As many as 32 percent of representatives of automotive companies in Poland plan to reduce the number of employees in the coming months – according to the “MotoBarometer 2024” report published on Wednesday. This is eight times more than in 2023, when only 4 percent of automotive companies in our country were preparing for layoffs.
“Calculations by the Association of Automotive Distributors and Parts show that over the last 5 years in the European Union in the area of ​​parts production, only 55,000 new jobs were created, while more than twice as many were eliminated (approx. 118,000). Moreover, , the rate of employment reduction will be increasing from 2023,” we read in the “MotoBarometer 2024” report published on Wednesday.
Employment prospects in the automotive industry
The report prepared by Exact x Forestall (formerly Exact Systems) shows that in 2022, in 7 out of 11 surveyed countries, more than half of the representatives of automotive plants predicted an increase in employment in the next 12 months, in 2023, such optimism concerned 5 countries. This year – we read in the report – there is not a single such country.
“In Poland, only every fifth respondent (21%) expects an increase in employment, which is the second lowest result among the surveyed countries (ex aequo with the Czech Republic and Hungary). It is also the lowest result since the beginning of the survey, i.e. since 2016. The forecast becomes even less optimistic if we take into account that in 2024 the number of pessimists in Poland is eight times higher than in 2023. As many as 32 percent of automotive representatives in Poland plan to reduce the number of employees in the coming months. A year ago, only 4 percent gave such an answer respondents. This result is the highest among the surveyed countries. The largest group of respondents – 44 percent – do not expect any personnel changes,” the authors of the report said.
Reasons for job cuts
The study also indicates that automation in automotive companies is increasing. In Poland, as much as 73 percent respondents answered affirmatively to the question whether their company had implemented solutions based on automation or robotization of production. A similar answer was also given by the vast majority of respondents in the remaining 10 surveyed countries.
“One of the effects of such implementations may be a reduction in employment, which is confirmed by representatives of factories. In all the surveyed countries, the majority of respondents answered affirmatively to the question whether automation will contribute to reducing the level of employment in their plants. This group also includes Poland – 83 percent . of respondents answered 'definitely yes' or 'rather yes'. 13 percent of representatives of production plants in our country have a different opinion and do not see a real impact of automation on a lower level of employment, and 4 percent have no opinion on this matter report.
The study “MotoBarometer 2024. Moods in the automotive industry in Europe” was conducted by Exact x Forestall on a targeted sample of representatives of companies from the automotive sector. These include, among others: car manufacturers, sub-suppliers of car parts and components. The sample size was 1,001 respondents from 11 countries (Poland, Belgium, The czech republic, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Türkiye, Hungary). The study was carried out using telephone interviews (CATI), online surveys and individual surveys from June to July 2024
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