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Although women now make up nearly half of the economically active population in Poland, their presence in technical and industrial sectors, often perceived as “male”, remains limited. There is no shortage of interest among women — the reason for the current situation is not a deficit of skills, but long-entrenched stereotypes and the masculinisation of communication. Is there a chance for change? Smart Solutions HR experts indicate that there is — thanks to technological development and a more inclusive approach from employers.

Over the past 12 years, the share of women in the Polish labour market has increased slightly — from around 45% in 2014 to nearly 47% in mid-2025 (based on data from the Central Statistical Office). Women are more likely to work in services, retail, hospitality, healthcare, education, and administration. Their presence in technical, industrial, and logistics sectors remains limited — according to CSO data, at the end of 2024 women accounted for 33% of the workforce in manufacturing, 25% in the energy sector, and 21% in transport and warehousing. Smart Solutions HR experts point out that the obstacle is not a lack of competence or interest among women in working in manual roles, but rather the commonly prevailing stereotypes.

“The problem starts early: at the stage of educational choices and perceptions of ‘typically female’ and ‘typically male’ career paths,” says Ewelina Mostowicz, recruiter at Smart Solutions HR. “CSO data shows that in 2025 around 38% of students in technical schools were women. This later translates into their lower representation in technical professions. On top of that, there are deeply rooted beliefs about the nature of the work — especially in physically demanding sectors. There is still a persistent image of jobs requiring strength, resilience, and ‘male’ fitness, which effectively discourages some potential female candidates. Women do not lack competence, courage, or openness — the barrier is still stereotypes and false social beliefs.”

However, career decisions are influenced not only by education or stereotypes, but also by something much subtler — language. Since the end of 2025, employers have been required to use gender-neutral job titles and non-discriminatory language in job advertisements. A month after the regulation was introduced, proposals to withdraw it appeared, yet in reality the significance of this change goes far beyond legislation itself.

“The language used in job advertisements has a huge impact on the decisions of candidates,” says Agnieszka Kukier, recruiter at Smart Solutions HR. “Even if formally everyone can apply, some people may feel that a given role ‘is not for them’ if the advert is written in a stereotypical way or uses only masculine forms. In practice, this means that the barrier to entering ‘male-dominated’ sectors may appear much earlier than at the interview stage — already at the moment of reading the advert. This way, we fall into a vicious circle of stereotyping, the result of which is the still low share of women in technical and specialist positions.”

Although the share of women in male-dominated sectors is still limited, recruiters can already see the first signs of change.

“We are observing a clear upward trend — women are increasingly willing to apply for technical positions, seeing them as a stable career path with attractive financial conditions. The strongest dynamics of change are visible in transport, warehousing, and forklift operation. Thanks to automation and modern technology, these sectors have become fully accessible to women, who are thriving as operators and logisticians,” says Ewelina Mostowicz.

According to the experts, what is changing the rules of the game is women’s growing openness and the development of technology. What for years was one of the main arguments against a greater presence of women in certain professions — namely the requirement for physical strength — is increasingly losing its importance. Automation and robotisation are changing the nature of work in industry, logistics, and transport. In many cases, tasks that require significant physical effort are now performed by machines, while the role of the employee is shifting towards operating systems, controlling processes, and carrying out precise technical activities.

“Automation and robotisation have radically changed the physical requirements in many sectors. Many tasks that once required great strength are now performed by machines and systems that support human work. As a result, more and more people, regardless of gender, can work on production lines and operate equipment that once required considerable physical strength. Of course, there are still positions that require physical effort, but in modern facilities these are rather the exception than the rule. In practice, this means that stereotypes related to ‘male strength’ are no longer justified — today, technical skills, precision, and experience are what matter most, not physical strength,” notes Agnieszka Kukier.

According to the experts, the share of women in technical sectors such as industry, logistics, and manufacturing may accelerate over the next few years. For now, the change is progressing, although the process remains gradual and slow. Employers themselves may play a key role in breaking stereotypes and opening up male-dominated sectors to women. The transformation can be driven by increased investment in education for girls and dedicated vocational programmes. Internal training programmes are also of great importance, enabling women to acquire technical skills already at the employment stage. These may include training in operating machines and production systems, as well as courses upgrading qualifications in logistics or automation. Such initiatives help to break down entry barriers and build confidence in new roles. They also send a clear signal that the employer is genuinely investing in the development of all employees, regardless of gender. Appropriate language should not be overlooked either.

“The requirement for neutral job titles is the first step towards creating more inclusive and diverse teams. From our perspective, even if the regulation were no longer in force, we should not give up using both forms of job titles. This is not about exaggeration or artificially complicating the language, but about sending a clear signal that every person, regardless of gender, is welcome and has equal opportunities for development. In practice, this also brings measurable benefits for the company — it builds the image of a modern, aware employer and shows that diversity is valued. Such language helps attract talent who might otherwise feel excluded from the recruitment process because of stereotypes, and it genuinely supports the building of teams in which everyone feels equal,” concludes Ewelina Mostowicz.

Sources: data from the Central Statistical Office, Smart Solutions HR’s own analysis