Automation of simple tasks through AI and growing pressure for cost efficiency are transforming employment structures in Poland’s business services sector. Service centers located in Poland are increasingly moving away from transactional, volume-based processes, which is reducing so-called high-volume recruitment projects. At the same time, Poland remains high on the shortlist for companies seeking locations for advanced, strategically important operations. The latest Hays Salary Report 2026 for business services shows that investors are increasingly looking for expert-level capabilities in Poland.
- 60% of employees in the Business Services Sector (BSS) use AI tools at work. A year earlier, 37% reported doing so—evidence of accelerating automation in service centers.
- 82% of companies in the sector plan to recruit in 2026, most often focusing on IT and digital skills. Demand is also steadily rising for hybrid profiles that combine domain expertise with strong technical and soft skills.
- Among companies planning to hire, 63% will prioritize skills related to artificial intelligence and machine learning. Nearly one in two will look for capabilities in data analytics and data science.
Poland’s business services sector is in the midst of a digital transformation, alongside changes aimed at improving cost and process efficiency. While simpler business processes are increasingly being moved out of Poland, areas that require expert knowledge and experience are gradually expanding.
“At the beginning of 2026, it seems the period of stagnation is coming to an end, and BSS companies are looking ahead with greater—though still moderate—optimism. This is also reflected in their hiring plans. Although layoffs may still occur, they are unlikely to be on the scale seen over the last several months,” comments Aleksandra Tyszkiewicz, CEE Executive Director – Enterprise Solutions at Hays.
There is little doubt, however, that the coming years will bring major changes to Poland’s business services industry. Technological transformation and the need for a more comprehensive approach to business processes—where reducing administrative tasks leads to greater efficiency—will undoubtedly affect the sector’s employment structure.
The sector is not freezing hiring
According to research cited in the Hays Salary Report 2026 for Modern Business Services, 82% of SSC/BPO employers plan to recruit, and 38% expect total headcount to increase over the course of 2026.
Employers also observe that more people are applying for jobs than in the past, yet they still face recruitment challenges—namely high salary expectations among candidates and a shortage of applicants for specialist and managerial roles.
What BSS companies most often agree with (employer perspective)
| Statement | Share |
|---|---|
| More candidates are applying than in the past | 47% |
| Candidates have unrealistic salary expectations | 43% |
| There is a shortage of candidates for specialist and managerial roles | 41% |
| Competition for employees is high | 22% |
| Availability of junior candidates is sufficient | 19% |
Top five responses; multiple answers were possible. Source: Hays Poland, Salary Report 2026 – Business Services.
Sector transformation is changing employers’ needs
As market realities shift, recruitment challenges are taking on a new dimension. Employers are redefining their priorities for sourcing talent to match emerging trends.
“BSS employers are showing a different approach to recruitment and selection. In the coming months, many companies will shift their focus from CVs and past experience toward testing the competencies required to perform effectively in a given role,” says Aleksandra Tyszkiewicz, adding: “An open attitude toward continuous learning is becoming the absolute foundation of professional success—not only in AI. The effort to develop, deepen knowledge, and stay up to date will increasingly be necessary to secure an attractive job offer.”
This approach is reflected in the skills employers say they will prioritize. In planned recruitment processes, companies most often intend to focus on IT and digital capabilities (75%) as well as soft skills and leadership (50%).
Skills expected to be in particularly high demand include business analysis, AI and machine learning, and people management. These are clearly expert-level competencies—typical of mature, technologically advanced markets. And that is exactly what Poland’s BSS sector is becoming.
Which competencies will companies focus on in recruitment?
| Competency area | Share |
|---|---|
| Business analysis | 66% |
| AI and machine learning | 63% |
| People management | 63% |
| Data analytics and data science | 49% |
| Problem-solving | 46% |
| Project management | 44% |
| Cybersecurity | 33% |
| Specialist technical skills | 30% |
| Financial modeling and forecasting | 30% |
| Communication and interpersonal skills | 28% |
Only companies planning recruitment; top ten responses; multiple answers were possible. Source: Hays Poland, Salary Report 2026 – Business Services.
AI’s impact on Polish service centers is growing
Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing business processes—particularly information management and decision-making. AI-related skills—alongside language proficiency and high standards of work—are becoming essential for delivering strategic, advanced business processes that are gradually replacing the simpler, low-cost tasks previously handled in Poland. While this trend has recently created uncertainty, in the long term it represents a highly beneficial shift for Poland’s economy.
After a period of reduced inflow of volume-based projects, the coming months are expected to bring new investments—but with a different profile. IT processes are a good example.
“Two to three years ago, investors created many vacancies in Poland related to IT support. Today, locating such roles here is becoming less financially attractive. Investors are now coming to Poland in search of experts who can secure processes in data, cybersecurity, or specialized software development,” notes Łukasz Grzeszczyk, CEE Executive Director – Talent Location Strategy at Hays.
Even so, the BSS market faces significant challenges—especially in regions whose local economies rely heavily on this type of investment. Such locations will need to address the reskilling of their workforce and the implementation of grant programs, which will require strong public–private partnerships.
About the report
The Hays Salary Report for Modern Business Services compiles salary levels for more than 40 roles, supplemented with insights and expert commentary, as well as the results of a labor-market survey conducted at the end of 2025.
