The software development market in Poland and the Baltic states experienced substantial shifts throughout 2023, largely driven by global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Russia-Ukraine War. The resulting geopolitical tensions from the war in Ukraine triggered economic disturbances across neighbouring countries, including Poland and the Baltic states, which share strong geographical and economic interdependencies within the European Union. These interdependencies have played a pivotal role in shaping the labor markets, talent mobility, and overall demand for software development professionals in the region (Das & Marjit, 2023; Sherif, 2024).
Poland and the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—form an important bloc within the European software landscape. Poland, as a major hub for IT outsourcing, benefits from a large, highly skilled workforce, whereas the Baltic states are known for their agility, innovation, and startup culture (James & Menzies, 2023). These two markets, while distinct, are influenced by similar economic conditions, and their interdependencies are evident in the movement of talent, shared labour policies, and similar responses to the global shifts in the software development sector. The demand for software development talent has been significantly influenced by regional and global crises, leading to both challenges and opportunities in terms of labour supply and workforce dynamics.
The interdependencies between supply and demand for software development talent in Poland and the Baltics are shaped by shared labour dynamics and economic strategies. Poland's role as a significant IT outsourcing destination complements the Baltic states' innovation-driven market, resulting in cross-border collaboration and competition for talent (Das & Marjit, 2023). The IT bench concept, where companies maintain a reserve pool of talent for rapid deployment, has become increasingly relevant in both Poland and the Baltics as a response to fluctuating demand. This strategy ensures operational flexibility and allows firms to mitigate risks associated with sudden changes in market needs (James & Menzies, 2023).
Recent research by James and Menzies (2023) has highlighted behavioural biases during economic crises that exacerbate market inefficiencies, including a lack of diversification in recruitment channels and an oversupply of certain software roles. These dynamics are evident in the software development market of Poland and the Baltics, where companies have often overestimated the long-term value of surplus talent, leading to a mismatch between demand for specialized roles—such as DevOps Engineers and Cloud Engineers—and an oversupply of generalists like Frontend Developers and JavaScript Engineers (James & Menzies, 2023).
The 2023 wave of global tech layoffs, involving companies such as Google, Amazon, and Riot Games, has further complicated the talent landscape in the region (Stringer & Coral, 2023). These layoffs were primarily driven by reduced demand, the need to focus on fewer high-impact projects, and restructuring efforts to streamline operations (Das & Marjit, 2023). While these layoffs were concentrated in markets outside Eastern Europe, their ripple effects were felt in Poland and the Baltics, impacting demand for certain skills and necessitating a reevaluation of talent strategies to ensure competitiveness.
In Poland, the number of IT job offers dropped significantly from 32.9 thousand in Q1 2023 to 19.1 thousand in Q4 2023, reflecting the broader impact of global economic pressures on local employment opportunities (Randstad, 2023). The latest data from the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS, 2024), indicates that the average monthly gross salary in the ICT sector in August of this year was PLN 12,200, marking a 9.1% increase compared to the previous year, against a backdrop of 10.1% inflation. However, it notes that GUS data might not fully represent the IT sector as highly paid specialists tend to work on B2B contracts rather than employment contracts, showing a weakening in this area. In contrast, the Baltic states have observed a steady demand for specific skill sets, particularly in emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity. However, the supply of such specialized talent remains constrained, highlighting a common issue between the two regions: a misalignment between the skills available and those required by an evolving tech sector (Ogburn 1957, James & Menzies, 2023). To address these challenges, companies have increasingly adopted "benching" strategies, akin to the portfolio optimization approaches used during financial market crises (James & Menzies, 2023). By creating flexible, on-demand talent pools, businesses in Poland and the Baltics can better manage workforce availability, respond quickly to project needs, and reduce risks associated with hiring freezes or sudden market shifts.
This strategic pivot is essential in navigating the current volatility in the software development labor market, where both technical skills and soft competencies are critical for project success.
This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interdependencies between supply and demand within the software development sector in Poland and the Baltics during 02.2023–02.2024. By leveraging insights from collective dynamics, cultural lag theory, and current market analyses, the study explores how global economic conditions, talent management strategies, and regional industry specifics shape the evolving software development workforce. The findings are expected to contribute to developing effective recruitment strategies that are both data-driven and flexible, enabling companies to navigate market uncertainties while maintaining operational efficiency.