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Page Executive - A Guide To Salaries - Trends - 2023
Page Executive - A Guide To Salaries - Trends - 2023
SALARIES &
TRENDS 2023
Index
1. INTRODUCTION................................................................3
10. INDUSTRY.......................................................................22
14. RETAIL............................................................................30
15. FMCG..............................................................................32
2022 was a year of dynamic changes in the Polish economy. While for some sectors it was primarily a time for
development, other industries experienced more and more challenges with each passing month. Unprecedented
increases in prices of raw materials and energy, for instance, have caused serious difficulties for many companies.
Operating costs of enterprises increased as well, and inflation reached a level unseen for over two decades.
High inflation was accompanied by pressure to increase salaries. In a situation of business uncertainty, companies
usually couldn’t meet the financial expectations of their employees. Pay rises, which, as a rule, did not compensate
for the increase in prices, were mainly granted to people in specialist and senior positions, including middle
management.
Base salaries at the top management level changed slightly. However, in order to attract the best candidates,
organisations in some sectors have revised their bonus policies and LTI programs. As a result, candidates applying
for top managerial positions could count on more attractive remuneration packages than the previous year.
The advantages of Polish top managers – extensive education, extensive professional experience and a positive
attitude to challenges – were increasingly noticed and appreciated by international companies at that time. Therefore,
there were more organisations looking for candidates for regional and global positions in Poland.
Employers recruiting Top Executives emphasised the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The development
of the DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) area in organisations was reflected, for example, in the pursuit of greater
balance between representatives of both sexes - at the board level or even in all managerial positions. Especially in
large, international companies, positions related to this area were also created.
During this period, the largest organisations also created structures responsible for ESG (Environmental, Social, and
Governance). Its importance in large companies has consistently increased due to new requirements in the field of
non-financial reporting established by EU institutions and the changing expectations of customers, employees and
investors.
All these trends and phenomena are discussed in more detail, in relation to specific industries, later in this
publication. We also present remuneration for top managerial positions in organisations operating on the Polish
market. The data contained in the guide are for illustrative purposes only. If you are interested in more detailed
information on remuneration in individual sectors or in specific groups of positions, don’t hesitate to contact
Page Executive Partners.
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METHODOLOGY
Our salary and trends analysis benchmarks profiles on Start-ups, SME & Blue-Chip
organisations with salary data until end of 2022 and bonus figures released in 2023
across the entire territory of Poland. The survey information comes from our data-
base, various search engine assignments and personal interviews from our recruiting
Partners with years of experience within the Polish market. To make this document
useful for you, we have not included 15% of the highest and lowest salary levels we
have encountered on the market.
MARKET TRENDS
AGNIESZKA KULIKOWSKA
SENIOR PARTNER &
GLOBAL DE&I
AMBASSADORS HEAD
The DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) area, also known as D&I or I&D, covers all processes in organisations
that lead to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These issues are not new in the business world,
but their importance has visibly increased in recent years. This is evidenced by the fact that only recently
companies started to create separate positions the responsibility of which is exclusively the DE&I area.
Initiatives in this area are caused by the need to act in accordance with the values fostered by organisations
and their employees. Potential economic benefits could be an additional incentive for enterprises. Research
conducted in the CEE region shows that gender diversity in top management positions helps achieve better
financial results. According to McKinsey, companies with greater gender equality in senior positions are
26% more likely to earn above-average profits than those with the fewest or no female executives.
In the case of listed companies, greater gender diversity at the top management level will soon be not
only economically justified, but also required by law. The EU directive, the content of which has already
been negotiated by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, provides for specific
requirements regarding the number of women in management positions in Polish listed companies with
over 250 employees. From the end of June 2026, at least 40% of supervisory board members are to be
women. Alternatively, women will have to account for at least 33% of the total number of management
board and supervisory board members.
In most cases it isn’t necessary to convince the largest global organisations that are already leaders
of change in the DE&I area to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Page Executive is also actively
developing the DE&I area within its own structures. The company has groups that integrate and support
employees who share certain characteristics or life experience – Women@Page, Unity@Page (inclusion in
terms of ethnic origin), Pride@Page (LGBTQ+ people), Family@Page.
In addition, Page Executive consultants promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in their recruitment
processes. In the event of a clear dominance of a particular group of candidates, or in a situation where
all candidates represent one group, consultants usually present to employers at least two people from an
underrepresented group. In order to encourage employers to employ people with different characteristics
than usual, consultants also present to clients candidates with profiles that differ from the original
candidate profile (so-called wild card candidates).
As the Leader of the Global Network of DE&I Ambassadors at Page Executive, I am proud of our commitment
to promoting women’s leadership. Since I’m a board member of Campaign Against Homophobia, the
largest organisation supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Poland, we also engage in many activities
related to this topic.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
JAKUB GRABOWSKI
ASSOCIATE PARTNER
INDUSTRY, ESG
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is an area that plays an increasingly important role in
business every year. Companies significantly increase their commitment to sustainable development,
responding to the expectations of customers, employees and investors.
The requirements imposed by international financial institutions also contribute to the growing importance
of ESG. Organisations applying for funds for the implementation of their projects must be fully transparent
now and disclose climate-related financial information. Large-scale investments made as part of the
ongoing energy transformation are particularly noteworthy. The participation of financial institutions in
such ventures, among other things, depends on compliance with reporting requirements.
Further development of the ESG area will certainly be influenced by the extension of the non-financial
reporting obligation. As stipulated in the CSRD directive adopted in November by the European Parliament,
from 2024 the group of organisations covered by this obligation will systematically increase. The companies
that meet the criteria described in the directive will have to publish information about their sustainability
policies and activities. The requirements in this regard are described in the so-called Taxonomy, a legal
act of the European Union specifying which investments are environmentally friendly.
In order to meet all the requirements related to financial and non-financial reporting, relevant information
from many areas of an organisation have to be obtained. Therefore, employees recruited for positions
related to ESG are skilled in information acquisition and synthesis, as well as change management and
engagement building. Even in the largest organisations, the teams responsible for this area are usually
small and work on a project basis.
People responsible for the ESG area have a real impact on operational activities, which is why they must
have an appropriate position in organisations. More and more large, global companies create the position
of ESG Manager. Given the scale of the challenges, it is recommended that the person in this position work
directly with the management of the organisation.
In Polish conditions, the ESG area is still at an early stage of development, which is why the standards
regarding the salary level and the names of positions have not yet been fully developed. Information in
this regard is updated and analyzed on an ongoing basis, and recruitment projects carried out by Page
Executive consultants are an important source of data.
Head of Sustainability /
28 000 35 000 45 000 18%-25% No
Sustainability Director
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
SALARY TRENDS
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
SECTOR TRENDS
With each year, the CFO role becomes more and more strategic in many organisations. It was no different
in recent months - CFOs were expected to help create company strategies. Thanks to wide access to data,
CFOs could also effectively influence the initiatives of other board members.
In almost all organisations, CFOs faced the consequences of tax changes and high inflation during this
period. For manufacturing companies, higher prices of raw materials and energy were an additional
challenge. In such circumstances, the CFO’s ability to anticipate the further course of economic processes
increased in importance, and the key task for CFOs was to optimise costs.
CFOs, apart from people responsible for technology in organisations, were also leaders of changes in
the field of process digitization in companies. They often supervised creation of data warehouses and
the implementation of Business Intelligence solutions. For this reason, organisations recruiting for the
position of CFO expected candidates to have experience in this area.
As a rule, companies made sure that their CFOs were satisfied with their role in the organisation, which
is why the level of openness of CFOs to the prospect of changing jobs was moderate at that time. Still, the
prospect of interesting challenges could persuade the candidate to accept the job offer. The brand and
stability of the employer were also important in the recruitment process.
SALARY TRENDS
Salary increases in the CFO position depended on the condition of the company. If no increases were possible or
when such increases were unsatisfactory given the level of inflation, financial directors could count on annual
bonuses or LTI (Long Term Incentives), the value of which increased by approximately 20% year-to-year.
In the last several months, the minimum salary rates offered to candidates for the position of CFO have visibly
increased. Relatively small increases were recorded in the case of the most frequently offered salaries, and
the highest salaries remained, as a rule, almost at the same level.
Due to the increasing waiting time for company cars, the benefit covering the costs of using a vehicle for
business purposes (car allowance) has gained in popularity.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
SECTOR TRENDS
In 2022, the belief in the strategic role of HR in organisations was further strengthened. During this period,
the ability of many enterprises to operate efficiently and uninterruptedly depended on the quality of HR
departments and their ability to adapt quickly to new trends.
Regardless of the sector, HR directors faced a salary pressure. Few organisations were in a position
favourable enough to be able to offer employees pay rises fully compensating for inflation. Therefore,
HR leaders faced a challenging task because they had to create a satisfactory offer for employees and
candidates. HR directors in the transport and manufacturing sectors faced challenges in the field of
recruitment and retention. The difficulties in this case resulted not only from the inflation, but also from
the outflow of Ukrainian employees.
Given the scale of challenges in the HR and payroll area, organisations required from candidates for the
position of HR director not only high qualifications in the so-called “soft” HR, but also good knowledge of
salary and labour law issues. The demand for change management skills has also increased significantly.
While only a few years ago this was only an additional advantage in the recruitment process, in recent
times almost every organisation has required such skills from directors.
Candidates for the position of HR director highlighted the nature of the challenges ahead and preferred
those organisations that planned to implement HR development projects. They also expected the new
employer to provide the possibility of remote work in a certain amount of time. Over time, this opportunity
has become an integral part of the package offered to the candidate.
Another phenomenon worth noting consists in offering regional and global positions to Polish HR directors.
2022 is another year in which an increase in the number of recruitments for such positions was noticeable.
SALARY TRENDS
In the past year, a significant increase in salaries of HR directors was observed - by 15-20% compared to
the previous year.
In the case of candidates for the position of HR director, the minimum and most frequently offered salary
rates increased. The highest rates remained unchanged in most cases.
Candidates expected a bonus of 20-30% of their annual salary during this period.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
**By Group, we mean oversight over all entities of a large Group or a Regional role (EMEA, CEE, etc) or a Global role
SECTOR TRENDS
In 2022, the Polish IT sector continued to develop. Investors continued to create and expand teams responsible
for software development and cybersecurity. There were many recruitments in which foreign companies
that did not have their own structures in our country were looking for talents in Poland.
Many companies on the market were looking for candidates for the positions of CIOs and IT Managers.
Companies that moved their offices from Ukraine and Belarus joined the group of companies conducting
C-level recruitment. In international organisations, the trend consisting in transferring IT positions with
regional or global responsibility to Poland was still observed.
During this period, an important area on the list of priorities of top management representatives from the IT
sector was cybersecurity. Its importance has visibly increased due to the spread of remote work and cloud
solutions becoming more popular. The hacker attacks that Polish companies experienced in connection with
the outbreak of war in Ukraine were also significant in this context.
In addition to cybersecurity, areas such as Big Data, software development and artificial intelligence (AI) also
developed dynamically during this period. An important trend in the context of technological development
has become, among other things, the increase in demand of production companies for solutions related to
ESG - one of the challenges for CIOs in such enterprises was supply chain optimisation.
For IT recruitment participants, the technologies used by the future employer and potential projects in which
they will participate were of great importance. From the candidates’ point of view, the possibility to create
solutions that have an impact on end users was particularly attractive.
Employers more and more often included Diversity & Inclusion issues in their recruitment processes. For
example, clients asked their recruitment companies to provide lists of candidates taking into account gender
parity. These trends are also visible at the level of top management recruitment in the area of technology.
SALARY TRENDS
In 2022, a further increase in salaries in IT was observed, both in specialist and top management positions.
However, the percentage increase in CIO and CTO salaries was lower than in the case of specialist positions.
TECHNOLOGY / DIGITAL
MIN BASE OFFERED MAX BASE ANNUAL TREND
POSITION SALARY MOST OFTEN SALARY BONUS
LTI*
Chief Technology / Chief Information Officer 82,000 115,000 230,000 20-80% Yes
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
AGNIESZKA KULIKOWSKA
SENIOR PARTNER &
GLOBAL DE&I
AMBASSADORS HEAD
SECTOR TRENDS
Polish management in the SSC/BPO sector has acquired significant strategic competences in recent
years. As a result, for several years we have been observing an increase in the number of recruitments for
regional and global positions in our country, and recently global recruitments have become as frequent as
those that concern only Europe.
The trend consisting in transferring international positions to Poland was clearly visible, for example in
the area of finance, IT or consulting. In this respect, Polish cities have become competitors of European
metropolises, where candidates for regional positions with strategic responsibility were traditionally
recruited. Organisations operating in many European countries recruited top managers responsible for
finance not only in cities such as London, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam, but also in Warsaw and Krakow.
The fact that candidates for regional and global positions were sought in Poland even by those organisations
that do not yet have their own business service centres here shows that the reputation of Polish managers
in this sector is very high. Recruitments were carried out in areas such as operations, marketing, finance,
and procurement. Polish employees recruited this way can work remotely and don’t have to relocate.
Polish top managers in the SSC/BPO sector are no longer satisfied with executive roles in their organisations.
There are more and more top managers willing to have more power, including responsibility for shaping
the company strategy.
Poland, as a country that is already playing an important role in the SSC/BPO sector, has the potential
needed to attract further investments in the coming months. Business service centres generate significant
savings and the opportunity to standardise processes that companies from many industries are currently
looking for.
SALARY TRENDS
A high dynamics of salary increases was observed in the highest positions in the GBS/SSC/BPO sector.
Therefore, the difference in earnings between representatives of top management from Poland and
Western Europe is decreasing, although it is still visible.
Head of Global Business Services Center** 90,000 141,000 230,000 20-60% Yes
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
** - center with multifunctional, complex processes
*** - center with one or small amount of functions, transactional processes
**** - functions can include finance, operations, marketing, procurement and other
SECTOR TRENDS
In 2022, the rising energy costs and the costs of raw materials for production were a serious challenge
for the Polish industry. In both cases, prices increased so dynamically that companies that had previously
accepted orders for their products often had to sell them below production costs. As a result, the
demand of companies for process improvement skills increased. Managing directors and plant directors
recruited at that time were expected, among other things, to: optimise production and implement Lean
Management principles.
Assuming that knowledge of the industry will help achieve the above-mentioned goals, the companies
sought candidates mainly among the management staff of competing entities. However, the greatest
recruitment successes were often achieved by the organisations that revised their recruitment policies
and opened up to employees of companies from other sectors. Thanks to a different perspective on
particular issues, they were able to improve the way the company operates and its results.
For the first time, there was no shortage of representatives of the automotive industry among those
willing to change their job. This phenomenon was due to the unprecedented scale of challenges faced
by the management staff of companies in this sector since the beginning of the pandemic. However,
candidates from the automotive industry, known for its exemplary production organisation and supply
chain, may have experienced difficulties in companies that use less advanced solutions on a daily basis.
On the other hand, companies found it difficult to meet the financial expectations of these candidates,
who were used to higher salaries than those normally offered by other sectors.
Recruitment processes in the manufacturing industry were more time-consuming than before. That’s
because employers needed to make sure that their choices were correct even more. A novelty in the
area of recruitment were positions related to ESG, for instance Energy efficiency managers. Although
such positions are, as a rule, outside the management board, the persons responsible for this area
usually play an important role.
SALARY TRENDS
The basic salary of directors of production plants increased by about 10%, and that of CEOs - by 5-10%.
Organisations also appreciated representatives of top management if their expected result were achieved:
annual bonuses amounted to 25-40% of the annual salary. Moreover, LTI programs more and more often
covered representatives of the management staff who were not board members.
INDUSTRY
MIN BASE OFFERED MAX BASE ANNUAL TREND
POSITION SALARY MOST OFTEN SALARY BONUS
LTI*
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
MARTA GROCHAL
SENIOR PARTNER &
HEAD OF PAGE EXECUTIVE
POLAND & BALTICS
SECTOR TRENDS
After a very successful 2021 for the transport and logistics industry, there came a time to face numerous
challenges. Many aspects of their functioning were affected by the war in Ukraine. It resulted in rising
fuel prices, which translated into a sharp increase in the operating costs of enterprises. Ukrainian
citizens returned to their country and companies had to face a shortage of drivers.
The international situation has also affected the warehouse logistics sector. In the face of a potential
slowdown, warehouse developers suspended their investments, and attempts to lease existing facilities
were not always successful. As a result, warehouse owners launched numerous recruitment processes
for commercial departments.
Recruitment in other sectors were frequent as well, including Top Executives. However, due to the
change of priorities of companies from the transport and logistics industry, the profiles of candidates
changed. Organisations wanted to employ proactive people who think strategically and could be efficient
in managing individual areas of the company’s operations in the face of a potential downturn. As a result
of the progressing automation, candidates with knowledge of systems and their implementation, such
as WMS or TMS, were in high demand.
In a time dominated by changes, the focus of the transport and logistics industry on the area of sustainable
development remained unchanged. In the past year, companies were still looking for solutions which
would allow them to meet restrictive standards, e.g. in the field of greenhouse gas emissions.
SALARY TRENDS
The candidates expected to be included in the LTI (Long Term Incentives), which would include, for
example, stock options.
During this difficult period for the industry, recruitment participants needed a sense of security. This explains
why they were more willing to accept job offers from large entities with significant financial resources.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
MARTA GROCHAL
SENIOR PARTNER &
HEAD OF PAGE EXECUTIVE
POLAND & BALTICS
SECTOR TRENDS
2022 was a year of progressive digitalisation of the sector, which improved the cooperation of companies
with the medical community. The development of remote forms of communication significantly accelerated
the process of exchanging information, e.g. on drug reimbursement. This is a key issue for producers, who
in recent months have intensified their effort to obtain and extend the reimbursment period.
The international situation had a great influence on the condition of pharmaceutical companies in this
period. Due to the limited availability of intermediate products necessary for the production of medicines,
reorganisation of the supply chain has become a priority for enterprises. Companies strengthened their
competences not only in this area, but also in production planning. Despite the efforts made by the
manufacturers, production efficiency was still a problem. These difficulties persuaded companies to look
for contract manufacturing organisations that would increase their production capacity.
At the same time, companies continued to downsize their commercial departments. This trend was
visible primarily in the most innovative companies. It was accompanied by an increase in the number
of recruitments for positions such as Medical Science Liaison and Medical Advisor, and more and more
advanced medical knowledge was required from candidates. A change in the approach to the role of
medical departments was also noticeable. Currently, they are expected to be more proactive in activities
supporting business, and the management staff is required to be open to this type of transformation.
Every year, more and more organisations from this sector intend to establish their regional hubs in Poland.
Poland’s strengths are primarily: relatively low operating costs and competence potential, as evidenced
by the growing number of recruitments for regional and global positions which took place in Poland.
SALARY TRENDS
The salary system based on a basic salary and an annual bonus was no longer satisfactory for candidates.
Therefore, organisations began to revise their policies regarding LTI (Long Term Incentives) programs,
until recently reserved only for top management. There are more and more companies that include people
from outside the management board in such a program or are considering it.
MEDICAL DEVICES
MIN BASE OFFERED MAX BASE ANNUAL TREND
POSITION SALARY MOST OFTEN SALARY BONUS
LTI*
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
MARTA GROCHAL
SENIOR PARTNER &
HEAD OF PAGE EXECUTIVE
POLAND & BALTICS
SECTOR TRENDS
The first half of the year was very successful for the e-commerce industry in Poland. The sector continued to
develop dynamically, and in anticipation of further, significant growth, organisations were actively looking
for new employees. However, high inflation and international events had an impact on the condition of
companies. Rising prices prompted customers to save not only in brick-and-mortar shops, but also when
shopping online. As a result, although the sector continued to grow, the ambitious business goals set at the
beginning of the year could not be achieved. Forecasts for the coming months also suggest a slowdown.
In response to these trends, some marketplace platforms limited or suspended recruitment, and
sometimes even downsized. Their salary policy also changed, and salaries ceased to grow at the pace
known from the pandemic period.
Companies focused on increasing their processes efficiency, including marketing campaigns, to an even
greater extent than before. Therefore, performance marketers capable of anticipating the extent to which
funds allocated to specific activities will translate into benefits were sought. The demand for people with
skills in this area was greater than the number of available candidates.
At the C level, Chief Growth Officers (CGO), whose job is to prepare the company for potential growth,
increased in importance. Companies were also looking for candidates for the position of Chief Operating
Officer (COO), who is expected to scale up the organisation in the operational area.
SALARY TRENDS
In the recent period, salaries of the top management staff continued to grow, although it was not a
substantial rise. As far as salaries are concerned, the top management was mainly interested in bonuses
and LTI (Long Term Incentives).
In spite of unexpected difficulties in the e-commerce sector, the demand for employees with appropriate
skills was still significant. The financial expectations of candidates, however, remained adequate to their
negotiating position.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
SECTOR TRENDS
In the first half of the year the retail industry was in good condition, although there were already signs
of a slowdown and limiting purchases by consumers. One of the key challenges for top managers was to
maintain the margin at an optimal level in the face of increasingly high inflation. Companies needed to develop
solutions that would allow them to achieve a satisfactory financial result without losing their customers.
The key to success was further development of the omnichannel strategy, assuming integration of various
sales channels. Companies willing to provide their customers with the best shopping experience, and thus
achieve market success, built their competences in this area or improved the implemented tools.
Investments also covered the area of customer service. In this way, organisations tried not only to retain
customers, but also to regain those who chose the offer of their competitors. This translated into an increase
in the number of recruitments for regional and global positions related to customer service in business
service centres. The demand for skills in data analysis related to consumer behaviour trends also increased.
Such trends include greater interest in sustainable development, including the impact of their purchasing
decisions on the environment. Greater expectations of customers in this area is one of the factors
accelerating the development of the ESG area in many organisations. In retail companies, there are more
and more positions related to sustainable development, and Chief Sustainability Officers more and more
often become board members. Enterprises that did not attach sufficient importance to the above-mentioned
issues experienced difficulties both in relations with customers and in the recruitment process. Candidates,
to a greater extent than before, required companies to be committed to sustainable development.
there are more and more positions related to sustainable development, and Chief Sustainability Officers
more and more often become board members. Enterprises that did not attach sufficient importance to the
above-mentioned issues experienced difficulties both in relations with customers and in the recruitment
process. Candidates, to a greater extent than before, required companies to be committed to sustainable
development.
SALARY TRENDS
In 2022, the financial expectations of candidates grew, but the key issue was no longer the basic salary.
LTI programs were more popular because the employee’s contribution to the organisation translates
into earnings.
RETAIL
MIN BASE OFFERED MAX BASE ANNUAL TREND
POSITION SALARY MOST OFTEN SALARY BONUS
LTI*
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
MARTA GROCHAL
SENIOR PARTNER &
HEAD OF PAGE EXECUTIVE
POLAND & BALTICS
SECTOR TRENDS
After the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the scale of challenges for the FMCG industry turned out to be
greater than during the pandemic. High fuel prices translated into a sharp rise in supply chain costs.
Moreover, the increase in energy prices was unprecedented. Companies also faced the consequences
of a shortage of raw materials, the prices of which also increased significantly.
Automation was supposed to be the answer to the mounting problems. Investments in this area were
made even before the pandemic. However, they accelerated significantly in recent months, when
optimisation of production lines and supply chains has become crucial for enterprises. During this
period, the demand for performance management skills increased. Companies were also looking for
people specialising in implementation of systems such as SAP, WMS or TMS - advanced tools supporting
the management of individual areas of the company’s activity.
As the need for automation became even stronger, the importance of Chief Data Officers increased.
Whereas before the pandemic CDOs were not board members, in recent months it has become an
increasingly frequent phenomenon.
During this period, companies from the FMCG sector needed innovative people who could think
strategically and act efficiently in the face of numerous challenges. Due to dynamic changes, people
recruited for top positions were also expected to be able to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
Candidates for the positions of Top Executives, however, paid particular attention to the company’s
activities in the area of sustainable development, often making their further participation in recruitment
dependent on this aspect. As always, candidates were also interested in: the employer’s brand, the
company’s organisational culture and the nature of potential challenges in the new workplace.
SALARY TRENDS
In 2022, salaries in the FMCG industry could be increased mainly in the case of people responsible for
supply chains and purchasing (direct and indirect), as well as for the area of operational transformation.
Candidates more and more often expected that they would be included in LTI (long term incentives)
programs. In such circumstances, bonuses were no longer important.
FMCG
MIN BASE OFFERED MAX BASE ANNUAL TREND
POSITION SALARY MOST OFTEN SALARY BONUS
LTI*
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
SECTOR TRENDS
In 2022, the digital transformation of the banking sector continued. The range of services available in online
and mobile banking was expanded. At the same time, companies strengthened the technological skills
of their teams and employed candidates from IT and e-commerce sectors. Employers were particularly
interested in candidates specialising in implementation of cloud solutions, Business Intelligence or Big
Data tools, as well as people with high qualifications in cyber security. Experts in digital marketing could
not complain about the lack of job offers either.
The development of banks in the digital world was accompanied by a further decrease in the number of
branches. People with experience in banking and good knowledge of foreign languages pursued their
professional careers, for example, in dynamically developing business service centres. Bank employees
also enjoyed the interest of loan companies and companies from the FinTech sector, which are still
professionalising and operating between finance and new technologies. In particular, people specialising
in corporate affairs, compliance, risk and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) issues were highly valued.
As in other industries, also in the broadly understood financial sector, there were more organisations looking for
employees in Poland for Top Executive positions in the region or on a global scale - Global Finance Director, Global
Marketing Director or Global Procurement Director. When choosing between candidates from different countries,
employers more and more often entrusted these positions to people from Poland. An important advantage of
Polish top managers is the experience gained from working for banks that are among the most innovative in
Europe, especially for dynamic and constantly developing fintechs and for international organisations as part of
their global business service centres.
It can be expected that the trend consisting in employing Polish candidates in global positions will continue and in
the coming years positions with full strategic responsibility, such as CIO or COO, will also be transferred to Poland.
SALARY TRENDS
In 2022, salaries for top managerial positions increased. In many institutions, pay rises resulted from
contractual provisions that provide for annual indexation of salary by the inflation rate. Top managers in
the area of new technologies could count on the highest salary increases.
Due to the increasing waiting time for company cars, the benefit covering the costs of using a vehicle for
business purposes (car allowance) has gained in popularity.
Annual gross remuneration based on contract of employment [EUR]. Exchange rate [PLN] to [EUR]: 4,5.
*LTI - Long Term Incentive: stock, stock options, cash, additional incentive schemes, typically vested over a period of a number of years.
PARTNERS
PAWEŁ WIERZBICKI
Senior Partner, Page Executive Austria, CEE, Germany
Finance & Private Equity
Email: PawelWierzbicki@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 667 996 993
MARTA GROCHAL
Senior Partner & Head of Page Executive Poland & Baltics
Consumer Goods & E-Commerce, Life Sciences, Industry
Email: MartaGrochal@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 605 600 490
AGNIESZKA KULIKOWSKA
Senior Partner, Page Executive, Global DE&I Ambassadors Head
Technology, Financial Services, Business Services
Email: AgnieszkaKulikowska@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 667 867 774
EWA JAKUBIAK
Partner
Financial Services, Finance, Technology, Industry
Email: EwaJakubiak@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 798 506 926
MICHAŁ STAROŚCIAK
Partner
Finance, People & Culture
Email: MichalStarosciak@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 691 166 377
AGNIESZKA TYMOSZYK
Associate Partner
People & Culture, Legal, IT
Email: AgnieszkaTymoszyk@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 573 790 228
JAKUB GRABOWSKI
Associate Partner
Industry, ESG
Email: JakubGrabowski@pageexecutive.com
Phone: +48 695 655 877