Investing in workers' futures
According to a survey recently published by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, over 45 percent of firms operating in the Polish market would be interested in setting up an employee pension fund (PPE), an almost 18 percent increase within the period of one year. The figure doubled in the case of enterprises employing from 101 to 500 people.
Firms who had already established such a program accounted for 26.7 percent of companies, while enterprises intending to or that might create a PPE make up 16.3 percent. The most popular form of the program was signing an agreement with an investment fund. Employers said they are willing to contribute 5.1 to seven percent of their employees' salary to the fund.
Mercer's survey also examined the companies' plans concerning the creation of collective pension saving programs. For the last couple of years, the interest of companies in this saving method has fallen considerably, down to 32.6 percent of all enterprises last year, compared with 44.9 percent in 2003 and 58.6 percent in 2002. Also in this case, the companies would opt for investment funds but the amounts they would be inclined to contribute are much lower - from 3.7 to five percent of remuneration.
Reformed in 1999, the Polish pensions scheme is based on four pillars. The so-called first pillar is operated by ZUS, the second pillar encompasses public pension societies offering open pension funds (OFE) while the third and fourth pillars constitute pension programs organized by employers.
Firms who had already established such a program accounted for 26.7 percent of companies, while enterprises intending to or that might create a PPE make up 16.3 percent. The most popular form of the program was signing an agreement with an investment fund. Employers said they are willing to contribute 5.1 to seven percent of their employees' salary to the fund.
Mercer's survey also examined the companies' plans concerning the creation of collective pension saving programs. For the last couple of years, the interest of companies in this saving method has fallen considerably, down to 32.6 percent of all enterprises last year, compared with 44.9 percent in 2003 and 58.6 percent in 2002. Also in this case, the companies would opt for investment funds but the amounts they would be inclined to contribute are much lower - from 3.7 to five percent of remuneration.
Reformed in 1999, the Polish pensions scheme is based on four pillars. The so-called first pillar is operated by ZUS, the second pillar encompasses public pension societies offering open pension funds (OFE) while the third and fourth pillars constitute pension programs organized by employers.
