Poles believe in their own skills, but they are increasingly losing trust in the labor market. The latest ManpowerGroup Talent Barometer shows a clear decline in professional security. The main culprits are the pace of technological change and cost pressures within companies.
Technology Raises the Greatest Concerns
Nine out of ten employees in Poland believe they have the right competencies and experience to achieve professional success. At the same time, the proportion of people confident about their career future is falling sharply. According to the 2026 Talent Barometer, the sense of career security in Poland has dropped by 6 percentage points, to 73 percent. This is one of the largest declines among the surveyed countries. Experts note that this is not merely a temporary fluctuation in sentiment, but a signal of a deeper shift in the labor market:
“Although at first glance a 6-point difference may seem relatively small, it is a change that should not be underestimated. This is another signal of cooling sentiment in the labor market,” said Anna Tietianiec, labor market expert at ManpowerGroup.
The largest decline concerns employees’ confidence in using new technologies. The percentage of people who feel competent in this area has dropped from 81 percent last year to 64 percent currently. In 2024, it was as high as 87 percent.
Experts argue that this is not only about artificial intelligence but about the pace of change and the need for constant adaptation:
“This decline shows not only fears about keeping up with technological change but also a growing skills gap,” Anna Tietianiec said.
Although AI skills are still rarely formally listed in job advertisements, they are increasingly brought up during recruitment interviews. This is especially true in sectors such as IT, marketing, sales, analytics, and customer service. Employee sentiment is also influenced by slower wage growth and more cautious HR policies. Many companies are freezing investments, reducing benefits, and flattening management structures. Additionally, frequent public reports on mass layoffs reinforce a sense of insecurity, even if they do not lead to a sharp rise in unemployment.
At the same time, employers are increasingly favoring flexible forms of employment and project-based work, limiting the creation of new full-time positions.
Research shows that although some employees believe they could find a new job within six months if necessary, fewer and fewer expect a stable full-time position. The year 2026 is expected to be a period of relative stability, but with growing importance placed on flexibility, outsourcing, and individual competencies.