In 2024, Polish employers faced steadily increasing employment costs. According to Statistics Poland (GUS), the Employment Cost Index (IKZ) rose by 9.4% in Q4 compared to Q1, and by 12.3% year-on-year, even as the number of hours worked declined by 0.9%. In contrast, temporary work told a different story — according to Grupa Progres, the number of hours worked in that segment increased by 14% year-on-year.
Wages are also on the rise. In March 2025, the average gross salary in Poland reached PLN 9,055.92 — a 7.7% increase from March 2024. Despite the high costs, employment contracts (umowa o pracę) remain the most common form of employment, even though they are among the most expensive for employers, as Grupa Progres reports.
Poland Among the EU’s Top in Rising Employment Costs
Poland ranks among the EU countries with the highest increases in employment costs. In 2024, the IKZ rose across all sectors, with greater variance between industries than the EU average. Mining and quarrying experienced the largest hike at 27.6%, followed by healthcare and social assistance (+24.2%) and education (+15.7%). Other sectors with notable increases included:
- Other service activities: +12.2%
- Financial and insurance activities: +11.3%
- Public administration and defence: +10.7%
- Culture, entertainment, and recreation: +9.6%
- Real estate services: +8.1%
- Administrative and support services: +8.0%
Increases were also recorded in:
- Construction: +7.6%
- Professional, scientific, and technical activities: +7.3%
- Water supply, waste management: +7.3%
- Manufacturing: +6.6%
- Energy sector: +5.6%
- Hospitality and accommodation: +4.7%
- Trade and vehicle repair: +4.5%
- Information and communication: +4.5%
- Transport and storage: +3.7% (the smallest increase)
“The rising costs are driven not only by economic conditions and inflation but primarily by legislative changes,” said Cezary Maciołek, President of Grupa Progres. “A significant burden was the dual increase in the minimum wage, which reached PLN 4,300 gross in July 2024, and inflation-driven raises in many sectors. Every wage increase automatically raises ZUS contributions and other employer expenses. Add onboarding, training, and non-wage benefits — it’s no surprise businesses are feeling the pressure.”
Despite this, many employers are continuing or planning recruitment efforts, and wages keep climbing. In March 2025, the average gross monthly wage in the enterprise sector stood at PLN 9,055.92 — up from PLN 8,736.46 in March 2024. On a monthly basis, wages rose by 5.1% compared to February 2025. In Q1 2025, average wages were 8.2% higher year-on-year, boosted by quarterly and annual bonuses, retirement packages, and the January 2025 minimum wage hike to PLN 4,666.
Hiring Season Begins
With the arrival of warmer months, industries such as transport, logistics, retail, hospitality, and construction are ramping up for seasonal demand. This is translating into a growing need for both permanent and temporary staff — although GUS figures for March 2025 do not yet reflect this change. According to GUS, average employment in the enterprise sector was 0.1% lower than in February.
Grupa Progres reports that outside of IT, most job postings are currently in transport, logistics, manufacturing, and retail. One in three job offers comes from these sectors. With summer approaching, the number of job openings is expected to grow — a trend already visible in the HoReCa industry. Analysis of job ads posted between mid-March and mid-April shows that 77% of listings for hotels and restaurants appeared in April.
“This clearly signals that despite rising employment costs, the hospitality industry is gearing up for increased tourist traffic and seasonal staffing needs,” says Maciołek. Similar trends are seen in construction — a sector that traditionally experiences heightened activity in spring. Between mid-March and mid-April, 87% of all job postings in construction were published in April.
Cost-Cutting — But Not at the Expense of Jobs?
As employment costs climb and market dynamics shift rapidly, companies are increasingly turning to flexible work arrangements — including temporary work, contracts, and civil-law agreements.
According to GUS data from September 2024, over 2.4 million people in Poland were employed under civil-law contracts (e.g., contract for mandate, agency, or service provision agreements). Women made up just over half of this group (51.2%). The highest numbers were found in the Warsaw metropolitan area (305,700 people) and the Silesian region (285,600 people).
Despite the popularity of flexible arrangements, employment contracts still dominate the job market: 77% of job postings offer this type of contract, while only 23% mention alternatives. However, in the case of seasonal or project-based roles, companies more often list mandate contracts, B2B collaborations, temporary employment, or freelance arrangements as viable options.
What’s Next?
Grupa Progres data indicates that temporary employment saw a 14% increase in hours worked in 2024 compared to the previous year — a strong indicator that flexible models are gaining traction.
“Temporary workers have plenty of opportunities right now, and companies are increasingly embracing these models,” says Maciołek. “This trend is likely to strengthen, especially with another minimum wage hike planned for 2026. For many SMEs, this means they’ll need to find more flexible collaboration models and reduce employment costs. Civil-law contracts, seasonal work, and temporary jobs will likely become even more important.”
Sources: This article references GUS data published on March 17, April 17, and April 22, 2025, as well as analyses by Grupa Progres conducted between April 1 and 19, covering more than 63,000 job listings and over 34,000 temporary workers.
Original article: ManagerPlus.pl – “Koszty zatrudnienia rosną, pensje też…”
