Polish organisations face employee disengagement amid restructuring

Research by the Gdańska Fundacja Kształcenia Menedżerów, presented in the "Year of Leadership 2026" report, finds that almost one‑fifth of employees lose engagement when restructurings, layoffs or hiring freezes are carried out without genuine staff involvement. The study identifies the top demotivators as lack of resources, unclear priorities, frequent changes in decisions and work overload. It also warns that poorly designed hybrid work can diminish collaboration if clear rules and purpose for in‑person meetings are missing.

HR experts Dominik Pieczewski and Joanna Gwiazda‑Kozłowska stress that leaders must provide clear direction, a sense of purpose and real opportunities for influence to prevent fatigue from turning into disengagement. According to Randstad’s "Monitor of the Labour Market", only 15 % of surveyed workers changed employer in the past six months and the average job‑search period rose to 4.5 months, with more internal moves than external. ManpowerGroup data for Q3 show 47 % of firms intend to keep staffing levels steady, 33 % plan to recruit and 18 % expect reductions.

The combination of low turnover and growing tension suggests that stability does not guarantee motivation. Leaders are advised to track employee energy and trust, not merely turnover rates, to sustain a productive workforce.