Outsourcing&More #51 March-April 2020

Created by Pro Progressio

www.outsourcingportal.eu

No. 2 (51) | March–April 2020 ISSN 2083-8867 PRICE EUR 6 (INCL. 8% VAT)

TODAY I AM TALKING ABOUT AUTHENTIC EMPLOYER BRANDING Interview with Zyta Machnicka, CEO of Lightness, blogger at CandidateExperience.pl and author of the book “Better Employer” | page 38

BUSINESS:

INVESTMENTS:

CAREER & DEVELOPMENT:

“White list” and split payment |page 26

Five ways Poland’s offices will change by 2030 |page 56

Accounting 2.0? Yes, please! |page 94

Technology Graduate Programme 2020 A new perspective HSBC’s Technology Graduate Programme offers you a world of endless learning opportunities – plus the freedom to create your own

Apply:

http://grp.hsbc/techpoland Questions?

tech.graduate.poland@hsbc.com

We thank all interested candidates for their applications. We reserve the right to contact only selected candidates. Applications sent to us will be taken into consideration only if they include the following statement: “I hereby declare that I have familiarized myself with the Privacy Statement for Applicants published at http://www.about.hsbc.pl/careers and I hereby give consent for personal data included in my application to be processed for the purposes of recruitment in HSBC Service Delivery (Polska) Sp. z o. o. according to rules described in the Privacy Statement for Applicants, as per the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (GDPR).” In case you would like to resign from participation in recruitment process or withdraw previously sent to us application, please email us at: krakow.recruitment@hsbc.com.

INTRODUCTION

Created by Pro Progressio

Editor-in-chief Dymitr Doktór dymitr.doktor@proprogressio.pl Managing editor Katarzyna Czylok-Dąbrowska katarzyna.czylok@proprogressio.pl DTP Iwona Nowakowska Advertising reklama@proprogressio.pl Published by PRO PROGRESSIO Editorial address ul. Sobieskiego 104/29 00-764 Warszawa www.proprogressio.pl

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Partners

Dear Readers, The period of March and April are usually the time of many business events. The global threat of coronavirus, however, quite strongly affected the conference industry and a signi­ ficant number of business events were cancelled or post­ poned. Undoubtedly, spring 2020 is different in this respect than in previous years.

Outsourcing business and modern business services, however, are not slowing down, which we are pleased to announce on the pages of Outsourcing&More. This is the second edition of our bimonthly magazine in 2020, in which we share content from the area of business, ​​​​ investment and HR. The main interview this time is a talk with Zyta Machnicka – an outstanding personality of the Employer Branding industry. Zyta Machnicka is a lecturer, motivational speaker, and author of the book Better Employer – the One Press best­ seller, which dynamically conquers the market. The subject of Employer Branding has been more and more explored

by BSS industry in recent months and we could not omit it on our pages.

In the business section we summarize the Januaries Outsourcing Stars Gala and the preceding BSS Forum, we present publications in the field of law, logistics, automo­ tive and Shared Service Centers. In the SSC Lions section, we present the PKP Energetyka shared services center story.

Enjoy reading Outsourcing&More, Dymitr Doktór Editor in Chief

Authors: Patrycja Cierlak LL.M. • Violetta Małek • Dorota Chudzik • Bartosz Kędzierski • Marta Kunikowska • Aleksandra Dobrzyniecka • Zyta Machnicka • Mariusz Pietrzak • Sylwia Pyśkiewicz • Tugdual Delisle • Grzegorz Lisewski • Monika Vilkelytė • Mariia Poliova • Anna Mielczarek • Bogdan Wenta • Edward Nieboj • Michał Młynarczyk • Robert Błażyca • Marta Konopka • Katarzyna Bucka

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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INDEX

6 8 18 22 26 30 32 38 44 48 52 54 56 4

BUSINESS NEWS

A new decade in the BSS industry has been opened in Poznań Two events of the outsourcing and modern business services sector.

Patenting computer programs towards Europe?

Every company that creates new computer programs, e.g. for management or supporting devices, would like to protect their product against competing companies.

Competency gap in the business services sector Where it has come from and what to do with it?

“White list” and split payment We have presented the issues related to the “white list” of VAT payers and the split payment mechanism.

The heart of retail is beating in the internet Logistics of success in e-commerce.

Is there a Swedish recipe for work-life balance?

Meet lagom and learn how space and daily rituals can work for you.

MAIN INTERVIEW

Today I am talking about authentic Employer Branding Interview with Zyta Machnicka, CEO of Lightness, blogger at CandidateExperience.pl and author of the book “Better Employer”.

A modern SSC in the robotisation era Interview with Mariusz Pietrzak, Mana­ging Director, PKP Energetyka SSC.

The information management industry is booming What will the year 2020 Bring?

An inside look at international video game testing In 2013, then-educator Piotr Jasinski found himself facing an unusual decision: he could continue teaching literature in Polish public schools or he could respond to a Lionbridge help wanted ad for video game testers.

INVESTMENTS NEWS Five ways Poland’s offices will change by 2030 From desk sharing to more technology, office space is adapting to cater for the needs and preferences of modern workers.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

58 62 66 70 72 76 80 84 88 92 94 98 102 Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

The advantages of outsourcing in real-estate management Effective property management is very important especially in the case of commercial realestates, as they serve not as much as capital investments, but their purpose is to generate profits.

Moody’s, Nasdaq and many others choosing Lithuania for cyber security GBS functions Assigning cyber security operations to GBS centres is a smart move for international companies.

Astonishing findings of a new IT industry research in Lviv Economic effect of Lviv IT industry exceeds $ 1 billion.

On a roll again The city’s ambition is not to race against the whole world, but to make those who left Łódź in search of a better job return.

Small town, big business In 2019, Częstochowa was included in the list of the ten most attractive warehouse and industrial locations in Poland.

–Lublin speaking.

It seems that the BSS sector values more than any other industry linguistic skills of its employees as it is impossible to serve clients globally or carry out projects with partners from all over the world without the right linguistic skills.

It is a good time for the real estate market in Poznan In 2019, office space in Poznan exceeded a barrier of a half million square meters.

I focus on dialogue and cooperation Interview with Bogdan Wenta, the Mayor of the City of Kielce.

Employer Branding in Bydgoszcz There are many different ways to build an Employer Branding (EB) strategy and it is becoming an increasingly important topic for Bydgoszcz companies.

HR NEWS Accounting 2.0? Yes, please!

Progressive computerization of accounting is not able to change the beauty of the accounting profession.

These days we have a Job Change Market In the past we have heard mainly about the candidate market. Today, this trend is evolving, creating a phenomenon that we have called the “Job Change Market”.

Our mission is: We do good IT, or not at all Interview with Marta Konopka, Communication & PR Expert and Katarzyna Bucka, Head of HR & Recruitment from j-labs software specialists.

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BUSINESS NEWS TAX HAVENS COST THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY EUR 170 BILLION A YEAR EU Member States lose EUR 170 billion a year due to tax avoidance practices exercised by the wealthiest citizens and multinational corporations operating in the EU. – As the sense of small and large entities facing unequal treatment fuels populism across Europe, we must definitely tackle this problem – said French Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire at the Polish House in Davos.

tech companies (Google, Amazon, Face­ book, Apple). France has made a conces­ sion to avoid the outbreak of tariff war, postponing the tax payment from April to December 2020.

EU companies transfer their profits from the countries of their operations to other EU Member States due to less stringent tax systems.

The Polish Prime Minister also stressed that the declared VAT gap value in all Member States (EUR 150 billion), or loss on tax evasion by corporation or wealthy citizens (EUR 160 billion), has been nearly equal to the annual EU budget.

During the 50th Global Economic Forum in Davos, findings of a report on EU tax havens, drawn up jointly by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) and Bank Gospo­ darstwa Krajowego (BGK), provided grounds for a discussion at the Polish House.

As revealed by the PIE and BGK report, the countries which benefit most from this artificial profit shifting process, and are regarded by the European Commis­ sion as EU tax havens, include Belgium, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Ireland, Luxem­ bourg and Malta. In 2016, the Polish State Treasury lost 11% of the total CIT revenue (corresponding to approx. PLN 3–4 billion) due to profit transfers abroad.

The report by PIE and BGK lists sugges­ tions for solving the tax evasion issue.

A “black list” of Member States considered to be internal tax havens and a system of sanctions imposed by the European Commission are only a few of the ideas.

Setting a minimum CIT rate for the entire EU might also help.

The discussion was attended by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, French Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire, and OECD Secretary-General Jose Angel Gurria, with Piotr Arak, Director of the Polish Economic Institute, acting as the moderator.

The countries worst-hit by tax avoid­ ance include Germany (losing 29% of its potential tax revenue, corresponding to EUR 18 billion) and France (24%, i.e.

EUR 11 billion).

The losses arising from cross-border tax avoidance within the last seven years clearly reflect the scale of EU tax havens. Their aggregated sum exceed by one-fourth the entire EU budget for 2014-2020 set at EUR 960 billion.

According to Le Maire, whether this problem is solved once and for all depends not only on measures taken by individual EU Member States but also on their concerted effort. The French Government has struck a preliminary deal with the USA regarding a digital tax impacting, inter alia, the U.S. leading

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by wealthy citizens, and EUR 64 billion loss on frauds and other unlawful activ­ ities related to VAT payments in intra-EU transactions.

The Polish Economic Institute (PIE) is a public think-tank dealing with economic issues. The research focus of PIE covers predominantly international trade, macroeconomics, energy and digital economy, as well as strategic analyses related to the key areas of Poland’s social and public life. PIE provides analyses To effectively bring to justice the wealthiest and expert opinions for the purpose citizens evading taxes, OECD is applying of delivering the Strategy for Respon­ the system of automatic exchange sible Development, and disseminating of information for tax purposes covering Polish research in the field of economics a hundred countries. This facilitated and social studies across the country the processing of reports on 50 million and abroad. bank accounts where a total of EUR 5 trillion was deposited (which is roughly Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) is a third of the value of American economy). a state development bank whose mission This way EUR 102 billion due tax has been is to support the social and economic recovered. By the end of 2020, OECD is development of Poland and the public planning to announce its recommenda­ sector in the fulfilment of its tasks. tions for modifying international tax law. The Bank is a financial partner actively supporting entrepreneurship and Only in the EU, the aforementioned EUR making effective use of development 170 billion of loss per year includes EUR programmes. It is the initiator of, and 60 billion on account of profits shifted the participant in, cooperation between to tax havens by corporations, EUR 46 business, the public sector, and financial billion on account of assets shifted abroad institutions.

Legal regulations which are less strin­ gent encourage artificial profit shifting.

In addition, such countries act as inter­ mediaries in the process of transferring funds further to traditional tax havens such as the Cayman Islands.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

SMART FURNITURE – JOINT PROJECT BY KINNARPS AND COLLECTOMATE Kinnarps – a leading European furniture manufac­ turer, and Collectomate – a Polish tech start-up, have joined forces to develop a line of smart furni­ ture which makes life easier for office workers and administrators. The joint project solves numerous problems plaguing the crowded offices of rapid­ ly-developing companies. One of the foremost office challenges is the time-consuming handling of official and private deliveries in already overbur­ dened receptions. A fundamental part of the smart furniture offered by Kinnarps and Collectomate is a multi-compartment module accessible via an IoT (Internet of Things) solution – an applica­ tion which can be used on any mobile device.

In a time of rapidly-advancing technology and the changes it brings as regards employee beha­ viour and expectations, Internet of Things-based solutions have become indispensable in a modern, mobile workplace. In a broader context, combining technology and architecture offers a new perspec­ tive on the work environment, one where the needs of users are satisfied better. The next-generation furniture offered by Kinnarps and Collectomate supports flexible models of work, as well as facili­ tating productivity and creating a friendly work environment. Using a convenient mobile app, users can quickly gain access to their packages and are able to effectively work together with their co-workers, delivering and receiving mail, documents and deliveries. This innova­ tive solution takes into account how we currently use private things in the work­ place, how we store office equipment and work together with other people.

Implementing smart furniture is a step towards an innovative and more produc­ tive workplace.

Creating modern workplaces which overcome the challenges of modernity requires interdisciplinary knowledge of technology, design, architecture and psychology. We live in interesting times.

It is undoubtedly a perfect moment to look at the work environment from a new perspective and change it to match the reality of the digital revolution.

You can learn more about the smart furniture designed by Kinnarps and Collectomate at www.kinnarps.pl/inteligentne-meble and www.collectomate.io.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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BUSINESS

A NEW DECADE IN THE BSS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN OPENED IN POZNAŃ On January 23rd, 2020, two events of the outsourcing and modern business services sector took place at the Poznań International Fair and at the Aula Artis stage, which summed up the second and at the same time opened the third decade of the 2000s.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Click to see full gallery

BUSINESS

The slogan that accompanied the BSS Forum in the fourth edition of this event was "Focus on sources", and the organ­ izers wanted to focus on many topics that form a stable basis for the development of business services in Poland, Europe and the world. BSS Forum Agenda prepared

by Pro Progressio, included interna­ tional discussions, thematic workshops, as well as individual presentations and discussion panels on legal, HR, office real estate, personal manager development and sales.

Special guest of BSS Forum was the Senior Vice President of HFS Research – Oliver O'Donaghue, who presented to the gath­ ered guests the results of research and pan-European trends in the field of process automation, robotization, shared service centers and outsourcing.

The presentation of O'Donaghue, like all other speakers, was translated into Polish and English, and after the event was made available to all Forum’s participants.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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BUSINESS As every year, the BSS Forum is a mine of knowledge for Polish and foreign participants of this event, and is summa­ rized during the evening’s Outsourcing Stars Gala. For the seventh time already, Pro Progressio has proved that Outsourcing Stars Galas are a feast for the eye and ear and provide an unforget­ table experience and significantly support international business networking. This year’s Gala attracted guests from all over Europe and lasted until late at night.

During the official part of the Gala, the final of the Outsourcing Stars Compe­ tition took place, which selected and awarded the fastest-growing BSS companies and institutions in thirteen categories. Pro Progressio also awarded the Manager of the Year 2019, which this time was Cezary Maciołek – Vice President of the Progres Group.

The next BSS Forum and the Outsourcing Stars Gala will be in a year from now, but before they start, Pro Progressio invites you to the fourth cycle of BSS Tour confe­ rences and workshops, which in 2020 will visit Lublin, Bydgoszcz, Kraków and Częstochowa.

The City of Poznań was the Strategic Partner of the BSS Forum and the Outsourcing Stars Gala of this year’s edition. Organizations that supported this year’s Forum and Gala were PAIH, HFS Research, British Polish Chamber of Commerce, Scandinavian Polish Chamber of Commerce, Nowy Styl, Vastint, Cushman & Wakefield, Antal, CIMA, Riposta, Deutscher Outsourcing Verband, Emerging Europe Alliance, IAOP, Top Woman in Real Estate, Inspire, King­ sman, Kontel and Poly.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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LAUREATES OF OUTSOURCING STARS 2019

BPO – Worldline

SSC – 3M GSC

Call Contact Center – S8

Accounting, HR, Payroll – Contract Administration

RPA – Digital Teammates

City – Poznań

IT & Software Development – SoftServe

Real Estate – CBRE

Developer – Skanska

Permament Recruitment – Diverse CG

Employee Leasing – Grupa Progres

Innovative Business Solution – Talent Alpha

BUSINESS

MANAGER OF THE YEAR 2019 – CEZARY MACIOŁEK (GRUPA PROGRES)

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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BUSINESS

PATENTING COMPUTER PROGRAMS TOWARDS EUROPE?

Every company that creates new computer programs, e.g. for management or supporting devices, would like to protect their product against competing companies. computer programs. However, there exists the concept of computer-imple­ mented inventions. Under The Inventor’s Guide posted on the website of the Patent Office, these inventions are generally acceptable. The current understanding of the Patent Office is that the crea­ tion of a new braking method in which a computer program will be a part may be patentable. This means that a patent can be obtained for an invention in which a computer program is a part of that invention. This program will perform, accelerate or automate certain activi­ ties within the invention. 2 However, PATENTING COMPUTER despite such declarations, the Patent PROGRAMS IN POLAND Office relatively rarely grants patents – THE CURRENT STATUS for computer-implemented inventions.

Under Polish law, patents are granted A computer element in an application for inventions. These inventions must be makes the proceedings lengthy and of a technical character, have an inven­ complicated. The usual basis for patent tive step, be novel and have industrial refusal is the abstract instead of technical application. The Polish law lists solu­ character of these inventions. In some tions that cannot be inventions and materials, the Patent Office even says as a result are excluded from patenta­ that computer-implemented inventions bility. This includes programs for digital are ‘masking reality’.3 machines. The approach of the Polish 2 The Inventor's Guide. Methodology for testing Patent Office to IT patents is generally the patentability of inventions and utility models, p. 36, https://www.uprp.pl/uprp/_ negative. Under the wording of the Polish gAllery/25/24/25240/Poradnik_wynalazcy_-_ regulations, the Patent Office should Metodyka_badania_zdolnosci_patentowej_ wynalazkow_i_wzorow_uzytkowych.pdf. refuse to grant patents covering only Obtaining a patent for a computer program is one option for protection.

Basically, the patent temporarily guar­ antees the exclusive use of the inven­ tion on the market. However, this is not an easy task, especially in Poland.

This situation may change, because on 27 February 2020 an amendment to the Polish Industrial Property Law1 enters into force. The amendment aims, among other things, to adapt Polish laws on the possibility of patenting software to the European regulations. Can we now expect new IT patents?

Presentation of the Polish Patent Office 'Policy of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland for the assessment of patent applications regarding the presence of an invention', Conference 'Computer programs and patent and copyright law' 2009.

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Act of 30 June 2000 – Industrial Property Law (Journal of Laws of 2017 No. 776 with amendments), which was amended by the Act of 16 October 2019 amending the Industrial Property Law (Journal of Laws of 2019, No. 2309).

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

PATENTING COMPUTER PROGRAMS IN EUROPE

only if the application is for a computer program ‘as such’. This wording is under­ Under the Munich Convention on the Euro- stood in such a way that computer-­ pean patent4, it is possible to apply for -implemented inventions and computer a patent which, once validated, will be programs with a technical character are valid in designated European countries. patentable. The EPO has also developed European patents are granted by the Euro­ a doctrine clarifying when an invention pean Patent Office for inventions in all is of a technical nature. It is the doctrine fields of technology. The prerequisites of further technical effect. Further tech­ are: novelty, technical level and indus­ nical effect means an effect which goes trial use. The Munich Convention says that beyond the basic connections between computer programs are excluded from a program and a computer resulting protection, i.e. they are not inventions, but from the use of the program. According to the current guidelines of the European 4 European Patent Convention concluded Patent Office, the standard of further in Munich on 5 October 1973 (Journal of Laws of 2004, No. 79, item 737) also called the Munich technical effect is met in a program that Convention. indicates the method of controlling an anti-lock braking system in a car, determining emissions by an X-ray device, compressing video and a program that controls parts of a computer, e.g. a processor or memory.5 Such programs must still meet the other prerequisites for patent protection.

EPO Guidelines for examination 2019, Programs for computers, https://www.epo.org/law-practice/ legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/g_ii_3_6.htm, access: 19.01.2020.

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BUSINESS

AMENDING THE POLISH LAW

The Munich Convention says that computer programs are excluded from protection, i.e. they are not inventions, but only if the application is for a computer program 'as such'. This wording is understood in such a way that computer-implemented inventions and computer programs with a technical character are patentable.

It is not yet known whether the Polish Patent Office intends to change its own policy and adopt the practice of the European Patent Office, or whether the change is only an amendment to the wording while maintaining the current practice.

WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED?

It seems that the Polish Patent Office and the European Patent Office offi­ cially present similar approaches. They accept applications for computer-­ -implemented inventions. However, more important than the regula­ tions is the practice and approach of the offices to understanding these re­­­­ gulations. There are significant diffe­ rences in the policy of both offices. There is a liberal approach at the European Patent Office. Computer-implemented inventions and computer programs with further technical effect are accept­ able. The Polish Patent Office has a negative attitude towards IT patents.

Amending the wording of the Polish provisions will not be effective without changing the approach and policy so that it is more liberal. It is not yet known Let us remind ourselves here that whether the Polish Patent Office intends an alternative form of computer program to change its own policy and adopt protection is copyright law. Copyrights the practice of the European Patent to a computer program entails protec­ Office, or whether the change is only tion of the code and part of the docu­ an amendment to the wording while mentation. It does not provide protec­ maintaining the current practice. tion for technical solutions. In such situa­ tion, if there are difficulties in obtaining Given the purpose of the amendment, it a patent, the protection of a computer may be expected that the Polish Patent program is very narrow in scope. It comes Office’s approach to patenting comput­ down to protection against mere copying er-implemented inventions will be of the code. more liberal. Possibly, positive decisions concerning computer-implemented Justification of the amendment says that inventions will occur at the Polish it aims to unify the rules of patenting Office. It seems that granting patents for digital solutions in the Polish Patent computer programs with further tech­ Office and the European Patent Office. nical effect may be more difficult. These This is to be done by unifying the termi­ are very far-reaching changes, which nology to make the Polish act consistent completely rephrase the current Polish with the Munich Convention. Until now, practice. Nevertheless, we are slowly the Polish act stated that ‘programs for moving towards Europe when it comes digital machines’ are not inventions. to software patenting. The amendment replaces ‘programs for digital machines’ with ‘computer programs’. These programs cannot be patentable only if the application refers Author: to them ‘as such’. It is exactly the same wording as in the Munich Convention.

Even if a patent for an IT invention was granted by the European Patent Office, the Polish Patent Office has refused to grant a patent to same inventions in Poland.6 European patents could also be invalidated in Poland. The problem of such discrepancies has been publi­ cally noted. Some courts, including the Polish Supreme Administrative Court,7 pointed out that a more liberal approach to patenting computer programs is preferred. The current practice resulted in a difficult situation for Polish IT compa­ nies, which could not protect and enforce their rights in Poland. Granting potential protection was associated with a long and costly procedure. At the same time, foreign entities could freely exercise their rights outside Poland.

K. Szczepanowska-Kozłowska, The dilemma of (in)validity of European software patents in Poland, Kluwer Patent Blog 2011, http:// patentblog.kluweriplaw.com/2011/12/02/thedilemma-of-invalidity-of-european-softwarepatents-n-poland/, access: 15.01.2020.

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Judgment of the Polish Supreme Administrative Court of 19 April 2012 ref. II GSK 1140/11.

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Patrycja Cierlak LL.M. Lawyer at Baker McKenzie Krzyżowski and Partners sp.k., PhD candidate at Jagiellonian University

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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BUSINESS

COMPETENCY GAP IN THE BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR. WHERE IT HAS COME FROM AND WHAT TO DO WITH IT?

Business Services Sector (BSS), for more than 20 years, has been one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Poland is one of the leading countries where business has invested with great success.

Investors are interested in attractive location, well-educated employees, desired standard of living and doing business, strong support of local autho­ rities, favorable proposals for grants and incentives and an economically well performing country.

outsourcing is often compared to working in an book-keeping office, working “on a production floor” and incor­ rectly referred to as “low-demanding”.

The simple operating model (transac­ tional support functions like accounting, processing invoices, payments, statutory reporting, consolidation, hard HR and others) and the basic model “cost plus” still give the illusion that there is no place for the effective business management.

Nowadays it is changing, as BSS organi­ zations grow into global models and become a stand-alone, profitable busi­ nesses, which experience lack of leaders.

Why, therefore, the BSS organizations have begun to feel the painful effects of their own dynamic growth? What was “overslept” and “overlooked” by management teams? Why the industry is poorly positioned? What has been done to ensure that there is a strong supply of “tailor-made” competences? Let’s define reasons behind the competency • NARROW specializations gap in the Business Services Sector: A very important aspect in the first years of work of each specialist, but • LOW attractiveness of the industry also later, when narrow specializations for employees play an important role in the work Since the beginning, the sector is associ­ of teams dedicated to customer service. ated with the transaction processing and Improving competences with a wide boring, not attractive from the perspec­ variety of customers and a frequent lack tive of employee development, activi­ of standards requires more time than ties. Working in a collaborative service in homogeneous organizations. In addi­ center organization or business process tion, there is a need to offer the highest

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standards of service so that the customer “has one point of contact”, and this in turn translates into a longer period of time, which is needed to develop the remaining skills to take up leadership and manage­ rial positions . The frequent promotions of the best specialists result in a lack of knowledge and experience in other areas, necessary for the performance of managerial roles.

• GROWING workforce mobility The Region of Central and Eastern Europe, and also more often the whole of Europe, is becoming an increasingly sought-after place to work and to develop. According to the ABSL (Association of Business Services Leaders) report 14% of BSS employees in Poland are foreigners.

A similar trend is observed in Poland, where employees are more and more likely to “follow the job” from city to city.

This mobility gives greater opportuni­ ties for both employees and organisa­ tions, but on the other hand, it is a risk to the personnel turnover and even greater challenge for managers.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

• SIGNIFICANT cultural diversity The business services sector, like no other, is very international. Originally built as transactional processing shared services centers, centers of excellence, competence hubs to transform in many cases into global business service centres with more than 40 foreign languages, where everyone “speaks English”. Building multicultural teams as well as serving customers around the world raises the level of complexity of management at the middle and highest level.

• NO managerial staff Flat organizational structure, fast promo­ tions without wider business knowl­ edge and experience, narrow speciali­ zations not able to gain experience for example in financial or business ana­­ lysis, lack of experience in managing teams (multicultural, multigeneration),

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

1,400 lack of preparation to build the effec­ tive operational and legal structure (based on properly build SLA/OLA) and finally a weak knowledge of how others perform in the sector (managing without pro­perly set-up KPIs and benchmarking) are the main reasons for the competence gap among middle and senior staff. Addi­ tionally, there is a strong fear of “being attached” to the sector, from which there is no way out to get back to the traditional business (“because centers are not busi­ ness” – wrong perception) results in lower interest in middle-level management (very visible among CFOs who do not often think of a career in the BSS organi­ zation ‘low attractiveness’).

Total number of BPO, SSC, IT, R&D service centres in Poland.

Source: Sector of modern business services in Poland, ABSL.

14%

Foreigners in the employment structure of the analyzed service centers in Poland.

Source: Sector of modern business services in Poland, ABSL.

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BUSINESS

307,000 Total employment in shared service centers in Poland.

Source: Sector of modern business services in Poland, ABSL.

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Number of service centers employing at least 1,000 people.

Source: Sector of modern business services in Poland, ABSL.

What is the competency gap and why it creates a risk for the future growth of the business services sector? The gap in the management skills necessary for the efficient management and devel­ opment of the service centres is struc­ tural. The BSS sector is still young, and the dynamics of its development so far have created an urgent need of a large number of qualified managers. The future of the BSS sector, although very positive with the five-year average growth fore­ cast of 6%1, also creates a risk of a lack of managers. Managers that can cope with the future business challenges, with increasing customer expectations, with advanced technologies, while effectively managing a mature BSS organization must have the following skills: • design and transformation of opera­ tional models, 1

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Gekko advisoryNOW own studies.

A great idea seems to be a comprehensive management program tailormade for the BSS managers. Tailor-made program offers balanced development of all the competences necessary for the BSS managers, gives the opportu­ nity to meet people at a similar stage of professional development and to listen to sector experts. The disad­ vantage of such programs is still their low availability – around the world BSS organizations, which will address there are still fairly few programs dedi­ the need to complete management cated to managers from the business competences will build a strong competi­ services sector. tive advantage by strenghtening relation­ ships with their customers on an ongoing The business services sector in the world basis by offering the best services for and in Poland is entering the next stage the very attractive price. of development, when from the early stage of cost-oriented model it will How to effectively eliminate the mana- become a business partner creating gerial competence gap? This type the path of digital development. of competence is difficult to learn from In the modern operating model, transac­ academic classes only. It is necessary tion processes will be done by robots, and to get practical knowledge, to learn more complex ones will find a comfort­ on the experience of others, to analyze able “roof over the head” there. There is case studies and direct contact with coming the historic moment of “trans­ current tools and solutions. It is not formation” from service provider to influ­ without reason that the MBA pro­­ encer, who will secure its place in the value grammes are all about practice, which chain for the near future. Industry organi­ merely complements theory and pre- zations are ideal for creating innovative vious experiences. solutions by inspiring and supporting the business growth of their customers/ One possibility of contacting experts, partners. Isn’t it worth developing compe­ exchanging experiences and acquiring tences of your management team to be new knowledge needed by managers able to experience this historic moment in the business services sector is to be as soon as possible? a member of industry organizations that organize a number of industry Author: conferences & meetings, platforms for exchange of knowledge and meetings with specialists and other managers in the sector.

• centralization, optimization, automation and robotization of processes, • talent management, • strategic analysis, • building business models and preparing location studies, • service quality management, • effective communication and building effective cooperation in multicultural and multi-generational teams.

Of course, specialist managerial training is a very important element in developing management competences in the BSS environment. Their advan­ tage is that they tend to focus on narrow issues, so you can choose training for a specific manager or organization.

However, the choice should always draw attention to the proportion of theore­ tical knowledge and analysis of practical solutions and case studies. The key is also the business experience of lecturers.

Violetta Małek, Managing Partner, Co-founder, Gekko advisoryNOW sp. z o.o.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Registered Tuition Provider

BUSINESS

“WHITE LIST” AND SPLIT PAYMENT

In the following article we have presented the issues related to the “white list” of VAT payers and the split payment mechanism. We have highlighted the sanctions imposed on taxpayers who do not comply with the current regulations and present practical problems that taxpayers may encounter.

WHITE LIST OF VAT TAXPAYERS The list of VAT payers (hereinafter: the white list) became effective as of 1 September 2019, however, the tax obli­ gations related thereto appeared in our tax system on 1 January 2020. According to the explanatory memorandum to the bill, the white list was primarily intended to further tighten the VAT system and reduce the risk of accidental persons participating in carousel fraud.

The list is maintained in an electronic form by the Head of the National Tax Adminis­ tration and made available in the Public Information Bulletin. It is also available on the Central Registration and Informa­ tion on Business website. The list includes only business settlement accounts.

be met for such an obligation to exist.

Firstly, the transaction must be carried out between active VAT payers. Secondly, the value of the transaction must be at least PLN 15,000 – the payment related to a lower value transaction may be made to any account specified by the counterparty.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the purchaser of goods or services to verify that the contractor’s account is on the list and to transfer the money to that account. Even in situations where the seller provides the buyer with an account to which payment should be made but which is not on the white list, the buyer will be subject to sanctions.

FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN PAPER EDITION OF OUTSOURCING&MORE MAGAZINEOR ON THE PRO PROGRESSIO WEBSITE. SANCTIONS

The problems for taxpayers begin when money is transferred to an account other than one included on the list. In such a situation, the purchaser loses the right to include the paid amount as tax-de­ ductible expense and to deduct input VAT from output VAT. In addition, they will be jointly and severally liable for any sell­ PREMISES er’s VAT arrears related to the transaction.

However, not every transactions requires Thus, the sanctions, given that they apply payments to be effectuated to the listed to transactions over PLN 15,000, may bank accounts. Two conditions must prove extremely severe for entrepreneurs.

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HOW TO AVOID SANCTIONS

Sanctions can be avoided by reporting to tax authorities, within 3 days from the transfer date, that payment for the purchase of goods or services was made to a bank account which is absent from the white list. However, even in this case the Ministry of Finance has not made the task easier for buyers – the notifi­ cation should be sent to the tax office competent for the seller, which may not always be possible to determine.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

PRACTICAL PROBLEMS Another exception to the rule of sanc­ tioning a payment to a wrong account is when it is made through a split payment mechanism. However, this only protects the purchaser against the seller’s joint and several liability for VAT is such a transaction, and by no means protects against the ban to include the payment as a tax deductible expense for income tax purposes.

Doubts also arise as regards receivables setoff. The setoff may occur between parties who are both debtors and credi­ tors to each other. In such a situation, when receivables are due and can be claimed at court, they both can be set off against each other up to the value of the smaller claim. Thus, if the amount before set off was PLN 15,000 or more and the amount after the set off is less than PLN 15,000, the outstanding amount In practice, doubts have been raised must still be paid into a white list account, about making payments through plat­ as the Ministry of Finance has officially forms such as PayU or PayPal. In such accepted the amount before setoff cases, however, the white list does not as binding. apply because, according to Ministry of Finance explanations, the payment SPLIT PAYMENT MECHANISM is treated as a ‘payment order’ and not On the other hand, on 1 November 2019, as a ‘payment by wire transfer’ which provisions on the split payment mecha­ must be made to the account included nism entered into force, and the obliga­ on the list. tions related thereto became instantly applicable as of that date. Only sanctions The issue of advance payments and instal­ in respect of income taxation came into ments also proved problematic in prac­ force as of 1 January 2020. The manda­ tice. In such a situation, however, the total tory split payment mechanism replaced value of the transaction should be taken the mandatory reverse charge mecha­ into account, and even parts of the trans­ nism in domestic transactions. It should action which are less than PLN 15,000 be noted that for cross-border transac­ should be paid into the bank accounts tions the reverse charge mechanism is included on the white list. still in place. In the explanatory memo­ randum to the provisions introducing the split payment, the legislator referred

The basic assumption of the split payment mechanism is to divide the amount resulting from e.g. an invoice into two streams. The first stream is the amount corresponding to all or part of the VAT amount on the invoice, the second stream is the amount corresponding to all or part of the net amount (without tax) on the invoice.

primarily to the tightening of the VAT system and ensuring the stability of VAT revenue to the state budget.

The basic assumption of the split payment mechanism is to divide the amount resulting from e.g. an invoice into two streams. The first stream is the amount corresponding to all or part of the VAT amount on the invoice – this payment goes to the contractor’s VAT account.

The second stream is the amount corre­ sponding to all or part of the net amount (without tax) on the invoice – this amount goes to the taxpayer’s regular bank account (one included in the white list of VAT payers).

PREMISES However, for the mandatory split payment mechanism to apply, three conditions must be met. First of all, the subject of the transaction must be the goods or services listed in Annex 15 to the VAT Act – previously, approxi­ mately the same goods and services were included in Annexes 11 and 14 to the Act, which referred to the reverse charge mechanism. For example, there are construction services, broadly defined electronics, steel. Also, the amount of the invoice amount must exceed PLN 15,000. In addition, this activity must be performed for an active VAT payer. It should also be noted that split payment applies only to business-to-business (B2B) transactions.

BUSINESS

The white list is maintained in an electronic form by the Head of the National Tax Administration and made available in the Public Information Bulletin. It is also available on the Central Registration and Information on Business website. The list includes only business settlement accounts.

by the person making the payment. More­ over, as of 1 January 2020, additional sanctions have come into force, this time on the grounds of income taxes, under which failure to apply the split payment mechanism, will disqualify the value of goods or services to which the split payment mechanism should be applied from recognition as tax-deductible items by the buyer.

Problems have also arisen when making the split payment mechanism in foreign currencies. The Ministry explains that it is not possible to apply the split payment mechanism in a foreign currency. In such a case, the VAT resulting from the invoice should be paid in PLN to the contrac­ tor’s VAT account, while the net part can be paid in a foreign currency upon general terms.

PRACTICAL PROBLEMS

An exception to mandatory application of the split payment mechanism is set off procedure, as described above. If the set off concerns an invoice containing goods or services from Annex 15 to the VAT Act, the obligatory split payment mechanism does not apply. However, it should be remembered if there is still any amount to be paid after the set off, the difference must be paid by split payment.

The above sanctions proved to be the cause of mass “panic” of taxpayers who, for safety reasons, started to issue ever y invoice with a note “split payment mechanism” and demanded such payment from their contractors even in cases where this mechanism should not be mandatory. However, it should be stressed that in cases where the obligatory split payment mecha­ At this point, it should be emphasized nism does not apply, and this directly that the split payment mechanism results from the provisions of the VAT applies only to invoiced goods or services Act, the implementation of an optional from Annex no. 15. That is, in a situation split payment mechanism depends when an invoice for PLN 20,000 is issued, only on the will of the purchaser. Even of which PLN 1,000 regards goods listed in the case of the note “split payment in the annex and the outstanding amount mechanism” present and pressure from refers to other, unlisted goods, the split the seller, if the obligatory split payment payment will only apply to the goods mechanism does not apply, it is only up from the annex. to the buyer to make use of it.

SANCTIONS The Ministry of Finance has provided for further sanctions to effectively “encourage” taxpayers to apply the mandatory split payment mecha­ nism for those who fail to apply it duly.

First of all, the purchaser may be subject to an additional tax obligation amounting to 30% of the amount for the purchased goods or services from Annex 15 included in the invoice. The same additional tax liability may be charged to the seller for issuing an invoice that does not contain the information “split payment mechanism” (this sanction shall be avoided, if the purchaser neverthe­ less applies split payment). In addition, as in the case of failure to comply with the white list, the purchaser of the goods or services is jointly and severally liable for the proportion of the value added tax that falls pro-rata on that supply of goods or services resulting from the invoice. In addition, a fine of up to 720 daily rates is provided for failure to apply the split payment mechanism

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To sum up, the introduced regulations bring about unfavourable changes for VAT payers, which in particular can be very burdensome for entities making multiple payments during the month. In addi­ tion, the rules are not clear and may lead to many uncertainties. One may have the impression that it was a deliberate action of the legislator, as the current chaos will probably lead to a situation where the split payment mechanism will However, this also works the other way be used as a precaution, even in situations round – the buyer of goods or services is not required by law. responsible for exercising due diligence.

Thus, even if the seller has failed to add the note “split payment mechanism” to the invoice, the buyer is still obliged to check whether the goods or services Authors: he purchased are included in Annex 15 to the VAT Act (if the transaction exceeds PLN 15,000). If the purchaser fails to exercise due diligence in the absence Dorota Chudzik, of the note, they will still be subject tax advisor in the Law Firm to the aforementioned sanctions.

Doubts have also been raised about factoring, but they are dispelled by the Ministry of Finance. If a buyer of goods or services from Annex 15 pays amount due to a factor, they must also apply the split payment mechanism. However, such payment to the factor gives rise to factor’s joint and several liability with the seller. The factor can avoid liability if it transfers the money received from the buyer through the split payment mechanism to the seller.

“Chudzik i Wspólnicy Radcowie Prawni” sp.p. www.chudzik.pl

Bartosz Kędzierski, tax advisor’s assistant in the Law Firm “Chudzik i Wspólnicy Radcowie Prawni” sp.p. www.chudzik.pl

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

BUSINESS

THE HEART OF RETAIL IS BEATING IN THE INTERNET Logistics of success in e-commerce.

Contemporary retail sales take place online, in omnichannel and with a growing share of mobile technologies.

Bricks-and-mortar stores are giving way to global online stores and market places such as Amazon and Aliexpres. Social media entered the lives of consumers using the potential of interpersonal rela­ tionships to promote products. The world of online shopping has entered the era of Voice Assistant, personalization, marketing automation and data analysis.

Polish e-commerce is on the 13th place in the list of the fastest growing e-com­ merce markets in the world. Our country is at the forefront when it comes to using modern forms of payment and banking technologies. On the European scale, we are on the 5th place of payments using wearables (dressed devices such as smart watches or fitness bands). It is also worth mentioning here that the domestic banking sector is one of the most inno­ vative in the world, and Polish banking clients are quickly adapting technological innovations in finance.

as well as a location enabling distribu­ tion in the region. Last mile logistics also follows "fast and furious" e-commerce.

We can choose here in many options such as a courier delivery, pickup in parcel machines and in PUDO points. Pick up drop off (PUDO) are places that we regu­ Over the past years, there has also been larly visit, such as a grocery store, gas a dynamic development of the widely station or press stores. A new solution understood e-commerce industry which that has recently entered the market has also significantly affected the land­ is the option of a free delivery as part scape of logistics services and changed of sales platform subscriptions – here it forever. Well-known global brands is the example of the domestic Allegro and online sales platforms locate logis­ Smart. Sales have no boundaries, it is not tics centres and return service centres associated with a specific place and time, in Poland due to attractive employment it happens constantly, but reliable logis­ costs, availability of space and resources, tics is necessary for complete happiness.

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The success of an online shop is a good product, an efficient IT platform for online sales and reliable customer service. The Global e-commerce Logistics Market 2018 report also indicates the key role of logistics in e-commerce which is the fulfillment of orders. E-com­ merce logistics requires from the oper­ ator: a non-standard approach, perfect realization and high flexibility. Fulfillment is a broadly understood as outsourcing of logistics services such as storage, pack­ aging of individual and business clients' orders, shipping, courier delivery and returns service. The fulfillment services also include a number of value added services, including proper packing

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

of goods, personalization of orders, adding an invoice and a thank you letter for shopping and much more. Online sales are associated with unpredictable increases and high seasonality, which is a challenge for every online store.

Handling sales peaks requires not only proper, several months of preparation, but above all experience that has been gained for years. Developing resource management procedures, organizing temporary employees, or reorganizing the warehouse space require time and commitment. In addition to a perfectly organized ERP system for e-com­ merce and reliable information flow in the implementation of online orders, we are dealing with the physical aspect of the process. Storage, order picking, packaging and other manual opera­ tions take place in a logistics warehouse.

Smaller stores implement this process within their own resources. Large stores and online sales platforms outsource fulfillment services to specialized service providers of this type.

The external operator has both expe­ rience, developed procedures and resources, that can be used in sales peaks and allow full flexibility while maintaining high quality of order procesing. It does not matter to the customer whether

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Polish e-commerce is on the 13th place in the list of the fastest growing e-commerce markets in the world. Our country is at the forefront when it comes to using modern forms of payment and banking technologies.

On a European scale, we are on the 5th place of payments using wearables. the warehouse is going through a period of increased sales. The customer expects the highest quality, no mistakes and effi­ cient returns service regardless of whether it is Black Friday, Cyber ​​Monday, Chinese shopping festival or December Christmas shopping fever.

Logistics for e-commerce varies depending on the scale of the project and the products offered. Material flows in the fashion industry look different, which is characterized by seasonality resulting from the change of seasons, as well as high peaks during the holidays and sales, and different in the online sale of furniture or the DIY industry. In each process, efficiency and cost optimi­ zation are essential. Automation and the use of modern technologies are

the way to achieve satisfactory results.

However, the use of automation must be cost effective and adapted to the actual needs of the client. As long as employee employment is possible and labour costs are lower than technological solutions, advanced process automation in e-com­ merce logistics will have a limited use.

Online sales are characterized by high unpredictability, and the organic devel­ opment of projects year by year achieves surprising results which is difficult to predict how a given project will deve­ lope in the perspective of the next few years. One thing is certain, without effi­ cient e-commerce logistics and well-or­ ganized customer service, the so-called positive customer experience in online sales cannot be achieved. In the tradi­ tional sales channel, the store had a direct contact with the customer, currently the impact on this relationship is limited.

That is why the role of logistics for e-com­ merce is becoming so important. Author:

Marta Kunikowska, Marketing Manager, Rhenus Logistics S.A.

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BUSINESS

IS THERE A SWEDISH RECIPE FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE? MEET LAGOM AND LEARN HOW SPACE AND DAILY RITUALS CAN WORK FOR YOU

The Dutch have their hygge, while the Swedes invented lagom.

What exactly is lagom and how can we find it or introduce it into our workplace? Is the non-Scandinavian Europe capable of adapting the life style of our northern neighbors?

A mere twenty years ago, nobody in the whole wide world would have believed that companies, in an attempt to attract employees, would one day offer them well-furnished and wellthought-out workspace. An office that supports the workflow happens to be one of the most decisive factors determining whether an employee accepts the job.

It is actually perceived to be on a par with benefits and perks offered to candidates.

Even ten years ago, it was still unimagi­ nable that trends in office furnishing would head in the direction of creating a natural, almost home-like atmosphere in the work­ place. Quite the contrary, the movies set in the near future fixed a completely different picture in our minds – lots of glass, high gloss finish, elegant furni­shings, light in different colors. Well, that future has already come and…

Today, we’re looking for tranquility, trying to live a life which allows us to walk a fine line between doing our duties and enjoying leisure time, no matter if we’re at work or anyplace else at the moment. The lagom philosophy reflects the Swedish lifestyle and shows the way of getting the best of both worlds. The Swedes, wherever they are and no matter how much work they have to do, will always find time for fika – a coffee break, that is. This word not only sounds foreign, but there is also something magical about it. This is more than just a short recess for brewing coffee and coming back to the desk.

Fika is a genuine ritual. A short moment when we can leave our desk, change our sitting position, walk to the kitchenette, bump into other coworkers and have a friendly little chat with them. In Swe­­­den, We spend most of our weekdays in fika is usually celebrated in the morning the office. No wonder the employers grav­ and then once again after three o’clock itate towards refining the image of their in the afternoon before going home, but offices and the environment in which not with one’s foot already in the door. their employees do their fair share of work Do not mistake it for a lunch break for every day. This fashion for domesticated this is a separate phenomenon. It usually offices with the elements from the “outside lasts fifteen minutes and is included world” remains strong and still evolves. in the employee’s work time.

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NOT TOO MUCH, NOT TOO LITTLE, JUST RIGHT – LAGOM Lagom is a state of balance and common sense exercised both at home and work.

It fits perfectly in the current trends of shaping modern office space. Such offices don’t bring only smart solutions or rocket-science systems into mind anymore, but rather a place that is able to cooperate with its users.

WHAT MAKES A LAGOM OFFICE? Healthy diet and ergonomics – simply, taking care of ourselves. The solutions that whisper to us how we can spend our time at work.

Does the drawer unit on castors, the one sitting under your desk, really have to be used exclusively for storing... What exactly do you keep in it? When was the last time you opened it? Or maybe you can’t since the key to the lock is missing? As a matter of fact, the drawer unit is not only a great place for storing things. It can also be used as seating for an unannounced guest coming over for an informal meeting.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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BUSINESS

The Swedes, wherever they are and no matter how much work they have to do, will always find time for fika – a coffee break, that is. This word not only sounds foreign, but there is also something magical about it. This is more than just a short recess for brewing coffee and coming back to the desk.

34

How many hours do you spend talking on the phone? Is it possible that all your phone calls combined snatch as much as one third of your day at work? If that is the case, try to make the best possible use of that time and get up from your desk. You can stretch your legs, change your position and sit back in a comfy armchair. Or simply walk away from your team so as not to disturb them with your lengthy conversations over the tele­ phone and let them focus on their work.

CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY This is the subject that has been widely discussed lately and dominated a great

number of business conferences.

If not us, who’s going to take care of our planet and secure its future?

Bear in mind, however, that waste sorting is not an ultimate solution to the problem. Sustainability is not on the lips of only “green” offices anymore. According to IKEA’s policy, many products are manufactured with sustainability in mind. Kitchen fronts made from recycled plastic bottles in the office cafeteria? And good-looking, too? Done! A smart way for sorting waste? Here you go!

Common areas can also be furnished with recycled goods. Eco-friendly and well-designed.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

During the eight-hour workday, we should be seeking even more situations that would let us get to know other users of the same space.

This will not only put us in a good mood, but it will also help us to network.

CONNECTION WITH COWORKERS AND NATURE The already-mentioned fika is the perfect occasion for meeting other coworkers.

During the eight-hour workday, we should be seeking even more situations that would let us get to know other users of the same space. This will not only put us in a good mood, but it will also help us to network. The solutions that support us in reaching these goals can be found in common areas: corridors, canteens, kitchenettes, etc. In larger offices, we’re most likely to find nooks with comfortable sofas where you can wait for someone as well as take some time off. It would be fairly easy to squeeze a small book­ case in there to enable the employees to exchange books. A large dining table for all coworkers? This may be another

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

great place for meeting new people and networking.

In the times when we spend most of the day at work, it is nice to rub elbows with nature a little bit. Walls painted green or even small plants in flowerpots placed around the desks can have an immense impact on the office atmosphere, same as the “natural” rooms furnished in the urban jungle style.

Nature is another element we should factor in when shaping the office space we work in. Greenery and natural lighting are gradually becoming a more common sight in work spaces. This is great news since these accents are fantastic moodboosters. In some offices, the employees volunteer to water the plants, thus estab­ lishing new contacts.

35

BUSINESS The interior is colored not only by painting the walls or decorating them with vinyl wall decals. The color can also be looked for in textiles which, together with texture, feel nice to touch and let us comfort ourselves in those difficult moments at work.

HAND IN HAND WITH NATURE – LIGHTING AND COLOR When writing about nature, one must not forget to mention colors and additional lighting. The interior is colored not only by painting the walls or decorating them with vinyl wall decals. The color can also be looked for in textiles which, together with texture, feel nice to touch and let us comfort ourselves in those difficult moments at work.

A growing number of companies are looking for more intimate locations for their offices. Access to natural lighting and the ability to step out onto the balcony or into the garden are coveted. Some companies even start vegetable gardens where their employees can grow their own veggies and fruits. The owners of large office buildings with vast open office plans should invest in the lighting that would at the same time facilitate the work and render the time spent at work pleasant. The combination of lamps and plants produces an incredi­ble effect of a mini-jungle, with shadows playing around, some areas filled with brighter light and some dimmed a little bit.

36

Every one of us does a different job and therefore needs specific conditions in order to do it well. Nevertheless, we are all humans and our basic needs are pretty much alike – we want to be heard, we expect understanding, we like meeting people, we need to talk. And we need to satisfy all of them both at home and at work since we spend there so much time day after day. It’s time to take care of our workplace. Let’s secure ourselves the work space that will secretly help us do our job. This way, our performance at work is bound to increase and we get to keep some of the energy for the afternoon when we clock out and come back home.

Author:

Aleksandra Dobrzyniecka, Interior Designer, IKEA for Business

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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MAIN INTERVIEW

Photo: Tomek Prokop.

TODAY I AM TALKING ABOUT AUTHENTIC EMPLOYER BRANDING Interview with Zyta Machnicka, CEO of Lightness, blogger at CandidateExperience.pl and author of the book „Better Employer”.

Wiktor Doktór, Pro Progressio: Zyta, this will be an unusual interview. We got to know a few years ago, so let me address you with your first name.

I will begin with things that are obvious to you and then we will dive into the subject of EB. Well, EB, that is Employer Branding – what is it – can you give me your definition?

Zyta Machnicka, CEO of Lightness, blogger at CandidateExperience.pl and author of the book “Better Employer”: Over the past two decades it has been said that EB is simply building the ima­ ge of the employer of choice, which is the one you want to work with first.

However, the problem is that for many employers, this “Employer Branding” meant (and unfortunately for some of them it still means) putting lipstick on a pig – in official recruitment and ima­ge materials the company was spot­ less, employees gave each other a high five with a smile on their face and played table football, and the bosses knew all about good bossing. However, after get­ ting inside and starting work, it turned out that they have a skeleton almost in every cupboard (which you could usually hear about during smoke breaks or having a beer or you could read about it on GoWork). And this gap between internal and external communication

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

brought with it solid frustration and fur­ ther problems.

That’s why when I talk about EB, today I add to it the adjective “authentic”. And for me, authentic Employer Branding is simply communicating the truth about the company as an employer in an attractive way and calling forth the involvement of its key target groups (candidates and employees), in the channels and through the tools in which these groups are currently present and active.

Since we already know how you define Employer Branding, please tell me how you did you get to this industry, if we can call EB an industry, and what do you do as part of EB? I often say that Employer Branding is a typical example of recombinant in­ novation for me, which we base on com­ bining knowledge from different areas.

Because it combines HR with marketing, advertising, PR, new technologies and even sales. And my 15-year professional career is also sort of gathering the experi­ ence and knowledge from various fields, which at some point turned into EB. From an early age I was interested in marketing and advertising – its

language and psychological mecha­ nisms. And the first serious job that I started at the beginning of my studies was in the advertising agency. Then quite by accident I came to the Krakow employment agencies, where I not only went through the path from a tempo­ rary work consultant and a recruiter to the head of the branch. Thanks to this, I could not only scratch beneath the surface, but also experience to my cost the relationships with candidates, employees and employers from very different industries. I was constantly surprised that these groups are unable to communicate effectively with each other – candidates still have problems with choosing the right employer for themselves and “selling” their poten­ tial, a number of recruiters do not know how to effectively communicate with candidates and choose the one who suits them best, and the bosses have a constant problem with getting people they employ more involved.

And repeatedly I arrived at the conclu­ sion that all too often we complicate simple matters and in the rush for the future we do not notice what is really important now. I told myself then that if I had the opportunity, I would start working for a slightly better labour market.

39

MAIN INTERVIEW

And because I was still drawn to mar­­­ keting, there were internet projects for employers and HR agencies. And suddenly I discovered the slogan: Employer Branding and then candidate experi­ ence and employee experience. And it all began to fall into place. And then, one day I decided to quit my full-time job and start my own business. In the meantime, I got a proposal from the Faculty of Humani­ ties of the AGH University of Science and Technology, where I completed the socio­ logical studies majoring in “media and social communication”, to get involved in creating new post-graduate course. And since no one taught students Employer Branding at universities in Poland, the direction was clear. And so the new degree course was launched and then the blog CandidateExperience.pl was created and the #ebmasters commu­ nity was initiated. And everything began to fall into place.

We had the opportunity to have you as a speaker at several conferences as part of the BSS Tour cycle in 2018 and 2019, and during last year’s BSS Forum in Łódź. Conference rooms filled to the brim and people strongly involved in the workshops. Does this mean that companies in Poland are hungry for knowledge about EB? Can you still surprise the participants of conferences and workshops with EB? Due to its interdisciplinary nature, Employer Branding is a topic that is devel­ oping and obtaining professional quali­ ties very strongly. Both EB course at AGH and more than 6-year actions of #ebmas­ ters community have contributed signifi­ cantly to the fact that this notion has been introduced not only to further universi­ ties and HR portals, but above all, to new companies. But this is mainly due to low unemployment and employers’ difficulties

FULL VERSION OF THIS INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN PAPER EDITION OF OUTSOURCING&MORE MAGAZINEOR ON THE PRO PROGRESSIO WEBSITE.

You have mentioned the education.

How do you conduct EB classes, are your students “ordinary’” students, or maybe people who already use Employer Branding professionally?

EB studies at AGH in Krakow are an endless adventure for me. This project has been going on for over 7 years and among more than 200 participants we had and still have both people who did not know much about Employer Branding before and those who were an old hand at it, but never refined the knowledge they acquired. Of course, such a diverse group is difficult to lead, because people not only have different experiences, but also are of very different ages. We also did not avoid mistakes, because we, as organ­ isers and lecturers, also had to under­ stand how EB should be taught so that this knowledge would have real and practical value. And today I can say with complete confidence that this diversity is a great strength of this course, because we have the fantastic staff and we try to keep the best level of the curriculum and not to make it too simple, bringing together very different perspectives of the labour market. As a result, our participants get a degree not only with truly interdisciplinary knowl­ edge, but are also much more aware of the expectations, needs and attitudes of groups of candidates and employees with whom they will communicate on the market and in their companies.

40

For me, authentic Employer Branding is simply communicating the truth about the company as an employer in an attractive way and calling forth the involvement of its key target groups (candidates and employees), in the channels and through the tools in which these groups are currently present and active.

Photo: Andrzej Wysocki.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Zyta Machnicka has been signing her book Better Employer during its premiere. Photo: Andrzej Wysocki.

in reaching and retaining the best staff.

The market today tells us directly that without good employees, whose values and mode of operation are consistent with the company’s culture, enter­prises will not develop and compete effectively.

Now we also have research results con­ firming that an employer’s brand not only affects the decisions of candidates and employees, but it also has an influ­ ence on the purchase of products and services. Because as customers, we want to work with companies that treat their staff well. And if we realize that EB is in­ fluenced not only by recruitment and HR departments, but absolutely everyone employed in the company, we will under­ stand how important this topic should be for each organization. That is why I am convinced that we are still at the begin­ ning of our educational path and we will be surprised more than once, also at indus­try conferences.

I have long been thinking about creating a personal and practical guide to the world of EB, which will help or­ ganize knowledge, cooperation with all company departments and introduce real and positive changes in organizations.

Because we didn’t have such publication on the market and not everyone has time today to track activity on blogs and in­ dustry portals. And not everyone is aware that it is the knowledge of Employer Branding that can help him run a better business. However, due to my consider­ able professional activity, I couldn’t find the right time to write the book.

And suddenly, when at the end of 2018 two different publishers contacted me and offered cooperation, I decided that there would never be a good time for writing. And that it’s about time to turn the idea into concrete action.

I decided to cooperate with the Onepress Publishing House and after nine, probably There is great passion and commitment the most difficult months in my career, in the way you talk about Employer the book was written. And this is how Branding. I felt the same way reading the book entitled: “A better employer. your book. Please tell me what made How authentic Employer Branding you write the book, what can we find changes business, the labour market and in it and where can we buy it? people” was created, which is a record

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

A “Better Employer” was created, which is a record of my experiences and observations about the labour market. These are also the results of analyses of over 200 educational projects in the area of candidate experience and employee experience that I have run in recent years.

41

MAIN INTERVIEW

Don’t look on and on at the competition, just build on what you have. If you are taking your first steps with company Employer Branding, first compare your current company situation as an employer with the business goals and challenges you face every day.

of my experiences and observations about the labour market. These are also the results of analyses of over 200 educa­ tional projects in the area of candidate experience and employee experience that I have run in recent years. The book had its official premiere on 28th January 2020, so you can find it not only via the offi­ cial link lepszypracodawca.pl or directly on Onepress website, but also in other online and brick and mortar bookshops.

Finally, I have a question that comes from the list of wishes and advice.

Can you give a little piece of advice to companies which do not know how to go about Employer Branding? What should companies focus on, and here I will ask a little perversely, what should we do to implement EB in a right and proper way?

First of all, don’t look on and on at the competition, just build on what you have. If you are taking your first steps with company Employer Branding, first compare your current company situa­ tion as an employer with the business goals and challenges you face every day.

Talk to representatives of various depart­ ments – what are their goals, what are their biggest problems and what do they need most from you as an employer? Look

42

at the real results: how does your compa­ ny deal with the acquisition and recruit­ ment of candidates, as well as the imple­ mentation, development and retention of specific groups of employees? What channels and tools do you use, which of them bring effects and which do not, and how much do you spend on it? And then, together, answer the question honestly, are you able to achieve what you have in your business strategy by us­ ing your existing methods?

In my experience, employers could solve a number of problems very quickly if they listened carefully to the voice of their team and drew the appropriate conclusions from it. And it would be good if the EB subject was not assigned only to one person or department, but much debated in the entire company.

The sooner we invite other depart­ ments to work on Employer Branding, the greater the chance that they will want to get involved in the next stages. Because recruitment and Employer Branding is primarily a team game. The rest is usually just technicalities and tailoring the way we operate to the resources our organi­ zation has.

Thank you for the conversation.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Photo: Anna Kosiorek.

A MODERN SSC IN THE ROBOTISATION ERA

SSC

Word of admission: SSC Lions is a new project run by Pro Progressio and focused on the communication support provided to Shared Service Centres.

On O ­ utsourcing&More Magazines’pages we will present business cases and interviews with leaders of Shared Services Centres, industry experts and consultants.

Our interlocutors will provide the answers to the questions related to best business practises, project manage­ment and employer branding.

We are presenting you the interview with Mariusz Pietrzak, Mana­ging Director, PKP Energetyka SSC.

SSC LIONS

FULL VERSION OF THIS INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN PAPER EDITION OF OUTSOURCING&MORE MAGAZINEOR ON THE PRO PROGRESSIO WEBSITE. Outsourcing&More: PKP Energetyka is one of the few Polish companies in the public sector that have decided to establish their own Shared Servi­ ces Centre. Since when have you been running your business and how did it all start?

Mariusz Pietrzak, Managing Director, PKP Energetyka SSC: PKP Energe­ tyka is a private company which belongs to the investment fund CVC Capital Partners. The Shared Services Centre was established in 2016 i.e. one year after the company’s privatisation when the new owner decided to create a capi­ tal group and change the company’s operations. It was then that the Shared Services Centre was born by centralising processes from 20 offices.

our employees take part in many transformation projects such as the implementation of a new system. This means that a large part of our time is focused on data analysis, building and modelling processes and creating business concepts for new technological solutions. During this time, we have transferred many new functions – mainly in the area of liquidity management and finance.

Robotic process automation has b e come incre asing ly common in recent years. Do you also “employ” robots in your Centre?

One of the pillars of the strategy in our company is digitisation and automation. In our centre, we start-

filment. Of course, we also take into account competences and knowledge of the accounting act, labour law, taxes and finance. Knowledge of SAP and Excel is a big advantage.

Your Operations Centre is located in Łódź. How do you view the city of Łódź from the perspective of an investor in the modern business services sector?

The centre has been operating dynamically for over 3 years now and, as you mentioned, it is located in the heart of Poland – in the city of Łódź.

We cooperate closely with the Office of Investor Service and get support in many aspects. We take part in many interesting initiatives, such as the Job

IN OUR CENTRE, WE STARTED OUR ADVENTURE WITH RPA TECHNOLOGY IN 2018, WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED A PROJECT IN THIS AREA. WITHIN A YEAR WE, LAUNCHED OVER 20 ROBOTS WHICH PROCESS MORE THAN 50,000 TRANSACTIONS PER MONTH. What processes are carried out within your SSC and how many people are involved in their implementation?

The company provides services for all companies of the PKP Energetyka Capital Group. In our centre, we provide services in the field of accounting (liabi­lities, general ledger, receivables), finance (liquidity management, bank guarantees, payment cards) as well as HR and payroll services. There are 120 people working in the SSC. We also provide support in the scope of digitisation and process automation.

Were all these processes intended to be carried out from the very beginning or perhaps your centre has been gradually evolving and increasing its scope of operations? What are the next steps? Are you planning to handle further processes?

After its launch, the centre mainly carried out transactional processes, where the basic requirement was to process documents. Over time, its role has changed to a competence centre where

46

ed our adventure with RPA techno­ logy in 2018, when we implemented a project in this area. Within a year we, launched over 20 robots which process more than 50,000 transactions per month. Our robots have helped us to automate monotonous activities, which has resulted in 15% of the jobs in our centre being robotic workers. They have their own names and are willing to take part in our initiatives and ‘integrate’ with the rest of the team.

What positions do you most often recruit employees for and do you need any special qualifications to be employed in the PKP Energetyka Shared Services Centre?

As I mentioned earlier, our centre provides accounting and HR and payroll services. Taking this into account, we most often look for employees in these departments for positions ranging from junior to senior specialists.

Our main requirements are the willingness to work, grow and achieve self-ful-

Fair, the ‘Youth in Łódź’ programme or business meetings or conferences.

From the investor’s point of view, we evaluate our presence very positively as we have everything needed to deal with business matters.

The final question is a little forward-looking. What will the PKP Energetyka Shared Services Centre be like in the next 3–4 years? Is anything important going to happen in this period?

Looking at market trends and the strategic activities of our group, the centre will continue its transformation towards further digitisation and automation of the processes carried out. Its aim will be to improve operational efficiency and provide fast services to our customers. Undoubtedly, this will require constant develop­ ment of our employees’ competen­ ces – a change from process admini­ strator to data analyst.

Thank you for the interview.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

BUSINESS

THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY IS BOOMING. WHAT WILL THE YEAR 2020 BRING?

Information management is one of the fastest growing segments of the outsourcing industry. It is expected that the CAGR1 of this market will be as high as 12%2 in the 2019-2024 period.

1

CAGR - Compound Annual Growth Rate

2

Mordor Intelligence report.

– says Sylwia Pyśkiewicz, President of Iron its value by 26.6% (from USD 20.6 billion Mountain Polska to USD 26 billion3). The use of external companies offering advanced IT tools, BILLIONS OF INVOICES, process automation, or possibility of full BILLIONS OF DOLLARS digitalisation of data resources is now Companies produce a huge amount a very popular solution in the business of information in a year. In 2019 alone, world – says Sylwia Pyśkiewicz, Presi­ 55 billion invoices were processed world­ dent of Iron Mountain Polska. – We have wide. The steadily growing economy know-how developed over the years. We and the emergence of new businesses also have access to advanced technologies make this number grow year by year. It is and solutions that make us a valued expert expected to reach 550 billion by 20352. on the market. Our services are used by top This will obviously translate directly banks, state institutions, as well as compaWHAT CAN WE EXPECT into the data management market. nies engaged in production or specialist IN THE NEAR FUTURE? Outsourcing of all processes related services – adds the President of Iron – The market is so competitive that to broadly understood documenta­ Mountain Polska. companies that want to succeed need tion will be a necessity resulting from to plan quickly, operate efficiently and, the desire to optimise business processes, The increasing amount of information stay focused on their core business. They as well as the need to focus on core has also made entrepreneurs decide can’t, or in fact they shouldn’t be experts strategies ensuring chances of survival to introduce advanced IT platforms in everything since such an approach in a competitive market. This trend is using artificial intelligence more and slows them down, wastes their time and already well visible. more often. Thanks to these platforms, efficiency. Therefore, the importance they can control the flow of information of outsourcing and quick access to infor- – Compared to the previous year, in 2019, in the company in a way that was so far mation is becoming increasingly important the data management market increased inaccessible using standard platforms.

The year 2019 has proven that a modern approach to a wide range of activities related to data and document flow control is one of the basic factors influ­ encing the business image of companies.

According to data from Aragon Research, in 2019, 65% of businesses considered introduction of advanced solutions related to the automation of informa­ tion flow in their company as strategic activi­­­ties1. How did the market develop in the past year?

1

48

Aragon Research.

2

Billentis – E-Invoicing Journey 2019–2025.

Global Data Market Size 2017–2019 according to onaudience.com.

3

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

They offer, among other things, the possi­ bility to check the correctness of docu­ ments content or their legality. In 2019, 16% of the surveyed businesses decided to implement this type of solution4. Popu­­­ larity of such platforms may be evidenced by the fact that half of Fortune500 top ten companies use them in their current oper­ ations5. It is also proven by functionalities 4

2019 KPMG CEO Outlook.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ peterbendorsamuel/2019/11/26/data-analyticsand-data-management-market/#78de5db17678.

5

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

that they are currently feature. Apart from the “purely working” functions, communi­ cation and social networking panels have been included there for some time now that enable, among other things, coope­ ration on a specific task6.

reliable solutions that would be perso­ nalized to the largest extent possible.

These requirements have led to new, pioneering tools that have appeared on the market. They result from cooper­ ation of these businesses with global IT tycoons. Iron Mountain, a market leader SHARED KNOW-HOW in information management that has Customers expect data management created a variety of modern solutions outsourcing companies to provide for its customers and cooperates with Google, Amazon and M-Files, among 6 Document Management Trends In 2019 others, may serve as an example here. via ProcessDelight.

49

BUSINESS

– As the global market leader, we are committed to setting trends in our industry.

Therefore, we decided to cooperate with the largest companies that offer the state of the art solutions in the field of computer science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, i.e. technologies that will soon dominate the information management industry – says Sylwia Pyśkiewicz, Presi­ dent of Iron Mountain Polska. – Using these solutions enables us to shorten the working time several dozen times and free up large office space where tens of thousands of document pages used to be stored so far. With these solutions, we can diagnose problems of our customers better, and companies where our solutions have been implemented were able to improve their operating procedures and save capital – she concludes.

to the necessary minimum while working with resources stored in a cloud. Digiti­ sation of traditional documents comes also an effect of pro-ecological attitude and results from the state of the natural environment whose condition is currently a key global threat. In the strategies currently being implemented, companies very often include provisions on this issue.

estimated value was USD 3.18 billion but in 2024 it is to be as much as USD 4.5 billion (41% increase).

A number of studies and analyses clearly show that the information manage­ ment market is still booming. Frequency of implementations and effectiveness of innovative solutions based on artifi­ cial intelligence in this industry is enor­ TECHNOLOGY FOR DATA mous. It can be expected that a very large MANAGEMENT part of the information processing work The so-called Internet of Things has also will be performed by machines instead been constantly developing for several of humans in the near future. However, years now7. In a nutshell, the term refers new tasks will be set for people that will to all solutions that, using web connec­ require creativity and a holistic view tion, make our everyday work easier (this of the issue to be solved. applies both to specialist equipment and, increasingly, household appliances, for instance, that make up the so-called Author: intelligent houses). Intense changes THE FUTURE IS IN THE CLOUD in the technology market are also reflected We have been observing an extremely fast in the information management business. development of advanced IT solutions. This can be proved by Everest Group’s For several years now, as well as taking analyses according to which the global advantage of new possibilities of fast data market will be valued at USD 135 Sylwia Pyśkiewicz, digitalisation of even the largest volumes billion8 in 2025. The BPM segment is President, Iron Mountain Polska of documentation. More and more data one of its basic elements9. In 2018, its is therefore stored in cloud. This is also 7 See the Internet of Things (IoT). linked to more effective safeguards 8 https://www.forbes.com/sites/ preventing access of outsiders to sensi­ peterbendorsamuel/2019/11/26/data-analyticsand-data-management-market/#78de5db17678. tive information. Working time is limited 9 BPM (Business Process Management).

50

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

MAKE ROOM TO GROW Tomorrow’s business environment brings new challenges, with demanding work processes and a constant need for development. By optimizing your office space, investing in sustainable design and ergonomics, you can lay the foundation for your future success. Because in an environment where people stay healthy and happy, where the right people meet at the right time, you will grow the strength of your people – and your business. This will separate you from your competitors and help you attract both talent and customers.

We call this: Successful Interiors.

Read more at kinnarps.pl

BUSINESS

AN INSIDE LOOK AT INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAME TESTING In 2013, then-educator Piotr Jasinski found himself facing an unusual decision: He could continue teaching literature in Polish public schools or he could respond to a Lionbridge help wanted ad for video game testers.

Gaming won, but soon after Jasinski began, he realized this new job took the same two critical skills as teaching: Time and patience.

Testers break companies’ games so their customers can’t.

In addition to playing talents, this requires an obsessive level of attention to detail.

– I had assumed games were tested, but I didn’t know much about it – says Jasinski. – It turns out game testing is far, far more complicated and important than I could have imagined. – Simply put, testers break companies’ games so their customers can’t. In addition to playing talents, this requires an obsessive level of attention to detail. In his six years on the job, the time it takes to execute this detail has taught Jasinski that “patience [is] a necessity” in gaming.

– I’ve spent weeks working through the same part of the same game to ensure it runs flawlessly.

log, soak test, and more. Then, if a game’s distributed internationally, localization quality assurance testing comes into play.

Multilingual testers align global player expectations with what the localized gaming experience is really like in their language. They check to make sure trans­ lated games are bug-free, that dialogue and script translations are accurate, that multilingual voiceovers correctly sync with character movements, and that the new language displays well on screen.

They also check for geographically-re­ lated issues, such as whether the game plays correctly in countries with lower internet speed. In-market testers further evaluate these international aspects, ensuring that the game recognizes IP addresses from the new country and that in-game purchasing accepts methods of payment more commonly used there.

Finally, test analyzers wrap it all up, lever­ aging business insights and real-time play metrics to optimize continued quality and to further improve the game.

Thoroughly testing video games takes more than just one person’s meticu­ lous time. An entire team must come together to analyze and evaluate all gaming aspects from power on to power off – a task Lionbridge test manager Steffen Strohmann says can take up to a year for brand new games: We test, we try to break it, we log the errors, we suggest ways for the developers to fix it.

It’s more analysis and data sharing than game-playing.

Across all stages, precision remains key.

Game development and release cycles In order to create a fun and engaging constantly evolve, which then means experience, today’s video games are more testing. It’s not uncommon for highly complex with a high number manufacturers to add new features of play variables – every situation that weekly: new characters, new episodes, any character could encounter is some­ new weapons, or even new story arcs. thing game testers must try to break. These updates translate to even more Each new move creates a set of possibili­ work – from checking for standard ties which must be individually tested, glitches to continuing to evaluate expe­ taking into account every other move rience for all countries where the game is which could precede or follow it. – A flaw sold. – Requiring – as Jasinski says– a lot in a game is unacceptable – says Lion­ of time and patience. bridge project management team leader Carolina Montero – and we make sure Author: there aren’t any.

Testers first perform functional quality assurance. This verify game mechanics, performance, stability, playability, graphics display, and device compatibility across mobile, console, PC, and streaming platforms. Test automation comes next, using multiplayer simulation bots to crash

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Tugdual Delisle, Managing Director, Lionbridge Gaming

53

INVESTMENTS NEWS THE FIRST KIDS&CO. FACILITY IN GDAŃSK KIDS&Co – the nationwide office and company kindergartens operator has already started its activity in Gdańsk.

The kindergarten is located in the office building called Alchemia and was opened in March this year. It is created for almost 100 children and is available for all the parents.

The facility in Alchemia is the first KIDS&Co., kindergarten in Pomeranian Voivodship. This bilingual kindergarten is located in the newly opened office building Neon – the investment of Torus.

It was created in the close cooperation between the kindergarten’s operator and the developer. It is dedicated for around 100 children aged above two years old. The investor cared for a green, safe and comfortable playground situated in the close neighborhood in the fenced villa surrounding.

KIDS&Co. kindergarten in Alchemia is still recruiting and all the parents are allowed to sign up their children.

The unique nature of all the KIDS&Co. kindergartens and nurseries is based on three essential features: bilingualism, macrobiotic diet and authorized social and intelligence development programme with the elements of Dalton Plan.

collaboration between the kindergarten operator for instance KIDS&Co. and the owner of the company. In Poland companies like Infosys in Łódź and FORTE Furniture in Suwałki and Ostrów Mazowiecka use that solution.

Kindergartens located in office centers give the opportunity to parents who do not work for one particular company,

but for all located in the office center.

The employees are often encouraged by their employers who helps out finan­ cially and co-finance monthly fees.

Kindergarten in Gdańsk is the first facility opened this year. There is a plan to run and operate few more in the next months like the one in The Park Warsaw in September.

ADAPTIVE TEAM INTO THE NEW OFFICE! With the significant increase of Adaptive Team size noted in the recent months and even more accelerated growth forecasted the near future, our Management Board took a decision to look for new venue for our Headquarters and new comfortable space for our experts!

After several weeks of research and further negotiations, we are pleased to announce that we have signed a 5-year office rental agreement with Octagon Investment Sp. z o.o. and we plan to shift our operations to the new place within next few weeks!

Octagon Building – the first A-class building in the city of Lodz, located very most at the heart of the city – Plac Wol­­­ności 3

(Freedom Square 3), just 50 meters from Piotrkowska Street and 3 min walk from Manufactura shopping area. With the modern glass wall architecture embedded between spacious histori­cal buildings, with the spectacular view on T. Kosciuszko Monument and with very comfortable quick access from any part of the city, we believe the Octagon Building will be matching all our expecta­ tions and become a real corporate home for us for the next decade.

Now, we engaged our facility team with many of our employees into interior design process aiming to make our new office sufficiently equipped and ready for us as soon as possible.

The kindergarten in Alchemia is the next operator’s facility in Poland. Nowadays there are 15 kindergartens and nurs­ eries, both those run for the company and located in the office complexes.

Company kindergartens are designated for its employees’ children and co-fi­ nanced by the owner of the enterprise.

Every single worker can take the advan­ tage of a facility and the salary is not a case. Such facilities are created in a close

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

INVESTMENTS

FIVE WAYS POLAND’S OFFICES WILL CHANGE BY 2030 From desk sharing to more technology, office space is adapting to cater for the needs and preferences of modern workers.

Many of Poland’s modern office build­ ings are already experimenting with new ways to use space and keep employees engaged – and the changes they’re adopting today could become common­ place across the sector in the next decade.

– Many of these firms have young workforces who expect areas where they can collaborate. There’s definitely a focus on basing office layout and design on the task or activity, rather than the sector – adds Jakub Zieliński.

With a young, skilled workforce, flexible spaces, high-quality amenities including fitness centres, restaurants and kinder­ gartens, tech-enabled workplaces are set to gain traction as evolving design in Poland sets the direction of office deve­ lopment for other countries across Central and Eastern Europe. However, change will depend on a range of factors from company size to budget and of course the age of the building itself.

Here are five ways that offices in Poland are changing:

1. MORE WELLBEING MEASURES As competition to attract and retain Poland’s skilled office workers increases, offices are looking at how design can create a positive environment that keeps people healthy, engaged and energised.

– This goes beyond simply placing a few plants around the office. Polish office – What Poland has on its side is that employees are increasingly conscious many of its buildings went up at the start about their wellbeing and expect that their of the century, making it a relatively young company will support them in taking care office market. This is more about fine-tuning of their health – says Jakub Zieliński. existing workplaces which are relatively modern, rather than major reconfigura- 2. MORE DESK SHARING tion – says Jakub Zieliński, Team Leader, At present, only 15% of Polish office Workplace Advisory, JLL. workers share desk space which is due in part to a cultural preference for place­ Change is being driven by the country’s making among staff. labour market which attracts many multi­ nationals in the business services sector, – It’s not unusual to see family photos, as well as financial and tech industry. plants and postcards at the workstaAcross Poland, the business services tions of staff. But that is changing centres already accounts for three million as firms become less rigid and strucsquare metres of office space, and JLL tured in their office configuration – adds expects further increases in the near future. Jakub Zieliński.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

3. MORE COLLABORATION SPACES

In turn, furniture and fittings need to There might be less allocated desk space easily movable such as freestanding pods for each employee as floorplans are rede­ used as space dividers rather than built signed to accommodate informal areas in meeting rooms. such as breakout zones and kitchens.

5. SMARTER,

– The workplace is becoming all about experience. Polish office employees are actively seeking out firms that encourage collaboration and interaction and actively reflect this in their office design – says Jakub Zieliński.

– Areas for discussion are rising as people MORE TECH-ENABLED OFFICES collaborate and interact more. Such Features such as meeting room booking, Author: an example is the office of Coca Cola’s HBC air quality apps and sensor-controlled arm in the Business Garden scheme – says lighting are becoming more common.

Jakub Zieliński.

– Employees expect that many of the office 4. SPACES ARE BEING amenities will be available on their phones.

REDESIGNED MORE FREQUENTLY Poland is becoming more tech savvy and Offices are now redesigned around every people are embracing that – comments 5-10 years rather than every 15 years Jakub Zieliński. a decade ago.

FUTURE DIRECTION? – Companies are changing their layout more quickly than ever before. Today’s office projects are opting for flexible uses of space that can be easily and quickly adapted to more fluid business operating models – says Jakub Zieliński.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Like in other European countries, the key challenge for companies going forwards is creating a workplace that meets the changing needs and expectations of a modern workforce.

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INVESTMENTS

THE ADVANTAGES OF OUTSOURCING

IN REAL-ESTATE MANAGEMENT Effective property management is very important especially in the case of commercial real-estates, as they serve not as much as capital investments, but their purpose is to generate profits.

While in the case of single offices, ware­ houses or apartments some investors deal with that on their own – although also here professional knowledge and experience come in hand, the manage­ ment of larger objects, such as high-rise buildings, tenement houses, commer­ cial real-estates (shopping malls) or even the entire property portfolios by a single person can be difficult, to say the least.

In such circumstances, a much better solution is to entrust the management of office, residential or commercial spaces to professionals, whose scope of duties include among others: • Real-estate administration – ensuring regular cleaning services and technical

58

•

•

•

•

upkeep of the building or of the prem­ ises, supervision over maintenance, overhaul and modernisation works; Tenants – related services – establishing long-term relations and on-going services, registry-keeping, rent collection, holding of residents’ meetings; Optimisation of costs – negotiating contracts with suppliers of utilities and modernisations of buildings; Real-estates’ marketing – the development of a positive image of an object in order to attract new tenants and customers; Managing of documentation – the extending of contracts with tenants

and suppliers of utilities, archiving of contracts, handling the correspondence; • I nte r n a l co nt ro l – re p o r t i n g, accomplishing audits and verifica­ tion of budget plans; monitoring of the accounting.

WHY IS IT WORTH THE WHILE TO USE OUTSOURCING IN REAL-ESTATES’ MANAGEMENT? The main advantage of outsourcing in real-estates’ management is the opportunity for the investor to actually obtain the expected revenues. Thanks to an extensive network of contacts and a long-term experience, the managers

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

The main advantage of outsourcing in real-estates’ management is the opportunity for the investor to actually obtain the expected revenues. Thanks to an extensive network of contacts and a long-term experience, the managers of renowned offices can develop the strategy aligned both with the potential of a given property, as well as the investor’s needs.

requires co-operation with external companies, rendering for instance cleaning or security services, as well as with suppliers of utilities. It entails also the need to represent the condo­ minium in relations with various insti­ tutions and offices. The primary obliga­ tion of managers, however, is to develop and implement strategies leading Management is an on-going to the increase of the property’s value property administration. and to optimise the costs of its mainte­ There is a general misconception nance. On a daily basis, the main task regarding the limited role of a manager, of the manager is to stay in touch with who deals only with on-going services the tenants, to investigate their needs and in respect of a real-estate. People to report to the owner. tend to think that his scope of duties comprises only quite prosaic tasks, such Management applies only to office as co-ordination of cleaning services, and commercial premises. the replacement of bulbs, the land­ There is a general conviction that pro-­ scaping or the remedying of any failures. perty management is a type of service Undoubtedly, such activities are neces­ addressed to the owners of commercial sary to keep the property operating, and office spaces, in particular in larger but they absolutely do not constitute objects, such as modern office build­ FACTS AND MYTHS REGARDING an exhaustive list of the manager’s duties, ings and shopping malls. In reality, REAL-ESTATES’ MANAGEMENT as he is responsible not only for the tech­ outsourcing in real-estate manage­ Today, investing in real-estates is nical condition of the object, but also for ment refers in the same extent to offices, a popular way to increase revenues and its financial standing or the local market stores as well as apartments. We need to invest capital. As this process requires image. In reality, property management to remember that residential apartments of renowned offices can develop the strategy aligned both with the potential of a given property, as well as the inves­ tor’s needs. On the basis of such strategy, they implement such activities that gradu­ally and steadily increase the value of a real-estate, generating the expected gain for the investor. The optimisation of costs applied at the same time allows to save funds spent on maintenance of a real-estate. We all know that time is money, and management outsourcing allows not only to reduce the expendi­ tures on the property maintenance, but also to save the investor’s time, as he does not need to deal with the on-going ser vices for the tenants, upkeep of the premises or the budget analyses.

In a nutshell, outsourcing in real-es­ tates’ management is the synonym of higher profits and savings of both time and money.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

time, knowledge and involvement, several investors decide to outsource the pro­perty management. In the course of years many myths emerged in rela­ tion with this sort of services. Which of the statements regarding real-estates’ management are not true and what this process really looks like?

59

INVESTMENTS

Harmony Office Center, managed by NAI Estate Fellows.

are also commercial properties, thus they serve not only as a capital investment, but they are used to generate income.

Issues related to the real-estates’ manage­ ment, such as budgeting, marketing or costs’ optimisation are equally impor­ tant in the case of stores, where inves­ tors want to win new customers, as well as in the case of offices and apartments, which should be attractive for the tenants and yield the profits their owners expect.

of the development funds and in the plan­ ning of the buildings’ modernisation.

The above-mentioned erroneous convic­ tion about not very demanding obliga­ tions of a manager is related to another myth concerning qualifications neces­ sary to perform such function. In reality, not everyone can become a good prop­ erty manager, as this profession requires an intra-disciplinary knowledge from several various fields, such as the law, economy, finance and marketing, as well Property manager versus as an appropriate training and experi­ administrator. ence. Another important characteristics The task of a property administrator, is also the skill to handle well crises situ­ sometimes erroneously referred to ations, to establish contacts and to build as the manager, is to make such decisions long-term relations. and to execute activities related to them in such manner to maintain a given Marketing and management property at least in a non-aggravated or marketing and leasing? condition. The role of an administrator is A fashionable academic programme focused mainly on on-going issues, while called “marketing and management” the property manager must – on top has popularised an opinion that these of that – also co-ordinate the matters two specialisations are inseparable. related to the owner’s assets. The prop­ There is a bit of truth in this statement. erty administrator is exempted from A marketing of an object that serves activities consisting in the investment comfort and makes the utilisation of

60

a building convenient for tenants (and at the same time helps to retain customers in the object) is indeed closely related to the function of a manager. That includes any festive and holiday decora­ tions, the outlook of the reception desk, the catering, events or even smartphone applications (increasingly popular) that help residents use the building’s facilities.

When it comes to marketing sensu stricto, it is subjected to strictly sales-related needs. The advertising of a leasable area with the use of banners, outdoor adver­ tisements, digital tools, leaflets, and radio or press commercials is responsibility of the object leasing department, which bears also the costs of such activities. Author:

Grzegorz Lisewski, Director of Managing Department, NAI Estate Fellows

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Property management Real estate leasing Property purchase / sales Portfolio management Audit and due dilligence Project management Financial and accounting services Investmental advisory

Please contact us at:

+48 22 379 73 00 ul. Pankiewicza 3 00-696 Warszawa biuro@estatefellows.com www.estatefellows.com

BUSINESS

MOODY’S, NASDAQ AND MANY OTHERS CHOOSING LITHUANIA FOR CYBER SECURITY GBS FUNCTIONS

Assigning cyber security operations to GBS centres is a smart move for international companies. But finding the right location for such a centre can be a serious headache.

Suitable locations need to have both fast, secure IT infrastructure and a strong pool (and future pipeline) of IT talent.

Affordable locations offering this com­­ bination are few and far between.

That’s why Lithuania, which is ranked 4th glo­bally in the Cyber Security Index, is proving so attractive to global company groups in terms of cyber security oper­ ations. The likes of Oracle, Nasdaq and Outokumpu already have cyber secu­ rity teams in Lithuania, while Moody’s is on the way to building its cyber secu­ rity capabilities in Vilnius. With a strong pipeline of talent and a clearly defined National Cyber Security Strategy, there’s plenty of room for future growth.

processes that are more deeply intercon­ nected than ever, a major cyber attack could have catastrophic consequences.

GBS AND CYBER SECURITY – A SMART COMBINATION To face this ever-changing threat, compa­ nies need to be innovative and respon­ sive, constantly updating their cyber defences to meet the latest dangers. And increasingly, global companies are using the GBS model as the most effective way to manage their Cyber Security opera­ tions. By centralizing their cyber security team in one location, it becomes easier to adopt new innovative solutions. These teams are also more effective at focusing the limited time and resources a company has on mission-critical cyber services.

Two features characterise the ideal loca­ tion for a cyber security team. The loca­ tion needs to have fast, well-developed and robust IT infrastructure. It also needs a wealth of IT talent from which to build a team of experts capable of responding to the latest threats.

FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN PAPER EDITION OF OUTSOURCING&MORE MAGAZINEOR ON THE PRO PROGRESSIO WEBSITE. THE EVER-CHANGING FACE OF CYBER SECURITY

The number of cyber attacks made against organizations around the world is increasing every year. Worse still, the complexity and severity of these attacks is also growing, as criminals search for ever-more sophisticated ways to break through a company’s cyber defences.

With huge amounts of both company and customer data in their systems, and

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Finding this combination is already a tall order, without even factoring in cost. This is not an area of operations where you want to cut corners, so low cost locations that don’t offer the quality needed are out of the question. On the other hand, building a team of high quality IT experts is prohibitively expensive in many cities and countries.

LITHUANIA OFFERS QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND TALENT

FINDING A HOME FOR YOUR CYBER SECURITY TEAM

Lithuania offers the IT infrastructure and talent businesses need for cyber secu­ Finding the right model for managing rity, and at competitive costs compared cyber security (a GBS approach) is to other EU locations. an important first step, but executing this model well is just as important. And Ranked 4th in the Global Cyber Secu­ one of the critical decisions a company rity index, Lithuania’s IT infrastructure has to make is where to locate the GBS is well suited to cyber security opera­ centre that manages their cyber security. tions. It is robust, with a strong focus

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

at the exe­­cutive level on cyber readiness and resilience. In 2017 Lithuania estab­ lished a National Cyber Security Centre, and the following year a National Cyber Security Strategy was approved. This strategy covers not only the government, but also a wide range of non-governmental organizations, private sector players, and scientific and educational institutions. This means the whole ecosystem is building resilience, as shown by the introduction of advanced warning systems at critical infrastructure facilities last year.

in the flow of IT talent. The government has also invested in an upskilling project focused on key areas including cyber security and AI, with the aim of adding new specialists to the market. Univer­ sities in Lithuania’s two largest cities, Vilnius and Kaunas, offer dedicated programmes for cyber security special­ ists, including MScs in Information and Information Technology Security, a BSc programme in Information Systems and Cyber Security and an MSc in Cybersecu­ rity Management.

In terms of talent, there are currently 38,000 IT professionals in Lithuania, with a further 10,600 students enrolled in IT studies. Funding for IT studies was re­­­ cently doubled, ensuring further growth

This means the level of quality, in terms of both talent and infrastructure, is comparable to other leading EU destina­ tions. But, unlike those locations, Lithu­ ania is a far more cost-competitive option.

63

BUSINESS

TransUnion has a special team of Lithu­ anian cyber security specialists who continuously monitor the online security of more than 1,200 company employees and the information systems of Trans­ Union’s corporate customers worldwide.

– The platform monitoring teams who are working on cyber security are the only TransUnion UK teams that operate 24/7, ensuring the uninterrupted and stable ope­ration of all systems – says Jonas Lukošius, Manager of TransUnion’s Kaunas office.

COST ADVANTAGES TO HELP YOU BUILD THE RIGHT TEAM

There are a number of other cyber secu­­­rity development teams operating in the Kaunas-Vilnius hub. NRD Cyber Security focuses on offering protection for public service providers, law enforce­ ment, critical infrastructure and more, while US-based Arxan offers guarding solutions injected directly into its clients’ binary code. – We currently have offices in the US, the UK, and Japan – says Andrew Whaley, Arxan’s SVP Head of Engineering.

– In the near future, Vilnius has the potential to become our largest software development office. – Then there is CUJO AI, a Lithuanian tech company that develops AI-based online security solutions.

Nasdaq also operates an IT centre in Vilnius. This centre has been devel­ oping constantly since its establishment in 2015 – it grew from 30 to 300 FTEs in 3 years – and includes a cyber secu­ rity team. On a visit to Lithuania, Nasdaq’s CEO and president Adena Friedman noted the strength of the IT talent available.

– This place has a great talent pool – she commented. – At first we thought Lithuania was a centre of low cost, but today MORE TALENT AND EXPERTISE Vilnius is a centre of professionalism for us. This developed ecosystem, combined This city is going to be an ever more impor- with the range of cyber security training What’s more, Lithuania has the 3rd most tant player for us. opportunities offered by local universities, affordable internet rates in Europe, and means there is plenty of know-how and office rental costs are also highly competi­ Overall, almost 10% of the GBS centres experience on offer in Lithuania. Existing tive. As a result, overheads for GBS centres in Lithuania perform cyber security players are actively involved in training are also low in comparison with other functions. This includes GBS centres up new talent – Moody’s cooperates with EU locations. of companies such as Danske Bank, DXC ISM business school, Oracle offers its own Technology, Outokumpu, Devbridge multi-level training programme, and NASDAQ, MOODY’S, ORACLE Group, TransUnion and many more. And Danske Bank offers flexible arrangements AND MORE to students so they can begin working the number is growing all the time.

These strong fundamentals have while they complete their studies. attracted some of the world’s largest CYBER SECURITY PRODUCTS companies to set up cyber security teams DEVELOPED IN LITHUANIA Therefore, as the sector matures, an even in Lithuania. Moody’s established a GBS Lithuanian cyber security teams are deeper pool of expertise in cyber security centre in Vilnius in early 2019 which is adept at product development as well. will be available to companies looking planned to include an advanced cyber Oracle runs an office of 50 specia­lists to establish GBS centres in Lithuania. security unit. In fact, the availability in Kaunas who develop a range of prod­ of talent in this area was one of the major ucts, including web application firewalls, Author: reasons Moody’s chose Lithuania, and advanced API, DDoS, and cloudas Duncan Neilson, SVP HR Regional based malware protection. According Lead EMEA explained when the centre to Leon Kuperman, Vice President of was announced: Given our goals of hiring the company’s software development diverse talent and further developing our division Oracle Dyn, the Kaunas team Monika Vilkelytė, automation and cyber security capabilities, will be further expanded: We are planSenior Investment choosing Lithuania as our newest EU loca- ning significant growth in the region, so Advisor, Invest Lithuania tion makes good business sense. we may need to move to a bigger office.

Junior IT staff such as database adminis­ trators of Unix / Linux administrators can be hired to a around €2,000 per month, including taxes. The average salary for a senior QA specialist with 5 years’ experi­ ence is €2,700 tax inclusive, while a Senior cyber security specialist with 5 years expe­ rience earns €3,360. This means assem­ bling a skilled cyber security team which includes highly experienced professionals is affordable and sustainable in Lithuania.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

INVESTMENTS

2019 ASTONISHING FINDINGS OF A NEW IT INDUSTRY RESEARCH IN LVIV Economic effect of Lviv IT industry exceeds $ 1 billion.

Lviv IT Cluster summed up the results of the year with a new tech industry survey IT Research 4.0, presented in December 2019, at the Award Ceremony of the most active IT companies – members of Lviv IT Cluster. IT Research is conducted annually together with a sociological agency Fama.

men

66%

IT Research 4.0 gives IT market overview in Lviv, presents a portrait of an average IT specialist residing in Lviv, covering socio-demographic characteristics, education, hobbies, vacations among other life areas, measures the IT industry economic effect with such indicators as the IT industry turnover, new jobs created due to the tech sector activity, and median income of IT industry employees in Lviv.

The study is comprehensive and consists of a sociological and an economic compo­ nent. The data was obtained from employees of Lviv IT industry and top-level execu­ tives interviews, companies questionnaires, and governmental institutions, such as the Department of State Fiscal Service in Lviv region.

2015

CEO of Lviv IT Cluster Stepan Veselovskyi comments on the research findings – Four years in a row we’ve been trying to keep abreast of the growth and changes in our city’s IT industry. It is crucial for us to understand the progress, the changes in the dynamics, and know detailed figures. In comparison with the first survey in 2015, currently, we can observe a significant growth in the last year alone. More than 100 new IT companies appeared in Lviv, existing companies have grown in number: at 3 of them, the number of employees reached 1000+ threshold. In total, the number of employees in the tech industry in Lviv increased by almost 4k, and the economic effect that equaled nearly 1 billion last year, has reportedly exceeded the previous year’s indicators. The statistics is overwhelmingly striking.

LVIV IT MARKET OVERVIEW IT Research 4.0 findings show steady growth for the IT industry in Lviv, with the number of IT companies increased by 45% in 2019 (currently, 461 as compared to 317 in 2018).

The growth dynamics between 2018 and 2019 increased by 1,5 in comparison with 2017 and 2018 (28%). The number of IT specialists in Lviv increased by 85% from 2015 to 2019 and now amounts to 24–25 k. In contrast, in 2018, there were 20-21 k of employees working in tech. women

66

23%

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

26 28 in 2015

women

34%

in 2019

The median age of an IT specialist in Lviv

The majority of IT specialists in Lviv are male; however, the share of women in Lviv IT indistry is growing. The share of women in Lviv IT indistry increases by

11%

The structure of IT companies in Lviv according to the number of employees is as follows: micro-companies <10 (3,6%), small – 11-50 (23,5%), medium 51-250 – (27,2%), large – 251-400 (2,5%). Interestingly, 1/2 of Lviv’s IT specialists work in large IT companies (251+).

According to the level of qualification and seniority, 2,3% hold trainee positions, 26,0% – junior, 41,6% – middle, 30,1% – senior. The median age of an IT specialist in Lviv is 28 (among Junior specialists – 25, Middle – 26, and Senior – 30).

The average salary of an IT specialist in Lviv as of 2019 totals $ 1,866. 8 out of 10 IT professionals are satisfied with their pay level. 1 out of 4 IT specialists is engaged in an additional activity (26.2%): freelance, an IT startup, a startup in another sphere, or teaching at an educational institution.

LVIV IT SPECIALIST PORTRAIT The percentage of men in the IT industry in Lviv prevails (66%); however, the share of women is growing. There were 34% of women in 2019, whereas in 2015 the percentage amounted to 23%.

men

77%

69.3% of those working in tech received a master’s degree. Among 10 most popular study areas where IT professionals are acquiring or have acquired a degree, Infor­ mation Technology is in the lead with 40,5%. Non-technical study programs are also present in the list, namely management and administration (10,4%), social and behavioral sciences (10,0%), humanities (7,2%), and journalism (2,3%).

63% of IT specialists in Lviv lead an active lifestyle and do sports, which is consider­ ably more than among other categories of Lviv residents.

1 out of 4 employees of the Lviv IT industry uses innovative gadgets, such as smart home technology, monitoring systems, energy-saving and security systems, and innovative modes of transport in everyday life.

Lviv IT specialists are engaged in charity work (1 out of 2 IT specialists), take part in public organization or association activities (1 out of 7).

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

67

INVESTMENTS

ECONOMIC INDICATORS The total induced economic effect of the IT industry in Lviv reached the striking $1,051 billion in 2018, exceeding the 2017 record of $919 million. The share of the IT industry in the GRP of Lviv amounted to 20,3%.

The tech industry’s turnover ranged between $ 658 and $ 718 million. The total number of jobs created by the IT industry in Lviv equals 70.7-71.1 k (the number of direct jobs in IT was 24-25 k, whereas indirect ones, in other related sectors ‒ 46 k). In total, one IT specialist creates 3 jobs in Lviv.

20,3% the share of IT industry in the GRP of Lviv in 2018

2017 $559 mln $360 mln $919 mln

2018 $639 mln $411 mln $1,051 bln direct

indirect

total (induced)

Apart from events and infrastruc­ ture projects, Lviv IT Cluster focuses on the education area with its IT Expert, IT Future, and IT Challenge projects.

In the course of IT Expert, 5 innovative programs were launched at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and a new IoT lab was set up at Lviv Polytechnic National University. Due to the IT Future initiative students from schools in Lviv and the most remote corners of Lviv region get a chance to visit the largest Lviv IT companies. As part of the IT Chal­ lenge talented students from Lviv can receive financial assistance to develop their projects. Moreover, in 2019, Lviv IT Cluster launched an investment project Lviv Tech Angels aimed at the develop­ ment of the city startup culture.

+85%

growth dynamics of the number of employees in Lviv from 2015 till 2019

2015

13–15 k

2017

Author:

15–17 k

2018

20–21 k

2019

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Lviv IT Cluster hopes a nationwide survey will be conducted with the methodology used in IT Research 4.0. Although impres­ sive the IT Research 4.0 findings are not completely unexpected. Lviv IT indus­ try’s rapid development is possible due to the joint efforts of the entire IT commu­ nity. Such favorable factors as the growing demand for tech products and services, the city attractiveness for IT professionals and a favorable investment climate are driven by numerous social initiatives and projects.

24–25 k

Mariia Poliova, Content Writer, Lviv IT Cluster

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

REESCO is a niche company providing building consultancy services based on many years of experience in the implementation of fit-out works, renovation of offices and Project Management services dedicated to funds, building owners and tenants.

What makes us different?

The conclusions we have collected over the years have resulted in providing the market with an innovative approach to the construction process, which is Management Contracting. Based in Poland, we have been successfully and consistently providing clients with professional and dependable support since 2010.

What do we do?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just our expertise but our unrivalled energy and dedication to consistently surpass our clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expectations and never give up.

Our select team is made up of highly qualified leaders of industry and eager young minds, with experience and enviable track records to match.

Our tailored made solutions are delivered as promised; on time and within budget. Our loyal client base is testament to our overall business goal to develop long-term partnerships built upon mutual trust and respect. We take pride in working to international management standards, including the demands and expectations of the Project Management Institute, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the CCIM Institute, etc.

INVESTMENTS

ON A ROLL AGAIN The times when only Los Angeles, Chicago and Yokohama developed more dynamically than Łódź will probably never come back. Today, however, the city's ambition is not to race against the whole world, but to make those who left Łódź in search of a better job return.

How to convince them that the most difficult years are behind Łódź and we are on a roll again?

When unemployment in Łódź reached 21.3% in 1993, the city had to “rein­ vent” itself. There was no simple recipe for that and no shortcut. It was only at the beginning of the 21st century that Łódź started to rediscover its economic potential. The development of home appliances, logistics and trans­ port industries allowed Łódź to return to the top of Polish cities. Today, when the unemployment rate in Łódź does not exceed 5%, the third largest city in Poland in terms of population (approx. 690,000 people) is gradually transforming into a service centre for business. 23,200 people already work in the BPO, SSC/GBS, IT and R&D centres located in Łódź, which means that Łódź is the fifth largest labour market for these sectors in Poland.

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In the face of such changes, it is worth asking a question about the possi­ bility of returning to the local labour market of former and current Łódź citi­ zens who found employment in other cities in Poland. Deloitte looked into the problem and conducted a survey among graduates of Łódź univer­ sities living outside Łódź. As many as 64% of the respondents were open to taking up employment in Łódź provided that they were given satisfac­ tory financial work conditions. What does it mean? 8% of the respondents indicated the lowest salary between PLN 3,500 and 5,000 gross monthly. 13% of the respondents would like to earn between PLN 5,000 and 8,000 gross per month; the most numerous group (42%) replied that a salary between PLN 8,000 and 15,000 gross per month would be appealing to them, and 37% answered that an attractive salary is not less than PLN 15,000 gross per month.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

one thing: you live well in Łódź, not too expensive, conveniently – convinces the Mayor of Łódź Hanna Zdanowska in an interview for Outsourcing&More.

What is also important for employees is the transformation that is taking place in the city. Urban renewal, the New Centre of Łódź, organization of EXPO Horticultural 2024 – all these elements, in the opinion of those surveyed

by Deloitte who follow such activities, may have an impact on the decision to return to Łódź. However, the aware­ ness of the respondents who do not live in the city is not very high.

The percentage of people declaring their knowledge of the current progress of work does not exceed a dozen or so percent, so it is an important task for Łódź to ensure that the largescale renewal of the city centre and other activities changing the face of the city are noticed by those who left Łódź for various reasons but do not exclude return.

Such aspirations are already being met in many industries in Łódź. The salaries of specialists, project and team leaders or executives are in line with the expec­ tations of Deloitte survey participants.

Remuneration in BPO, SSC or IT does not differ from the salaries offered in other cities, including in Warsaw.

The challenge remains... stereotypes.

The majority of the respondents perceive salaries in Łódź as less attrac­ tive than they are in reality, and at least 22% think that the unemployment rate in the city is higher than the actual one.

Perhaps that is why 57% of the respond­ ents when asked whether they had looked for job offers in Łódź in the last What about the citizens of Łódź who year replied that they had not. work in Warsaw and endure the hard­ Thus, the local authorities face the chal­ ships of travelling between these cities lenge of overcoming the stereotype, every day? The Deloitte survey (direct which is increasingly less connected surveys in Łódź-Warsaw trains among with the reality that people earn much citizens of Łódź working in the capital less in Łódź than in other major Polish of Poland) shows that the fragmentation cities, emphasizing at the same time of industries in which the respondents the high purchasing power of money find employment is large, but employees in comparison with e.g. Warsaw. The real of consulting companies, law firms, estate market may be the most illus­ advertising and PR agencies (almost trative example, especially for young 20%), financial institutions (nearly people converting dormitories into 16%), as well as IT and telecommunica­ rented flats and planning to buy their tions companies (almost 15%) prevail. own apartment in a few years' time. Employees of shared services and In Warsaw, you have to pay about PLN outsourcing centres account for about 1,200 more for renting an apartment 6%. 2/3 of all the respondents consider of between 40 and 60 square metres changing their place of employment if than in Łódź. It is also more expen­ they find an adequately attractive offer sive to buy a flat in the capital city in Łódź, and 3/4 of those surveyed are (on the primary market by an average willing to change their industry. 65% of over PLN 3,000 per square metre). of those asked are not considering – On the map of Poland and Europe, moving to Warsaw at the moment. Łódź is one of the best places for business develop­ment in terms of the ratio of wages to quality of life. When you compare these two factors one can say

More information: Business Development and International Relations Bureau Piotrkowska 104a Street, 90-926 Lodz Phone: +48 42 638 59 39 Fax: +48 42 638 59 40 e-mail: boi@uml.lodz.pl

The direction of changes in Łódź makes people want to work and live in this city, and those who have left for various reasons are ready to return. – In modern economies, cities compete not only for foreign investors but also for citizens – potential employees. We can only attract them by creating good living conditions, providing better cultural and sporting offers, as well as a broadly defined leisure time – says the Mayor of Łódź for Outsourcing&More. Łódź has everything to be successful – its location in the centre of Poland, an agglomeration of about a million people, high quality universities and efficient local government. – In the past, the inhabitants of Łódź did not believe in their own strengths. Now, thanks to the changes, they have started to be proud of their city again – concludes Hanna Zdanowska.

INVESTMENTS

SMALL TOWN, BIG BUSINESS

In 2019, CzÄ&#x2122;stochowa was included in the list of the ten most attractive warehouse and industrial locations in Poland.

In Częstochowa, BPO occupies 78.7% of the business services market, and the companies that are located here are: • TRW Automotive SSC, • TRW Automotive R&D, • LGBS ITO, • TeleConceptBPO, • Contact Center One BPO, • Telbridge BPO, • Polcall BPO, The strengthening status of Często­­­ • Call Center Inter Galactica BPO, chowa, as a still relatively new invest­ • SII BPO, ment centre with real estate in the KSEZ, • SGP BPO, serves the economic development • Work Service BPO, of the entire northern subregion of • Human Hunter BPO, the Silesian Voivodeship.

• Havier BPO, • Exact Systems BPO. The Hillwood company operating in the commercial real estate industry Outsourcing centers in Częstochowa has recently completed the construc­ operate languages such as: tion of the hall of the Częstochowa­- Polish: 14; English: 14; German: 10; -Zachód logistics centre, which will Spanish: 2; French: 2; Italian: 2; make a new warehouse park. That is one Russian: 4; Hungarian: 1; Greek: 1; Roma­ of the company’s largest investments nian: 2; Czech: 4. in the voivodeship.

Competitive costs of doing business Services are also doing well in Często­ and the availability of employees who chowa. The sector of modern business speak many languages are ​​ undoubtedly services in Poland has been developing the main advantages that Częstochowa intensively for five years. As a destination encourages entrepreneurs from the busi­ country, we have the chance to gather ness services sector. In this context, the city experience and learn, which means that authorities focus on the development we are perceived by experts like Tholons, of cooperation between the academic Everest Group and potential investors community and business. As part as a very mature BSS location. of the Częstochowa Industrial and Tech­ nology Park, the city offers office space for To date, the activity of BSS compa­ rent, support for young, innovative entre­ nies is focused primarily in eight major preneurs and scientists from the Często­ Polish agglomerations: Warsaw, Cracow, chowa University of Technology, support Wroclaw, Tri-City, Poznań, Upper Silesian, for the so-called social economy, training Łódź, Bydgoszcz/Toruń which employ and workshops. Besides, the Technology a total of 92% of employees in the sector. Transfer Center was established in the city.

In 2018, twelve cities were recognized The city also offers investment incentives as rising stars of outsourcing. These are in the form of tax exemptions under cities with development potential and the KSEZ and a system of local conces­ those that have already found recogni­ sions, including the creation of modern tion in the eyes of BSS investors. office space in the B + standard and higher. to recruit a crew of 100 for the production plant. Our city stands out by a 70% share of potential investment areas covered by the local development plan and a high ratio of production companies. That demonstrates good conditions for busi­ ness development and better opportuni­ ties to find subcontractors or co-operants than anywhere else.

Częstochowa is a city that provides a stable business environment, an attractive investment offer and above all, competitive employment costs and an unsaturated labour market which still allows recruiting educated staff. Lower competitiveness among Częstochowa employers in the SSC area allows for building lasting relationships with employees and thus reducing the level of staff fluctuation.

The analysis called “Small town, big deal. Research on the potential of a new warehouse and industrial locations in Poland” was developed by JLL company in cooperation with market experts such as Hillwood and Manpower. It covered 34 centres with cities of over one hundred thousand inhabitants and neighbouring counties. The high rating of Często­ chowa was due to, among others, a good network of existing and planned express­ ways within a 50 km radius of the city, as well as a vast area delimited by routes through which you can enter the city.

From Częstochowa, within two hours we also have access to an area inhabi­ ­ted by almost 8.8 million people, within 8 hours – by about 60 million people and the nearest airport from Częstochowa can now be reached in a much shorter time than an hour.

The availability of employees is a significant asset to the city. According to Manpower, it will take only fifty days

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

The report indicated Białystok, Biel­ sko-Biała, Częstochowa, Elbląg, Kielce, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Radom, Rzeszów, Szczecin and Zielona Góra. About 150 enterprises located in the above cities employ eighteen thousand people. These are cities with huge potential and development opportuni­ ties, due to the growing competition for employees and the saturation of this type of investments with cities that are leaders.

Częstochowa is a city that provides a stable business environment, an attrac­ tive investment offer and above all, competitive employment costs and an unsaturated labour market which still allows recruiting educated staff.

Lower competitiveness among Często­ chowa employers in the SSC area allows for building lasting relationships with employees and thus reducing the level of staff fluctuation.

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INVESTMENTS

In Częstochowa, students of technical and vocational schools today have the opportunity to study in classes profiled to meet the needs of the labour market. For this reason, most activities related to technical and vocational schools are involved – in addition to the Education Department of the City Hall – also the Department of European Funds and Development.

associating employers and potential employees, with particular emphasis on graduates and students of technical and vocational schools in Częstochowa.

This mission has now been taken over by the ‘Professional’ project, which is part of the Better Job Now program. The right choice of vocational and technical school is understood as a prior examination of the labour market in the context of the demand for professionals in a given industry.

In Częstochowa, students of technical and vocational schools today have the oppor­ tunity to study in classes profiled to meet the needs of the labour market. For this reason, most activities related to technical and vocational schools are The Better Job Now program was created involved – in addition to the Educa­ in the city, aimed at increasing the quality tion Department of the City Hall – also of work in the context of its perfor­ the Department of European Funds mance and employee remuneration. and Development, more specifically The program is based on three directions the Investor Assistance Center, which also of activities: Fair Play, Center for Better serves as the Center for Better Workplaces.

Workplaces and initiatives to improve the qualifications of people who want Besides the fields which are the most to have a better job and focus on devel­ popular in the country like mechatronics or IT specialist, also tailors, upholsterers, oping their professional competences. carpenters and crane technicians are As part of the Fair Play program, the reso­ coming back to favours. lution regarding property tax exemptions was modified as part of the de minimis The novelty is – created as part of state aid program for creating new jobs the Professional Cooperation 2 project for employers. At the moment, it can be – a glass technology technician created used by socially responsible employers to meet the needs of existing glass facto­ who care for employees and limit ries here. From the 2019/2020 school junk contracts. year, a mechatronic innovation was created in one of the school teams, and When issuing the decision, the city will also the closest watchmaking school is located verify the employer’s beha­viour in the last in Vienna.

12 months regarding dismissals and admis­ sions of employees to seal the system In the opinion of employers, the working of granting concessions and that the Fair culture of Częstochowa is very high, and Play principle will be respected in both industrial traditions, often cultivated the employer – employee and employer from generation to generation, resulting – City Hall relationships. in qualified employees of heavy industry and service industries. The Better Job Now program functions Author: A. Mielczarek on three levels. The first is the mentioned Translation: M. Wytrzymała Fair Play program dedicated to entrepre­ neurs. The second level means projects that help improve the qualifications of people seeking for a better job and More information: focusing on their development.

The cooperation of entrepreneurs with schools on secondary and higher levels is the only chance to educate qualified staff. The task of the local government is to create a platform for understanding these dependent areas. The situation on the labour market in Częstochowa is good, the unemployment rate is 3% – below the average in the Sile­ sian Voivodeship.

One of such projects is the “Academy of Competence Development”. The third level is the Center for Better Workplaces operating since May 2017, which also includes the website of the same name.

The website is a platform that connects secondary schools, entrepreneurs and residents who want to change or find a job. It is a website that is a local job offer bank, career office and platform

Częstochowa invests in staff, introduces changes in technical education and creates a new image of vocational educa­ tion among young people and above all – among parents. Subsequent editions of the “Young Creative People” project as part of the Program for Supporting Entrepreneurship and Creating New Work­ places in Częstochowa for 2013–2018, in addition to shaping entrepreneurial atti­ tudes among young people, also showed the benefits of choosing a profession adapted to the needs of entrepreneurs.

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Thus, the city promotes and rewards higher employment standards and the creation of employers’ opportuni­ ties for the professional development of employees. The total value of projects dedicated to technical and vocational education in 2016-2018 is over PLN 20 million. The funds were allocated to retro­ fitting school labs and intensifying coope­ ration with entrepreneurs.

Investor Assistance Center Department of European Funds and Development City Hall of Częstochowa Waszyngtona 5 Street, 42-217 Częstochowa Phone: +48 34 3707 212, +48 34 3707 213 e-mail: coi@czestochowa.um.gov.pl, fer@czestochowa.um.gov.pl www.czestochowa.pl

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

IPOSTA riposta.pl

INVESTMENTS

–LUBLIN SPEAKING. Availability of human resources, their soft and hard skills, academic potential, modern office spaces and finally the quality of living in a specific city are some of the key factors which facilitate the creation of new and the development of already existing business services centres.

It seems that the BSS sector values more than any other industry linguistic skills of its employees as it is impos­ sible to serve clients globally or carry out projects with partners from all over the world without the right linguistic skills. Nowadays, as companies struggle with finding, attracting and retaining talents, many of them decide to work with universities to jointly prepare their future employees. Luckily, these universi­ ties become increasingly open to collab­ oration with businesses and adapt their educational offer to requirements of the labour market. Let’s talk about the linguistic landscape of Lublin.

in the BSS sector, i.e. Hungary, Romania, Lithuania and Bulgaria are ranked 15th, 16th, 21st and 24th respectively. Ukraine, which competes with Poland for IT projects, took 49th position in the ranking.

The analysis of Lublin’s linguistic poten­ tial needs to start with the universities and university colleges. The vast majority of philology students attend Maria CurieSkłodowska University (UMCS) and John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL).

When comparing the number of students of respective philologies, definitely it comes as no surprise that the first place 1071

To demonstrate the linguistic poten­ tial of Lublin, it is reasonable to look at a wider context and compare Poland to other CEE countries which directly compete with Poland for foreign direct investments in the BSS sector.

According to EF English Proficiency Index 2019 report1 drawn up by a Swedish Education First organisation, Poland ranks 11th globally (out of 100 countries examined) in terms of English proficiency.

Interestingly, the best four in the ranking, which was topped by the Nether­ lands, includes 3 Scandinavian coun­ tries – Sweden, Norway and Denmark. It should be noted that Poland is a leader among countries of Central and Eastern Europe, while its direct competitors 1

76

https://www.ef.pl/epi/

is taken by the English philology which in the academic year 2018/2019 was studied by almost 1,100 people.

What may surprise in the graph below is, however, the second position of applied linguistics, which is a rela­ tively new course of studies. Launched in 2001, the Chair (formerly Department) of Applied Linguistics was a response of Maria Curie-Skłodowska Univer­ sity to the needs of a changing labour market, short perspective of Poland’s accession to the European Union and a growing demand for bilingual specia­ lists. The applied linguistics, which is characterized by greater specialization as compared to monophilologies, offers quality education in the following combi­ nations: English + German, German + English, English + French, English + Russian, English + Spanish and English + Portuguese.

465 354 293

254 123

gy

h

lis

g En

p

i gu

d

lie

p Ap

cs

sti

lo

lo hi

gy

lin

an

m Ro

l ilo

p

an

G

y

m er

s

ie

og

lo

lo hi

ph

er

Ib

ian

d stu

s

ie

ian

ss

Ru

d stu

121

y

86

es

di

og

l no

Si

102

D

ch ut

stu

es

di

ian

stu

in ra Uk

Students of languages in academic year 2018/2019 in Lublin.

Source: own study of the City of Lublin based on data from the POL-on system.

Students’ dormitories – the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.

The activity of the Chair of Applied Linguis­ by companies into the curricula in order tics is a great example of how a university to, on the one hand, maximize students’ can collaborate with the private sector. Its effectiveness during the apprentice­ head Professor Jarosław Krajka notes that ship time, and on the other hand to let the business-university cooperation is them better understand, what a modus at least five-dimensional: operandi of a modern company is like, • first of all, relatively standard appren- • what is more, companies may order ticeships at local enterprises (transla­ specific subjects of BA or MA theses, which will be very practical in nature. tions, customer service), This allows businesses to have not only • secondly, universities offer special courses developed in collaboration a thesis focusing on a specific busi­ with businesses, which can be exem­ ness topic prepared, but also a profes­ plified by the course called “German sional glossary developed by students philology. German in business” co-cre­ in collaboration with the business side, ated by the Institute of German Studies e.g. an IT glossary. Afterwards, such and Applied Linguistics and Concen­ glossaries may be used by the company trix – one of the largest BPO companies to train new employees, in Lublin employing over 500 people. • the fifth aspect of the business-aca­ The course is the only such neophi­ demia collaboration is the implemenlology course in Poland which is aimed tation of joint research projects, as it at preparing students and graduates for is the case with the Lublin Medicine future work in the BPO sector. As part Cluster, which gathers representatives of the course, employees of Concen­ of the Lublin medical sector. The prac­ trix run classes with students and ticality of studying applied linguistics teach them in the areas of customer at Maria Curie-Skłodowska Univer­ service, stress management or time sity is proved by modern laboratories management, which are crucial in this equipped with interpretation booths, which help prepare students to work specific industry, as simultaneous or conference inter­ • the third aspect is the fact that the aforementioned apprenticeships are preters, specialist CAT (computer-as­ sisted translation) software or multi­ preceded by the incorporation of certain business content provided media systems used to teach film

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

translators. All this opens up attractive job opportunities for applied linguis­ tics graduates, which include not only translation or foreign language teaching, but literally all professions which require linguistic proficiency.

The fates of graduates of UMCS’s applied linguistics show that they are considered as attractive specialists also in the areas of HR, recruitment, customer ser vice, finance and accounting or international trade. This attractiveness of applied linguistics is spotted not only by employers, but also by student candi­ dates. In the 2019/2020 recruitment, there were more than 6 candidates for every place at applied linguistics.

Above mentioned Concentrix is also proud to have a close relationship with the John Paul II Catholic Univer­ sity of Lublin, which is exemplified by a series of workshops called “Modern business services (BPO and your career)” aimed at students’ better understanding of the BPO industry and the specifics of corporate culture, possibilities created by the sector, as well as the devel­ opment of soft skills which are indis­ pensable in everyday work, especially in the BSS sector.

77

INVESTMENTS

Another great example of how to utilize linguistic competences of Lublin’s universities is Cloud Infrastructure Services branch of French company Capgemini, which started its operations in Lublin in 2019. Thanks to the availa­ bility of specialists in foreign langua­ges, the firm already employs almost 60 people who speak English, German, French, Italian or Russian and serve the company’s customers worldwide.

The access to qualified human resources lets the company expect that shortly its headcount will double.

– Our company values our new location for its well-established ecosystem of links which exist between the municipality, business environment and universities. Not only does the city support business and IT industry, but also it provides access to talent with proper linguistic skills. In 2020, we will be hiring mostly people who are fluent in English, German and French. However, we are very open to those who just start their professional careers and those who wish to change their career path, as long as they are proficient in foreign languages.

We provide newcomers with induction and technological training – says Tomasz Trzaska, Delivery Centre Manager at Capgemini in Lublin.

In today’s world of rapid changes, compe­ tences of graduates of humanities, which used to be so much criticized in compa­ rison to science graduates, start to gain a better recognition. Humanistic educa­ tion requires knowledge of many different fields, so such graduates are much easier to re-train within the same organisation than in the case of those who graduate in sciences. Obviously, very often gradu­ ation in humanities does not provide any specific occupation, and it goes without saying that one’s success always depends

78

on intelligence and individual capacities, but it is worth appreciating and remem­ bering about the flexibility of graduates in humanities. As Professor Krajka notes, it is easier for employees who have mastered a specific language to acquire a new skill than for specialists to learn a second language. This theory seems to be backed by statistics. According to the report called “Development of Foreign Languages in the Business Services Sector”2 drawn up by the Accent for Professionals, half of BSS employers appoint specialists who are proficient in a specific foreign language, but lack business experience required at this posi­ tion. It is especially the case with German and French speakers. When working for a company, it is quite difficult to catch up with linguistic deficiencies in comparison to specialist knowledge, which some­ times can be acquired within a few days or weeks. It is especially true for busi­ nesses which deliver processes for clients representing various industries, and even more when we take into consideration the pace of technological change.

Increasingly more companies try to over­ come these difficulties by offering its employees foreign language lessons, which is two-dimensional. Firstly, the classes are either in-house lessons held during working time, or external courses delivered by language schools, which aim to increase the knowledge of specialists who work in a specific foreign language in the company. Thus, they can be treated as a kind of short – or long-term investment which is expected to generate a return. Secondly, such lessons are often regarded as a non-wage benefit which supports recruitment processes and employee experience.

In this case, languages taught are often unrelated to the work in this company.

Curie-Skłodowska, on the other hand, business representing the BSS sector can find specialists in the Belorussian, Bulgarian, Czech, Norwegian, Portuguese or Swedish language.

Finally, also more than 6,300 international students are a huge asset of Lublin. It is worth underlining that the internatio­ nalization ratio of Lublin’s universities in the highest among big Polish cities and it exceeds 10%. International students come from 106 countries worldwide, so Lublin is proud to welcome people from many diverse countries, like Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Iran, Jamaica or Tanzania, which contributes to the crea­ tion of multicultural and multilingual potential of the city. Obviously, in many cases after graduation the foreigners come back to their homelands, but during the study time, they often look for a job, also in the BSS sector. It should be noted, that the above-mentioned Concentrix company values the proximity to Ukraine and the presence of Ukrainians in Lublin who are fluent in German.

More information:

Łukasz Goś, Director of Investor Relations Office Lublin City Hall Phone: +48 81 466 25 42 e-mail: lukasz.gos@lublin.eu

Lublin’s multilingualism results not only from the universities’ offer of the most popular languages, but also from a growing supply of rela­ tively rare languages. At the John Paul II Catholic University, the Chair of Dutch Literature and Language, the Chair of Sinology, or the Chair of Celtic Studies educate speakers of Dutch, Chinese and Welsh. At the University of Maria 2

https://4professionals.pl/accent-report/

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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IT IS A GOOD TIME FOR THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN POZNAN In 2019, office space in Poznan exceeded a barrier of a half million square meters. Furthermore, the City of Poznan recorded very successful sales results of municipal real estates. The current investment offer – which will be promoted during the prestigious MIPIM real estate and investment fair in Cannes – includes about 30 plots of land designed for residential housing, services, industry and logistics, as well as sport and recreation.

The foundation for the growth of the real estate market in Poznan is a newly defined planning policy, which ensures the sustainable development of all areas within the city. Indeed, plots located in the very centre – with the real estate at 27 Grudnia Street at the forefront – are of particular attrac­ tiveness – over 3,000 square meters await for an investor in this perfect location. The location in a downtown area – close to historically valuable facilities – requires high-quality archi­ tecture; which is why the city officials responsible for urban planning and architecture are intensively working on the concept of developing this space.

– Areas currently treated by us as priority ones include, first and foremost, the very centre of the City (Święty Marcin Street, Wiosny Ludów Square, Apollo shopping arcade), areas in the north part of Ostrów Tumski, as well as investment areas around Stary Browar [Old Brewery] and Wolne Tory – activation of these areas will affect the sustainable development

80

of the City – explains Bartosz Guss, Deputy Mayor of the City of Poznan.

Besides, the City authorities persistently promote several so-called strategic areas. The flagship project is the afore­ mentioned Wolne Tory – consisting of almost 100 hectares of post-industrial areas located in the centre of Poznan, close to the main railway station and the Poznan International Fair.

The concept of Wolne Tory develop­ ment – prepared in cooperation with Poznan residents – provides for the crea­ tion of a new, multifunctional downtown district, where one will be able to find space for both modern office build­ ings and residential buildings, as well as high-quality public space. More­ over, the concept assumes the crea­ tion of a green footbridge connecting Wilda and Łazarz (two Poznan districts separated to date) and a new tram line, which will have a positive impact on the further development of public transport in the City.

Strategic areas also comprise Nowe Jeżyce, where several investors have already commenced construction-related works, as well as area at Unii Lubelskiej Street which is distinguished by excellent public transport, thanks to both the existing and newly built tram line. The applicable zoning plan forsees a high-rise building.

ACTIVATION OF NEW INVESTMENT AREAS The current investment offer of the City of Poznan also includes several plots of land in Naramowice, situated close to the strategic tram line under construc­ tion and the property in Łacina (directly in front of the Posnania shopping centre).

– We also wanted to intensify the sale of real estate at the Posnania mall to provide for the construction of buildings being a counterweight to its huge dimensions that far too much dominate the surrounding space. I do hope that when the surrounding areas are built up, we will be able to look at this place as a new, attractive district of Poznan – adds Bartosz Guss.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

From potential buyers’ point of view, two real estates located at Rataje Round­ about (a key communication junc­ tion in Poznan) are also of particular interest. The local zoning plan in force in that area provides for two height domi­ nants. On the other hand, real estates at Obodrzycka Street – located near the Franowo railway redistribution station, within the area of the former special eco­­ nomic zone – are designated for industrial and logistics-oriented business.

View of the Rondo Kaponiera and Bałtyk Office. Photo: dronujemy.com.

BOOM ON THE OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL MARKET Currently, several major investors are either conducting or planning large investments throughout the City.

Skanska keeps continuing the construc­ tion of the modern Nowy Rynek office complex, which has already become the seat of the Poznan giants (the global financial company Franklin Templeton, which employs over 1,000 employees in its Poznan branch office and the Polish convenience giant – Żabka). Whereas Vastint keeps conducting preparatory works within the area of the Stara Rzeźnia [Old Slaughterhouse] – located near the Old Market Square – wherein a new multifunctional urban quarter will be built in historic facilities, and in the Warta district of “Portowo” in Starołęka.

Modern business complex – Business Garden. Photo: Vastint.

Visualization of finished business complex Nowy Rynek. Photo: Skanska.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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INVESTMENTS

as well as revitalized Ratajczaka, Taczaka, and Garncarska Streets. All these activi­ ties have one goal – to make the centre of Poznan a more residents-friendly place and create a space conducive to spending time together in the City.

For the very same reason, downtown revitalisation activities are to colour it with more greenery, as well as to reduce car traffic. Poznan focuses on public transport while investing in a fleet of electric buses and modern trams.

Similar activities are carried out in other districts of Poznan.

The current offer of real estate of the City of Poznan will be available at the MIPIM fair in Cannes in June 2020. It is also accessible on the website of the City of Poznan at www.poznan.pl/inwestycje.

The Investor Relations Department deals with the promotion of urban real estate and the first contact with investors in Poznan. More information:

Investor Relations Department City of Poznań Za Bramką 1 Street, 61-842 Poznan Phone: +48 61 878 54 28 e-mail: inwestor@um.poznan.pl

www.poznan.pl Visualization of new Poznan district on postindustrial areas – Wolne Tory.

– The office real estate market in Poznan – in 2019 – recorded a significant growth and exceeded 500,000 square meters.

Further investments fulfilling office functions, such as Giant Office or Ataner are getting closer to their completion. Probuild informed about the start of the “Andersia Silver” investment which has been being announced for several years. These are signals sending a message that the office real estate market in Poznan is just getting accelerated. As a result, Poznan is supplemented with a constantly growing amount of modern office space for investors from the modern services sector – says Katja Lożina, director of the Investor Service Bureau.

formerly occupied by the heat and power plant. The proximity of the Warta river, the Old Market Square, and the Citadel Park represent the unique advantages of this place, where around 1,500 apart­ ments will be built. Garvest also continues its operations in Poznan. Another investment – after the office Pixels and Bałtyk – is a residential complex and a hotel within the premises of the former brewery at Wilson Park.

DOWNTOWN REVITALISATION

Works on the next stages of revitalisa­ tion under the Centre Project are also underway. Święty Marcin street has already gained new life; next in line is Wiosny Ludów Square. In the spring­ Robyg is planning to build a new resi­ time, residents will be able to enjoy dential area on the Warta, on the island the new version of Kolegiacki Square,

82

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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INVESTMENTS

I FOCUS ON DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION Bogdan Wenta, the Mayor of the City of Kielce talks new projects, investment allowances, cooperation for the development of modern business service sector in Kielce, as well as about continuing initiatives and the role of vocational training.

Outsourcing&More: From the beginning of your presidency, you repeat that you will strive to make Kielce more attractive to business. What steps are you taking to make this happen?

Bogdan Wenta, the Mayor of the City of Kielce: We focus on dialogue and co­ operation, including Kielce universities.

Support given by the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce and the Kielce University of Technology is of great im­ portance because through properly selected fields of studies we can edu­ cate specialists who are sought-after on the labor market.

That’s exactly the way it is and there is no exaggeration. This year, Kielce will host the next edition of the European Rover Challenge, which is the only European Rover Competition in Europe.

As a Mayor of Kielce I am extremely proud and have great satisfaction that for four days in September Kielce will be the world capital of robotics.

Why Kielce?

At this point, the great potential of the Kielce scientific community should be emphasized, especially the one focused on the Kielce University of Technology.

I am very proud of both – the scientific staff and the Impuls team, as they are The needs can be seen especially in world leaders. Impuls is a unique rep­ the IT industry. resentation of our city, which last year led True, the demand for IT and pro­ the way in European and world competi­ gramming services is constantly growing tions of rovers. I am pleased that in Kielce and is reflected in how the service mar­ we have scientists who ambitiously reach ket in cities is changing. IT and program­ for more, want to be higher and further, ming companies constitute a signifi­cant implement science challenges and have segment in this market and generate astronomical achievements in this field. high-quality jobs. We recognize it and try to follow this direction.

At the same time, I am very pleased that the construction of mobile robots Big potential lies within the Kielce stu- – including “Martian robots” – has become dents. Suffice it to say that they can a specialty of the Kielce University of Tech­ conquer even... the Space! nology, and the designers gathered

84

around this university in such a diffi­ cult and demanding field as robotics are recognized and appreciated internatio­ nally. Such successes are also a motiva­ tion to support the development of new technologies, because the solutions used in the design of the rover are not only related to the mission of conquering the Red Planet, but may have more mundane applications in autonomous vehicles used by the army or police.

Does the city support students at the education stage?

Of course. First of all, recently we have implemented the International Scholarship Program of the City of Kielce for high school graduates. We want to encourage the most talented high school graduates to choose Kielce universities, through monthly scho­ larships in the amount of several hundred zlotys. This of course is a form of additio­nal gratification for them. Kielce has a great scientific base, which thanks to EU funds is becoming more and more advanced every year. The development of our universities in recent years is impressive, but the trend of decreasing number of students is noti­ ceable throughout Poland. Our program is to be one of the ele­ments of improving the situation.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Visit to the newly built Kielce Vocational Training Center.

However, this is not the only form of youth support at the education stage.

To this end, a completely new institution is created in Kielce – the Vocational Training Center.

Construction works are to be finished soon, we plan that the Center will inau­ gurate its activities in September this year. Center will be a modern and key center for building professional compe­ tences and qualifications for youth and adults. Its activity will be based on close cooperation with enterprises from the IT industry and the metal and foundry in­ dustry, which are smart specializations of the Świętokrzyskie Province.

We all see the huge potential of this insti­ tution, which can bring us only benefits.

At the very beginning we mentioned the IT industry. As city authorities, you pointed out that in Kielce a certain problem for business development, including IT, is the insufficient amount of office space for rent.

We’ve noticed this problem. A pre­ requisite for attracting new investors from service sector to Kielce and de­ veloping companies already present in the city is the offer of advanced of­ fice buildings, which should be availa­ ble for tenants. They must be offices for rent, because companies prefer renting.

What will the activity of this unit con- The office space sought is a minimum of 500–600 sq.m. sist in?

We are motivated by four goals: training vocational and basic skills, prac­ However, the city has taken action tical training of a profession in modern to change it. and well-equipped studios and work­ To encourage entrepreneurs from shops, training in occupations expect­ Kielce to invest in office spaces, we or­ ed by the labor market and providing ganize thematic meetings with develop­ employment as well as raising qualifica­ ers where we talk about this problem. tions or support in changing them, in line We organized a study visit for develop­ with the idea of ​​​​lifelong learning. We are ers to Warsaw, where they could get ac­ in constant contact with representatives quainted with the office buildings built of the business world who, like us, eager­ by our company Echo Investment and get ly await the completion of construction answers to many questions. We can al­ works and the start of teaching classes. ready see the first effects of our activities.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

The great potential of the Kielce scientific community should be emphasized, especially the one focused on the Kielce University of Technology. I am very proud of both – the scientific staff and the Impuls team, as they are world leaders.

85

INVESTMENTS

New inwestor in the city – IT company – Britenet.

What exactly?

For example, in recent months the Investor Assistance Center has been involved in the search for office space for Britenet.

We received a request to identify attractive office spaces that meet a number of crite­ ria. Of the several locations we proposed, only one met the investor’s requirements.

The investor was offered a large, 600-me­ ter office space with the possibility of free arrangement in the open space standard.

Thanks to the open approach to investor requirements, one of the local develop­ ers decided to accept the challenge and adapted the newly built space accor­ dingly. Instead of dividing the space into smaller parts, he left it entirely for the ten­ ant. As a result, the company has already moved to a new office and new employ­ ees are gradually being employed. I am glad that the companies that have estab­ lished cooperation with us value it very much after many years. Like in the case

86

of Transition Technologies, which recently celebrated the 5th anniversary of the com­ pany’s branch in Kielce.

What are the program details?

The City Council resolution on the exemption from property tax con­ stituting regional investment aid for an initial investment in the field of new­ ly built buildings allows developers and construction investors to obtain an ex­ emption from property tax for a period of 3 years. The office building should have at least 4,000 sq. m. of usable area, of which 80% is a high standard office space. Other conditions are described in detail in the resolution, they include air conditioning, raised floors, room height at least 2.7 m, separate structured cabling for telephone lines, electric lines and computer systems. I believe that our proposal will meet with great interest and strengthen the business potential of the city of Kielce.

Kielce encourage to invest in office space through special allowances. This is completely new.

We thought this was the right step.

Substantive departments of the city pre­ pared an act exempting new office invest­ ments from real estate tax within 3 years after the completion of the investment.

It is worth paying attention to this act of local law, because it is an important progress in creating the economic devel­ opment of our city. In this way, we encour­ age developers and construction com­ panies to reach for this law and take ad­ vantage of property tax exemptions. It is a really good tool that we worked on for several months and I would like it to be also an effective tool, bringing concrete Thank you for the conversation. benefits to the city and developers.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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INVESTMENTS

EMPLOYER BRANDING IN BYDGOSZCZ Trainings, benefits and competitions for employees, a modern office, initiatives that activate and integrate the team, open communication with candidates... There are many different ways to build an Employer Branding (EB) strategy and it is becoming an increasingly important topic for Bydgoszcz companies. What can be the involvement of the city in the process of creating a positive image of the employer, being the economic, social and natural environment of the enterprise located in it? In Bydgoszcz, there is a positive synergy effect in this respect – in many ways the friendly “urban ecosystem” provides companies with additional arguments in implementing their individual and increasingly ambitious EB strategies.

The dynamic development of the Byd­­goszcz market for modern business services, as well as strong local IT speciali­ sation, availability of office spaces, or comprehensive support for inves­ tors from the Bydgoszcz Regional Development Agency (BARR) create a good climate not only to attract new investments, but also for the develop­ ment of enterprises already operating in the City. Thanks to this, new jobs are still being created in the City, and Bydgoszcz is becoming a magnet for employees who can develop their careers in global projects and modern technologies.

The main representatives of the sector are realising projects for global IT, tele­ communications, insurance, or automo­ tive companies, confirming the highest level of services and competences of their Bydgoszcz branches. They develop specialist business processes and many of them have their own R&D departments in the City. For international companies

88

with a recognised position on the global market, it is important that the envi­ ronment in which they operate reflects the global nature of their work, while providing access to technical knowledge, skilled resources and excellent infrastruc­ ture. They find all of this in Bydgoszcz.

GLOBAL AND LOCAL IDEAS FOR EB IN BYDGOSZCZ There are many interesting examples of good practices in Employer Branding in Bydgoszcz. The largest Bydgoszcz employer from the BPO/SSC sector, Atos GDC Poland, draws attention primarily to the quality and attractive­ ness of the workplace culture. As part of the global Wellbeing@work program, it helps develop and inspire employees by supporting healthy lifestyle initiatives and a better balance between work and private life. In addition, it effectively co­­­operates with the education sector – leads, among others, postgraduate studies, partner class projects in Bydgoszcz high schools, as well as the proven Ambassa­ dors Program, under which the best Atos specialists meet with students and share practical knowledge.

– We are pleased that many companies appreciate the good climate to invest and develop their business in our City.

Access to knowledge, competent human resources and convenient infrastructure are undoubtedly strong advantages of Byd­­ goszcz – says Edyta Wiwatowska, President of BARR. – The involvement of employers, but also the activities of the local government to improve the City’s infrastructure and public services, good cooperation with local schools and universities, and active support from BARR for entrepreneurs create attractive jobs in Bydgoszcz where open and competent employees have a chance Another example is the Nokia Technology to implement projects with a global reach. Centre in Bydgoszcz which attracts highly

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

qualified specialists thanks to the latest techno­logies, advanced R&D processes, pro­ducts created from scratch and inter­ national projects for clients from around the world. – We provide attractive working conditions, development opportunities and numerous benefits that raise the bar for other companies in the region and are an additional stimulus for the growth of the IT industry. We also cultivate a culture of knowledge sharing, e.g. by organising events and conferences that encourage

young women to become interested in science and careers in the IT industry. We also support employee initiatives, and even encourage charity by offering additional days off for volunteering – explains Henryk Hruszka, Director of the Nokia Technology Centre in Bydgoszcz.

The IT industry in Bydgoszcz currently has seen many interesting, challenging and international projects, and recent years have been the time of intensive growth

For international companies with a recognised position on the global market, it is important that the environment in which they operate reflects the global nature of their work, while providing access to technical knowledge, skilled resources and excellent infrastructure.

89

INVESTMENTS

and establishment of local specialisation proved by international successes. Human capital is a strong asset of the City and it is recognised by the companies investing here. Friendly environment and promising career prospects additionally contribute to the development of the Bydgoszcz IT community, thanks to which the City hosts numerous meetings and workshops for specialists in this field. These activities are often supported by the City author­ ities, BARR, or Bydgoszcz universities, and probably the most important joint venture is the annual, technical confer­ ence “bITconf”, which brings together a group of over 500 participants. – Such opportunities for the development of know­ ledge and skills, without the need to travel to larger cities, allow not only to educate, but also retain students and specialists who are so needed by the new technologies industry – emphasises the initiator and organiser of “bITconf”, Wojciech Oczkowski from IT Kontekst. This view is also shared by the initiators of another Bydgoszcz “IT Women” conference, organised for three

90

We try to participate in all initiatives where a potential employee has the chance to meet Cybercom and make sure that we are the desired employer. Currently, most of our candidates come from Bydgoszcz and the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship, but we are convinced that the dynamic developThese activities are recognised in the local ment of the City, also in terms of office infraIT environment. – In our opinion, such structure, will also allow us to attract talent initiatives are of great importance for from other cities – emphasises Woropaj. the development of the labour market in the region and we are glad that the City Not only large foreign corporations with of Bydgoszcz and BARR are patrons of such branches in Bydgoszcz, but also native industry events – comments Tomasz companies that are successfully develo­ Woropaj from the Cybercom branch ping their business here, are taking in Bydgoszcz. He also points out that care of Employer Branding. – Every day in the times of the employee market, through Employer Branding activities we in his organisation Employer Branding disenchant the perception of the Contact has become an indispensable tool Centre industry – says Paulina Trzaskowska to search for candidates who will find from the Marketing Department of themselves in the company culture and the Media System company in Bydgoszcz. tasks entrusted, while enjoying satisfac­ – We implement our ideas at the stage tion from everyday work. – We attach of the employee’s onboarding process. great importance to the opinions of our Our goal is to safely and pleasantly introcurrent employees about the company and duce a new employee to our community, to open communication with candidates. because it is the “#MediaCity Community” years by Nokia in partnership with BARR, which promotes exact sciences and infor­ mation technology among women, and shows them the opportunities for profes­ sional development in the modern tech­ nology industry.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Not only large foreign corporations with branches in Bydgoszcz, but also native companies that are successfully developing their business here, are taking care of Employer Branding.

that is the key to building the organisational culture of our company and directly affects its positive perception by current employees.

The second key activity supporting internal motivation is gamification on many levels.

In addition to competitions and company events, our Loyalty Program for employees gives measurable effects in the form of reduced employee turnover and positive results of satisfaction surveys – adds Trzaskowska. At the same time, in addi­ tion to aspects related to internal commu­ nication, integrating and motivating employees, she emphasises the impor­ tance of location and creating a friendly work space: – Changing the location of our headquarters to one convenien­ ­tly located in one of the most modern buildings in Bydgoszcz was a hit for us.

Such a move resulted in a huge image jump. The carefully developed idea for the appearance of the office was closely related to the very well designed strategy of “#MediaCity”. It represents an idea of Activity Based Workplace, giving energy to space for different generations and cha­racters – concludes Trzaskowska.

and another 82,000 m 2 are under construction and at the planning stage.

To encourage developers to further invest in modern office spaces, the City author­ ities have introduced, among others, special real estate tax exemptions. New office buildings attract investors with a high standard, location in the City Centre, easy access to public transport, as well as numerous technological facili­ ties, or the possibility of arranging space according to individual expectations of even the most demanding tenants.

This is not without impact on the attrac­ tiveness of jobs, offering increased comfort to employees. Another local company Rotopino.pl has recently focused on that aspect as well. – Our organisation can be a great example of how ambitious people and a favourable environment can affect business development.

From a company of just a few people, founded in Bydgoszcz 20 years ago, we have become a dynamically developing jointstock company. From a Polish city whose name cannot be pronounced by most Europeans, through our online stores in 8 countries, today we reach customers across the European Union – Paweł Sznajder, CEO of Rotopino.pl SA, shares his insights.

– At the current stage of development, we focus our attention not only on sales results, process automation, or increasing the quality of customer service, which are determined by the demanding e-commerce market. We attach more and more importance to the image of our company, especially as a reliable and attractive employer on the local market. For this and other reasons, we decided to relocate our headquarters to one of the most modern and prestigious office buildings in Bydgoszcz – Arkada Business Park. When arranging a new space, we decided to use the support of local specialists in the design of friendly office spaces, wanting to provide the highest possible comfort to our FRIENDLY SPACE FOR WORK, employees on a larger area and, what is LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT important, in an office well-connected In recent years, the office property market to the City Centre – says Sznajder. He also has been developing very dynamically draws attention to another important in Bydgoszcz. Completed and planned issue: – I see Bydgoszcz primarily as a City developers’ investments give Bydgoszcz of open and creative people willing to build a lot to offer to potential tenants. and develop local business. It is they who The amount of available office spaces make many different aspects of the City in the City already exceeds 108,000 m2, change for the better. Personally, I find here

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

a high-quality space for work and recreation – a good place to live.

This is a common opinion – Bydgoszcz with great commitment makes sure to be a city where work-life balance is a very important aspect. In its strategy of creating a city that is both busi­ ness – and life-friendly, Bydgoszcz focuses primarily on sustainable devel­ opment and implementation of “smart city” solutions. Its offer attracts a growing number of investors and tourists, and at the same time remains a friendly place for residents, with a rich cultural, sports, or entertainment offer. It is also the most “green” city in Poland, with numerous parks and forest complexes, the largest city park in the country, which is Bydgo­ szcz “Myślęcinek”, or the charming space of the Mill Island – a green enclave located in the heart of the City.

On the banks of the Brda River flowing through the centre of Bydgoszcz, you can get healthy relaxation and posi­ tive energy. Many events are held here to attract locals as well as guests from around the world. Next to the bustling main streets and squares, in Bydgo­ szcz one can also find a lot of quiet side streets and alleys, offering unique places.

These include alternative cafes, small pubs with local breweries, restaurants serving delicacies from various corners of the world, Art Nouveau architecture, or unique museums related to the indus­ trial history of the City.

Everyone in Bydgoszcz has a chance to find something for themselves – and when choosing a place to work, such aspects remain almost as impor­ tant as the conditions of employ­ ment or the opportunities for further career development offered by local employers.

More information:

4C Unii Lubelskiej Street 85-059 Bydgoszcz Phone: +48 52 585 88 23 e-mail: barr@barr.pl www.barr.pl

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HR NEWS

TERESA CZERWIŃSKA APPOINTED VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK

Teresa Czerwińska is the new Vice-Presi­ dent and Member of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB). She will take up her duties on the 1st of March. The EIB’s Board of Gover­ nors appointed Mrs Czerwińska, a Polish national, on a proposal from the Finance Minister of the Republic of Poland.

Prior to becoming EIB Vice-President, Mrs Czerwińska was a member of the board of the National Bank of Poland since June 2019. Between January 2018 and June 2019, she was Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland. In this role, she was also a Governor of the Euro­ pean Investment Bank. Before that, she held the position of Undersecretary of State responsible for the state budget at the Ministry of Finance (from June 2017 to January 2018) and, before that, at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (December 2015 to June 2017) in Poland.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL HAS ANNOUNCED THE PROMOTION OF AGNIESZKA KRZEKOTOWSKA Colliers International has announced the promotion of Agnieszka Krzekotowska to the position of partner. Agnieszka will remain director of Real Estate Manage­ ment Services.

As the director of Real Estate Manage­ ment Services, Agnieszka leads a team of over 95 experienced professionals and supervises the portfolio of real estate managed by Colliers in Warsaw and regional cities in Poland. Her duties include development of the prop­ erty management business, including the acquisition of new projects and searching for technologies and solu­ tions to expand the company's current range of services. As a partner, Agnieszka will also be responsible for co-creating the company's strategy.

In 2019, Colliers International took over the management of 14 properties with a total useable area of 200,000 sq m, which increased the company's portfolio

to 1,250,000 sq m. The newly acquired properties included office buildings from Szczecin and Łódź, which initiated Colliers' operations in these cities. Last year, as many as 18 new employees joined Agnieszka's team.

Agnieszka has been working at Colliers since 2009, from the beginning in Real Estate Management Services. Recently, she has held the position of director responsible for customer relations, and previously she was a property manager.

Agnieszka has over 12 years of expe­ rience on the commercial real estate market, during which she has cooper­ ated with the largest funds operating on the Polish market, such as: Patrizia, Union Investment, Tristan Capital Part­ ners and Allianz. Since 2015, Agnieszka has been a member of the prestigious Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and a member of its advisory panel in Poland. She is a graduate of the Leader­ ship Academy for Poland.

Czerwińska is a Professor of Eco­­­­nomics at the Warsaw University. She specialises in finances and risk management.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

MONIKA WAKULSKA AND MICHAL KULIG HAVE JOINED TO SAVILLS

Two new professionals have joined commercial real estate advisory firm Savills. Monika Wakulska strengthened the Landlord Representation team of the firm’s Office Agency while Michał Kulig reinforced the Industrial Agency.

PANATTONI EXPANDS ITS TEAM IN THE NEWLY OPENED NETHERLANDS OFFICE The Panattoni office in the Nether­ lands was opened last December.

Jeroen Gerritsen took the helm. Now, the Amsterdam team is joined by Niels Heijndijk as Director for Structured Finance and Operations. Among other tasks, he will be responsible for managing investor relations, including raising capital and financing for new investment projects in the developer’s newly created market.

Monika Wakulska became Associate Director in the Landlord Representation team of the Office Agency. At Savills, she will be responsible for the letting of prop­ erties owned by Deka Immobilien (North Gate and International Bussines Center A and B) and by Cromwell Property Group (Signum Work Station and Innova Work Station B and C). Monika has 13 years of commercial real estate experience and is a licenced property manager.

Prior to joining Savills, she spent five years at BNP Paribas Real Estate. During her professional career, she has advised

both landlords (including AEW Europe, GTC and VIG Fund) and tenants (including Danone Group, Gemius SA, Gide Loyrette Nouel and Pernod Ricard). Monika’s expe­ rience in cooperation with tenants will help further expand the services of proac­ tive commercialisation of office space delivered by the Landlord Representa­ tion team at Savills.

Michał Kulig joined the Industrial Agency as a senior consultant with responsibility for advising tenants in the Upper Silesia region and in Krakow and Rzeszów. Prior to joining Savills, he worked for JLL. Michał has a strong track record of working with food, oil and logistics industry clients and draws on his in-depth expertise of south-eastern Poland. He is a graduate of the Cracow University of Economics and a licenced property valuer.

for the many prize winning and pres­ tigious projects developed by MRP. Prior to joining Meijer Realty Partners, Niels worked for 12 years at Rabobank Group, including 10 years at FGH Bank – a subsidiary of the the Group specialising in financing commercial real estate.

Niels has 12 years’ experience in property finance. For the past year and a half he worked as Director Project Finance and Treasurer at Meijer Realty Partners, which is one of the largest Dutch commer­ cial developers. He was responsible

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Niels Heijndijk has a master’s degree in business administration majoring in finance from the University of Groningen. He also completed the Master of Real Estate executive postgraduate program at the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (ASRE).

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CAREER & DEVELOPMENT

ACCOUNTING 2.0?

YES, PLEASE!

Progressive computerization of accounting is not able to change three phenomena: the beauty of the accounting profession, the importance of a personal signature under a document, and the need for a human perspective on data, from which only a person is able to deduce potential business opportunities and threats.

Robotisation and automation, artifi­ cial intelligence, big data, crypto-cur­ rencies, blockchain, behavioural accounting – these, increasingly often, are concepts related to the reality of account­ ants, and not the subject of scientific research or futurist dilemmas. These phenomena are permanently changing the reality of work of accounting depart­ ments all over the world, both in-house teams of individual companies and compa­ nies providing financial and accounting services. Behind these changes are the global trends of the digital transition we are witnessing. The effect of progres­ sive computerisation of social and economic life is, among other things, legis­ lative changes that are trying to keep up with reality (a clear manifestation of which is the recently growing production of legal acts of the highest rank, as shown by our “Legal Barometer” at Grant Thornton).

We all feel the changes, for example in the form of solutions such as e-returns or – in other sectors – e-prescriptions.

The fact that more and more activities take place automatically or remotely is not changing the fact that we still need a human being in all of this.

94

THE PROFESSION OF AN ACCOUNTANT? EXCITING AND ONLY FOR THE BEST! What I find most exciting about accounting right now is its interdisci­ plinarity and dynamics. So different from the stereotypical perception of the accounting profession. In order to perform their tasks well, an accountant must know not only about finance, but also know how to interpret economic phenomena, individual documents and data accurately, and then draw conclu­ sions, create visions and see the conse­ quences. No machine can do that. Here you need both experience and a kind of intuition, apart from thorough knowl­ edge of course. In the background, it turns out that knowledge in the area of computer science, data analysis and presentation also becomes critical.

The work of Accountant 2.0 is not a profession for everyone – only for outstanding individuals. It requires constant development and broadening of knowledge in various fields, together with the constantly changing legal and economic environment. It requires

resistance to stress and assertiveness to resist various pressures. Finally, it requires knowledge of modern tech­ nologies and work tools. But that is not all. Soft skills are also needed to commu­ nicate effectively with internal and external clients. This really is work for the best only. And it is well rewarded! So far away from being a bookkeeper, but getting closer and closer to establishing fundamental support for management boards and owners of companies, often operating on global markets.

Advanced technology cannot take jobs away from accountants. Naturally, more and more standard and simple operations can be automated, turned into algorithms. Certainly, over time, as artificial intelligence develops, auto­ mation will continue. However, it is still a human being who has to design these systems, regularly update their settings, check the requirements and control their correct operation. And it is a human being who must ultimately make decisions and take responsibility for them by signing documents with their own signature.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

BIG DATA OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE Data processing and analysis

PLN 5.8 b illion

35 million

6.7 million

value of 19.5 thousand requests for reclassification of VAT

JPK_VAT sent since 1/1/2018

bank records transferred in STIR

PLN 345 bilion gross

42.5 thousand

77.5 million

online fiscal c ash registers

sent receipts

629 thousand

10 bilion

20 days

JPK_VAT central notifications

bank transactions

handling t ime for a request for reclassification of VAT

PLN1.2 bilion

14 million

(PLN 72 billion VAT) sent w ith SPM

16.1 million PIT e-returns f or 2018

of payments from receivables from JPK_VAT

bank accounts

16 bilion

7.7 million

457.8 thousand

invoices in the register of invoices

received SENT declarations

of detected invoices of unregistered taxpayers

15 million

PLN 17.1 bilion gross

3.6 million

new transactions daily

(PLN 3.27 billion VAT) value of VAT invoices in the register of invoices

OCR 200 million

registration plates per year

of assessed taxpayers (Risk Score)

21.5 million SPM transactions

Data as at 24 September 2019. The above example illustrates how much data MF has to deal with, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, how much information is to be provided by taxpayers to the officials. These, in turn, must be prepared in advance by the accountants.

Source: presentation 4 years of the operation of the Ministry of Finance, 2019.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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CAREER & DEVELOPMENT

The implementation of solutions aimed at increasing the pace of information processing is not aimed at reducing employment in the accounting profession.

On the contrary, the time and attention freed up for accountants can be directed to advanced tasks, including those requiring the use of emotional intelligence, where machines are currently unable to replace us.

this reason, companies more and more often decide to outsource accounting, taking advantage of the benefits of expert accounting teams 2.0. External accounting services at the highest level provide a sense of security in running a company, often generating savings in time and money. Money is all the more important because investments in IT systems needed for financial and accounting services, their updates and ensuring security of stored and processed data are important cost items.

ACCOUNTANTS IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF CYBERCRIMINALS A report of one of the organizations dealing with online security from 2017 stated that in the following years a growing number of cyberat­ tacks targeting accountants should be expected, as they have access to finances and key data of companies. The events of recent years, such as an unprecedented cyberattack on one of the Ukrainian companies whose operations were completely paralysed and it took several days to restore the functionality of IT systems, seem to confirm this thesis.

OUTSOURCING OF ACCOUNTING ENSURES PEACE OF MIND FOR BUSINESS Accounting 2.0 is a team sport. For obvious reasons, you can’t do everything in accounting alone. That is why you need tools to support your work, but above all – a team. A team of experts who share their experiences and obser­ vations. People who, by working for different companies from different sectors of the economy, can offer better solutions than employees of in-house accounting departments.

A comprehensive team of qualified accountants allows to keep the knowl­ edge up to date and follow the changes in the law by participating in trainings and industry events. Finally, what is very important is that a team allows substitu­ tion at work, if necessary.

Such specialized service providers as Grant Thornton are much easier to defend, as they systematically invest in IT security and development thanks to the specifics and scale of their opera­ tions. It is more difficult to do so with small accounting offices, which operate on various financial and accounting systems, often without sophisticated safeguards. However, in both cases the key to ensuring cyber security is the employees themselves. Existing technologies and algorithms of influ­ encing their reactions or behaviours show how much power and resources have to be constantly spent on information campaigns so that the people employed cannot be manipulated. It has been known for a long time now that people are usually the weakest link in the case of cyberattacks.

According to the World Bank’s analyses, THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION Polish entrepreneurs need on average The implementation of solutions aimed 334 hours per year to complete all at increasing the pace of information formalities – the most in Europe. Also for processing is not aimed at reducing

96

employment in the accounting profession.

On the contrary, the time and attention freed up for accountants can be directed to advanced tasks, including those requiring the use of emotional intelli­ gence, where machines are currently unable to replace us. This applies not only to interpersonal relations, but also to the construction of visions and strate­gies for business development, and in practical terms – even the ability to interpret regulations, which are all too often ambiguous or imprecise and some­ times change more often than providers of ready IT solutions are able to react.

It is worth remembering that accounting has a history of over five hundred years, two industrial revolutions and – for the time being – is doing well in the third era, i.e. the era of science and tech­ nology. In the case of each of them, there were changes and threats to a number of professions, but the profession of accountant existed, exists and there is no indication that it will cease to exist in the future. Of course, like every other, it changes over time. We – accountants, as representatives of the profession, have to adapt to the changing conditions and requirements, such as computerization, automation or the changing legal envi­ ronment. In the era of accounting 2.0, it requires from us much more work and expenditure on personal, multi-faceted development, but this is what makes functioning in this profession so exciting! Personally, I await every new day with enthusiasm and curiosity, as it brings both new challenges and causes for satisfaction when it turns out that our response has hit the spot and even surpassed market expectations, while providing security and development for the companies we support.

Author:

Edward Nieboj, Managing Partner, Grant Thornton

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

CAREER & DEVELOPMENT

THESE DAYS WE HAVE A JOB CHANGE MARKET In the past we have heard mainly about the candidate market.

Today, this trend is evolving, creating a phenomenon that we have called the “Job Change Market”.

• The report prepared by Devire recruit­ ment and outsourcing company shows that almost all profession­ ally active people are at the stage of looking for or changing jobs (90% of survey respondents).

• At the same time, as many as 9 out of 10 candidates are invited to partici­ pate in recruitment processes.

• The main argument for changing jobs is still money. Employees who did not receive a salary increase last year are now actively looking for a new job – as admitted by 61% of specia­ lists and managers.

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The attitude of Poles to work has changed dramatically. Michał Młynarczyk, Managing Director of Devire’s recruitment and outsourcing company, points out that: these days, when the minimum wage and average earnings are steadily rising year on year, work is starting to play a greater role than just a monthly transfer of money to one’s account.

The remaining 3% are people who have just changed jobs or are in the process of moving to a new company.

An informed candidate is constantly seeking to improve their professional situation. 9 out of 10 respondents have received an invitation to partici­ pate in a recruitment process in the last 6 months. At the same time, 84% of those Today, candidates are aware of who did not receive a raise in that period the opportunities that the labour were also invited to participate in recruit­ market and potential employers offer ment processes. The result? An informed them. We are still getting information candidate is constantly seeking to imabout the record low unemployment prove their professional situation. rate, and in many sectors the number of vacancies exceeds the number What’s important is that practically all of available candidates. This translates professionally active people are at into more attractive job offers and the stage of changing, looking for a job terms of cooperation. What is more, or declare openness to new challenges. according to declarations, we can 51% of people want to change jobs and observe a high openness to changing actively look for them. Slightly fewer jobs on the market – as many as 90% respondents (39%) are not actively looking of the survey participants are open for a job, but are open to new offers. to new job offers.

Only 7% are not looking for a job at all.

The most stable industry is PR and Social Media – here as many as 38% of the respondents are not looking for a job and do not want to change the current one.

An interesting group are IT staff – in total, 84% are open to changing jobs, but almost half of this group (49%) do not actively seek new challenges, waiting for an offer from a potential employer.

– This does not mean that people actively looking for a job are simply responding to ads. They are often simply in contact with recruiters – directly or through social networking sites. This is partly due to the fact that potential candidates, so frequently bombarded with offers (through contextual campaigns in Google Display Network, contacts on LinkedIn/GoldenLine, mailings with offers and finally calls from recruiters) – have a feeling that they are missing out on something and some opportunity may pass them by – comments Michał Młynarczyk, Managing Director of Devire recruitment and outsourcing company.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Today, candidates are aware of the opportunities that the labour market and potential employers offer them. According to declarations, we can observe a high openness to changing jobs on the market – as many as 90% of the survey participants are open to new job offers.

Sectors where staff are most willing to change jobs: Insurance Banking Transport and Logistics Administration Sales Consulting FMCG Retail Real Property Industrial Production

72% 71% 71% 71% 67% 65% 60% 57% 54% 53%

Sectors where staff most frequently decided to change jobs: IT Finance and Accounting FMCG

60% 53% 52%

Sectors which increased salaries most frequently in 2019: SSC/BPO

78%

Automotive, Aviation

61%

IT

59%

FMCG, HR, Engineering

57%

Power Engineering, Fuels, Exploration, Chemicals

53%

Healthcare, Pharmacy, Medical Equipment

51%

Industrial Production

51%

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

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CAREER & DEVELOPMENT

COMPANIES FIND IT MOST DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUNG STAFF With such a large number of invitations to the recruitment process, as many as 44% of the survey respondents decided to change their job within the last year.

Employers found it most difficult to keep young people – 63% of generation Z (18–25 years old) decided to transfer to another company. The second place was taken by the Millenials (26–35 years old) – 47% of them declared a change.

Fewer, i.e. 41% of respondents from generation X (36–54) also decided to transfer to another employer.

– Employers must be aware that a candidate who is at the beginning of his or her career is more likely to take risk. This is due to a simple fact – the need to consciously shape your career. It doesn’t necessarily mean a potential “jumper”. Such an approach will result in greater loyalty of the employee at a later stage of their career – comments Michał Młynarczyk from Devire.

wage pressure was felt in the SSC/BPO sector, where an average of 85 new jobs were created daily over the last three years. Compared to the previous year, total employment in this sector increased by as much as 10% – to 307 thousand people. Not surprisingly, 78% of SSC/ BPO employees received a motivational pay increase last year, and 44% decided to move to an employer who offered a higher remuneration.

Th e s e co n d p l a ce w a s t a k e n by the automotive and aviation sectors, which have been experiencing difficul­ ties in attracting engineers and qualified production workers for years. – In this case, the amount of remuneration and the scale of increases are often linked to the need to recruit engineers with narrow specialisations and specialised qualifications. This especially refers to specialists connected with IT, firmware development, security and system functions – says Robert Błażyca, Customer Relations Director at Devire.

Invariably, people with the greatest service seniority are characterised by a greater attachment to the company and less often decide to change jobs.

In the case of Baby Boomers (55+) – one in four people changed jobs – 26% of the respondents.

The full report is available at: www.devire.pl/raport-rynek-zmiany-pracy.

IT took 3rd place, although it should be taken into account that this is the sector that has been offering the highest earn­ ings in Poland for years. Good rates in this industry have been maintained since 2017, when there was even a 20% pay increase compared to previous years. Although the dynamics of further WAGE PRESSURE CONTINUES increases have started to stabilize, a lot The amount of remuneration and of IT staff, i.e. 59%, still received salary the possibility of professional develop­ benefits in 2019. Moreover, it is still one ment are the two most important factors of the sectors in which candidates receive motivating staff to stay in their current the most job offers. job or to change it – as claimed by almost 70% of employees in Poland. That’s why today, in order to maintain current staff Authors: and fight for new talents, companies are increasingly using financial arguments and offer additional training and profes­ sional courses. As a result of this trend, almost half of employees in Poland (49%) received a raise in the last year alone.

Michał Młynarczyk, Managing Director, Among the others, whose salaries did not Devire grow, as many as 61% want to change jobs and are actively looking for a job.

WHERE ARE EARNINGS GROWING FASTEST? Interestingly, even though legends are told about the earnings of IT staff, they did not come first in terms of the scale of pay increases in 2019. The greatest

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Robert Błażyca, Customer Service Director, Devire

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

CAREER & DEVELOPMENT

OUR MISSION IS:

WE DO GOOD IT, OR NOT AT ALL Interview with Marta Konopka, Communication & PR Expert and Katarzyna Bucka, Head of HR & Recruitment from j-labs software specialists.

Outsourcing&More: To start, tell us a few words about j-labs software specialist. You are a Polish programming company founded by engineers and for engineers in 2008. What areas do you operate in?

Marta Konopka, Communication & PR Expert: We provide outsourcing services of IT specialists in the field of software de­ velopment. We provide complete develop­ ment teams, individual engineers and out­ sourcing of entire projects in agile models.

We support companies from various sectors, such as loyalty, finance and banking, telecommunications, tourism, energy, as well as gaming and ecommerce.

During these 12 years you have built a 300-person company and you started basically with a business idea.

In January this year, j-labs once again became a Business Gazelle. You joined the group of the most dynamic Polish enterprises from the SME sector.

Congratulations! Give us some golden tips!

Katarzyna Bucka, Head of HR & Recruitment: That’s a difficult question.

If I had to choose what the key to our suc­ cess is, I would focus on three aspects: a clear strategy and vision of the com­ pany, a narrow specialization and focus on what we do best, and above all, relia­ bility and honesty in relations with clients, candidates and employees. Of course, I have to mention that in order to do that you have to put in the work. The huge amount of work put in by the founders of j-labs and the team that has been built for many years contributing to the com­ pany’s growth with commitment, all add up to its success. Well-qualified and com­ mitted people are the basis of every busi­ ness. I fully agree with this statement.

Operating in the IT industry is a challenge today – for several years IT specialists have been in high demand in the labour market. How do you

Marta Konopka, Communication & PR Expert, j-labs software specialists.

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Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

manage to recruit them effectively?

Where do you source them? And how?

KB: Everyone who has experience in the IT industry knows that this is a very demanding market in terms of finding and retaining employees in the organi­ zation for more than two years. In j-labs we focused on recruitment based on re­ lationships, reliable and substantive com­ munication with the Candidates, which is in line with our values that we have been guided by from the beginning of the company’s existence. We have one guiding principle that applies to re­ lationships with candidates, employees, but also clients – treat someone the way you would like to be treated. This is a sim­ ple rule, and it organizes things while dif­ ficult decisions are made easier. I think that a modern programmer appreciates a sincere and substantive approach, and being credible throughout the entire re­ cruitment process helps build trust and makes it easier to make a decision about accepting our offer. The success ratio for accepted offers that we submit to our can­ didates is at a very high level – up to 80% of candidates decide to work with us. We hope to maintain this ratio in the future.

Substantive communication with the Can­­didate is possible thanks to, among others technical training which we regularly organize for our Recruitment Specialists. Technical knowledge allows you to understand IT projects, profiles of candidates sought, and above all speaking the candidate’s language and being a conversation partner for him/her.

Understanding the profile of the candi­ date and project that he/she would join is the key to success in recruitment. Over the past few years we have developed so-called “Good practices in contact with the candidate”, which we follow in our daily work. The partnership-based relationship between the Recruiter and the Candidate is built even before he/ she submits the CV, including during telephone conversations, meetups in our office or a flagship event such as Talk4Devs. Participation in internal and external events has become an insepa­ rable element of our recruiters’ work.

During such events, we make new friends, but we also meet Candidates who are well-known to us, Recruiters learn about market news and technolog­ ical trends, which also greatly facilitates

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Katarzyna Bucka, Head of HR & Recruitment, j-labs software specialists.

interviews with candidates. In addi­ tion to actively reaching the Candidate directly at events or on social networks, a large percentage of employment is recorded from the internal employee referral programme – it is a valuable and important source for us. This year we also launched the Hire4jlabs external referral program, which provides increasingly better results, thanks to cyclical promotion in social media and active promotion by our recruiters.

To say it briefly: our recruitment team of 12 does not wait for Candidates to come by themselves, but actively reaches potential specialists to be able to present what j-labs can offer them, then leads the candidate through the entire recruitment process, from the first contact to signing the contract and on-boarding – we are guided by the “Single point of contact” principle here that our Candidates value – they always know who to contact and direct questions to.

In j-labs we focused on recruitment based on relationships, reliable and substantive communication with the Candidates, which is in line with our values that we have been guided by from the beginning of the company's existence.

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CAREER & DEVELOPMENT To sum up our recruitment successes are based on good knowledge of the industry, narrow technological specialization, tech­ nical knowledge of our recruiters and rela­ tionships built by them with potential and current candidates.

there is a live stream from each meeting.

We reach several hundred people from all over Poland in real time. The total number of video views reaches even several thousand!

Who is the project addressed to? How can you use it?

MK: Talk4Devs is addressed to all people interested in development with­ in the selected IT area. To participate in the event, all you need to do is follow our social media (Facebook, LinkedIn), where we keep users informed about organ­ ized events. In addition, I encourage you to visit Talk4Devs: talk4devs.j-labs.pl/en.

The Talk4Devs project, which you have been implementing since 2014 as a space to share knowledge in the IT industry, attracts attention. Where did that idea come from?

MK: TheTalk4Devs meetings (previ­ ously known as “IT Akademia j-labs”) were initially addressed to students as our de­ sire to show support for young program­ mers who are just entering their profes­ sional path. In time, however, specialists came to the event wanting to broaden their knowledge and share it. Currently, af­ ter over 50 editions, Talk4Devs is a unique meeting on the event map of the IT indus­ try. It is associated with qualified speakers, inspirational talks and knowledge-hun­ We guess that Talk4Devs are part gry engineers. of your Employer Branding activities.

What other actions do you take to care The meetings relate to trends in the main for the company’s image on the laareas of programming, functional bour market?

MK: In addition to Talk4Devs, we languages, micro services, machine learning, databases and many others, also organize meetups and workshops. while the leaders are always professionals We participate in the largest IT confer­ and practitioners in a given field. Often, ences in the country and run a techni­ they are speakers at national and inter­ cal blog where our engineers share their national conferences. knowledge and passion through pre­ pared articles.

Talk4Devs takes place in two cities – Kra­­kow and Warsaw and is a free event In addition, we run a series of internal which you are more than welcome training courses conducted by our engi­ to join. For people outside these cities neers. It is also worth noting Lunch & Learn,

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which is a weekly meeting initiated by one of our Delivery Managers, during which participants have dinner and watch a recording of some interesting presentation.

An important element is also engaging our employees in projects that go beyond their professional competences, such as arranging a new office.

What can your employees get? What development opportunities do you offer?

What benefits can they count on?

MK: Our mission is – “We do good IT, or not at all”, that’s why at j-labs we focus the best talents, giving them the oppor­ tunity to use and develop their skills, thus providing the highest level of software de­ velopment to our clients.

In addition to the standard benefits, such as medical package, multisport, training budget, etc., we offer our employees something more. What distinguishes us from other employers is primarily: • The implemented projects – valuable in terms of technology or field.

• Efficient and reliable recruitment process – the recruitment team consists of well-prepared people with an individual approach to the candidate. A person undergoing the recruitment process receives support from us at every stage of recruitment.

• Long-term relationships – we care about building long-term relationships based on trust, reliability and integrity.

We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

• We are building an IT community – we share our knowledge inside and outside the organization.

• We are transparent – we maintain a flat structure with high transparency and an open work environment.

• We are a responsible employer – we create an organizational culture based on our unchanging values – technology, content and reliability. We are what we say about ourselves. No lies!

• We provide space for personal devel­ opment of our employees in non-tech­ nological areas through participa­ tion in projects and initiatives that go beyond software development.

TheTalk4Devs meetings (previously known as "IT Akademia j-labs") were initially addressed to students as our desire to show support for young programmers who are just entering their professional path. In time, however, specialists came to the event wanting to broaden their knowledge and share it. Currently, after over 50 editions, Talk4Devs is a unique meeting on the event map of the IT industry.

Outsourcing&More | March–April 2020

Our office in Zabłocie, a district of Krakow, also deserves recognition. The new space has given us not only the opportunity to organize meetups, which has a posi­ tive effect on our Employer Branding, but also less formal events, such as Children’s Day, which builds commitment among our employees. We managed to create a place where professional life intertwines with private life.

KB: Keeping good IT specialists in the company for longer is a huge chal­ lenge, also for us. As part of the HR team, which we are currently expanding, we are working on a number of projects that are aimed at strengthening employees’ com­ mitment to our organizational culture and the values we have, and thus retain­ ing them at the organization for longer.

We are constantly working on improving internal communication, which is a chal­ lenge in such a rapidly growing organi­ zation. We offer our employees space for development through individual training budgets (each employee has their own an­ nual budget for independent spending), engaging them in internal undertakings not only related to project work, meetups, or finally by changing the projects in which they work. Our portfolio of projects gives them the opportunity of working for var­ ious industries (banking, aviation, logis­ tics, e-commerce and many others), which means that there are great development chances. We also monitor employee satis­ faction through regular interviews and surveys, and if someone decides to leave, we conduct an exit interview with them to learn more about the reasons, but also to hear what we could do better as an em­ ployer. Our HR Department is the voice of employees in contact with management and the Management Board.

It is said that we currently have a market for employees who need to be strived for strongly and then, the employer has to be active to keep them in the company for longer. Is this a big challenge for the HR Department? How do you find yourself in this situation? Thank you for the interview. 

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