New data from the ABSL Business Services Sector in Poland 2025 report underlines the sector’s growing significance to the national economy. Its estimated contribution to GDP has risen to 5.7 percent, while the value of exports in 2024 amounted to $42.3 billion.
The sector’s expansion and deepening specialisation cement Poland’s status as a global services hub. At the end of the first quarter of 2025, the country was home to 2,081 business service centres run by 1,258 investors from 50 nations. Between 1 January 2024 and 31 March 2025, 61 new centres were launched — predominantly in IT (42.6 percent) and R&D (26.2 percent) — creating 5,400 jobs.
“The accelerating specialisation of the business services sector in Poland is reinforcing its position as a top destination for international investors,” says Janusz Dziurzyński, President of ABSL Poland. “The shift from a service‑provider model to that of a strategic partner is reflected in the numbers. Today, nearly 60 percent of the services the sector delivers are knowledge‑intensive, and over 54 percent involve complex mid‑office tasks such as multi‑dimensional planning, cybersecurity, and advanced analytics. We are now a truly global hub for specialised services.”
Talent and technology driving transformation
Highly qualified talent remains the bedrock of the sector. At the end of Q1 2025, some 488,700 people were employed across Poland’s business service centres, a 6.2 percent rise year‑on‑year.
Including teams providing services beyond dedicated centers, total employment in business services is estimated at 2.3 million.
Technology is reshaping work within the sector. In the past year, 78 percent of firms increased investment in staff training, and AI is now used for cognitive tasks in 90 percent of firms. Meanwhile, over 74 percent of centres have implemented intelligent automation, freeing employees for higher‑value roles. Workforce demographics also reflect this shift: 46 percent of employees are now aged 35 or older, highlighting the growing demand for experienced teams to manage complex functions. Nearly 80 percent of firms have implemented or are pursuing long‑term transformation strategies, with more than 55 percent expanding their service offerings.
“The trend of steady employment growth and the rising value of exports of increasingly sophisticated services has continued throughout the past year,” observes Dariusz Kubacki, Vice‑President, Business Intelligence, ABSL Poland. “Although redundancies have been announced in some areas, these have largely been offset by internal staff movements within the sector. As specialisation deepens, centres increasingly focus on serving clients in specific industries such as energy or healthcare, placing a premium on staff competencies rather than traditional role definitions.”
A strong position on the global services map
Internationalisation remains a hallmark of the sector, with foreign-owned centres accounting for 84.3 percent of total employment. The value of exports rose to $42.3 billion in 2024, while export value per employee increased to $64,300 — a 52.3 percent rise compared with 2016. ABSL estimates say this figure will climb to $65,400 by the end of 2025.
“As many as five countries now import services worth over $2 billion each from Poland — Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Switzerland,” notes Janusz Dziurzyński. “Germany remains the largest market for Polish business services, with an export value approaching $5 billion.”
Kraków — a centre of competency and talent
Kraków has consolidated its status as one of the sector’s leading hubs. At the end of Q1 2025, nearly 108,000 people were employed across 312 service centres in the city. Kraków’s centres are strengthening their position by pursuing innovation and taking on increasingly specialised processes that require advanced skills and experience.
“Kraków has positioned itself as a centre of excellence in IT and a vital catalyst for technological advancement,” says Aleksander Miszalski, Mayor of Kraków. “Collaboration between the sector and the city’s universities is a strong example of how academic and business ties can better prepare students for the labour market demands. The ongoing infrastructure development ensures Kraków’s attractiveness to international investors well into the future.”
The ABSL Business Services Sector in Poland 2025 report premiered at the ABSL Summit — one of the sector’s most significant gatherings in Europe. The publication was developed in collaboration with Colliers, Mercer, Randstad, and Randstad Enterprise, under the honorary patronage of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.
