Regional Economic Inactivity Trends in Poland
Despite its rapid economic growth over the past decades, Poland’s economic inactivity rate remains above the OECD average and regional differences in labour force participation persist. This report sheds light on the drivers of economic inactivity across Polish regions and analyses them in light of both individual and structural factors associated with labour force participation. It highlights the need for more inclusive active labour market policies to help integrate the economically inactive into labour markets across Poland. A better integration of services provided by national and local institutions, as well as a strengthened role of the social economy, is needed to address the complex needs of economically inactive persons.
Economic inactivity in Poland before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
This chapter provides background information on economic inactivity in Poland. While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a relatively mild effect on the Polish labour market, it exposed inequalities between groups and places. The pandemic may drive some individuals durably outside the labour market as they become discouraged to look for work, or cannot work due to new caring responsibilities. It also revealed the relatively unfavourable position of vulnerable groups on the Polish labour market. Older people with low skills, amongst the most excluded before the pandemic, faced the highest risk of employment loss due to the pandemic. Those living in less economically dynamic regions face a compounded risk.