

• An analysis of the NEI score and the current labor market situation.
• A breakdown of the NEI sub-indices.
• The impact of economic trends, inflation, and geopolitics on employment.
• Data on employment, unemployment, and job vacancies.
• An analysis of wages and labor costs.
• An overview of growing and declining industries.
• Results from the “Voice of the Market” business survey.
• An analysis of labor migration and flexible forms of employment.
• Labor market forecasts for the upcoming quarters of 2026.

The report is based on data from Statistics Poland (GUS), the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), the National Bank of Poland (NBP), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Public Employment Services, recruitment platforms, and Gremi Personal’s proprietary business survey, “Voice of the Market.”

The purpose of the report is to provide entrepreneurs, managers, and decision-makers with a practical tool for assessing labor market conditions and making more informed workforce, cost-management, and operational decisions in an environment of increasing economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

Download the full NEI report and discover the signals currently shaping the labor market, as well as how to prepare your organization for a period of stabilization, cautious cost management, and new economic challenges in 2026.