In the recent years Polish employers (in particular larger ones) have begun to notice the significance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). This was clear in 2024 and it is predicted that this trend will continue in the next few years.

What are the benefits of DEI?

DEI strategies and initiatives improve co-operation in the team, increase creativity, support various thinking styles, help to retain employees, attract most valuable candidates, and encourage clients to co-operation. They also have a positive impact on the effectiveness of employees and in long-term perspective contribute to an increase in business competitiveness and results.

Polish employers

Although the awareness of advantages resulting from the implementation of DEI strategies and initiatives is growing among Polish employers, still much needs to be done. Until recently, only half of them knew the concept of diversity management. The same study showed that only a small percentage of companies (taking part in the study) have implemented a separate formal documents for diversity strategy. Moreover, only 20% of Polish companies have programmes supporting a selected group of employees and only one third monitored the levels of pay in terms of gender.

Which employers implement DEI more often?

The employers with the most developed and advanced DEI initiatives generally belong to international groups. In this case they receive top-down guidelines to implement DEI strategies and at the same time they receive ready-made (global) solutions in the DEI area. On the one hand, this makes their task easier. On the other hand, they often encounter difficulties in implementing (adapting) global DEI solutions to the local specificities and the Polish working environment. For example, while recruitment directed to employ diverse candidates and affirmative action may be legal in some jurisdictions, in Poland it can be applied only to a limited extent and under certain conditions.

Polish reality

Before adapting or implementing DEI initiatives it is worthwhile to understand Polish conditions, e g. groups at risk of exclusion. Nowadays the Polish society is quite uniform in terms of ethnicity, although it is estimated that it will gradually become more ethnically diverse due to a growing number of immigrants. The Polish society is one of the fastest ageing societies in the European Union, therefore, the population of senior employees is growing quickly, and with it the need for appropriate management of multi-generational teams. In terms of the LGBTQIA+, some worrying statistics show that approximately two-thirds of transgender employees have not revealed their identity to their colleagues.

Only half of transgender employees who revealed their gender identity in the workplace feel that they have the support of their colleagues and superiors. Last but not least: there is a growing number of neurodiverse employees who bring a different style of thinking, a different approach to work, innovation and creativity to the team. However, many elements of the typical working environment may be challenging for them, therefore it is worth considering solutions which will facilitate their functioning at work and promote their wellbeing.

What DEI initiatives are implemented by Polish employers?

Labour law regulations do not provide for any specific solutions. Therefore, the majority or strategies and initiatives are developed by market practice. Mentoring, support groups (so called Business Resource Groups), scholarship programmes, employee education, training to raise awareness of DEI and elimination of discrimination and unconscious bias, initiatives for social equality, psychological support, quiet rooms, contemplation rooms, flexible forms of work, internal policies e.g. pro-family policies, supporting persons with disabilities, building safe, friendly and inclusive working environment, are becoming more common.

Read more about Polish HR law – PRO HR Year Book 2024