Poland - a workaholic nation

Working two jobs, seeking additional projects after work, staying at work until 9 PM, no paid overtime. this is the reality of working in Poland. However, quantity doesn’t translate into quality By Sergiusz Prokurat Poles have grown fond of the observation of the famous economist Adam Smith, who said that human labor is the primary source of all goods. The amount of time Poles dedicate to work on an annual basis is 1,969 hours/worker. In the European Union they are no match for anyone else. The average Pole works much more than the inhabitants of many much richer countries. Americans for instance work 179 hours per year less (1,790), but even they can envy the French (1,479 hours) or German workers (only 1,379 hours). Similar information can be found from a report published a few months back by Eurostat. Meanwhile, according to the same institution, the average Pole works 41.6 hours a week. This is well above the average for the continent. Workers in the Netherlands are on the other extreme of the spectrum: they only spend an average of 30.5 hours a week in the factory or office. In Western countries, part-time work is widespread. Poles also lead the way in working on weekends. Data provided by the Polish Main Statistical Office (GUS) also show that Poles are working far beyond normal limits. The GUS report finds that nearly one million Poles work above 12 hours a day, and close to 1.2 million people have more than one workplace. Additionally, as much as 82 percent of workers put in overtime hours. The side effects include illnesses, failed relationships and a low quality of the work itself. Why is this happening? There are many reasons for overwork. The most often cited is the workers’ opinion that without additional work they may not get a promotion or may even lose their job. Another cause is the urge of getting ahead, buying a home or car. However, in comparison with Western European countries, Poland has lower labor productivity, meanwhile its inhabitants feel an urgent need to buy the same products as their western counterparts. European products are within reach, but the average Pole cannot always afford them. [negative]Poland has lower labor productivity, meanwhile it's inhabitants feel an urgent need to buy the same products as their western countries[/negative] “If we look at experiences of other countries then it turns out, that in Poland we have a low rate of investment.  In quickly-developing countries like China, it’s definitely higher, and among other reasons, it’s also due to low savings. Poles can’t save much, because they spend a lot on consumption, while funds that might be later invested mostly go to the state budget to fill the public finance deficit,” claimed Wiktor Wojciechowski, chief economist of Poland’s Plus Bank. He added that when other, western countries were at the same level of economic development, their public spending wasn’t so excessive. Nevertheless, after communism, Poland started from a very low level of economic development and according to The Conference Board Total Economy Database 2014, the average value of production per hour per person was only $11 in 1993. “Now it is $26 and it’s still comparable to figures from the 1960s in the US,” said Wojciechowski. Meanwhile, workers’ productivity does not solely depend on work time but also on other factors. The main issue is the technology employed at work. Modern tools increase productivity. It is precisely the technological gap which is responsible for the low productivity of Polish farmers, which is still, in order of magnitude, lower than in the case of their Western European or American peers (see the box Polish farming vs. agriculture in chosen countries for more). Nevertheless, productivity is only partly due to the worker on the job. It is largely due to how this work is organized. So the fault for low productivity can also be traced to those who organize work, to Polish business. It is no coincidence that Poles have come to love international corporations in the last decade. There is no better paid and quality workplace, because international business has high work standards and technologies, thanks to which productivity skyrockets. A Pole employed by a local company works at a workplace which is managed at lower standards, and it is also technologically outdated. The lack of adequate education of workers means that small companies are no match for their international peers, which scoop up the best talent. [negative]Small companies are no match for their international peers, which scoop up the best talent [/negative] The basis of efficient work is a good education and a well-organized workplace, and the basis of adequate organization is prioritizing specific tasks and respecting your time and that of others. Planning work requires much discipline and engagement, but thanks to this, you do not have to repeatedly stay late at work. Unfortunately in Poland, there is still a strong conviction that the more you work the more important and indispensable you are to the company. Meanwhile, what really matters is efficiency in action, and not the workload per se. Effectiveness builds our feeling of self-worth. Firms are increasingly aware that they have to systematically support improved worker productivity. Thus employers should ensure the functionality of offices – from the provision of adequate social support services to setting aside a place for resting. Some companies offer their workers medical services and sports packages, together with flexible work options, which this is supposed to boost worker productivity. Can you be an efficient worker if you are a tired person, who is exhausted due to additional gigs? Workers are then without time to pause and think about the process – what to do so that our work can have more value? Also, employers are still reluctant to approach the subject in a Western way, where it is better to have a worker come back on the next day with the desire for effective and innovative work during seven hours than an exhausted and sleepy person who is just looking for ways to leave work. The problem is serious, because without time for reflection and processes, with which workers think and support companies in creating value, it is difficult to survive the vicious cycle where Poland competes on low labor costs, and not the quality of products or the high level of customer service. “Nevertheless, the state should care about attracting foreign investment, as it provides not only capital, but also technology and knowledge diffusion,” reminded Wojciechowski. He added that we shouldn’t forget that investments do not always seek cheap labor, but also places where people are educated and the conditions of doing business are stable and secure. In recent years, the concept of “free Wednesdays” has been gaining traction in Poland. It aims to force the introduction of a new day off during the week. As John Maynard Keynes postulated, Poles will work less, once they become more productive.