Best cities to work in. What does the mobility of professionals and managers look like in Poland?

In the case of an attractive job offer, as many as 83% of professionals and managers would consider working completely remotely both in Poland and abroad. 74% would relocate regardless of location in the case of an interesting job offer. According to the Antal report "Activity of professionals and managers in the labor market”.  In which Polish cities would professionals and managers like to work and what is their social mobility like? 

The attractiveness of relocation is an essential argument for new investors and thus influences economic development. The Antal research "Activity of professionals and managers in the labor market" reveals current trends in the labor market, such as, inter alia, the willingness to relocate. The survey was conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 1,046 professionals and managers between 30 June and 18 July 2022. 

Relocation attractiveness of Polish cities

The top cities most attractive for relocation, which can be described as first-choice locations (above 30% of indications), have for years been: Warsaw, Tricity, Wrocław, and Kraków. In 2022, interest in locations such as Katowice (by 8 p.p.), Łódź (by 5 p.p.), Poznań (by 4 p.p.) and Bydgoszcz (by 4 p.p.) increased the strongest in the ranking. When it comes to relocations abroad, a third of professionals and managers are interested in moving. 

In Poland, living standards are improving in many cities. Employee mobility is also increasing and more and more candidates are able to relocate to another city because of an attractive job offer. 42% would choose Warsaw as the most desirable destination, which is seen as a business center and technology hub attracting investors and talents from all over the world. One of the fastest-growing economic areas in Warsaw is the IT sector, among others. The development of the FinTech sector is also increasingly influential and important for the capital's popularity. According to the Cashless report, as many as 39% of all Polish fintech have their headquarters in Warsaw," comments Weronika Kamińska, Consultant Antal, IT Services. 

Tricity is the most rapidly developing business service center in Poland. It attracts a multitude of qualified specialists. Kraków, on the other hand, has an important Smart City program, the so-called concept introducing modern digital solutions, thanks to which the urban space is friendly for the inhabitants, and it also takes care of human capital and business. Wrocław, on the other hand, is among the leaders when it comes to modern business services, as we can see in the "Global Cities of Future" ranking. The publication also points out that the capital of Lower Silesia is also one of the best places in the world to invest. Many well-known organizations have their headquarters here, which also attracts employees. 

The authorities are competing with offers and programs to improve the quality of life, with the result that professionals often also choose cities smaller than the capital, such as Łódź, Katowice, or Poznań, as their place of residence. The pandemic has permanently changed the labor market. Competition is growing not only from Polish employers but also from foreign ones. Remote working has changed the map and the preferences of candidates who can afford to live in their dream location and work for often global or international companies outside of their place of residence, adds Weronika Kamińska, Consultant Antal, IT Services. 

Comfort and flexibility important to candidates 

Not only a higher salary (76%) but also the possibility to work remotely (53%) are mentioned as necessary elements of a new job offer. Only 1/3 of respondents indicate that they do not need remote working as a necessary element to consider a job offer. 22% of professionals and managers would need to receive an offer where they have the opportunity to work from home for an average of 2 and 3 days. Moreover, in the case of an attractive job offer, as many as 83% of professionals and managers would consider working completely remotely both in Poland and abroad. 

16% of respondents to the survey also indicated that the desire to change jobs is driven by the need to change to a remote (or mostly remote) working model, which often allows candidates to maintain a work-life balance. 24% of respondents indicated that lack of work-life balance was their main motivation for changing jobs. 

During the recruitment interviews we conduct at Antal, the question about the possibility of remote and hybrid working is one of the first questions professionals and managers ask. This is key information for them and much more important than, for example, the benefits the company offers. This question looks a little different for people without any work experience. Candidates with less seniority are looking for employment with the possibility of more on-site work, as they are keen to get to know the team and the availability of the person who introduces them to the job and to get to know the organizational culture, which is often difficult in online contacts. In addition, during an employee's probationary period, a greater proportion of work from the office is preferred - 3-4 days a week - comments Edyta Markiewicz, Team Leader, Antal SSC/BPO. 

For the first time, concessions are being made on the part of the employee, who no longer needs a contract of employment (50%), but equipment to be able to work on his or her own terms (37%) in a company that is close enough not to waste time commuting (52%) and that allows him or her free working hours (47%). 

About the report  

The Antal survey "Activity of professionals and managers in the labor market" was conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 1046 professionals and managers between 30 June and 18 July 2022.   

The cyclical report "Activity of professionals and managers in the labor market" reveals current trends in the labor market, such as attitudes toward job search, the number of offers received by candidates, motivation, and conditions for changing employment or readiness to relocate. 

Download the report: https://en.antal.pl/insights/report/activity-of-specialists-and-managers-on-the-labour-market-12th-edition