More than 2 million people (as of 28.03.2022) from Ukraine have already arrived in Poland since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is no doubt that those who remain here should be provided with long-term support. This means not only meeting basic needs, but also enabling people to find a job to ensure a steady source of income. All actions taken for refugees will affect both the Polish economy and the labor market. How?

What will change in the labor market?

It is difficult to clearly determine what changes will take place in the Polish economy or on the labour market. Many experts predict that the situation in Ukraine will have negative consequences. What will change? Industries that rely heavily on workers from the East, such as services, transport or construction, will certainly change. The same may also be true of the effects of the anti-inflation shield – it has stopped the increase in the consumer inflation rate to some extent, but the influx of refugees may change this. Activities are carried out throughout Poland to prepare the country to accept refugees. It is important to match the competences of employees from Ukraine to the needs of Polish employers. Although many procedures for employing refugees are constantly changing and simplified, it is still not easy to find their way around. White collar outsourcing can come to the rescue. This service is provided by an external company that takes over from the employer all responsibilities related to hiring and managing employees.

What has the labour market looked like so far?

Many foreigners found employment in Poland, and last year was a record year in terms of the impact of foreign workers on the domestic labour market. The largest group that received a work permit in 2021 were citizens of Ukraine. So far, many employers have used white collar outsourcing when hiring citizens of other countries. Thanks to this, they could focus on running their business, and all formalities remained on the side of a professional external company. The logistics industry gained the most employees, with more warehouse workers, manual packers and people working on the reloading of goods on the labour market. A similar development has also occurred in the construction industry, where the number of concrete workers, bricklayers, construction painters, carpenters, electricians and other specialists has increased.

Refugees from Ukraine and paid work

It is worth remembering that a refugee from Ukraine is not an ordinary employee. Why? The current situation in Ukraine is causing its people to flee the country to save themselves and their families. So this is not a typical economic emigration. Among the refugees, there are mainly elderly people, women and children. So far, the vacancies available have been primarily in the logistics, construction or industrial sectors. In the current situation, they may not be suitable, for example, for women who would like to take up work. Some people will find employment, and some may face the need to change qualifications or acquire completely new skills. Some workplaces are already preparing offers with training for employees, after which they will be hired. For many, the lack of knowledge of Polish or English may also be a barrier. Both employers and potential employees can benefit from support. For example, the Employment Agency Gdańsk will make it easier for both parties to complete all formalities. Specialists speaking Ukrainian and Polish are also a great convenience, which makes the recruitment process much faster.

Opening the labour market to refugees from Ukraine

What will be the number of vacancies available for refugees? At the moment, it is difficult to estimate – no one knows how long the military operations will last and how they will unfold. In theory, Ukrainian citizens whose stay in Poland is legal will have free access to the Polish labor market. A potential employer has 14 days from the moment of hiring an employee from Ukraine to report him. There is also a lot of talk about the fact that Ukrainian citizens will receive access to childcare or family benefits. Access to various types of social solutions will provide refugees with a sense of security, but it will also affect the labor market. Employees want to take care of a stable financial situation, and employers want to take care of proven employees they can rely on. Therefore, white collar outsourcing may be a good solution. Thanks to this, both parties will be provided with professional support. It is extremely important to properly match the employee to a given job offer. Importantly, not every refugee will want to stay in Poland permanently. Some will want to go to other countries, and some, for example, will want to return to Ukraine after the war is over. All these factors have a significant impact on the Polish labor market and certainly hinder all kinds of forecasts for the future. The real impact of refugees on the labour market will only be possible after some time, now it is far too early for that.

Payroll, i.e. HR and payroll processes, are already quite complicated in themselves. In recent years, they have also undergone constant legislative changes – most recently as part of the government’s “Polish Deal” program, which concerns, m.in, tax changes or changes in reliefs and deductions. Due to its implementation, HR and payroll departments must quickly find their way in the new reality.

Payroll outsourcing is welcome

The Polish Deal is a challenge for many entrepreneurs. The need to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the changes in regulations requires a lot of time, and for this it becomes necessary to secure adequate financial outlays for team training and updating settlement systems. In this situation, companies are increasingly considering assigning all HR and payroll responsibilities to external experts. Decisions in this matter are made much more efficiently than before, because payroll outsourcing is regularly gaining value in the eyes of entrepreneurs. No wonder – companies not only get rid of the problem of having to follow changes in regulations and recruitment and employee turnover, but also gain financially.

As part of the outsourcing of HR and payroll services, the organization can count on, for example , the implementation of monthly settlements of employees, control of contracts, handling certificates and all employee documentation, as well as calculating liabilities to the Tax Office and the Social Insurance Institution or representing the company before state authorities.

Outsourcing HR and payroll services is also a huge time saver. A company that opts for this solution can focus on its core business and strategic goals. By entrusting the service to experts, it also reduces the costs associated with running its own HR and payroll department. In this way, it can also protect itself against the consequences of inadvertent mistakes made by its own inexperienced employees of the accounting department.

The basic need with which our clients come to us is to ensure the continuity of HR and payroll services ,” says Agnieszka Haponik, Business Development and Marketing Director at LeasingTeam Group. Clients do not want to worry about employee turnover, holidays, L4 or errors in the HR and payroll system that they have to fix. They want to focus on their business, from which they have real profits. An additional aspect is, of course, finances – nowadays, maintaining an HR and payroll department is much more expensive than a few years ago. Salaries are growing at a rapid pace, there is a shortage of specialists on the market.
Due to the rapidly changing law, it is necessary to constantly improve the qualifications of employees, i.e. invest in training and courses. On top of that, there are the costs of HR and payroll software. As a result, many entrepreneurs come to the conclusion that payroll outsourcing is the optimal solution.

>>> Ask about Payroll Outsourcing service for your company

The best company to work with

What should you consider when choosing the best offer on the market? Experience – this is the key word – explains Agnieszka Haponik . It is worth doing careful research and carefully looking at experts to be able to choose a company that actually specializes in comprehensive HR and payroll services and can boast solid experience. The system they use can also say a lot about a potential service provider – professional companies use advanced, secure solutions, in our case it is Teta. Small entities usually cannot afford such programs, so they use cloud solutions. Opinions and recommendations of previous customers are also important, as they confirm the high quality of cooperation. It is worth betting on a company that already has its history on the market and has been trusted by entrepreneurs for years.

When choosing a payroll provider, you can also check whether the company has and provides customers with a platform for handling and automating HR processes. “As part of payroll cooperation, all our clients receive access to our proprietary TalentPoint platform ,” adds Agnieszka Haponik from LeasingTeam Group. It streamlines workflows by automatically connecting HR, employees, billing, and contracts in one place. The client gains, for example, electronic working time records, analytical reports, the ability to generate and sign contracts online, while employees have constant access to their HR data, report holidays using the platform, or download the necessary documents related to employment. For example, they can download the RMUA payslip at any time, report the need for leave through the system, or analyze the electronic working time records. Cooperation with an experienced external company also allows you to better protect employee data against theft and its illegal use.

Changes in the law, regardless of the area they concern, can be a challenge even for lawyers. Many planned changes are not even implemented, they remain in the realm of ideas and assumptions. In the case of the Act on Foreigners, it was successfully implemented in January 2022. What has changed in the law on the work of foreigners?

What has the employment of foreigners looked like so far?

So far, both foreigners who want to work in Poland and employers who want to hire people from abroad have struggled with bureaucracy. Legalization of stay and employment involved meeting a number of different procedures and filling out countless documentation. For a person unfamiliar with the regulations, this could be a challenge. At that time, for example, using an employment agency worked perfectly. Some also decided to search for answers on the Internet on their own. Unfortunately, not all the information you find is a reliable source, so it is better to trust specialists in legal matters. Although you do not need to know all the regulations by heart, it is worth keeping an eye on changes in the laws that directly affect us.

What changes have been made to the Act on Foreigners?

Among the changes introduced in the Act on Foreigners, it is worth noting a few most important points.

There are more changes to the Act on Foreigners, so in addition to the main assumptions, it is worth familiarizing yourself with all of them to avoid difficulties. In case of problems, you can use an employment agency that specializes in helping both foreigners and employers.

How to facilitate the employment of foreigners?

It is worth remembering that the current amendment to the Act contains a provision on increasing the staff of consular services. Unfortunately, the number of employees in voivodeship offices is still often insufficient in relation to the constantly growing number of duties. What’s more, the application process itself can be difficult, due to the need to appear in person at the office. Therefore, foreigners looking for a job or employers who want to employ foreigners can make the recruitment process easier. For example, the Katowice Employment Agency can help with all formalities, which will not only submit the necessary documents, but also explain the intricate procedures. The recruitment teams of the employment agency also have the ability to conduct recruitment interviews in different languages and match the candidates “qualifications with the employers” offers. The ability to obtain all the necessary information and support in one place definitely facilitates both the employment of foreigners and their job search.

Has the situation in Ukraine affected the Polish labour market? At the moment, it is difficult to give a clear answer to this question. The humanitarian crisis makes more and more people ask themselves how many refugees the labour market is able to accept. There is no doubt that there is a shortage of workforce in the Polish economy, but will it be able to cope with such a large scale of migration?

Additional employees in Poland and Europe

The number of people of working age in Poland is decreasing, so there is a need for foreign workers to fill vacancies. The situation of staff shortages may affect various countries of the European Union. The solution to this problem may be the posting of workers, which allows companies to employ foreigners from other Member States. Posting of workers is a frequently used solution that allows for smooth work, especially during peak seasons.

Changes not only in the Polish economy

Although, according to experts’ forecasts, the European financial market is not threatened, the situation in Ukraine may have a significant impact on lower economic growth and even downtime in factories. Although refugees most often come to Polish, not all of them stay there, some go to look for work in other European Union countries. Some employers also decide to delegate employees to work, for example, in Germany. Regardless of individual cases, it is worth bearing in mind the problems in the economy throughout Europe. Europe’s dependence on Russian gas is extremely important. The escalation of the conflict with Russia and the imposition of further sanctions on it may mean interruptions in gas supplies, and consequently lead, for example, to downtime in factories. If the situation starts to get out of control, Europe could face problems related to power outages across the continent. From both the global and European perspectives, the conflict situation is dynamic and difficult to predict. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor all activities carried out in order to be able to respond appropriately to them.

Availability of job offers on the Polish market

In the near future, not only the Polish labor market should adapt to the influx of women from Ukraine. What should companies do? Start making changes to your actions to increase the percentage of women while maintaining your current employment levels. Although the labour market for refugees is opening up across Europe, a significant part of them will remain in Poland. This is primarily due to the immediate vicinity of Ukraine, as well as cultural similarities. Many Ukrainian citizens know Polish, and those who do not know it will learn it easily due to its similarity to their mother tongue. This has its positive aspects, because there is also a shortage of employees in specialized positions in Poland. In practice, this means jobs, for example, in the medical industry, where nurses, doctors or midwives are needed, for example. The situation is similar in education – teachers, guardians and kindergarten teachers are in demand. The textile industry, on the other hand, is struggling with staff shortages in the position of seamstresses. Each of these positions can be occupied by women, who constitute the largest group among refugees. The IT industry is also looking for employees. Therefore, there are many opportunities for development and employment on the Polish labor market. However, the loss of employees can be painful for male positions that require physical fitness, for example in the construction industry. However, it is difficult to predict what part of the refugees will stay in Poland and how many people will go to look for work in other European Union countries.

Opening the labour market to foreigners

Each case is different, but it should not be forgotten that on the one hand, there are more and more refugees,
On the other hand, many men of military age are leaving their current jobs. This can cause problems with finding specialists, for example, in the construction, logistics or industrial sectors. So far, this is where Ukrainian citizens have been employed. Due to the ongoing conflict, many men of military age have returned to their country, thus freeing up jobs. What does this mean in practice? Both employers and employment agencies will expand the area of searching for employees. The situation in Ukraine will therefore affect not only Europe, but also the whole world. The Polish labour market may open up to workers from Asia, Africa or South America. Importantly, bringing employees from further areas requires planning. One of the solutions used may be the transgenic posting of workers, which is enabled, for example, by the Wrocław Employment Agency. In this specific situation, employment agencies are able to secure the interests of both employers and employees. However, in order to act efficiently and quickly, employers should start reporting their demand for employees to agencies, among others. Thanks to this, they will not be exposed to staff shortages
and downtime.

Agnieszka Haponik, Business Development and Marketing Director at LeasingTeam Group, points out that although most refugees do not speak Polish, there should be no shortage of job offers. The refugees are largely educated, middle-class people who had good, stable jobs in Ukraine. Being in Poland, they would like to live on a similar footing, so they strive to become independent and find employment as soon as possible. These are not people who want to wait out the war while on welfare. This is not what they are used to.

The demand on the Polish labour market is enormous. The medical industry is facing large shortages. Currently, Ukrainian women can work mainly in assistant positions, but the government is working on simplifying procedures so that they can soon take the positions of doctors or nurses. Caregivers in nurseries and kindergartens, teachers and caregivers for the elderly are sought on a large scale. There are more and more offers for customer service in Ukrainian. Due to the fact that many Ukrainian citizens have come to Polish, companies are starting to offer services in their language. Ukrainians can also count on working in shared service centers, which need, for example, employees to enter numerical data. When doing such a job, a basic knowledge of Polish or English is enough. Companies also meet the needs of employees from Ukraine, building Polish-Ukrainian teams, or connecting employees who have just arrived with those who have been in Poland for a long time and communicate well in Polish.

Employees of the IT or design industry should not have a problem with employment. They are sought after, m.in, by advertising and creative agencies or software houses. There is a high demand for employees in these industries and most often knowledge of English is enough. Besides, some companies have been cooperating with employees living in Ukraine for a long time – this is not a novelty on the market. In addition to these industries, there are also job offers in production, logistics, catering, hospitality, positions in completing shipments in e-commerce companies or other physical jobs.

Agnieszka Haponik is of the opinion that at the moment the Polish labour market has enough vacancies to accommodate refugees from Ukraine. Although according to the Central Statistical Office, at the end of 2021 there were less than 150 thousand vacancies available, in her opinion this is an underestimated data and this number should be 500-600 thousand, and in a moment it may be even higher, as seasonal offers will appear. Although more refugees have already arrived in Poland, we should remember that some of them will move further to the West, and some will not be able to take up employment for family or health reasons (age). Only a strong economic slowdown caused by a prolonged war can stop the development of the labor market.

– For about a week and a half, the interest in work among the Ukrainian women who came has definitely increased, but in our opinion, this situation will not last long. Why? Women from Ukraine, when they find places in schools and kindergartens for their children, will not be willing to change their place of work and residence, even if we offer them a slightly higher hourly rate. They value security and stability. If companies are looking for employees, now is the best time to recruit. We can see that large companies have already become involved in looking for employees. To this end, they help Ukrainian women find a kindergarten or school for their children, and even create childcare points in companies. There are also companies that decide to organize Polish lessons for newly hired employees from Ukraine,” says Agnieszka Haponik from LeasingTeam.

– At the moment we are dealing mainly with women’s emigration. The challenge will therefore be to fill typically male positions, which have so far largely been occupied by men from Ukraine. Both companies and employment agencies use other nations, such as Georgia, Armenia or Moldova. Employees from other continents – Asia, Africa and even South America – are also increasingly being used. However, companies are looking for additional solutions. For example, they decide to modify their automation plans, putting more emphasis on the automation of work that requires physical fitness or remodel their operations in such a way that they can increase the percentage of women while maintaining the current level of employment,” explains Agnieszka Haponik.

More on the page of the 30th weekly “Do Rzeczy” or online.

Any changes to the Labour Code are a challenge for employers. This is especially true for HR departments, whose number of duties is increasing due to the need to analyze legislative changes and adjust salaries to the new law. What are the changes to the Labour Code in 2022? What will be a challenge for HR and payroll specialists?

A new reality on the labour market

Work on amendments to the Labour Code has been carried out since the beginning of the pandemic. It was COVID-19 that contributed to the increase in the number of new regulations in the area of labour law. Why the amendment in 2022? This is due to the need to adapt national legislation to the directives of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. These directives concern transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union and work-life balance for parents and carers. Both of them must be introduced at the beginning of August 2022. Increasing the number of responsibilities for the HR and payroll department can be an overload for employees. Then employee leasing can come to the rescue, which will allow you to distribute additional tasks to a larger number of people.

The most important changes in the regulations

The amendment to the Labour Code includes a number of different changes. What areas will they concern?

Challenges for employers

The amendment to the Labour Code will mean that employers will face new challenges. However, they have several options to facilitate the company’s operations after the changes have been introduced. First of all, they can use the help of professionals. Employment Agency Warsaw can provide not only employee leasing or employment of foreigners, but also HR and payroll services. It is the HR and payroll department that will be most burdened with the changes to the Labor Code in 2022. The use of outsourcing in this area minimizes the risk of making mistakes to zero and does not require large financial outlays. In the case of complex legal regulations, it is worth using the help of specialists.

It is estimated that on the eve of the outbreak of the armed conflict in our eastern neighbours, there were 1-1.3 million Ukrainians in Poland1. Of these, a significant group joined the ranks of employees in the manufacturing, construction and logistics industries. Has the war already affected the labor market? What changes can be expected in the near future?

Status today

So far, there has been no clear decrease in the number of employees from Ukraine, according to Katarzyna Dąderewicz, director of the foreign recruitment department at LeasingTeam, a leading employment agency in the country. However, this may be due to the fact that so far no mass conscription of people abroad has been introduced to the army.

– Currently monly single trips, which we estimate at about 1-2% of the total number of Ukrainian employees – says Katarzyna Dąderewicz. – Customers also do not raise concerns about the smooth delivery of human resources. However, we should remember that the war has united Ukrainians as a nation very strongly, so it will not be a surprise to us if the number of returns to their homeland increases dramatically in the coming days,” he adds.

If this happens, the loss of employees may prove painful for the Polish labor market, as Ukrainians are the main force in many companies and industries: manufacturing, logistics (warehouses), construction.

It is already becoming more and more difficult to recruit employees for typically male positions, requiring physical fitness. Until now, these vacancies have been largely filled by Ukrainian citizens, not only those permanently residing in Poland, but also those who come regularly on temporary contracts. Currently, they no longer have such a possibility due to the ban on leaving the country, which applies to all men from 18 to 60 years of age.

Days and weeks

Anticipating the problems with recruiting staff from Ukraine, employers are opening up to employees of other nations, e.g. Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, and even Mexico or African countries. However, they are increasingly afraid of coming to Polish, a direct neighbor of the country where hostilities are taking place. “Even today, we have received four refusals to come to Polish from people to whom we have already provided full legalization of stay and work ,” says Agnieszka Haponik, Business Development and Marketing Director at LeasingTeam Group.

Many people wonder whether the Polish labor market will be entered by the mass influx of war refugees from Ukraine? – Answering this question, we must bear in mind that mainly women with children are fleeing to Polish. When crossing the border, they first focus on providing shelter, and only after some time do they start thinking about organizing childcare and looking for work. So far, almost 2 million refugees have arrived in Polish, only some of whom have started to actively look for employment. The situation may change in the near future due to new regulations that allow Ukrainian refugees to work legally in the European Union, and therefore also in Poland without the need to obtain official permits. This only applies to war refugees who entered the EU after 23 February 2022 and applied for temporary protection.

In the face of the above information, the question arises as to what part of refugees from Ukraine will remain in Poland, and what percentage will go deep into the EU in search of work.

– Poland remains the country of first choice for Ukrainians due to cultural similarities, understandable, easy-to-learn language or direct proximity to their home country, which is extremely important for them in the current situation. Therefore, it can be assumed that despite the full openness of the market throughout the EU, the majority of refugees will decide to look for work in Poland – explains Agnieszka Haponik.

This is positive information, taking into account the fact that over time and to some extent, refugees could fill vacancies in specialized positions, for which there is a lot of demand in Poland, and currently it is difficult to find such employees. We are talking about the medical industry (nurses, midwives, doctors), textile (seamstresses), education (teachers, caregivers, kindergarten teachers), but also IT.

Possible scenarios

Three directions of development of the situation on the labour market can be assumed.

First of all, both employers and employment agencies will diversify the list of countries from which employees can be recruited. – The area of search should be significantly expanded – open up to employees from Asia, Africa and South America. However, clients must be aware that bringing employees from further areas requires several months, so they should plan their activities today and commission the agency with the need for employees in the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2022 – says Katarzyna Dąderewicz from LeasingTeam.

Secondly – in the short term, due to the large influx of women from Ukraine, companies should consider remodelling the organisation of work so as to be able to increase the percentage of women while maintaining the current level of employment.

Thirdly – the development of automation. Already today, most warehouses and many production plants rely on automation. The last years of the pandemic have contributed to the development of such solutions. The current war will make companies invest in this type of tools and systems even more willingly.

– The situation on the labour market is complicated, dynamic and, above all, difficult to predict. However, the pandemic has taught us to react quickly and find appropriate solutions – emphasizes Agnieszka Haponik.

1 https://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Gorny-Liczba-Ukraincow-w-Polsce-wrocila-do-poziomu-sprzed-pandemii-statystyki-moga-byc-zaburzone-8239097.html

Due to the conflict on our eastern border, more than a million refugees have arrived in our country in a short time and their number is constantly growing. We have been helping those in need practically from the very beginning, providing shelter and basic necessities. This social upheaval is fantastic, but we are also wondering how to find ourselves in the current situation for longer and what advice to give so that those fleeing the war can function in Poland for as long as it is necessary.

Refugees are terrified, tired of fleeing, exhausting journey, and often do not know what to do next. We help them as much as we can, but we realize that the energy must last longer. What we can certainly do is to provide them with as much information as possible about what awaits them at the border and where to get support in the first moments after arriving in a new country for them. A temporary roof over your head and your own space to rest and collect your thoughts is the basis for further actions, i.e. developing a plan that will help refugees stand on their own two feet and start an independent life in Poland.

After satisfying basic needs, such as a meal, clothes or accommodation, it is worth preparing a specific idea for those in need of further steps towards finding themselves in the new reality ,” says Darya Yagovdik, Legalisation Manager at LeasingTeam Group. It is certainly worth following the regulations, which are adapted to the dynamically changing situation on an ongoing basis. Providing information about systemic solutions and facilities is now the most important thing we can do for those fleeing the war.

Crossing the border

When crossing the border, it is worth having the most important documents with them – passport, children’s birth certificates, medical records. If these documents are not available –
In the current situation, you can cross the border anyway – also on foot. There are reception points at the border, where you should report to receive information, for example about free accommodation options.

At the very beginning, it is worth providing refugees with contacts on the hotline, where they will get answers to any questions also in Ukrainian. These are, m.in, the following:

Status of people arriving in Polish

In connection with the Special Act passed by the Polish parliament, the situation of Ukrainians arriving in Polish will be as follows:

Currently, the regulations are simplified as much as possible and adapted to the current situation. However, if you have any doubts, it is worth consulting lawyers or law students who
most of them provide advice to Ukrainians free of charge.

Education and work

Most refugees come with children, so apart from housing, they need education and work. Let us remember that our neighbours do not know either the educational system in Poland or the employment procedure – notes Darya Yagovdik. Therefore, it will be a great help to provide them with the necessary information about both admission to educational institutions and taking up employment. In the first case, it is enough to call a specific school or kindergarten, where we will certainly receive details about the possible admission of children from Ukraine. When it comes to work, many employers from various industries are now ready to hire foreigners “on the spot”, including LeasingTeam Group – says Darya Yagovdik. All you have to do is make an appointment for the first meeting, during which we will determine employment opportunities – any willing person can apply, regardless of the position level.

It is worth helping those in need to arrange a meeting with the director of the facility or the owner of the company. You can also support them in writing a CV in English or Polish – such a small gesture will be an incredible support for people in despair, often lost and helpless. So let’s inform them what to do, blaze a trail and make it easier
in finding oneself in a new country, and it will certainly be perceived as wise, sensible help. As far as formal issues are concerned, the provisions of the adopted special act concerning the labour market are as follows:

It is worth noting that the special act applies only to Ukrainian citizens and their families (even if they are citizens of another country). The regulations do not apply to foreigners who resided in Ukraine after 24.02.2022, with the exception of persons with the right of permanent residence in Ukraine. If, during the granted stay, the Ukrainian citizen travels outside the Republic of Poland for more than a month – his or her stay will be canceled.

These changes apply not only to technology and people, but also to entire companies, which must respond in an agile way to the current needs of the business environment and ensure the continuity of the organization’s work regardless of the economic situation. In many industries, seasonality is an additional challenge, which forces even greater mobilization in a given period. We are talking about the manufacturing, logistics, trade and service industries, for example. In order to achieve business goals and remain competitive on the market, employers should ensure that internal processes are arranged in such a way as to be able to flexibly manage human capital. On the one hand, it is necessary to have permanent, qualified employees on board, and on the other hand, it is supported by temporary workers, whose number can be quickly increased or decreased if necessary.

Establishing cooperation with a temporary employment agency saves a lot of effort, but also time and money. What are the 3 most important benefits for an organization using the temporary employment service?

  1. Relieving the burden on the HR and HR and payroll departments

Using the services of a temporary employment agency is, above all, a great support for HR and HR and payroll departments, or actually relieving them of many time-consuming tasks. It is the agency that is responsible for searching for and hiring the right employees. Therefore, the internal HR department does not have to plan the recruitment process, arrange meetings, or conduct interviews with candidates, but can focus on other key tasks that will realistically translate into the organization’s profits.

The same is true for the HR and payroll department. It is the agency’s tasks to include the entire HR and payroll service of temporary workers. What’s more, the agency can also take care of a number of other activities for the company, such as referring the company to medical examinations or initial health and safety training.

  1. Cost reduction and flexible management

Cooperation with a temporary employment agency also ensures cost optimization. The agency’s margin is much lower than the potential personnel cost of conducting the recruitment process, handling rotation and performing HR and payroll settlements of the selected employees. And let’s remember that in the case of employment of foreigners, there is also the time necessary to legalize the employees and their accommodation and possible organization of transport from their place of residence to the workplace. In addition, there are external costs for, for example, the publication of job advertisements, travel to recruitment meetings, purchase of other forms of job advertisement, etc.

“Our experience shows that few companies in Poland calculate real recruitment costs. While external costs are checked, personnel costs are very rare. And the reality is merciless – if you want to hire more employees for e.g. a season, you need additional hands – not always just two – to work. Employers usually do not find it profitable to hire a new person for a few months, so they shift responsibility to the HR department, which is usually heavily burdened with daily work anyway. He has two ways to choose – either overtime or postponing his current tasks. Both solutions are not beneficial for the employer. Using the services of a professional temporary employment agency is the best possible solution here – says Agnieszka Haponik, Business Development and Marketing Director at LeasingTeam Group.

Cost optimization is indispensably linked to employment flexibility. By using the temporary employment service, the company pays the agency only when it needs employees. During the peak season, it increases the crew, and when orders run out – it reduces the number of employees. This is possible thanks to the freedom in the duration of temporary contracts and shorter notice periods.

It is also worth considering introducing temporary employees to the company in a situation where the full-time team regularly works overtime. On the one hand, this will relieve employees, improve their efficiency and avoid the phenomenon of demotivation that can lead to resignation. On the other hand, it is a real saving for the employer, because the costs of overtime (+50% or +100%) are usually much higher than the agency’s margin.

  1. Changing fixed costs to variable costs

Every manager is well aware of the importance of proper management of fixed vs. variable costs. In many companies, the former, i.e. to a large extent employee salaries, constitute a significant part of the company’s overall costs. As a result, companies very often define rigid salary budgets for each department. In the event of an accumulation of tasks or extra orders, employees work overtime or some projects are postponed. Both of these solutions in the long run entail real losses for the organization.

The solution to this problem may be temporary workers, who in such a situation can be entrusted by the company with some of the responsibilities of a given department, without increasing fixed costs.

– Every month, the employer-user receives a VAT invoice for the service from the temporary employment agency. Therefore, the client changes the fixed cost, which would be salaries in the case of internal employment, into a variable cost. In other words, it has the right number of people on board to carry out all the planned tasks, but it does not increase the salary budget – explains Agnieszka Haponik.

As the issues discussed above show, cooperation with a temporary employment agency is the answer to many challenges that entrepreneurs face on a daily basis. The company is given the opportunity to flexibly adjust employment to current needs, relieves internal departments and thus generates significant savings or reduces expenses.

Temporary work also means office workers

Importantly, temporary employment agencies can support employers in recruiting both production and office workers. There is a common belief that temporary workers are primarily manual workers. However, this has long been outdated. Yes, agencies support their clients in acquiring the so-called blue collars, but they also cooperate with a number of so-called white collars. We are talking about employees of administration, call center, customer service, and even departments such as finance or marketing. A temporary employment agency is therefore able to offer clients employees for almost every department that operates in a given company.

– White collar temporary work is becoming an increasingly popular service among customers. Employers are cost-conscious and know how important it is to be flexible in these challenging times. Within the company LeasingTeam Porfessional, which specializes in white collar services, we support clients in almost all areas of their business, from accounting or human resources, through administration and customer service departments, to marketing and sales. In our opinion, this trend will deepen – comments Agnieszka Haponik.