The labour market in Kraków is in shock – mass redundancies in IT and finance sectors make the capital of Małopolska loses its name as the Polish Excel Valley.
Kraków – Excel Valley at the turn
Only a few years ago, Kraków was a symbol of the modern economy – hundreds of corporations and business services centres employed tens of thousands of workers here. The city gained the nickname of the "Polish Excel Valley" because the ability to operate the spreadsheet was the key to better paid work in finance, IT and modern business services. However, this year has brought a spectacular turn.
Mass releases – what's going on?
2025 will be recorded in Krakow's history as a time of record group layoffs in sectors that have developed even recently the fastest.
Key figures:
- From January to early October, nearly 4,000 people were deprived of their jobs.
- The reductions affected as many as 27 companies simultaneously.
- More than 45 percent of the exemptions concerned IT specialists, data processing and hosting, further jobs were lost to accountants, tax advisers, call center employees and customer service.
Main causes of collapse:
- Automation and rapid development of AI – many routine tasks are transferred to algorithms and online platforms.
- Globalisation – service centres are transferred to countries with lower labour costs.
- High wage requirements and rising office maintenance costs.
- Consolidations of international corporations limiting local structures and processes.
Was it Detroit before Krakow?
Comparison to the American Detroit – the city-symbol of industrial collapse – is not accidental. Just as Detroit of the 1980s suffered from technological progress and the globalisation of the automotive industry, so Kraków is facing today the digital revolution and the outflow of technological capital.
Life example:
Even recently, thousands of young people began their career here in business services centers, where Excel's knowledge was a key competence. Today, when slots and AI take over established processes, the same skills prove insufficient.
Who feels the crisis most?
Table: The most affected sectors
| Sector | Number of redundancies (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Data processing, IT | 1783 |
| Accounting, consulting | 1142 |
| Call center, cl. | 190 |
| Internet portals | 54 |
Data: Grodzki Labour Office, September 2025.
New chances or no more dreams?
Despite the crisis, some companies are still recruiting, and the modern technology sector is not giving up the fight for talented IT professionals. According to industry reports, the number of IT professionals in Krakow increased by 3.5 percent this year, and more than half of companies are planning further recruitments. However, requirements are increasing – companies invest in automation, and candidates expect much more competences than only proficiency in Excel.
What's next with Excel Valley?
The change we're seeing may be the beginning of a profound transformation. New jobs will be created where technology will not replace man – in innovation, data analysis, development of AI, or services requiring contact between people.
Those who quickly learn to combine technical skills with creativity and problem solving will survive. Kraków still has the potential to remain an innovation centre if it uses its human capital and invests in modern education and business.
