Key trends of the labour market 2026 presented for the first time at the Olivia Centre

The labor market has changed and we already have a new reality in place? Nothing could be further from the truth. The changes that are yet to come are as significant as those that have appeared as a result of the pandemic. At the Olivia Centre in Gdańsk, Manpower Polska presented its latest report on the labour market, which shows that in the coming years, the key to success will be fast learning and flexible adaptation to change. The year 2026 will bring high expectations of employees, greater selectivity on the part of employers and the growing importance of qualifications.

 

At O4 Coworking (Olivia Centre), Manpower Polska presented the premiere conclusions from the “Trends and Remuneration Report 2026” and discussed 16 key trends shaping the labour market. The culmination of the meeting was a panel of experts with the participation of Labour Market Experts, which turned into a real discussion – with polemics and references to the report.

 

Among the 16 key work trends listed in the report were: redefinition of the roles of leaders and employees, as well as work itself, the increase in the importance of AI-assisted work and the use of automation. In the new model of work, there will be an increase in the importance of project work and a demand for employees who are quickly learning new skills. Among the key competencies will be readiness for quick training, the ability to use artificial intelligence and the possession of pre-industrial skills (problem-solving skills, cognitive flexibility, creativity, empathy, self-reflection and a high level of use of interpersonal communication tools).

 

These trends will be implemented in an environment of changing social norms. The coming years will bring a return to office work, but only until the generation currently accustomed to hybrid work begins to perform high management positions. A decline in confidence related to the decline in the prestige of leaders, geopolitical instability and the unpredictability of climate change will also be of great importance for the labour market, which will translate into job insecurity, increased unrest and political polarisation. The use of automation and artificial intelligence will result in pressure on energy demand, and this will increase the importance of personnel specializing in green energy sources and scaling systems that allow it to be developed.

 

The authors of the report also point to significant challenges related to changes in business models: the maturity of enterprises will increase the pressure on succession processes in companies. This will be done with the awareness of the talent shortage, demographic decline, decline in professional activity and, as a result, economic uncertainty. Changes in the labour market will also be influenced by the decline in the role of higher education and the lack of ambition and motivation to act as leaders. These factors will result in a decrease in the number of personnel aspiring to take up managerial positions and perform leadership roles, and will affect the possibility of intergenerational transfer of knowledge and skills.

 

The presentation of the report was summarized in a debate of labour market experts. As he points out, Magdalena Białek, Strategic Account Leader at Manpower the key factors that the HR environment in Poland currently lives by were at the center of the conversations: The participants of the debate devoted a lot of space to the role of IT juniors, the shortage of experienced specialists and the impact of labour market regulations, including internships and forms of employment, on the availability of talent. Attention was drawn to a paradox: with rare participation in formal training, Poles learn intensively on its own, which supports economic growth. Experts also emphasized that in the age of artificial intelligence, HR with the ability to verify competencies is more important than ever. The participants unanimously assessed the meeting as substantive and inspiring, and the number of references to “AI” symbolically showed the scale of technological transformation.

 

As Maciej Kotarski, director of Olivia Centre, and one of the participants in the debate, emphasizes, one of the most noticeable trends in office work is currently the growing pressure to implement artificial intelligence solutions: These processes move from the experimentation phase to become part of business operations. There are growing expectations that AI-based solutions will become a source of key competitive advantages. Software companies report that their customers have high expectations for AI implementations even when there is no real need for it in a given company. Investments in people with skills to build and operate artificial intelligence are increasing, although the accuracy of many of the models currently available is low for the time being, and the number of errors requires constant human control. At the same time, exchanges are handsomely rewarding companies that are able to effectively and visibly implement AI, e.g. by reducing teams and cutting costs. This is even hitting tech companies and the software services sector, where new tools are making work redundant that recently required months of work by entire teams. Where the reductions are not spectacular, the number of job offers for juniors is decreasing. This process is increasingly reminiscent of technological revolutions, driving huge capital expenditures on infrastructure, data centers, and computing power – emphasizes Maciej Kotarski.

 

The Trends and Remuneration Report 2026 is available for download on the Manpower Polska website

SGH Open Day, Thinking Zone, Thinking InBusiness. Models. Decisions. The future

We invite you to a unique event! There are moments when education ceases to be just a transfer of knowledge. It becomes a conversation about the world – about how we understand the economy, how we make decisions and what happens when reality begins to overtake the models that were supposed to describe it. The SGH Open Day × Thinking Zone × Thinking InBusiness is just such a space. It is a meeting for young people facing the choice of further educational path, as well as for parents and teachers who want to better understand the changing world of economics, technology and competences of the future. Participants of the event will take part in lectures, talks and a discussion panel led by academic lecturers, researchers and business practitioners. It will be an opportunity to look at the modern economy from different perspectives; from the financial system and business models to the social consequences of technology development.

 

When and where do we see each other?

 

  • See you on April 1, at 9:30 a.m. at Olivia Sky Club | Olivia Tower | 12th floor | Olivia Centre
  • The event is free of charge. Registration required!

 

Who is this event for?

 

  • eighth-grade students,
  • high school students,
  • parents and all people interested in modern education,
  • teachers and school principals.

 

Event schedule

 

09:30 – 10:00 | Registration of
participantsWelcome guests and meet in the Olivia Sky Club space.

 

10:00 | Official opening of the event

 

10:00 – 11:30 | Keynote speech: “Money and its forms”
Lecturer: prof. Ph.D. Agnieszka Alińska, Warsaw School of Economics

Introduction to the role of money in the modern economy. Participants will learn about the process of money transformation – from cash to digital solutions – and learn about the importance of the financial system for the functioning of the market, the state and everyday economic decisions.

Form: lecture combined with mini-workshop.

 

11:30 – 11:45 | Break

 

11:45 – 12:30 | Practical application of business
modelsLecturer: Rafał Kołodziej, CEO of Greenhat Innovation, co-founder of FutureS Thinking Group

From economic models to decision models. A meeting dedicated to how companies and institutions are building models to support decision-making in a world of increasing complexity and uncertainty.

 

12:30 – 13:00 | Lunch break

 

13:00 – 13:30 | When models are no longer enough. Competence in the liminal world
Lecturer: Edyta Sadowska, PhD, strategic futurist, researcher and academic lecturer

A conversation about the world of transition – a time when the current framework is no longer enough and the future is not yet in a stable form. What competencies allow you to find yourself in the reality of constant change?

 

13:30 – 14:15 | From the economy of pleasure to the economy of
addictionEconomics like dopamine – how do companies take control of us?
Lecturer: Ada Florentyna Pawlak, PhD, technology anthropologist, lawyer and art historian, academic lecturer (SWPS University, AGH)

A reflection on the new logic of the digital economy, in which relationships, emotions and the ability to build engagement become a space for value creation.

 

14:15 – 14:20 | Short break

 

14:20 – 15:05 | Discussion panel

The main question: Is the bigger challenge of the modern economy the wrong decisions – or the wrong models on which these decisions are based?

 

15:05 – 15:30 | Thinking Zone Tour
Visiting the space of the Thinking Zone High School and the SGH Academic Class.

 

Sign up for the event

 

 

Why is it worth participating?

This event is an invitation to talk about how young people can prepare for a world that is constantly changing. Because the future does not belong to those who know all the answers. He is one of those who can ask the right questions.

 

Contact


hello@thinkingzone.pl+48 780 728 699

 

 

Sign up for the event

 

 

 

Sign up for the event

Here we go! Submit a project, team, or individual for the Olivia Prize 2025 competition!

Olivia Prize is a competition with a proud tradition. For the sixth time, we will recognize companies, teams, and individuals whose inspiring ideas are changing the world – both near and far. It has long been known that Olivia is home to creative people, full of passion, innovative ideas, and big hearts – so essential when it comes to social and charitable initiatives. The Olivia Prize competition was created to appreciate and highlight the outstanding activity of Olivia’s Residents who engage in many different fields, from business and economics, through ecology, to initiatives supporting others.

So now, take a moment to think back to 2025 and remember how much you have accomplished. And of course – submit your projects, your people, and your companies to the competition! The application form is simple.

 

Awards are granted for projects that are or were implemented in 2025. 

 

This year, we will award prizes in three categories:

  • Olivia Impact – this category is dedicated to economic initiatives and/or business projects carried out by a Resident company or entities within its group that contribute most significantly to business growth.
  • Olivia Harmony – this category is for social or environmental initiatives implemented by a Resident company or entities within its group, as well as by its employees or collaborators within the organization
  • Olivia Everyday Hero – this category recognizes individual employees and collaborators (our colleagues) who are socially engaged, carry out charitable projects beyond their professional duties, support the local community, and undertake initiatives deserving special recognition and appreciation, including those in the field of ecology

 

There will also be two special prizes:

  • Olivia Connect – a special award granted to business environment institutions that have a meaningful impact on Olivia’s Residents.
  • Olivia Hero of the Future – a special award granted to young scientists affiliated with a Tri-City university who can demonstrate achievements in R&D or in the commercialization of research results

 

You have until 30 March 2026 to submit your entry. Click and apply for the competition!
The official announcement of the results will take place on 30 March during a ceremonial gala.

 

The award ceremony will be held on 30 March at 5:00 PM on the 34th floor of Olivia Star. Our special guest will be Prof. Paweł Horodecki, an outstanding theoretical physicist and one of the founders of the Gdańsk school of quantum information science. Register for the event

 

Competition form

 

We are starting spring cleaning in Olivia!

Spring is coming, so we are starting a large-scale cleaning in Olivia! In the coming weeks, we will systematically refresh and tidy up common spaces – green areas, patios, garage halls, shower changing rooms and infrastructure around buildings. Winter did not spoil us, so there will be a lot to do:) Check here, because more information about our activities will be presented here.

 

What lies ahead in March?

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Cleaning up outdoor areas

 

From March 16 , we will start cleaning work on the outdoor area around Olivia’s office buildings. The works will primarily include the removal of road salt residues after the intense winter period and the cleaning of the entrances to the main buildings.

 

Of course, all activities will be carried out during the day, outside the morning and afternoon rush hours, to minimize possible difficulties. Building security will also take care of fencing off the area for the duration of the work, so that you feel comfortable and safe.

 

The estimated time of completion of all works is about two weeks.

 

Repair of the surface of the upper car park B


On Friday, March 20 , we will start repairing the asphalt surface in the upper car park B. The works will last until late in the evening on Saturday, March 21, with the possibility of extending them on Sunday, March 22.


To enable the renovation works to be carried out efficiently, the upper car park B will be closed to users on Thursday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m.

 

Please do not park your vehicles in the upper car park B on the indicated dates: from Thursday, March 19 from 7:00 p.m. to Sunday, March 22 at 09:00. Lower car park B remains at your disposal during this time. The entrance to the lower car park B will take place from Marii Janion Street (former Bażyńskiego). On the above dates, the barriers of the lower car park will be raised.

We park only in the lower car park B (green)

 

Entrance from Marii Janion Street, turn into Marii Janion Street from Grunwaldzka Avenue.


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Cleaning in bicycle changing rooms


The next action will take place on March 26-28 (Thursday-Saturday) – then we will carry out a general cleaning and refreshment of the bicycle changing rooms.

 


We ask that all private belongings, such as shoes or towels, be hidden in your lockers by March 25 (Wednesday) at the latest. Items left outside the lockers will be taken by us and disposed of.

 

During the works, the bicycle changing rooms will be temporarily closed. We ask for your understanding and patience. This is a temporary inconvenience, and the result, we hope, will be dazzling.

 

This is just the beginning of our spring activities. In the coming weeks, we are planning further cleaning and refreshment work in various parts of Olivia. We will keep you informed about the details, and there will be more specific actions, because we want Olivia to look as good as possible with spring.