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THE DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYMENT OF FOREIGNERS IN POLISH COMPANIES (BASED ON EMPIRICAL FINDNINGS)

S. Kubiciel-Lodzinska

Abstract

The subject of the studies presented in the article was an assessment of the demand for employment of foreigners in Polish companies (based in the Opole Voivodeship). It involved CAWI and PAPI research. In 2007–2008, the research was conducted among 91 employers employing foreign workforce and it was carried out for the second time in 2014–2015 with 70 participating entrepreneurs. The aim of the research was to determine the reasons for employing foreigners and factors, which could encourage companies to consider workers from aboard. In accordance with the dual labour market theory, the respondents (employers) were divided into those who offered employment in the primary labour market (which was most often connected with white-collar jobs e.g. foreign language teachers, physicians, IT specialists, sales representatives, sports coaches) or the secondary labour market (connected with manual labour e.g. skilled and unskilled workers – the so called blue-collar jobs). Employment of foreign workforce in the primary labour market is of complementary nature (foreigners execute specific tasks which could not be accomplished by Polish workers, e.g., possess knowledge about foreign markets, have necessary language competences, hold unique technological knowledge); the presence of foreign workforce in the secondary labour market, on the other hand, is of the substitutive nature (they do jobs which could be performed by Polish workers). Still, this substitution is not understood as absolutely negative or resulting from some invasive demand. Moreover, it was found that very often the key argument, which is decisive in reaching for foreign workforce, is greater flexibility (employability) of foreigners than that of domestic workers.

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