While some companies slow down recruitment, others are still searching for people

According to many experts, the upcoming 12 months will be another period of economic challenges for Poland. It will also be a time when companies approach hiring plans more cautiously. Nearly 2/3 of organizations intend to maintain employment at the same level as in 2025. However, this does not mean the entire labor market is slowing down. There are sectors where the demand for workers remains at a stable level.

Tomasz Szklarski, a labor market expert and co-founder of the Enpulse platform, used for measuring and building employee engagement, talks about which sectors of the economy will serve as the pillars of the labor market in 2026 and where to look for employment.

Logistics and transport

One of the key areas driving the labor market is logistics and transport. This is a sector that has faced labor shortages for years. According to estimates by the “Transport and Logistics Poland” employers’ association, the industry currently needs up to 150,000 drivers. Staffing problems also affect management and specialist positions. This is a problem that does not disappear with a change in the economic climate.

– Poland serves as a logistics hub for other countries – new warehouses and logistics centers are constantly being built here. This means that there is a continuous shortage of hands to work. Additionally, logistics is difficult to automate overnight. These processes are advancing, but the obstacle remains the costs of this transformation, which are significantly higher than human costs. This means that the demand for human labor in logistics and transport will remain high in the coming years – emphasizes Tomasz Szklarski.

Food production

Against the backdrop of economic fluctuations, one industry stands out for remaining stable for years – food production. The importance of this industry is clearly highlighted by statistical data. In 2024, Poland was among the top five food producers in the European Union. The growth rate exceeded 4% per year and was among the highest in Europe. This indicates that the agri-food sector is one of the more predictable areas of the labor market.

– The agri-food sector is constantly growing, which generates steady demand for new staff. We are not dealing with a passing fad or a seasonal jump in interest here, but with a deep, structural deficit of labor, as confirmed by official OECD reports. Even in the face of a clear slowdown in GDP, enterprises in this segment avoid drastic staff reductions or mass layoffs, becoming a safe haven in the market – explains Tomasz Szklarski.

Infrastructural investments

Another pillar of the labor market in the coming years will be infrastructural investments. Road expansion, highway modernization, and large transport projects mean real demand for human labor. According to analyses by the consulting firm Kearney, the implementation of the Central Communication Port (CPK) alone could generate up to approximately 95,000 additional jobs during the peak construction period.

– Infrastructural investments are a flywheel that extends far beyond “construction” itself. During the realization of such projects, other specialists also find work. The Statistics Poland (GUS) specifically says: every zloty pumped into infrastructure generates between 1.5 to 2 jobs in completely different sectors. This means that large construction projects realistically drive the economy across the board, creating jobs where we might not expect them at first glance – points out Tomasz Szklarski.

Energy transformation

Energy transformation is one of the greatest challenges that the Polish economy will face in the coming years. Estimates show that by 2030, green energy sectors could create up to several hundred thousand jobs in Poland. This applies not only to the energy sector itself but also to related industries – from construction to services.

– Energy transformation is a slogan behind which we often only see technology. However, the truth is that without people, this process simply will not move forward. After all, modern systems must be designed, built, and then serviced for years. This means we are talking about demand for a whole range of specialists – from high-class engineers to technical workers ensuring operational continuity – emphasizes Tomasz Szklarski.