Poland’s BPO/SSC sector is not slowing down—it is entering a new stage of evolution. The industry is currently facing challenges arising from the relocation of business services to other parts of the world. Poland is no longer primarily a cost-advantage market. Rising wages and operational expenses mean that the traditional process-outsourcing model is losing relevance. At the same time, automation and the advancement of AI technologies are reducing the demand for routine, operational roles.
Today, Poland’s strength lies not in the number of jobs but in the maturity, specialization, and competencies of its business services sector—and its ability to deliver high-value services. The industry continues to build its potential in areas such as technology, R&D, cybersecurity, and advanced analytics, maintaining its position as one of the region’s key players. Poland remains part of the global transformation of the BPO/SSC industry—but no longer as a low-cost back office.
Rather than withdrawing from Poland, the sector is transforming—shifting toward high-value, knowledge-intensive services that require advanced qualifications. The industry’s competitiveness is now measured not by the number of operational roles but by the quality of services provided.
The Impact of Sector Transformation on the Office Market
These structural shifts have had a tangible impact on the Polish office market, especially in regional cities that for years attracted business service centers thanks to lower costs and strong talent pools. However, regional markets are now seeing rising vacancy rates, while large-scale investors able to fill significant office spaces are becoming scarce.
Despite this, business services remain one of the most important segments of the Polish economy—and a key tenant group in the commercial real estate market. The BPO/SSC sector generates roughly 16% of total national demand for office space. Kraków and Wrocław continue to lead regional activity, as confirmed by recent lease renegotiations by major tenants such as Motorola Solutions (Green Office) and Shell (DOT Office).
Less Space, More Quality
Recent data show that nearly 489,000 people are currently employed in Poland’s business services centers—an increase of over 6% year-on-year in Q1 2025. This clearly demonstrates that the sector is not contracting but undergoing a profound transformation, one that also reshapes leasing strategies and workspace models. Companies are not abandoning offices; they are redefining their function and optimizing space.
Tenants’ priorities are changing—quality now outweighs quantity. Firms in the BPO/SSC industry are focusing on certified, Class-A office buildings in highly connected locations, offering a wide range of amenities such as cafés, terraces, relaxation zones, and cycling infrastructure. The shift in demand toward premium locations is especially visible in Warsaw, where the central district’s vacancy rate has fallen to 6.9%. With few new developments underway, competition for high-spec offices suitable for advanced business processes is intensifying.
Core & Flex Instead of Traditional Expansion
In today’s market, companies increasingly adopt the Core & Flex model. Traditional offices (core) serve as hubs for management, integration, and organizational culture, while flexible offices (flex) are used for temporary projects, new teams, or recruitment initiatives. This does not signify a retreat from conventional office space but rather a functional reorganization, aligning workplaces with hybrid systems and project-based needs.
The popularity of subleasing is also growing, allowing firms to make efficient use of surplus space. Meanwhile, rising labor costs and the spread of AI technologies continue to reduce the demand for repetitive, low-value tasks. Poland is no longer a source of cheap labor for global corporations, but a specialized hub offering high-value professional services. This evolution demands new office standards—spaces that foster collaboration, creativity, security, and compliance with ESG principles.
Reorganizing Office Portfolios
Strategic leasing decisions are now focused on cost optimization and flexibility, enabling firms to tailor their space to actual business needs. This signals that the sector has entered a phase of portfolio rationalization. Some companies are considering consolidating regional offices or relocating to smaller but higher-quality premises. Such relocations often reduce total space by 20–30% on average.
At the same time, corporate efforts to bring employees back to offices limit the extent of space reductions. Still, the overarching trend is clear—less space, better quality.
In Poland, investments in the BPO/SSC sector are now focused not on expanding floor area but on consolidating resources, improving workplace quality, implementing new technologies, and choosing spaces designed for hybrid work environments that support the operation of advanced competence centers.
Source: CEO.com.pl – “Transformacja sektora BPO/SSC wpływa na rynek biurowy”
