Rewriting people strategy for Poland’s tight and fast changing labour market

Poland’s labour market is tight, fast and increasingly focused on skills. Candidates look for clear purpose, growth and a positive experience from application to onboarding. Employers compete for technical specialists and leaders as well as functional experts who can connect their know‑how with digital tools. To succeed, organisations should combine technology with the human touch, invest in future skills, and build teams where experience and curiosity work together.

At AstraZeneca Poland, our approach is shaped by culture and capability. We use AI‑enabled tools in recruitment and workforce planning with transparency and clear rules, and we keep people at the centre – candidate experience, psychological safety and inclusion matter. We watch market signals and adapt quickly. We educate managers on what’s changing and reinforce accountability, curiosity and continuous learning.

Demographics are shifting. Fewer young people are entering the workforce, and the average age is rising. We see experience as an asset and build multigenerational teams where learning flows both ways. Our Career 2.0 programme supports mature professionals – often with 15/20+ years of experience who want a new chapter, including a move into pharma and life sciences. It is a paid, 12‑month internship that benefits both sides; candidates reskill and upskill for future‑ready roles; we gain sound judgement, stakeholder skills and stability. Alongside the Working in Science Internship Programme and Career Starter, it shows our commitment to talent at every career stage and a culture of lifelong learning and respect.

Technology is reshaping HR and everyday work. AI helps us source, screen and plan, while automation changes tasks in finance, administration and customer service. Our culture guides how we adopt these tools. We focus on explainability, bias checks, data minimisation and human‑in‑the‑loop reviews, because trust is as important as speed. We frame skills around curiosity and impact – data literacy, digital fluency and AI‑enabled work are shared capabilities for everyone. Learning paths and communities of practice help colleagues build skills and apply them in real work.

We design hiring and development for a multigenerational workforce. We value skills and outcomes over linear CVs. Onboarding covers language, culture and role clarity for people at different life stages. Progression paths help colleagues feel they belong beyond the first year. Mentoring runs both ways, connecting early‑career colleagues with seasoned professionals. We train hiring managers to recognise mature talent, reduce bias, and lead with empathy and clarity. This strengthens retention, productivity and resilience – and reflects our culture of inclusion and performance.

Trust and clarity are central. We keep processes transparent, communication open, and development paths accessible, so people understand why change is happening and have tools to act. When we roll out AI tools, we pair them with manager and team education, so technology truly supports people and performance. Candidates and employees can see that our decisions follow our values and that our direction is clear and consistent.

Poland is moving towards a skills‑based, higher‑expectation economy. Employers should rebalance talent portfolios, value experienced professionals, build digital and AI skills, and create inclusive systems that earn trust. At AstraZeneca Poland, we combine technology with the human touch, invest in learning, educate managers on the new reality, and scale programmes like Career 2.0 to harness mature expertise. People who connect experience with new tools will be well placed to find roles, make transitions and support sustainable growth in a dynamic Polish market.