As part of “Conversations in Olivia” series, we met with Krzysztof Herdzik – a leader, innovator, speaker at the “Let’s talk business 2” conference. Read the interview conducted by Monika Bogdanowicz from Olivia.

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Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication): Why should so much attention be paid to trainings within the scope of treating other team members individually by managers? Why are these competencies so important in modern business, which aspires to achieve great things?

Krzysztof Herdzik: 20^th century was the age of standardisation and any deviations from the standards were treated as statistical error. Whereas 21^st century is the age of individualisation. We want to be ourselves and want to be treated like that in every dimension of life and interactions with other people. Companies understand this approach very well when it comes to clients, but in case of employees, solutions from 20^th century are still being implemented and used, that is standard appraisal procedures, periodical talks, etc. In the same way and according to the same pattern, they give feedback, promote employee and recruit – the same rules for everybody. That is the way standardisation looks like and is doing well in the scope of treating employees in companies. Today, also students notice such a situation. I had a meeting with students and when I asked them how they perceive corporations, they answered: “On the left there is the same man as on the right”.

Individualisation makes it possible to disenchant these stereotypes.

Monika Bogdanowicz: Challenges, which managers have to face now, are very often connected with low involvement of employees, high rotation, war for talents, multicultural diversity at workplace, global and remotely based teams, automation, robotisation, etc. Who should you be, apart from the roles of superheroes or action films, to meet these challenges? Is today in Poland the role of manager in business one of the most difficult missions, which we could call “impossible” to fulfil?

Krzysztof Herdzik: Once I heard that if you want to help people, you should become a leader. This is a very responsible task. Only 8% of people have dream jobs. It is defined as a job, in which you can use your strengths, have a chance to develop and feel that what you do serves a higher purpose. That is why, basic responsibility of a leader is to create such conditions: for dream job. An employee has the right or is obliged to use this opportunity or not.

This is a very responsible and demanding task. That is why, not everyone is able to face such responsibilities. However, equipping a leader in tools, which help him approach every employee individually, surely makes this task easier. As it turns out, employees who are treated individually, are much more engaged in their work. In such conditions, you can manage multicultural and global team or keep an employee in a company in a more effective way.

^{Photo by Paweł Banaszak}

Monika Bogdanowicz: The theory of “Management by values”, based on the works of professor Clare W. Graves, gives organisations opportunity and tools to quickly recognise employees’ individual needs and, consequently, changes in the area of managing, also a team. I mean, for example, the range of trainings, giving feedback, choosing the best style of communication… Do you think that this theory has a chance to be implemented and developed in Polish companies of various types?

Krzysztof Herdzik: The work of professor Graves was the foundation for creating the concept of turquoise organisations. In many companies it was difficult to implement and it remained in the sphere of ideology. But the idea of management by values is based on the rule that we can find motivation in ourselves on the level of values, we don’t have to search for it outside. When a leader understands his or her employee’s and team’s values, he or she can reach the most important areas of human, their individuality. The ability to understand these areas makes it possible to communicate clearly, in a way tailored to individual values of an employee and thereby to create the basics, conditions, in which a people mobilise their real potential. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big or small company, from technological, service or traditional industry. Finally, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Polish, local or global company because in each of these aspects a human is in the focus together with their values.

Monika Bogdanowicz: The vision presented by you and your approach to employees’ development in companies should be, in my opinion, more and more broadly used in Polish business and should contribute to a real change in the quality of management.

Krzysztof Herdzik: I completely agree with this opinion. I think that active implementation of strategic practices from the scope of management by values and good communication in teams guarantee the optimal development of business. Leaders who understand it, will win and achieve success in the companies of 21^st century.

Monika Bogdanowicz: Thank you for the interview.

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^{Krzysztof Herdzik – managing partner in You Can Business project. He helps organisations implement innovative business models (disruptive business models), he specialises in future trends and modern ways of managing people, which support 4.0. technological change. He is a Senior Manager with more than 16 years of experience in managing international and multicultural organisations. He was a founder and manager of BPO centre in Tricity and helped global clients manage processes. He was awarded as the best Manager in Central and Eastern Europe in Outsourcing industry.}

The grand finale was between the title defender Omida with the PwC team, which after the regular season was classified “only” as sixth. After a fierce and matched game , Omida’s players turned out to be better and won 11:7 and in this way they finished their perfect season in style. Paweł Friszkemut, Maciej Daniluk and Dmitry Kachnar each scored three goals. Two more goals were added by the entire campaign’s top scorer Patryk Ziarko. Carro Ramirez scored as many as 4 goals for which he also added 3 assists for PwC team.

In the clash for third place HK Finance team turned out to be slightly better than Bayer and won 7:5. Jakub Piotrowski and Bartosz Fila (both from HK Finance team) showed off with their hat-tricks. Rafał Górski responded with two goals for Bayer.

The Indestructibles Energa Dream Team was granted a fair play award. In a very important match with HK Finance, which ended in a draw, the team resigned from a favourable referee’s decision because it noticed an injured player from the opposite team. And that’s the way it should be, bravo! 🙂

Another season will start soon! More information and registration: sport@oliviacentre.com

Recently, in the lobby of Olivia Star, we have been able to admire ceramics and paintings by outstanding Tri-City artists: Dorota Krzyżanowska, Gertruda Wilczopolska and Wiesław Grzech (the works of the latter come from the private collection of Lidia Rutkowska).

This is the next edition of the Olivia Business Centre project to support and promote our creators. Previously, artists from WL4 presented their works in Olivia.

The exhibition will run until 23 March 2018. The works will also be exhibited in other buildings of Olivia Business Centre.

All of them can be purchased. If you are interested, please contact the marketing department: marketing@oliviacentre.com.

The co-organizer of the exhibition is Barbara Matysiak, president of the Artimpres.me impresario.

About the artists:

DOROTA KRZYŻANOWSKA. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk with a master’s degree in art in 1985 (diploma in easel painting at the Faculty of Painting and Graphics under the supervision of Prof. Kazimierz Ostrowski and an annex in graphic arts under the supervision of Prof. Czesław Tumielewicz). Her works can be found in galleries and private collections in Germany, Poland, France, the United States of America, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sweden, Canada, England and many other countries. The artist practices easel painting, water painting, drawing and her own techniques, including innovative digital techniques. He is also involved in multimedia and photography. He cooperates with publishing houses as a graphic designer for publishing series, illustrations, etc. Her specialty, on the other hand, is very fast “recording” of a specific energy of a moment – emotions, perceptions, feelings, movements. He attaches great importance to the facial expressions of the characters. Drawing sometimes takes just seconds. However, it can take a long time to prepare the mind to make this clear, unambiguous message. She likes to create by listening to natural music – sacred songs, ethnic and meditative music from all over the world.

GERTRUDE WILCZOPOLSKA. She has been working as an artist for 45 years. She studied art at the Faculty of Painting at the State Higher School of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. She graduated in 1960. She works in various artistic techniques, such as: painting, medallic art, unique fabric – tapestry, small sculptural forms, as well as in the rare technique of glaze painting on large-format ceramic tiles. She has participated in numerous group and individual exhibitions in Poland and abroad (m.in. United States, Sweden, Finland, Italy, United Kingdom). She likes to pass on the practical secrets of visual arts. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of ZPAP, in 2011 she received the She dreams that her works will fill the audience with optimism, give hope that even from the evil that happens to us in life, good is born, taken from the source of all love, and that the dullness of everyday life does not overshadow beauty.

WIESŁAW GRZECH. The painter spent his childhood and youth in Gdynia in the Orłowo district, which has always been his inspiration. He painted the Orłowski Cliff, the beaches of Orłowo, the pier. Gdynia is his story, it was there that his journey began, making Gdynia famous with his paintings, known in many places around the world. Wiesław Grzech’s paintings: first impression – an extraordinary amount of light. The second: the constant spinning of the world, its repetitiveness. “I’m self-taught” – that’s how he describes himself, but he took the environment by storm, stirring it up in a healthy way and raising the bar high for professionals. Wiesław Grzech started painting at the age of 12. It was then that he created his first oil paintings and seaside landscapes. Fascinated by nature, he observes its beauty, perfectly capturing its harmony, which is reflected in his paintings: sometimes realistic, sometimes melancholic, full of reverie…. Wiesław Grzech’s self-generated talent develops thanks to constant creative work and constant searching. He evolved from a post-impressionist form to a form proper only to the artist. Wiesław Grzech’s works have already travelled almost all over Europe. This is also where they mainly find their audience.

The works of Wiesław Grzech were made available thanks to the kindness of Mrs. Lidia Rutkowska (private collection).

 

Olivia Six of the Olivia Business Centre in Gdańsk with the prestigious BREEAM certificate at the Excellent level. This is another office building of the Olivia complex classified as meeting the highest standards and practices in the field of sustainable design, construction and use of buildings. The facility received nearly 80 percentage points, improving the pre-certification note from 2015 by as much as 3.5 points. Thus, Olivia Six is the best-rated building in Pomerania.

– The BREEAM Excellent certificate confirms that Olivia Six is one of the best office buildings in the country, being at the same time one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Poland. The technological solutions used in it, including those related to acoustics, ventilation and lighting, as well as the highest quality materials, guarantee optimal use of Six by its tenants. In the Six building, for example, we used the first all-glass, triple-glazed façade in Poland, meeting the EU requirements for 2021, which significantly reduces the impact of external conditions on the temperature in the offices, minimizing the need to cool rooms in summer and heat them in winter. This translates into greater user comfort, lower energy demand, and thus lower operating costs. emphasizes Maciej Kotarski, Leasing Director at Olivia Business Centre. ” Such a high rating of Olivia Six is also another proof that Olivia Business Centre offers the highest quality office space available ,” he adds.

BREEAM, a multi-criteria system for assessing the quality and environmental impact of buildings, is one of the top standards in the real estate industry in Europe and in the world. When assessing the quality of buildings, numerous measures are taken into account, m.in. energy efficiency, quality of the indoor environment, standards of the construction process, types of materials used or transport accessibility. Points are awarded in ten main categories: Energy, Materials, Health and Wellbeing, Waste, Pollution, Water, Transport, Land Use and Ecology, Governance and Innovation. Excellent is the second highest rating in the BREEAM system, in which over 80% of all buildings in Poland are currently certified. This means that investors and developers have the greatest confidence in BREEAM.

Olivia Six received a BREEAM Excellent m.in. due to advanced technical solutions, including systems allowing for full control over the building during its ongoing operation and high-quality materials. Six is also distinguished by a modern façade, air handling units equipped with heat pumps and the so-called “air handling units”. A green roof enabling water retention and rainwater management for watering greenery. In the certification process, the management of the construction process, taking into account restrictive ecological requirements and material recycling, as well as the support of qualified experts in the selection of technical solutions, were also appreciated. The well-being of users was also taken into account, including the proximity of public transport stops, extensive infrastructure for cyclists (parking lots, access roads, changing rooms with showers, bicycle repair stations) and electric car charging stations.

“BREEAM Excellent “Final” is the culmination of an extremely demanding and time-consuming certification process. The higher score received by Olivia Six means that the requirements for the building have not only been met, but exceeded – emphasizes Karolina Michalak from the implementation department of Olivia Business Centre.

More about Olivia Six. Olivia Six has 18 floors (including 3 underground). The office building delivers over 17 thousand. sq.m. office space. The main hall was made in the form of a large chessboard made of black and milky stone. The public lobby has the character of an English club library. From the middle floors of the office building, there is a view of the Bay of Gdańsk and one of the oldest and greenest districts of Gdańsk, Oliwa.

Olivia Six was designed by the Gdynia-based studio BJK Architects. The certification process of the building was carried out with the support of Sweco Consulting. In 2015, Olivia Six received (in 2015) a note 75,10%. In the final score, Six received 78.6%.

Olivia Six of the Olivia Business Centre in Gdańsk holds a prestigious BREEAM certificate on the Excellent level. This is another office building of the Olivia complex classified as compliant with the top standards and practices in the scope of sustainable design, building and exploitation. The facility scored almost 80 percentage points and thereby improved pre-certification note from 2015 by 3.5 point. Thus, Olivia Six is the top rated building in Pomerania region.

“The BREEAM Excellent certificate confirms that Olivia Six is one of the best office facilities in Poland while being one of the most environmental-friendly building in Poland. The technological solutions applied in it, including those related to acoustics, ventilation or lighting and top-class materials provide a guarantee of an optimum use of Six by its tenants. For instance, in Olivia Six we applied the first all-glass three-pane façade in Poland, meeting the EU requirements for 2021 which materially reduces the impact of external conditions on the temperature in the offices, minimising the need to cool the premises in the summer and to heat them in the winter. This is translated into an improved comfort by users, reduced demand for energy and thus reduced operational expenses”, stresses Maciej Kotarski, lease director at the Olivia Business Centre. “Such a high assessment of Olivia Six is another proof that the Olivia Business Centre offers office space of top available quality,” he adds.

BREEAM, a multi-criterion assessment system of quality and environmental impact of buildings is one of top standards in the property sector in Europe and globally. In assessing building quality, multiple metrics are taken into account such as energy efficiency, quality of the internal environment, standards of the construction process, type of applied materials or access by transport. Points are awarded in ten core categories: energy, materials, health and well-being, waste, pollution, water, transport, site development and ecology, management and innovations. Excellent is the second highest grade in the BREEAM system which certifies now over 80% of all buildings in Poland. Thus, it means that investors and develops have much trust in BREEAM.

Olivia Six was granted the BREEAM Excellent certificate inter alia for the advanced technical solutions, including system ensuring comprehensive control of the building in daily operation and top-quality materials. Six also stands out with a modern façade, central ventilation units provided with heat pumps and a green roof ensuring water retention and use of rain water to feed the greenery. The certification process has also appreciated the management of the construction process, providing for restrictive ecological requirements and recycling of materials, and support of qualified experts in selecting the technical solutions. Also, the users’ welfare was taken into account, including close distances to urban transportation, a developed infrastructure for cyclists (parking lots, access roads, change rooms with showers, bike repair stations) or charging stations of electric cars.

“BREEAM Excellent “Final” is a crown of the extremely demanding and time-consuming certification process. The higher grade, finally received by Olivia Six, means that the requirements concerning the building have not only been complied with but exceeded,” stresses Karolina Michalak from the development section of the Olivia Business Centre.

More on Olivia Six

Olivia Six has 18 stories (including 3 underground). The office building offers over 17 thousand square metres of office space. The main lobby was made in the form of a large chess board of black and milky stone. The generally accessible lobby looks like an English club library. From the middle-level stories of the building there is a view of the Gulf of Gdańsk and one of the oldest and most green districts of Gdańsk – Oliwa.

Olivia Six was designed by BJK Architekci, a design company from Gdynia. The certification process was carried out with the support of Sweco Consulting. In its pre-certification in 2015, Olivia Six received a note of 75.10%. In its final grade, Six received 78.6%.

Olivia Business Centre, as a partner of the 15th Independence Parade, organised by the SUM Association, is pleased to invite all the inhabitants of Gdańsk and, as in previous years, the Olivia Business Centre Community to participate in this unique event. We strongly encourage you to celebrate November 11 – the National Independence Day and participate in the “Let’s Go to the Parade” campaign.

All people who would like to set off together from Olivia for the Independence Parade as part of the “Let’s Go to the Parade” meet November 11 at 8:30 in front of the Olivia Tower building:) A special Olivia bus will be waiting for the whole family, which will take us to Podwale Staromiejskie, from where, traditionally, a colorful, joyful procession of participants of the Independence Parade will set off.

Let’s take part in the action of Olivia and the Energa Group, which is the main partner of the “Let’s Go to the Parade” and celebrate the National Independence Day together, in an extraordinary atmosphere. At the same time, we remember all those to whom we owe our freedom. Thanks to it, we can study at our home universities, develop our own entrepreneurship and enjoy family life – in Poland.

We also invite you to visit the Olivia Business Centre stand at the Jan Sobieski monument in Gdańsk. You will be able to see us from afar:) You can buy there balloons, stickers, flags, umbrellas (if the weather doesn’t spoil us) and drink hot tea:)

Programme of the XV Independence Parade

Co-organizer of the Parade: The City of Gdansk.

Parade Partner: Olivia Business Centre

Main partner of the “Let’s Go to the Parade” campaign: Energa Group

Media patronage of the Independence Parade: TVP 3 Gdańsk, Radio Gdańsk, Radio Plus, Dziennik Bałtycki, Gazeta Wyborcza, trojmiasto.pl, gdansk.pl.

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We will meet at Olivia Tower on November 11 at 8:30 a.m. and we go to the Independence Parade together:)

If you would like to take a ride on Olivia’s bus, please register for the event:) HERE

Thank you and see you soon!

 

Olivia Business Centre is, traditionally, the partner of the Independence Parade organised by SUM Association. We have the pleasure to invite our centre’s community to take part in this unique event.

We strongly encourage our residents to celebrate together November 11 – the National Independence Day and to participate in Olivia’s and Energa Group’s campaign called “Let’s go to a parade”.

Everyone who would like to head out to the Independence Parade together from Olivia, as part of ” Let’s go to a parade” campaign, is invited on November 11 at 8:30 am outside Olivia Tower building. A special Olivia bus will be waiting for whole families 🙂 and it will take us to Podwale Staromiejskie, from where we will start our Independence Parade.

Each person will get occasional pennants or stickers 🙂

If you want to join our bus ride, write an e-mail to komunikacja@oliviacentre.com (in case of family transfer, it is sufficient to determine the number of family members).

At the same time, we would like to invite you to Olivia Business Centre’s stand near Jan Sobieski monument in Gdańsk. We will be visible from far away 🙂

Here, you will also get balloons, pennants and will have a chance to drink hot tea!

 

Let’s go with us to a parade!

The long-awaited Christmas time is almost here. This is the right time to thank your employees for working together and put them in a truly festive mood. The best way to do this is to give them unique gifts as an expression of gratitude and a kind gesture that evokes joy.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Christmas gift offer of the world’s largest Starbucks coffee chain, the Olivia Business Centre Resident. Starbucks Christmas sets are an elegant gift that will please every recipient. Coffee connoisseurs will surely appreciate the taste of 100% Arabica enclosed in the Christmas Blend Espresso Roast 2016 blend, and surprises in the form of mugs from the Christmas collection or coffee brewing accessories will allow you to enjoy the magic of Christmas even more fully! A unique gift will be the Starbucks Card – an extraordinary loyalty card full of benefits and opportunities to take advantage of special offers. Its owners are invited to the café to choose what they want and have the opportunity to have a good time in the company of friends. A Starbucks card can be charged with any amount over PLN 20.

Starbucks gift sets are an original idea for a practical gift and a guarantee of satisfaction of the gifted employees. The highest quality of products and unique taste is the best proposal for Christmas surprises for your team!

The Starbucks café is located on the ground floor of the Olivia Gate A building. The menu includes not only coffee, but also a number of pastries and pastries, as well as snacks prepared especially for breakfast, lunch or dessert. You are cordially invited.

A special time, Christmas, is approaching. We would like it to be a special time for you in Olivia, filled with unforgettable impressions. We are preparing many Christmas attractions, hoping that they will be an opportunity for joyful meetings together:)

Traditionally, all the buildings of the centre will be illuminated with Christmas illuminations. In front of the city centre, from the side of the main artery of the Tri-City – Gdańska avenue. Grunwaldzka Street will be equipped with gigantic 3-metre-high baubles. Beautiful Christmas trees will also be erected in Olivia, and you will be able to feel the Christmas atmosphere at the reception desks, thanks to atmospheric music.

Christmas Attractions

Saturday, December 2nd, 18.00

We would like to invite you to the Christmas edition of the Olivia Camerata concert series , during which we will hear the most beautiful pieces of the classics of world chamber music, m.in. Mozart, Bethoven, Bizet, Moniuszko and Strauss. We have prepared for you an excellent Christmas Music Menu , so there will also be Christmas songs, songs close to our hearts, and, of course, beloved Christmas carols. Why don’t we sing them together?:)

Wednesday, December 6

On the occasion of St. Nicholas Day , surprises will be waiting for you in all buildings of Olivia Business Centre, which will certainly make your day more enjoyable. 🙂 Look for them in your Christmas stockings!

Thursday, 07 December, 11.30-15.30

Christmas Charity Fair
. Christmas is fast approaching. Still don’t have an idea for a gift? Are you looking for something special? Do you want to give your loved ones a unique gift? If so, this event is just for you. We cordially invite you to participate in the third edition of the Christmas fair at Olivia Business Centre. We invited local representatives of foundations and non-governmental organizations to present our products. It will be a great opportunity to buy handicrafts: Christmas decorations and cards, calendars and mascots made by the charges of non-governmental organizations. All profits will be donated to a good cause!

Saturday, 09 December, 11.00-14.00

We cordially invite you to participate in the annual Residents’ Christmas
Eve – Family Christmas Meeting at Olivia Business Centre.
Amazing adventures await you and your loved ones, especially the youngest ones, in the Santa Claus Factory. Among the attractions, there are ceramic and lego workshops, making dumplings together, sewing Christmas decorations, an adventure at the Pole and a visit from Santa Claus!
We will make music, give concerts and carol together, tasting the delicacies. The event is sponsored by the Energa Group.

Contests

We have also planned a few Christmas contests for you 🙂 The unique atmosphere of this holiday is emphasized by decorations or homemade pastries.

01 December – 12 December

A contest for a self-made Christmas tree decoration. Handmade Christmas decorations are doubly enjoyable! Last year, we prepared a lot of beautiful decorations together. We will be able to admire all the decorations, also this Christmas, on the Christmas trees placed in the reception areas of the buildings in Olivia. This year, let’s also put our hearts into the preparation of decorations and give an individual character to the décor of the Olivia Business Centre reception during this special family time.

December 11 – December 20

Contest for the funniest Christmas sweater. We cordially invite you to take part in our sweater contest! Pull out your favorite Christmas sweater from the bottom of your closet, put it on, come to work in it:), take a photo, send it to us at mikolajki@oliviacentre.com and win a surprise prize! The winner will be the person who gets the most votes under the photo. Let’s :)!

12 December

Culinary Charity Contest: Become a master of Christmas delicacies. We encourage all cooking enthusiasts to bring their own original Christmas dishes and become a master of Christmas delicacies. If you don’t know how to cook, become a culinary judge! Votes can be cast using small stickers. We encourage you to rate the deliciousness, thanks to which we will be able to select the Top Chef and thus help the Saint Pancras Foundation.

Christmas Offers

Among the offers of our catering establishments you will find many Christmas products or seasonal discounts. All information can be found at: http://www.oliviacentre.com/cat/oferty-swiateczne/

Enjoy your 🙂

Let’s spend this beautiful family pre-Christmas time together:)

 

On December 7 in Olivia will take place another event from the “Strategic HR” series. The main topics of the meeting: “Revolutionary changes in taxes and social security for employees and employers since 2018. What can you do to remain an attractive employer?” and “Crowdsourcing as a modern way to engage candidates and employees in online challenges related to employer branding. How do you win the battle for talent?”

Presentations and workshops will be conducted by Eliza Skotnicka, Senior Manager in the EY Personal Tax Team and Tomasz Socha , Associate Partner, Leader of the EY Tax Advisory Team in the Tri-City.

We invite you to participate in the meeting and to read the interview with Eliza Skotnicka from EY, conducted by Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre). The interview is another one carried out by us as part of the “Olivia’s Conversations” series, presenting experts and guests of Olivia Business Centre.

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Monika Bogdanowicz (Komunikacja Olivia Business Centre): What are the biggest changes in taxes and social security that await employees and employers in 2018?

Eliza Skotnicka, Senior Manager, People Advisory Services, EY: The abolition of the limitation on pension and disability pension contributions is one of the most talked about changes, and at the same time the most significant for employers and employees. For employees earning more than 10,000 gross per month, this may mean a loss of one net salary, and for some large companies, personnel costs will increase by up to PLN 20 million per year! As we speak, it is not yet clear whether the change will come into force from 2018. But even if it doesn’t happen now, the legislature will most likely introduce it from next year anyway.

A beneficial change awaits creative employees providing research and development activities or in the field of computer programs. They will be able to take advantage of a calculable 50% of the costs in relation to the higher income limit under their employment contracts, and consequently earn up to PLN 26,000. PLN more per year.

Preference will also be given to long-term forms of remuneration based on shares of companies from countries with which Poland has concluded double taxation treaties. So far, only shares of companies from the European Union and the European Economic Area have been favourably taxed (19%). Now, companies belonging to e.g. American or Swiss capital groups have the opportunity to offer such a beneficial solution to their employees and board members. It is important to remember to meet all the formal requirements of such an incentive program.

MB: How can we prepare for the forthcoming, revolutionary changes in these areas?

ES: First of all, you need to be aware of them, calculate the predictable increase in costs and decrease in net income. I recommend that you take a look at the types of positions and responsibilities that exist in the company. It often turns out that an employment contract is not the form that best suits the nature of work and duties.

1) The Management Board and proxies:

A board member does not only work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and his or her responsibilities extend far beyond what the Labor Code provides for an employee. Therefore, they can be remunerated for their additional functions in a separate stream – on the basis of a corporate act. In such a case, such remuneration of a member of the management board is not subject to social security contributions. You can also consider introducing an incentive program based on granting shares in a foreign company – the manager will tax them only when he sells them, at the 19% PIT rate and without ZUS.

2) Creative IT and R&D/R&D employees:

Creative employees whose activities are related to computer programs or research and development may be remunerated for these activities by receiving a separate royalty under their employment contract. In such a case, half of this fee will not be taxable, as the so-called “Royalty” can be deducted from the income. 50% tax deductible costs. Even companies in which IT activities have occurred, and which have not yet identified and reported the fact of creative activity of employees, should now be interested in this solution. An additional benefit for companies may also be the CIT relief available in the case of research and development activities (up to 150% of eligible costs).

3) Experts:

More and more companies are introducing flexibility in their relationships with their staff. If the company employs experts who advise, independently shaping the effects of their work, i.e. de facto acting as entrepreneurs, they may become independent contractors conducting business activity, invoicing their contractors, deducting costs related to their business for tax purposes. In such a case, their income may be taxed at a flat rate (in order to make this possible, they cannot perform the same services as part of their business activity as for their previous employer, and their services cannot be related to management), and they can take advantage of preferences in social security contributions.

4) Foreigners:

If they are non-tax residents in Poland, they may be remunerated on the basis of such relationships, the income from which in Poland is taxed at a 20% flat rate. And on top of that, it is worth analysing whether they can pay contributions in another country (e.g. their home country) instead of in Poland. Such a solution may turn out to be cheaper.

MB: Will it be possible to continue generating savings in the company by revising the costs of social security and PFRON contributions on the employer’s side?

ES: Interestingly, our many experiences show that many companies approach certain cost areas in their companies too cautiously or even inappropriately, unnecessarily overpaying public levies. I am referring here primarily to the area of employer’s social security contributions (primarily accident and labour fund contributions) and the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of Disabled People, but also the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) on employee benefits. These are usually very high cost items in companies, especially those based primarily on people, such as shared service centers. Once in a while, it is worth conducting an audit of the company’s systems and the provision and exchange of information that is crucial for the amount of these burdens – there is often an undiscovered, great potential for savings. EY offers such a review at no cost – only when the identified savings materialize, we share the fruits of this joint success.

MB: What actions can we take in our companies, what can we do concretely to remain an attractive employer?

ES: First of all, in the face of the planned changes, it is worth fighting to maintain the levels of net remuneration of employees in companies and, where possible and justified from a business point of view, to properly reflect the reality by applying the preferences provided for by the legislator.

Secondly, there is more and more talk about the atmosphere in the company in the context of the employer’s attractiveness. New generations are entering the labour market: millennials and representatives of Generation Z. These young people expect the employer to understand, listen and engage in interesting projects, support in the development of their talents. But they also want to pursue their passions, dreams, fulfill themselves as parents and in other roles related to social involvement, they want to have an impact on reality. Concepts such as “digitalization strategy” are artificial for them, they simply grew up and live in the digital world. This is certainly a big challenge for managers who entered the job market at a slightly different time, and quick promotion was their main priority.

Modern employers must take care of the relationship with students and future candidates, directing interesting communication to them and inviting them to the world of their brand.

MB: Why do you recommend crowdsourcing as a modern way to engage candidates and employees on a digital platform? What does this mean for employer branding activities for companies?

ES: Because it is the answer to these challenges. Research shows that in the next 2 years, at least 75% of the most dynamically developing companies will use crowdsourcing. On the market, it is something distinctive, but natural and effective at the same time.

Crowdsourcing is the process of outsourcing tasks outside the organization, to specially built and engaged communities. No matter how thriving an organization we are, most smart and creative people are outside of that organization. Crowdsourcing allows you to take advantage of this “wisdom of the crowd”. Such large and globally recognizable brands as Facebook or YouTube (the largest media platforms based mainly on foreign content), Uber (a successful taxi company that does not have its own fleet) or Airbnb (one of the largest real estate rental platforms that does not own real estate) are nothing more than examples of the use of crowdsourcing. Wikipedia also owes its relevance to the use of crowdsourcing.

Crowdsourcing helps to achieve the intended results through the use of IT tools – an engagement platform and a system of motivators, specially developed for a given target group. All this is complemented by proper and, what is even more important, sufficiently frequent communication.

Innovators on the MillionYou platform is a new EY Crowdsourcing project. Thanks to it, students can participate in interesting tasks, face real life, professional or business challenges. On the platform, the needs of business meet the creativity of young people, who can earn references, win awards, and pursue their passions. Lecturers from business schools, universities and polytechnics as well as foreigners are involved in the functioning of the platform (the platform is bilingual, also in English). It is the first initiative of this type in Poland.

Employer branding of the 21st century is one that engages potential candidates in the long term, through interesting, rather than self-interested activities, including them in the life of the employer’s brand and taking an interest in their lives, i.e. conducting a dialogue with them, long before they become the addressees of job offers. When making a decision about choosing a future employer, they will be aware, familiar, and perhaps even know their future employer very well, because they were involved in their lives already during their studies. Crowdsourcing is a tool for this dialogue. In addition to dialogue and engagement and a kind of loyalty, it also allows you to achieve a large reach, effectively reaching the recipients of our message where they are, primarily through social media, Instagram, YouTube and student organizations.

MB: Where is this method used?

ES: The application possibilities are virtually endless. For example, the concept of open innovation – global corporations use it primarily to gain a competitive advantage, inviting a wide range of scientists and students to submit innovative ideas for new solutions and products.

In Poland, crowdsourcing is most often used in communication with city dwellers, as a tool for social participation used to collect ideas in the concept of building smart cities;

in brand communication, as an alternative or complement to ideas for promoting products or services created behind the doors of creative agencies. Such projects involve a wide range of independent creators, often consumers of the product. All this is done so that they can tell them how they would like the brand to communicate with them, how it should advertise its products. The goal is to create a communication that the recipients will identify with (branded content creation)

MB: What gives?

ES: We don’t hit the fence with the proverbial bullet, because the task is performed by a group of committed people, similar to those we want to reach. It is no longer a one-way communication, but involving the customer, consumer or resident in the process of searching for causes and drawing conclusions. This builds a two-way relationship, dialogue and trust.

Measurable results are a mass of fresh, authentic ideas presented in an engaging way, which can be used, for example, to power social media. Consumers generally don’t like to be sold something. On the other hand, he likes it when someone tells him a story that is interesting to him. Crowdsourcing allows people to talk to people, as opposed to the typical approach to brand promotion, where the brand or product is trying to communicate with them.

Experts on the subject say that there is no future for companies that do not use this type of tool.

MB: What is the key in employer branding activities? A lot of companies boast that they already have such strategies.

ES: It’s true. It has become fashionable lately. But are these strategies followed by actions and the use of specific tools, or are they just multi-page documents suggesting specific actions that everyone is already using?

I absolutely do not think that traditional activities such as strategy games, ambassadors at universities or presence at trade fairs have become a thing of the past. I’m not saying that these targeted actions don’t work. But in my opinion, they are no longer enough to gain a competitive advantage in the employee’s market. In this context, it is worth quoting the English-language title of marketing guru Jack Trout’s book “Differentiate or die”.

After all, an employer’s brand can and should be built in a similar way to a product brand – i.e. using the right communication and having a long-term strategy. Brand recognition or reach and an authentic message consistent with the organization’s DNA allows you to attract the best candidates. When I talk about the best candidates, I don’t mean only the top students. I’m talking about candidates whose values, interests and aspirations will be consistent with what the future employer requires, and who will find themselves in the new workplace and become its ambassador.

MB: And can this method also be used in relation to current employees?

ES: Absolutely. I often hear from employees that their voice doesn’t matter to the employer. And the truth is that maybe even managers would like to hear something, but they don’t know how to go about listening effectively. And what is the result? Posters advertising “submit an idea and get rewarded” programs are ignored, idea boxes are empty, and employees don’t ask questions at annual communication meetings. And employee satisfaction surveys are recording lower and lower results and everyone is wondering how this is possible.

MB: What can be done about it? After all, employees have been given the opportunity to express themselves, but they do not use it.

ES: You can be offended by this. But it won’t do anything. The truth is that just giving the floor doesn’t solve anything. The essence is to gain engagement, to make people want to speak, without huge financial outlays or time for such processes. After all, business has to move forward. And for that, you need engagement and communication specialists. The days of employee surveys are long gone.

MB: What motivators will work best to encourage people to get involved?

ES: A different stimulus can work for everyone. The most important thing is to know the main motivators to gain the commitment and voice of representative groups. It’s not even about financial motivators anymore.

MB: In what spheres can employees have a voice? How do successful companies do it?

ES: It is worth using internal platforms that support innovation. Why? It often happens that the employees closest to the customer (e.g. operating the cash register or working on the production line) have brilliant ideas for improvements – be it the product, the production process or the way of customer service, but they have no one to tell about them. Because their direct supervisor may not appreciate such creativity for various reasons or may simply not know what to do with such an idea.

Crowdsourcing encourages conversations within the company, involving colleagues in the process and submitting ideas. However, not all of them are inventive, some are better at criticizing. And this is also appreciated and rewarded, because it can and often does lead to the improvement of ideas. It is very important to select the best ideas and submit them for implementation.

However, such a task should be entrusted to specialists in this field, who can already boast of measurable successes in effective employee engagement. Otherwise, it is very likely that we will end up with another dead process within the company, which we will not be able to boast about.

MB: That sounds encouraging. Is it enough to set measurable goals for the right people and then it will definitely be achieved?

ES: This whole process, the so-called idea management has a chance to succeed only if the incentives, communication, IT platform and all stages of the process are properly planned, implemented and synchronized, and if the message is also appropriate from a marketing point of view. The whole thing must be preceded by an understanding of the DNA of a given organization and its employees, and what the employer wants to achieve, what effects similar actions have had in the past, etc. It’s a good idea to plan a pilot project. That’s a job for community engagement professionals. Only then can you even be tempted to set the right people in your financial organization goals for generating additional revenue through internal innovation processes.

MB: Are there any other possible areas of application that are important for HR?

ES: Yes, there is no closed directory here. But crowdsourcing will also work well in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. It is also irreplaceable for those companies that plan to change their office space to a more modern one, but also adapted to the needs and style of work of their current employees and future generations. Engaging them to gather ideas will allow them to become true ambassadors and beneficiaries of change. It will also work well in companies that strive to ensure that the offer of non-wage benefits or company events meets the needs and requirements of individual groups of employees. I want it to satisfy them, and not become a dead complicated catalogue of misguided “attractions”.

Crowdsourcing should also be used for internal communication (to employees) or externally (to candidates) to create attractive photo or video content in companies that do not have interesting ideas for it, and creating them with the help of specialized companies is too expensive for them.

MB: There has been a lot of talk recently about the idea of introducing an obligation to run employee capital schemes in companies. Is it up to date?

ES: The legislator, motivated by the deteriorating demographic situation and the desire to provide us with funds to live in retirement, is preparing another requirement for employers – Employee Capital Programs (PPK). Work on the final shape of the regulations is still ongoing, and the date of their entry into force has not been decided. It is crucial for employers to start preparing now, to consider what the options are. Because then it may be too late to act. For example, the high interest of all companies at the same time will exhaust the capacity of specialized companies providing these solutions and drive up prices.

MB: What exactly can be done right now?

ES: According to the proposed regulations, the requirement to run an ECP would not apply to companies that already have an Employee Pension Scheme (PPE) in place. It may turn out that PPK is a more attractive option to consider. But you also need to spend about a few months to implement this solution in your company.

MB: And what about the changes in the area of personal data protection – GDPR? What does everyone need to know about this law and what new requirements does it impose on/on employers?

ES: This is the biggest change in personal data regulations in 21 years! It will come into force on 25 May 2018 – the transition period must be used to analyse and prepare for the challenges ahead. In the area of HR, the main changes are related to the employer’s obligations in the field of personal data protection, both in recruitment processes and in the collection, storage and processing of employee data.

The scale of the introduced changes will have a significant impact on a number of areas related to the processing of personal data in the organization, both in the legal sphere and in the sphere of IT systems. In addition, the reform introduces severe fines that will be imposed on data controllers. Fines can be as high as €20 million or 4% of the company’s total annual worldwide turnover from the previous financial year.

We recommend our clients to take measures to mitigate reputational risk and the risk of delays in the implementation of solutions resulting from the Regulation and the imposition of penalties on the processor of personal data for improper processing.

MB: What are the benefits for employers of employing foreigners and apprentices?

ES: Foreigners are a valuable resource of job candidates and qualified specialists, especially in the face of the observed shortages of certain skills on the Polish market. We have been observing an upward trend in this area for a long time.

When deciding to employ foreigners, it is certainly necessary to remember to address such important issues as meeting the relevant requirements of the migration law, support in tax settlements and social security (an experienced company that is part of a global network of tax and immigration advisors will help with this). It is also a good idea to provide them with an appropriate catalogue of required information and ensure that they are integrated into the new country and circumstances.

Apprentices, on the other hand, help companies provide potential candidates and future employees with succession in rotating positions. Properly constructed internship programs are also an opportunity for closer cooperation between business and schools and universities and influencing the appropriate adjustment and modernity of curricula, so that they respond to the needs of the market and business.

MB: Thank you for the interview.

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Eliza Skotnicka, Senior Manager in the personal tax team at EY. Working in the Warsaw headquarters of EY for over 10 years, she has been supporting corporations and companies from the SME sector in the field of effective remuneration structures, taxation of internationally mobile people and modern Employer Branding activities using social media and digital platform.

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EY Polska (www.ey.com/pl/) is an international advisory firm specializing in business, tax and legal advisory, as well as audit and transaction services. The company’s experts help in creating an effective HR strategy, remuneration and employee motivation programs, as well as designing employer branding (www.ey.com/pl/pas) activities. EY Poland has offices in the largest Polish cities (Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Katowice, Gdansk, Łódź).

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