Modern business services market – the heart of Poznań's business success

According to the latest report on the business services sector, prepared in cooperation between Investor Relations Department of the City of Poznań, Cpl Poland and Colliers, more than 145 modern services companies are stationed in Poznań. The biggest growth of the sector took place between 2017 and 2022. Within a few years, the number of employees and workers increased by more than 10,000. Poznań centres started to take on more complex, knowledge-based processes, so the demand for highly qualified staff increased.

How to catch the attention of new investors when all has been said? The dynamically developing modern services sector means not only new opportunities but also challenges. In search of an answer to this question, the publication "The Poznań experience! Business services sector in Poznań – analysis, challenges, and trends". Nearly 500 employees provided comprehensive answers, which served as the basis for the analysis.

Thanks to the report, it is possible to find out that SSC (shared service centres) predominate among the 146 companies, accounting for almost 30%. BPO accounts for almost 15% of all companies and R&D almost 12%. More and more companies from the IT sector are also appearing in the capital of Wielkopolska. In 27% of the companies investing in Poznań, the capital belongs to those from Poland, in just under 23% it is of German origin and just over 13% are American companies. These countries make up the top three in terms of the origin of capital.

Foreign languages are key to Poznań's success

The business services sector also pays great attention to foreign languages. As a university city, around 50 foreign languages can be learned in Poznań. This makes the city attractive to investors, who are able to find potential employees and workers familiar with niche languages such as Hebrew or Arabic. One noteworthy example is Next Technology at FlexDev, where a dedicated Hebrew-language customer service team has been set up.

The modern services sector is also looking for people to work among students of finance and IT. As a result, universities, recognising the potential of the sector, are not only creating new majors in language studies but are also expanding their offer of studies in economics, banking or information technology.

Investor Relations Department also provides opportunities for the cooperation of academic and business environments, cooperating on a daily basis with the university Career Office as well as with Poznań's universities. In addition, the return of the BPO/SSC week initiative is in the near future. As part of the initiative, secondary school students participate in exchanges with industry companies. They first attend a lecture given by a company representative and then visit the company's premises during a specially prepared open door.

– According to investors, the intellectual potential, the academic nature of Poznań, and cooperation with universities determine its choice as a location for businesses. In response, we are seeking to promote the sector to students and deepen cooperation with Poznań universities. We connect the worlds of science and business, organise events together and participate jointly in projects that promote the economic potential of Poznań – says Katja Ložina, Head of Investor Relations Department at Poznań City Hall.

There are 24 higher education institutions in Poznań with more than 102,000 students, including around 7,000 foreign students, and almost 25,000 successful graduates. This is a very important asset for the City and potential investors, who do not have to worry about finding qualified staff.

Solutions meeting the new needs of both investors and candidates

– 87% of our survey respondents indicated that Poznań is a good place to work and develop professionally. 81% of the respondents confirmed that the labour market in Poznań is attractive, and 85% of the respondents would recommend Poznań as a place to work. But that’s not all – cost of living in Poznań is lower than Warsaw, Kraków or Wrocław. Both from the perspective of an employee and an investor, the constantly developing market of modern office space is a magnet that attracts people to the City. Every year, modern office complexes are built in various parts of the city. Thanks to the diverse and attractive offer of the local real estate market, the City can offer solutions that meet the new needs of both investors and candidates – comments Anna Mastalerz, Division Manager ML & Business Services at Cpl Poland.

Demand for office space is constantly growing, which is being noticed by development companies. Recently, another phase of the Nowy Rynek complex by developer SKANSKA was completed in Poznań. It is a modern office space currently housing four buildings, next to which a common area exists. Employees in the complex can go to green oases for relaxation, use bicycle racks and repair points, as well as shops and service outlets. The architecture is also enhanced by the surrounding parks and the historic buildings of the Wilda district.

– Demand for offices is returning to the Poznań market. Companies are increasingly looking for places that offer recreational spaces, fitness facilities, relaxation zones, as well as access to natural light and greenery. Tenants are also looking for buildings with green certifications, such as LEED and BREEAM, which ensure high energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact. The introduction of hybrid working models has also led to an increased interest in offices that allow a flexible transition between remote and office work, providing the necessary tools and infrastructure. There are also new challenges in 2023. Among the key ones are the increasing constraints on raising finance for new office developments, rising construction costs and the need to seek savings from due to increases in energy prices – both for tenants and office building owners – concludes Sebastian Bedekier, Associate Director at Colliers.

The urban fabric of Poznań will also be enriched by the Andersia Silver skyscraper being developed by developer Von der Heyden Group. It will be the tallest building on the city map to date, rising to 117 metres high! Located in the very centre of the city, known as the "Poznań Manhattan", it will provide as much as 40,000 m2 of space. In addition to modern and comfortable office space, there will also be plenty of relaxation zones. At the same time, the great availability of retail and service outlets will be ap preciated by employees and workers. Just opposite the skyscraper is the iconic Stary Browar shopping centre, hailed as one of the most beautiful in all of Europe.

Not just for business

In the published report, there is no shortage of statistics indicating the opinions of citizens of Poznań about the high percentage of satisfaction with the standard of living in the capital of Wielkopolska. The surveyed group comes from many age categories, and finds itself in different social roles, but is united by the most important thing – Poznań.

In all age groups, more than 50% of those surveyed agreed with the statement that Poznań is a good place to live. The most important argument motivating the decision to live in the City is education. This is yet another indication of Poznań's academic spirit and the high level of development offered to prospective employees. Almost 90% of people agreed that the educational opportunities offered here are of a good range.

– The results of the study in the context of education, the labour market, quality of life and the sense of security show that Poznań is a very attractive city both for living and professional development. It is not surprising that nearly 71% of the responders would recommend Poznań to others as a place to live – commented representatives of Cpl, co-authors of the report.

It is worth mentioning again that more than 85% would be willing to recommend Poznań as a suitable place to work, and for more than 80% the Poznań labour market seems to be attractive. On the other hand, less than 65% of respondents believe that the capital of Wielkopolska has an interesting cultural and sporting offer.

In conclusion, the report shows Poznań from the side of a modern, entrepreneurial city, where the business services sector is developing at a fast pace, which translates into new investors interested in the city. The capital of Wielkopolska is open to anyone looking for a new destination for business ventures.

Author: Michał Rzeźnik

Photo: Wojciech Rudnicki

This article comes from magazine:
FOCUS ON Business #12 September-October (5/2023)