They identified AI and robotics as a significant disruptor in numerous occupations, including retail cashiers, assembly line workers, banking employees, and translators, among others.
A rapidly aging population is seen as another hurdle, likely to put a strain on pension and healthcare systems. By 2050, around 40 percent of Poland's population will be aged 60 or over, according to the country's statistics office.
Pixabay License: Image by Susanne Pälmer from Pixabay
Experts anticipate higher tax burdens, delayed retirement, and pension system reforms as potential solutions.
Worker migration, particularly the influx of Ukrainian workers and emigration of skilled Polish workers, may also affect the labor market.
The Statistics Poland office (GUS) estimates that there are around 2 million Ukrainians in Poland, mostly working below their qualifications, while some 2.3 million Poles, many highly skilled, have migrated abroad.
Photo: PAP/Darek Delmanowicz
Furthermore, the growing demand for technology and science specialists underlines a widening skills gap. To mitigate this, experts suggest investing in education, vocational training, and development of digital skills.
The rise of AI could also exacerbate social inequality due to job losses from automation and a lack of uniform access to AI technology.
The green transformation, spurred by the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), is likely to increase the demand for "green" jobs across renewable energy, recycling, and sustainable development, while the ongoing shift towards remote work adds another layer of complexity, requiring a change in organizational culture and adaptation to hybrid work models.
"The greatest disruption will be caused by artificial intelligence," said Personnel Service founder Krzysztof Inglot.
He added: "We're talking about the erasure of entire professions that will become unnecessary. Of course, others will replace them, but the question is how quickly desired competencies among workers can be developed. All this will occur by 2030 and it's worth being aware of these changes and trying to prepare for them now."
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP