Companies were afraid of recession before coronavirus: study

As many as 63 percent of entrepreneurs feared the economic slowdown in Poland already at the end of February this year. Anxiety of employers translated into cautious declarations regarding increasing the level of employment, including recruitment of employees from Ukraine. Only 17 percent of companies planned to recruit new people, and even fewer, because 10 percent wanted to recruit staff from the East, results from the first edition of the "Polish Labor Market Barometer" by Personnel Service. 

Employer plans were verified by an outbreak of coronavirus. According to the Employers of Poland data, at the end of March as many as 93 percent of companies felt losses in revenues. As a consequence, there will be even less work for staff from the East.

“Employers and employees are apprehensive. For the first time in several years, interest in recruiting employees from Ukraine has also dropped. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, as many as 100,000-200,000 Ukrainians have left Poland.  People who stay often have long-term visas and a permanent job. The rest of them left for fear of their fate. This meant that the labor market is changing a trend. Poles have applied to positions that have been largely occupied by Ukrainians. It regards, among others about couriers, shop assistants, Uber drivers, food suppliers. These are jobs that Poles take up temporarily to cope with this difficult time. It is not known, however, whether this short-term solution will not become something more permanent,” Krzysztof Inglot, President of the Management Board of Personnel Service, commented.

(WBJ)