First worker and Employer Forum behind us. Time for summary

instytutsprawobywatelskich.pl 3 months ago

"Working culture is how a individual feels on Sunday night, reasoning about going to work on Monday," said erstwhile known manager Jeff McKeon. His words were recalled at the nationwide conference “Employee and Employer Forum” held on 11 June 2025 at the Warsaw School of Economics.

The conference was opened by the Rector of SGH, Prof. Piotr Wachowiak and the Ombudsman, Prof. Marcin Wiązek.

Rector SGH stressed that worker relations should be of a partnership nature.

– The worker must be treated as capital, not as resource," said Prof. Piotr Wachowiak.

– The name "managing of human resources" is inactive atoning. I'm fighting this name due to the fact that it's about human capital management. What's the difference? The resource is utilized and invests in capital – he explained. And he appealed to effort to realize the workers of the young generation and to treat the workers as coworkers alternatively than subordinates.

Prof. Marcin Wiązek pointed out any of the most crucial problems, starting with the issue of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, which is frequently proposed to work completely inadequate for their advanced competences. Is it employers' fault? In part, yes, but let us not forget that it is the work of the state to make an appropriate framework for employers and to destruct barriers, including bureaucratic barriers, which discourage beginning up to cooperation with people with disabilities," said the RPO.

Prof. Wiązek besides raised issues of discrimination against women in the labour market, return to work after the birth of a kid and the situations experienced by young and aged people.

Uncomfortable truths about the labour marketplace and inclusion of excluded

In the panel “The labour marketplace in Poland – Uncomfortable truths we gotta tell!” experts discussed, among others, myths about the labour marketplace and fresh phenomena.

Attention was drawn to the so-called. platform economy, which fundamentally changes relations on the labour market. They have noticed that the story is that we have solutions to our problems. Experts have besides warned against a ‘cheap work trap’ that can slow down the automation process.

An crucial subject was the integration of people excluded from the labour marketplace and the discussion: "Inclusion of excluded groups – a remedy for a worsening staff deficit?".

Attention was paid to the untapped possible of millions of Poles with disabilities, who frequently encounter bureaucratic and intellectual barriers.

It was stressed that the effective inclusion of these groups requires a change of approach on the part of both employers and systemic solutions by the state. They besides discussed the problems of discrimination against women and the challenges for workers of different ages, from young people entering the marketplace to seniors.

Y and Z – revolution or evolution?

One of the central points of the Forum was to discuss the evolution of the labour marketplace under the influence of fresh technologies and changing expectations of generations Y and Z. Experts analysed whether these changes were a revolution or a natural process, stressing that they require deep dialog and flexibility.

The discussion “The marketplace for work through the eyes of Y and Z generations – a revolution of expectations or natural evolution?” was attended, among others, by Vice president of the Institute of civilian Affairs, president of the Board of ESG PRO Sp. z o.o., Ilona Pietrzak.

– I think it is evolution, not revolution, but any changes in the labour marketplace are natural – she assessed.

She warned that technological unemployment besides threatens the Y and Z generations. She stressed the function of good atmosphere in the workplace and partner treatment.

Artur Soboń, a associate of the NBP Board, recalled that the presence of a generation of boomers is steadily decreasing, present it accounts for 10% of employees. The share of young generations is growing.

According to the NBP survey for the years 2022-2023, 71% of entrepreneurs see no change in the strength of work, and if they see it, for reasons another than the approach to work. Among the priorities of the generation The top precedence is pay, which is not surprising, while the work-life balance took 3rd place in the survey, only 12% of young people indicated it," Soboń said, reminding about another phenomena in the labour market. "There is surely no way to defend the thesis that it is someway a far-reaching revolution," he said.

Education and visibility in the media

The function of education has taken a peculiar place. It was stressed that the teaching strategy must teach not only facts, but above all make passions and form soft skills specified as cooperation or adaptation to change.

The presence of employees in the media was besides considered. The participants pointed out that information on professional groups frequently appears mainly in the context of conflicts, and that there are no in-depth reports on their regular challenges and work specifications.

Knowledge workshops

"How to build a committed team? fresh trends in creating a good working atmosphere" she suggested Ilona Pietrazak. She discussed, among others, the function of contemporary leaders and the benefits that employers and employees can bring Staff councils. During the workshop, she proved that a good atmosphere at work and a dialog based organizational culture have an highly crucial impact on the company's development.

“How to get utilized to stress?” they answered in an accessible way. Agnieszka CzubakPresident of the Institute of Stress Psychology and Sebastian Zboinski, Vice president of the Institute. The main nonsubjective of the Institute is to advance wellness widely addressed to different social and professional groups.

The event was accompanied by a ceremony of signing a cooperation agreement between the SGH and the XBW Foundation of Ignacy Krasicki.

It will aim at exchanging experiences that will contribute to the promotion of cognition and education in sustainable improvement and the ESG. On behalf of SGH, the agreement was signed Prof. Piotr Wachowiakand on behalf of the Foundation, its Vice-President Przemysław Śmiałkowski.

Film coverage of the conference will be available on the YouTube channel of the Ignacy Krasicki Foundation.

The event was organized by the XBW Foundation of Ignacy Krasicki.

Patrons of Honor:

Ombudsman,
Rector of Warsaw School of Economics,
Minister for Agriculture and agrarian Development,
Central Statistical Office of Poland,
Chief Inspector of Labour,
President of Warsaw

Substantial partners:

National Chamber of Commerce,
Responsible Business Forum,
Confederation of Leviathan,
Association of Polish Cluster Employers,
Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers,
Institute for civilian Affairs,
ESG PRO,
Warsaw Enterprise Institute,
Foundation of the Polish Promotional Emblem “Now Poland”,
Humanites Institute,
Foundation Institute of Generation,
Our Future Foundation,
The Power of aid Foundation,
Institute of Stress Psychology,
Grand Press Foundation,
Hubmedia,
FAPA,
Institute for east Studies,
Business Institute.