The report summarises a study of the practices of remote working in Poland and the social dialogue on the rules under which it is conducted in the new, post-pandemic reality. In 2023/2024, 24 interviews were conducted with representatives of the social partners representing the national structures of trade unions and employer organisations, as well as sectoral and company-based organisations. The focus was on four sectors: banking, the chemical industry, central public administration and IT consulting. The survey provided an opportunity to find out the opinions of the social partners on the consultation process for the amendment of the Labour Code introducing regulations on remote working, which took place between 2020 and 2022, and the assessment of the amendment itself. Moreover, it was possible to obtain a number of opinions on the practices of consultation on the detailed rules for the application of remote working at company level, which should be carried out on the basis of the new regulations. The interviews also covered opinions on the impact of remote (hybrid) working on the functioning of companies and the well-being of employees.
It turns out that - despite the incomplete satisfaction of a significant proportion of the representatives of the national social partners with the shape of the new regulations - remote working is a solution that functions well in many Polish companies. Consultations on the principles of performing remote work at company level conducted in the year 2023 were often positively assessed by the trade union side as reliable and authentic. Many employers decided to approach employee representatives as partners and listen to their opinions on the detailed provisions of company regulations on remote working. Among other things, the rates of cash reimbursement paid to employees to cover the costs of remote working, the range of positions and/or organisational units for which remote working is possible including its weekly share were negotiated, as well as certain technical and organisational details concerning remote monitoring or on-site inspections of employees performing their duties remotely. At the same time, the consultations were not everywhere fully satisfactory to trade unionists and sometimes even ended in failure and the unilateral adoption of remote working regulations by the employer. The new regulations do not impose an obligation to come to an agreement, which some dialogue-averse company managements take advantage of, especially if trade unions are weak or absent from the company altogether. Among the sectors surveyed, this is particularly true of IT consulting. The survey showed that most representatives of the social partners have a positive perception of remote (hybrid) work, seeing it as a potential benefit for both sides of the employment relationship and often a necessary solution for the proper functioning of the labour market. The main benefits for employees stem from the possibility of saving time and money by reducing or eliminating commuting, as well as the easier reconciliation of work and private life. On the disadvantage side, the frequent extension of actual working hours and the blurring of boundaries between private and professional life were indicated. For employers, remote working represents, on the one hand, a cost reduction and an opportunity to attract talent (also from more remote locations), but on the other hand, challenges in terms of managing remote teams and monitoring the performance of remote work and measuring its effectiveness. On the other hand, for both sides, the issue of liability in case of more serious accidents during remote working remains not entirely clear - many representatives of the social partners are waiting for jurisprudence on this area.
The study was conducted as part of the research project "TWING: Exploring the contribution of social dialogue and collective bargaining in the promotion of decent and productive telework in the post-Covid scenario". The project runs from 2022 to 2024 in an international partnership involving Austria, Estonia, Finland, Spain, Poland and Portugal, led by the Spanish research organisation NOTUS ASR. The project is co-financed by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) under the budget line "Improving Expertise in the Area of Industrial Relations".
