Not only at the construction site. Employers want to hire specialists from Ukraine
77% of employers in the Antal survey declare their willingness to employ workers from Ukraine also in specialist and managerial positions. Vacancies are waiting in virtually all departments of the company. According to the respondents, the possibility of employing Ukrainian workers will positively translate into the Polish labor market in both the short and long term.
Antal published the results of a survey conducted among 276 employers on the employment potential of employees from Ukraine in specialist and managerial positions. Most of the respondents offer vacancies available to Ukrainian workers. The industries in which most companies want to increase employment include: transport and logistics (100%), IT (90%) as well as banking and insurance (86%). On average, enterprises can offer 15 vacancies for lower-level positions and 5 vacancies for specialists. The functions that could be assumed by the Ukrainians await in almost every area of the organisation's operation.
Since the outbreak of the war, employers have been associated in dozens of initiatives to help refugees. In addition to financial and organizational support, they declare their willingness to employ workers from Ukraine in their structures. Advertisements are more and more often translated into Ukrainian or English and the number of available options is constantly growing. Managers of enterprises report to us that they are looking for automation and maintenance engineers, accountants, customer service specialists or administrative employees. In addition, many of these functions can be easily applied by women, including those taking care of children due to the greater possibility of remote work - emphasizes Artur Skiba, President of Antal.
Key condition: knowledge of the English language
Antal also asked employers about the necessary conditions for considering Ukrainian candidates for specialist positions. Knowledge of the English language is mentioned most often (73%), followed by knowledge of Polish (59%). For more than half of the respondents, experience in the industry (58%) and experience in a similar position (54%) will also be of key importance.
In companies from the SSC / BPO sector, the most common corporate language is English. A significant part of employees in this industry are foreigners, so organizations know how to effectively employ specialists who have just come to Poland. In light of the enormous staffing needs, any person who speaks foreign languages will be a valued candidate. We already have a number of job offers that Ukrainians can apply for - comments Aneta Jarzębska, manager in the Antal SSC / BPO team.
The preferred form of employment by employers is an employment contract (79%) for a period longer than one year (56%). Every fifth respondent also allows employment based on a contract of mandate or under the contracting service.
Employers, of course, count on long-term cooperation due to the necessity to implement an employee and the resulting costs. It is also an aspect mentioned as the main barrier on the way to employment of workers from Ukraine. On the other hand, the good news is that we are receiving signals that employers are ready to offer the possibility of total remote work to specialists who will want to return to their home country after the end of the war. A helpful solution is also contracting, which shifts the burden of finding a replacement onto the recruitment company - adds Aneta Jarzębska.
Opportunities and barriers faced by employers
Apart from the fear of short time working for specialists from Ukraine, the main barrier for employers is the risk related to the quality of performance of duties without the knowledge of Polish as the mother tongue (51% of responses), as well as formal and legal problems (38%).
The concerns related to administrative challenges or clear communication with people who are, however, to perform important functions in the organization are understandable. In the production hall, such errors can translate into a decrease in quality. However, employers already have ideas for solutions. These include, for example, additional Polish language courses, preferably subsidized by the state, and simplified employment procedures that are already in use. From the perspective of companies, it would also be beneficial to support public administration in the organization of nurseries and kindergartens, which would make it easier to activate mothers - says Katarzyna Sławińska, leader in the Antal Engineering & Operations team.
However, employers see more opportunities than barriers in the possibility of employing Ukrainian citizens in specialist and managerial positions. 62% of respondents hope for greater availability of employees, 57% see the possibility of acquiring highly motivated staff, and 36% see positive business effects in increasing diversity within the work environment. What's more - in the short term, 44% of employers, and in the long term 51% of them believe that the influx of Ukrainian employees will have a positive impact on the industry labor market. The most optimistic are the representatives of the transport and logistics and IT sectors. It is also worth emphasizing that in the long term, only 16% of respondents believe that the current situation will translate into negative consequences for the market.
From my perspective, helping refugees find a job corresponding to their competences is very important. We receive information that some qualified employees do not even know that they have a chance to get a job that uses their competences in a short time and that is why they are looking for simple odd jobs. Meanwhile, the use of this knowledge will not only allow Ukrainians to acclimatize to the Polish market faster, but also strengthen the potential of companies in Poland that are struggling with staff shortages. The globalization of processes and increased remote work opportunities, which were affected by the pandemic, will allow for the continuation of both individual and economic cooperation, also after the end of the war, which I hope will be beneficial for both countries - sums up Artur Skiba, President of Antal.
