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%, while the value of exports in 2024 amounted to $42.3bn.

The sector’s expansion and deepening specialization 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 centers run by 1,258 investors from 50 nations. Between 1 January 2024 and 31 March 2025, 61 new centers were launched — predominantly in IT (42.6%) and R&D (26.2%) — creating 5,400 jobs.

“The accelerating specialization 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% of services the sector delivers are knowledge‑intensive, and over 54% involve complex mid‑office tasks such as multi‑dimensional planning, cybersecurity, and advanced analytics. We are now a truly global hub for specialized 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 centers, a 6.2% 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% of firms increased investment in staff training, and AI is now used for cognitive tasks in 90% of firms. Meanwhile, over 74% of centers have implemented intelligent automation, freeing employees for higher‑value roles. Workforce demographics also reflect this shift: 46% of employees are now aged 35 or older, highlighting the growing demand for experienced teams to manage complex functions. Nearly 80% of firms have implemented or are pursuing long‑term transformation strategies, with more than 55% 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 specialization deepens, centers 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
Internationalization remains a hallmark of the sector, with foreign-owned centers accounting for 84.3% of total employment. The value of exports rose to $42.3bn in 2024, while export value per employee increased to $64,300 — a 52.3% 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 $2bn 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 $5bn.”

Kraków — a center 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 centers in the city. Kraków’s centers are strengthening their position by pursuing innovation and taking on increasingly specialized processes that require advanced skills and experience.

“Kraków has positioned itself as a center 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 labor market demands. The ongoing infrastructure development ensures Kraków’s attractiveness to international investors well into the future.”

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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.

The report can be downloaded here: link.

The host city of ABSL Summit 2025: Embrace technology, empower people is Kraków – one of the key locations for business services sector projects in Europe.

For more details visit https://abslsummit.com/.