Organisations are faced with economic and geopolitical uncertainties that are causing them to exercise increased caution when it comes to recruitment. Instead of jumping into recruitment like they did during the post-pandemic boom, they are keeping an eye on salary trends and taking the time to carefully consider their options. A prevalent challenge is optimising costs in a way that does not limit their ability to attract and retain the best talent.
Despite the challenges posed by lower recruitment dynamics and increased uncertainty, up to 90% of employers are planning to recruit in 2024, and nearly half of them believe that permanent recruitment will increase compared to 2023. But while workforce strategies involve sourcing full-time employees, an increasing number of organisations are looking to strengthen their teams with B2B contractors and temporary workers. This shift towards a more flexible hiring strategy is likely due to less predictable economic conditions and the difficulty in estimating what the job market will look like in 2024.
59% of organisations still expect challenges in talent acquisition. While this group has decreased by 13pp over last year, the number of organisations that are uncertain about the challenges they may face has increased by 9pp. In addition, 47% of organisations believe that there is a shortage of suitable candidates for specialist and managerial positions, while 36% believe that competition for employees is high in Poland.
Employers are therefore waiting for the situation to develop. However, while some might believe that the recruitment of specialists may be slightly easier than two years ago, all are aware that the skills gap is not working in their favour, so when the labour market improves, finding the right people won't be an easy task.
Our analysis of salary trends indicates that the peak of salary increases has passed. While 81% of organisations have included salary raises in their 2024 strategy, only 19% anticipate increases exceeding 10%. This represents a significant decrease from the 34% of companies that reported such increases in 2023.
Moreover, salary pressure seems to be waning, with 60% of employees expecting a pay increase. However, the vast majority of these employees expect a raise of less than 10%. Conversely, 39% of employees believe that their pay will remain the same, which may reflect a growing awareness of the challenges organisations face due to high inflation and economic trends, as well as increased uncertainty among employees.
Download the Hays Salary Guide 2024 for accurate and up-to-date salary information. Our team of experts has prepared a comprehensive remuneration analysis that covers over 450 roles across key sectors of the economy. The data, collected during the recruitment processes conducted by Hays Poland in 2023, is based on the average amount offered to employees.
Once you complete the form, you get instant access to an interactive online summary of key trends and rates. You'll also recieve a PDF version of the report to the email address you provide.
