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Group layoffs in a state-owned company. Trade unionists are fighting
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Group layoffs at an alcohol distributor. Trade unions are fighting for better conditions
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A wave of layoffs is sweeping across Poland. Important to alleviate fears
Main barriers to the development of production in Poland
Labor costs and energy prices are the main obstacles to the development of medium and large companies in Poland, as indicated by a report by Grant Thornton. Since 2019, Grant Thornton has been monitoring development barriers in 32 economies around the world, including Poland. The study shows that 86% of Polish entrepreneurs consider labor costs to be the main obstacle.
– The increase in the minimum wage and wage pressure at various levels, combined with the low unemployment rate, result in an increase in labor costs – notes Marcin Mrowiec, chief economist at Grant Thornton.
The minimum wage in Poland has been increased for the second time this year. The second key barrier is energy prices, indicated by 83% of respondents, which remain high, which constitutes a significant burden for companies. The result of this situation is the closure of subsequent large plants, which has serious consequences for the entire labor market.
Big mass layoffs
A wave of collective layoffs is sweeping through Poland. Global corporations that have been operating in our country for many years are forced to reduce their crews or completely close production. An example of such an event is the decision of the Levi Strauss company, which ceased production in Płock after 31 years. As a result, nearly 800 people lost their jobs. Recently, Nokia also joined the group of companies planning layoffs, announcing the layoff of approximately 800 employees in Poland. PepsiCo has similar plans, and up to 200 people may lose their jobs in its Krakow branch. Mass layoffs also affect technology giants such as Google and Microsoft, and the global gaming industry has already laid off over 10,000 specialists.
Minimizing absenteeism as a savings strategy
One of the serious problems that employers also have to face is the high level of employee absenteeism. Data collected by Conperio, which comprehensively deals with the issue of sickness absence, shows that in some plants as much as 44% of L4 collected is used contrary to its intended purpose. The absenteeism rate in some enterprises is several percent, which is the so-called pathological nature. Such high absenteeism rates increase operating costs by up to 1/3!
In the face of the difficult economic situation, reducing the level of employee absenteeism is becoming a key element of the savings strategy of many enterprises. Large companies operating in Poland are looking for new ways to reduce expenses, focusing in particular on minimizing absenteeism among employees. Effective management of this area can help companies survive difficult times and secure their future in a competitive market.
– In the context of the inability to save on energy costs and constantly increasing salaries, for example, employers pay even more attention to minimizing sickness absence as a way to reduce expenses. This includes, among others: by hundreds of thousands of zlotys per month lost on unrealized production. For this purpose, they use modern tools that monitor the number of L4 downloads and enable quick and effective analysis of absence patterns, as well as identifying potential abuses, directing employees to inspections, which in the long run reduces absenteeism and brings significant savings – says Mikołaj Zając, a labor market expert, president of the consulting company Conperio.
A special application helps fight the abuse of L4 in companies
Some time ago, the Absence Desktop application was created – the first tool in Poland for comprehensive and effective monitoring of the level of absenteeism in companies. Using the Absence Dashboard gives managers the opportunity to interpret and determine the scale of the sickness absence problem and take immediate corrective actions. The application also helps, among others: precisely select "suspicious" sick leaves for inspection.
