Low unemployment in Poland, yet employers struggle to find workers - the labour market paradox

Poland has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union, and yet more than half of employers struggle with a lack of suitable candidates. We examine what this paradox means for companies and why effective recruitment today is far more than just posting a job ad.

Poland currently ranks 2nd in the European Union in terms of the lowest unemployment rate. According to Eurostat data, it stands at just 3.0%, while the average for the entire European Union is 6.0%.

This sounds like great news - and from the perspective of the entire economy, it is indeed a cause for satisfaction. However, from the perspective of entrepreneurs, the picture looks completely different.

Skills harder to find than candidates

According to the latest research, as many as 57% of employers in Poland declare difficulties in finding employees with appropriate qualifications. This shows that the problem today is not solely the number of available candidates on the market. Matching skills to real business needs is increasingly becoming a challenge.

Local labour markets: significant differences

Furthermore, the situation in local labour markets is highly varied. In the Silesian Voivodeship, the registered unemployment rate is just 1.8% in Katowice and 2.7% in Tychy, while in some districts it exceeds 9-10%. This shows that speaking of the "Polish labour market" as a uniform whole can be misleading - the situation can differ dramatically even within a single region.

What determines effective recruitment today

After nearly 20 years of running WorkerService, it is clear that effective recruitment is no longer about publishing a job ad and waiting for applications. Today, what matters most is:

• knowledge of local labour markets,
• the ability to reach the right candidates,
• building an attractive work environment,
• legal and efficient employment of workers from abroad,
• quick response to changing business needs.

This is why an increasing number of companies build competitive advantage not by offering the highest salaries, but by being able to effectively attract and retain valuable employees.

Low unemployment is just the beginning of challenges

Low unemployment is good news for the economy. For entrepreneurs, however, it means that the fight for talent is only just beginning.