Specialisation, space, quality of life

For several years, Bydgoszcz has been a strong point on the map of modern business services in Poland and an important location for the development of further investments in this market. This is confirmed by both the growing indicators of the sector's development in the City and the latest industry reports which place Bydgoszcz among the leading locations on the domestic BPO/SSC market.

The concept of the city open to outsour - cing, consistently implemented by the City of Bydgoszcz and the Bydgoszcz Regional Development Agency (BARR) for the development and promotion of the modern business services sector, has so far brought positive effects. Around 60 BPO, SSC, IT, and R&D service centres already operate here, and the number of jobs in the sector currently exceeds 11,000 of which over 80% is generated by IT services. Such strong local specialisation is a definite distinguishing feature of Bydgoszcz in comparison to other cities in Poland – which is emphasized in a report from ABSL Modern Business Services Sector in Poland 2020 published in June this year, in which Bydgoszcz was included among the leading cities important for the development of the BPO/SSC market in the country.

Photo: Orange Poland

The main representatives of the BSS sector in Bydgoszcz realise projects for the biggest IT, telecommunica tions, insurance, or automotive companies and confirm the highest level of the services provided and the competence of the Bydgoszcz branches. International companies develop specialised business processes here, and many of them have their own R&D departments in the City. Bydgoszcz provides access to technical knowledge as well as competent human resources and convenient infrastructure. – Bydgoszcz's offer allows to attract investors looking for access to qualified employees, while at the same time ensuring a competitive level of salaries and office space rental. The competitive advantage of the City allows us to look forward with optimism to its further development in the coming years – comments the director of the PAIH Strategic Investment Center,

Arkada Business Park

Jan Kamoji-Czapiński, in the report Focus on Bydgoszcz, published in May 2020 by Pro Progressio.

The dynamic development of the business services sector goes hand in hand with the investments of office space developers. – In recent years, the local market has grown by over 30,000 sq m of modern office space of the highest standard, perfectly located in the City centre, with access to public transport and numerous amenities. This, in turn, affects the attractiveness of the jobs offered here – says Edyta Wiwatowska, President of the Management Board of BARR. According to the Agency's calculations, current resources have already exceeded 108,000 sq m, and another 82,000 sq m are under construction or are planned for the near future. New office buildings Around 60 BPO, SSC, IT, and R&D service centres already operate here, and the number of jobs in the sector currently exceeds 11,000 of which over 80% is generated by IT services. Such strong local specialisation is a definite distinguishing feature of Bydgoszcz in comparison to other cities in Poland.

Photo: Arkada Business Park

Rotopino.pl office in Bydgoszcz

Photo: Rotopino.pl S.A.

attract with a high standard, location in the City centre, easy access to public transport, as well as numerous technological facilities, or the possibility of arranging space according to indi vidual expectations of even the most demanding tenants, offering increased comfort to employees.

Cushman & Wakefield also draws attention to Bydgoszcz in its latest report on alternative locations in Poland for tenants from the BSS sector. – Bydgoszcz is an excellent example of an emerging office market in Poland – the City has been in the top rankings for several years as the best place for investment. In recent years, the stock of modern office space has increased by about 30%. The majority has been leased by investors from the BPO/SSC sector, and the vacancy rate remains below 7%. Undoubtedly, the developers' choice

Photo: Robert Sawicki

of location for new buildings, which are located mainly in the City centre, is due to the continuous development of infra structure, cultural facilities and ensuring the best living conditions while maintaining the work-life balance principle – says Katarzyna Ciszewska, Junior Negotiator at Cushman & Wakefield.

The pandemic has put both the BSS sector and the related office market to the test. Due to the specifics of the industry, especially in the case of IT services, including the numerous experiences of Bydgoszcz centres related to the remote service of international projects, most of them were able to successfully start the remote work mode and ensure a good level of efficiency. Customers appreciated

the ability of Bydgoszcz companies to provide services without interrup tion. However, the challenge remained to maintain adequate motivation and commitment of the teams, as well as a sense of security in terms of conti nuity of employment. The next step is a plan to return to the new normality, including first and foremost the issue of ensuring safety in the workplace. In this respect, tenants in new Bydgoszcz office buildings are supported by developers. Building managers quickly adapted them to the requirements of the sanitary regime, by providing disinfectants, frequent cleaning of common areas, introduction of special rules for moving around the building, the use of elevators and toilets, or stricter procedures for deliveries. These procedures, in conjunction with tenants' activities related to the reorganisation of the office space, management system and team work, significantly increase the safety and comfort of work – and consequently maintain the continuity of services.

What is the further perspective? Perhaps the temporarily adopted solutions will permanently become part of the organisational culture of business service centres, and if the appropriate level of efficiency is maintained, remote work may be not only an additional employee benefit, but a commonly used tool. A redefinition of the needs in terms of the required office space, that plays a more social role as a place for meetings or creative teamworking, is also expected. More flexible lease forms, e.g. coworking spaces or contracts for the duration of a specific project, will probably gain value and become more available. Based on the experience of remote working, the concept of satellite offices and teams is also growing, which creates new opportunities for cities such as Bydgoszcz to allow greater access to work for corporations located in the capital or other parts of the country.

We need to wait to see the full effects of this situation, but experts forecast a further growth in the BPO/SSC industry, which was also confirmed by the opi - nions and conclusions presented during the June ABSL Digital Forum, whose main partners were the City of Bydgoszcz and BARR. Poland will remain a desirable destination for companies seeking the opportunity to transfer some of their processes to more cost-effective locations. Quality of life indicators will also become increasingly important for the further development of investments in the business services sector. This increases the chances for cities such as Bydgoszcz, which with their human and office resources, strong educational facilities and pro-investment support from local authorities will attract new investors – and as a boutique location, i.e. a large city without many disadvantages that characterise large metropolises, can attract more talented specialists.

More information:

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

Name of the investor: Orange Poland (part of Orange Group)

Country of origin: Poland Number of workplaces: 200 in Bydgoszcz (above 18,000 in whole Poland) Sector: telecommunications Company's residence in the city: H+ (Hunger), 21 Jagiellońska Street Occupied place: 1800 sq m in Bydgoszcz (above 300,000 sq m of office space in whole Poland)

Bydgoszcz is next city after Gdańsk, Warsaw, Łódź, Radom and Toruń, in which we invited employees to a modern, friendly and specially arranged work environment.

This time, we focused on nature and music – on the surface of the office there are many flowers, including three large trees, conference rooms bear the names of musical hits, such as “Enjoy the Silence” or “Black and White”, and at its center stands a piano which musically talented employees can use during orafterwork.

We are sure that this is a space where our employees will work well.

Adam Wrzosek, Director of Work Environment, Orange Poland