Krakow is the second largest city in Poland. It might be a very important and even royal city, but it isn’t the capital city. Where Krakow is number one though, is in the abundance of shared service centres located there. More employees work in the shared services sector in Krakow than in any other city in Poland. And HRO Digital, a brand of Verita HR, is arguably one of the best, if not the best, recruitment agency in Krakow today.
The rise of the shared services industry in Krakow started in the early 2000s. Shell, AMS, IBM, PwC and a handful of other companies were some of the first to set up operations in the city. The industry grew so quickly that by 2008 ASPIRE was established as the first organisation in Central Europe to bring together companies operating in the shared services sector.
It has now been fourteen years since Verita HR became a member of the ASPIRE ecosystem in Krakow. One of the first ever events that the Verita HR teams attended as part of the ASPIRE ecosystem was a ‘Meet the Centre Manager’ event at the offices of Hewitt in Krakow (now AON). The event took place in June 2010 and similar events have been taking place in Krakow ever since.
Recruitment companies are represented among the members of ASPIRE. However, over the years arguably the only two stalwarts to represent the industry have been AG Test HR and Verita HR. Others have come and gone, be they Hays, Michael Page, and these days Motife. If you want to be a leader in the Krakow ecosystem, you need to be part of the community.
The Creation of a Strong Ecosystem in Krakow
In 2006 there was a major meeting in the London offices of PwC. One of the gentlemen leading the meeting was Romek Lubaczewski. The presentation his colleagues and him gave was entitled: ‘Financial Shared Services Off-shoring or Outsourcing in Poland – The Opportunities’. Romek highlighted in the presentation why shared service centre’s succeed. Some of the reasons he listed included:
- Total and absolute senior management commitment to the project
- Hiring the right outsourcing provider
- Implementation of KPI’s which measure both quantity and quality
PwC itself has been instrumental in the development of Poland’s shared services industry. Not only has the Big 4 company helped companies’ setup their centres in Poland, but its teams have travelled the world promoting Poland as an outsourcing destination. PwC has set the standard for companies looking to hire the right outsourcing provider. The company has also been an ever present within the ASPIRE ecosystem.
Need convincing? Just look at the line up at the upcoming ASPIRE Leaders’ Summit 2024: Beyond the Bubble:
How Verita HR’s HRO Digital became a Leading Recruitment Agency in Krakow
Many years ago a wise person once said that it is more valuable to be the number one in a given market than to make up the top three in that market. Being number one in a capital city can be extremely hard to achieve. Whereas being number one in Krakow is arguably more achievable. And that is exactly what the leadership team at Veirta HR thought. It was also why many of the companies who are in Krakow, chose the city ahead of Warsaw.
Verita HR started training in Warsaw in 2010, and by the end of the same year an office was established in Krakow as well. Several clients were in touch with the local team from almost the first day. These included Amway, IBM, and Premier Farnell (today Element 14).
The collaboration went so well with Premier Farnell that it led to several recruiters being outsourced to one of the newest service centres in Krakow at the time. This was only a start. At the same time, the Verita HR teams also helped other Krakow companies like AMS. And it wasn’t just recruitment that clients were requesting from Verita HR. It was public relations, marketing and employer branding services.
Moving forward, the team in Krakow grew in strength and numbers. More recruiters were delegated on-site to customers such as AON, or Capita over the years. Some of the on-site teams even helped setup the whole cybersecurity department in one of the centres in Krakow.
Where Verita HR’s teams started to excel was in the banking and fintech space. As the market has evolved companies from the banking and fintech sectors have grown in numbers in Krakow. Verita HR’s recruiters have also become arguably the most knowledgeable when it comes to all things finance and banking. Need a quantitative developer? A regulatory reporting analyst? Maybe a traded risk analyst? Look no further, HRO Digital, the brand dedicated to recruitment at Verita HR, has the answer.
Maintaining a Leadership Position amongst Recruitment Agencies in Krakow
Today’s mix of on-site experience and strong tech savviness means that HRO Digital will be stronger and be servicing many more of the most prestigious employers in Krakow. The team has traditionally been a specialist in language recruitment. However, as the market has evolved, this focus has shifted to everything banking, finance and now ‘tech’.
Whilst many companies continue to look at the skills shortages within Europe, Verita HR has focused on Asia. Technology is changing dramatically in places like Singapore and Hong Kong. The job market in Asian economies today is a guide to how to resource for the future.
Yes, the U.S. market is still hugely important to the job market in Poland. However, the rise of TikTok, Alibaba, Huawei and others has already seen a shift in the market. Looking solely at what is happening in Europe is no longer enough. Especially as many of the companies in Krakow are affected by the rise of Asia.
Why is it so important to look at this market? If Krakow is to grow, then it needs to look East as well as West. The U.S. and Europe are forecasted to grow by about 1.5% in 2025. At the same time China is forecasted to grow by 4.5%, and many Asian economies will see the benefits.
ASPIRE has embraced change. At this year’s Annual Summit, Steve Suarez, Founder & Chief Executive at HorizonX Consulting, will be talking about the critical role of quantum computing in business going forward. This overlaps with the UN’s announcement that 2025 will be the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Stay ahead, work with the best. And be part of the most important ecosystem in Krakow.
If you want to work with a partner who can help you establish, recruit and then market your company as an employer in Krakow, then look no further. Contact the specialists at Verita HR today.
Verita HR offers services including RPO | Permanent Recruitment | Outsourcing | Media Services
See Also:
Who is the Best Fintech Recruitment Business in Poland? – Verita HR
Why HRO Digital is the Best Recruitment Agency in Warsaw – Verita HR
What Services does Verita HR offer? – Verita HR
Content at Verita HR News is brought to you in collaboration with the editorial team at Magazyn Rekruter. Magazyn Rekruter, a brand within Verita HR Group in Poland, is the longest standing recruitment and human resources industry magazine in Central Eastern Europe. The first issue was published in March 2010. Find out more at: Portal Branży HR i Biznesu (magazynrekruter.pl)
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