On this special day, lovers express affection through flowers and gifts as well as by taking each other on romantic dinner dates and trips.
This is a potential cash opportunity for those who serve them, from couriers to hairdressers and beauticians, Personnel Service pointed out ahead of this year's Valentine's weekend.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has somewhat dampened consumer enthusiasm, those who cater to the needs of Valentine’s Day celebrants can earn up to PLN 150 (EUR 33.30) an hour, the company has found.
“Given the commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day, the occasion naturally fuels demand for certain products and services,” said Personnel Service’s Krzysztof Inglot.
“This translates into greater demand for workers, especially at flower shops, restaurants, beauty salons and delivery companies,” he added.
But during the pandemic, lovers have been less eager to celebrate, according to Inglot.
A recent study shows that only one in three Poles plans to celebrate this Valentine’s Day, Personnel Service said. This is down from 60 percent in 2020, it added.
Compared with other countries, celebrating Valentine’s Day is moderately expensive in Poland, the Picodi.com website has reported.
A dinner, a bottle of wine and cinema tickets cost a total of EUR 62 in the capital Warsaw, ranking it 39th on a list of 56 cities. To compare, consumers in Zurich, Oslo and Helsinki have to spend between EUR 162 and EUR 199 on a Valentine’s Day evening, Personnel Service said.
Biggest earners
One of the most profitable occupations on lovers’ day is the sale and delivery of flowers. Those working at a Polish florist’s shop or selling flowers from a roadside stall can earn between PLN 17 (EUR 3.80) and PLN 50 (EUR 11.10) per hour, the company said.
Meanwhile, couriers are paid anywhere between PLN 17 (EUR 3.80) and PLN 65 (EUR 14.40) per hour, with hairdressers and beauticians also besieged with customers, according to Personnel Service. These two groups can expect to earn from PLN 25 (EUR 5.50) an hour in the smaller towns to PLN 150 (EUR 33.30) an hour in the biggest cities such as Warsaw.
Spas and massage parlours aren't short of clients, either, with masseuses and masseurs earning between PLN 20 (EUR 4.50) and PLN 100 (EUR 22.20) per hour, the company’s report found.
As couples flock to restaurants, Valentine’s Day is also a special day for these establishments. Kitchen hands are paid slightly less than couriers or make-up artists, earning between PLN 14 (EUR 3.10) and PLN 18.50 (EUR 4.10) per hour.
Meanwhile, waiters and waitresses are paid between PLN 15 (EUR 3.30) and PLN 19 (EUR 4.20) per hour, but they can also count on tips which on February 14 may be several times higher than usual, Personnel Service reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: personnelservice.pl