Is Poland ready for the future of work?

At its 55th annual meeting in Davos, the World Economic Forum (WEF) outlined key challenges regarding the future of work and education. These include the need for workforce reskilling, reducing the gender gap and creating better and fairer workplaces. How does Poland respond to these global challenges? An analysis of the results of domestic surveys provides interesting insights.

Reskilling and new technologies – are Polish companies ready?
One of the key trends identified by WEF is the need for workforce reskilling, which, according to its Future of Jobs 2025 report, is a priority for 85% of employers. Digital skills, including AI, big data, and cybersecurity, are particularly significant. Meanwhile, in Poland, Déhora’s research indicates that only 15% of companies actively use AI in their HR processes, and if so, it is mainly for administrative automation. The main barriers to implementation are a lack of experience and resistance from frontline employees. This suggests that while awareness of the need for change is growing, the Polish market is still in the early stages of adopting new technologies.

Gender gap and work culture
WEF highlighted the invisible barriers to gender equality, particularly in terms of health and psychological safety. In Poland, this issue was not directly addressed in the survey, but some correlations can be observed in the context of flexible work arrangements. Only 22% of companies consider shortening the working week to four days, and overall, work flexibility is still not a standard practice. Meanwhile, global experiences show that greater flexibility can significantly contribute to improving equal opportunities in the workplace.

Better and fairer workplaces – where do we stand?
WEF pointed out the global employment challenge – with 402 million people unemployed and deepening inequalities. In Poland, while the job market is stable, companies struggle with working-time management challenges. As many as 60% of surveyed companies cited the lack of clear standards in this area as a key problem. Additionally, only 19% of organisations use real-time data to optimise schedules.

Poland in the context of global trends
The findings suggest that Poland faces significant challenges regarding the future of work. On the one hand, there is growing awareness of the need for change; on the other, the level of implementation of modern solutions remains relatively low. Specifically, three areas require intensified efforts:

• Investment in reskilling and AI – the Polish economy should accelerate the adoption of new technologies to keep up with global trends.
• Promoting work flexibility – companies should actively test new work organization models, which can help reduce inequalities and improve efficiency.
• Better working-time management – standardization and the use of modern analytical tools can significantly improve planning and productivity.

Although Poland is not yet fully prepared for the future of work as described by the WEF, the research indicates growing interest and initial steps towards adaptation. In coming years, the key factors will be the pace of adaptation and companies’ willingness to invest in human capital and technology.