For years, Poland’s business-services sector thrived on cost competitiveness and scale. That era is ending. The next advantage will come not from capacity but from capability – from innovation, digital fluency, and the resilience of people who turn change into progress.

Over my 16 years with AMS Poland, I’ve seen growth create significant opportunities for both the company and our people. That foundation of resilience now serves us well as we navigate a very different market reality. In recent years, we’ve faced downsizing driven by shifting client demand, rising energy costs, and global transformations. Yet through it all, one thing remains constant: the determination of our people to adapt, reinvent, and find opportunity where others see challenge.

2025 has been a demanding year – not only for AMS but for the wider business-services sector, described by ABSL as “both vulnerable and poised for growth in a world of rising geopolitical risks and economic fragmentation.” Amid these shifts, one truth stands out: Poland’s ability to reinvent itself remains its greatest strength. Today, Poland is no longer just a delivery hub – it is an innovation hub where resilience and local talent drive global best practices.

A Sector in Transition
Poland’s story mirrors a global shift: from transactional delivery to specialized, technology-enabled models that prioritize agility and strategic value. Nearly half a million professionals work in over 2,000 business-services centres (ABSL), but the shape of that work is changing. Back-office roles have declined by 10% over five years, replaced by mid-office and expert positions demanding stronger analytical and digital skills.

This evolution signals progress, not decline. Poland’s strength now lies in its ability to innovate and lead high-value work that shapes global outcomes. Globally, India dominates GBS, but Poland and the U.S. remain among the top three locations for strategic operations (Deloitte, 2025). Poland’s distinct advantage? Depth – blending human insight with technology, combining process excellence with creativity and problem-solving.

Why Poland Still Matters
Poland’s appeal goes far beyond cost. A highly educated workforce (22% hold a university degree), deep process expertise, and linguistic range make it an ideal environment for digital transformation. AMS Poland alone delivers services in 24 languages.

Strategic location, modern infrastructure, and a population of nearly 39 million reinforce resilience. McKinsey predicts Poland could become the EU’s 7th-strongest economy and the 3rd-largest process manufacturer. The IMF ranks Poland among the world’s top 20 economies, surpassing Switzerland in nominal GDP. Warsaw’s GDP per capita (€67,000) is second only to Central London.

Major investments in advanced services, technology, and defense – including USD 513 billion in defense spending and the €150 billion ReArm Europe SAFE fund – are attracting global players like Boeing, Intel, and Lockheed Martin. Poland’s ability to adapt quickly to geopolitical and economic shifts proves its competitive edge lies in resilience and reinvention.

 

AMS Poland: A Proof Point

At AMS, we see Poland as a reflection of where the entire global business-services industry is heading. A decade ago, our teams pioneered digital-process automation. Today, we’re exploring AI, intelligent automation, and hybrid human-digital delivery models that redefine recruitment services worldwide.

As AMS COO Jim Sykes recently said: “Poland remains a primary location for us and will continue to be so – it’s strategically important, and I can’t envisage a time when it won’t be.”

This digital evolution is reshaping how we work and what we value. As my colleague Agnieszka Szewczyk put it: “Automation is an enabler, not a threat – freeing capacity for higher-impact work, deeper client partnership, and career development into future-proof skill areas.” That belief captures Poland’s transformation: technology amplifying, not replacing, human capability.

Poland’s role is evolving – fewer transactional roles, more specialist, client-facing, and technology-enabled positions. What’s changing isn’t our relevance – it’s our impact. AMS Administration teams in Poland continue to design, test, and scale innovative solutions, from Barclays’ Post-Offer Management model (later replicated in Manila) to process-acceleration frameworks that help clients hire faster and smarter. This transformation marks a new chapter: from cost center to innovation hub – where resilience and reinvention drive global value.

Looking Ahead

Poland’s growth story is far from over. As automation and AI continue to reshape work, the country’s strength will lie not in volume but in expertise – in its ability to blend human insight with digital capability to create smarter, more adaptive services. The combination of process mastery, multilingual talent, and a strong culture of innovation positions Poland to lead the next phase of transformation across the global business-services sector.

At AMS, we will continue to build on this foundation – expanding our multilingual, high-complexity delivery footprint and helping clients reimagine what operational excellence looks like in a digital age. Our goal is not only to keep pace with change but to shape it – proving that innovation, when powered by people and purpose, can redefine value for clients worldwide.

Uncertainty may be the constant, but in Poland it has always been the spark for innovation.

 

  1. Poland 2025 – report in English.pdf
  2. Business Services Sector in Poland 2025. ABSL (printed version)
  3. Business Services Sector in Poland – 2025 Review
  4. The Polish Business Services Sector Is No Longer Cheap for Investors but Strengthens Its Reputation for High Quality – Poland Insight
  5. 2025 Deloitte’s Global Business Services (GBS) Survey
  6. The Sunday Times: Poland’s GDP Growth Brings It Close to the UK
  7. Poland’s Investment in Defence
  8. Security Made in Poland: Government Boosts National Defense Industry – The Chancellery of the Prime Minister – Gov.pl website
  9. The defence industry in Poland attracts investors
  10. Poland joining 20 largest world economies, IMF figures show | Notes From Poland