Stabilization in the temporary labor market
Since the second quarter of 2025, demand for temporary workers among companies in the retail, manufacturing, and logistics sectors has remained at a high level of 70%.
Key market trends
High demand: 70% of companies in retail, manufacturing, and logistics plan to hire temporary workers (up 1 pp. from the beginning of the year).
Stabilization: The market is maintaining nearly the same level of demand as in the corresponding period of 2025.
Hybrid model: Companies are increasingly combining permanent staff with temporary workers, in response to the increase in the minimum wage (by more than 30% since the beginning of 2023 — currently PLN 4,806 gross).
Situation by industry (Q2 2026)
Manufacturing: Demand leader – 77% of companies plan additional support (result stable year over year).
Retail: Clear increase to 69% (+5 pp.), driven by the holiday season (Easter) and the May long weekend.
Logistics: Interest up to 64% (+3 pp.) due to the need to scale processes with a higher number of orders.
Main reasons for hiring temporary workers
Seasonality (43%): Increase in orders during the spring period.
Employment costs (37%): A desire to optimize expenses amid rising wages.
Staff shortages (31%): Difficulty in finding permanent blue-collar workers.
Employee perspective
Overall willingness: 18% of Poles plan to take on temporary work in Q2 (down from the record high at the beginning of the year).
Activity by age group:
18-24 years: The most active (40% plan to earn extra money).
25-34 years: 30% interested.
45+: The least interest (one in ten people).
School and university students: There has been a sharp drop in declarations of willingness to do temporary work — only 34% (down by as much as 33 pp. compared with Q1), which is probably linked to intensified studying before the end of the school and academic year.
