Statistics Poland

Statistical Office in Poznan, Centre for Short-Term Statistics

Statistics Poland, Social Surveys and Labour Market 

1. 60-624 Poznan, ul. Wojska Polskiego 27/29

2. 00-925 Warszawa, Aleja Niepodległosci 208

Number of employees and self-employed persons in industry, construction, retail trade and services measures the number of persons employed in quarterly periods.

Hours worked by employees in industry, construction, retail trade and services measures the volume of work done in quarterly periods.

Wages and salaries in industry, construction, retail trade and services measures payments paid to employees in quarterly periods.

The Polish Classification of Activities (PKD 2007) based on the NACE Rev.2

STS data by kind-of-activity unit (KAU) covers the following areas:

Industry: sections B, C, D, divisions 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35 and 36of NACE Rev. 2,  and groupings of this aggregates. Additionally: Intermediate goods, Energy, Capital goods, Consumer durables, Consumer non-durables – as part of the Main Industrial Groupings.

Construction: section F of NACE Rev. 2

Wholesale and retail trade: section G, division 45, 46 and 47 and additionally grouping 47 without 47.3 of NACE Rev. 2..

Services: sections, H, I, J, L, M (excl.701, 72, 75),  N of NACE Rev. 2 and grouping of these aggregates

The main data source for STS variables is the monthly survey carried out on a questionnaire on economic activity (DG-1 form), which covers legal units with the number of persons employed 10 or more people: for units with the number of persons employed 50 or more people - census, for units with the number of persons employed 10-49 people - representative sample. In addition, for wholesale and retail trade and for services for the number of employees and self-employed persons variable small units (up to 9 persons employed) are added – requested by Eurostat. After collection of raw data by legal units, data are estimated into population by KAU.

Number of employees and self-employed persons is approximated by number of persons employed. Persons employed are persons who perform work providing earnings (remuneration for work done) or income. Persons employed include:

• Employees hired on the basis of employment contracts i.e. labour contract,  appointment or election (including seasonal and temporary workers) or service relation,
• Employers and own-account workers, i.e.:
  • owners, co-owners, and leaseholders of private farms in agriculture (including contributing family workers), 
  • owners and co-owners (including contributing family workers; excluding partners in companies who do not work in them) of entities conducting economic activity other than that related to private farms in agriculture,
  • other self-employed persons, e.g. self-employed professionals;
• Agents,
• Outworkers,
• Members of agricultural production cooperatives (agricultural producers’ cooperatives and cooperatives established on their basis as well as agricultural farmers’ cooperatives)

The total number of hours worked by employees represents the aggregate number of hours actually worked for the output of the observation unit during the reference period. 
Included are hours actually worked during normal working hours; hours worked in addition to those; time which is spent at the place of work on tasks such as preparing the site and time corresponding to short periods of rest at the work place. 
According to this definition, the items include:

• the total amount of all hours actually worked:
  • during regular working hours,
  • overtime, whether paid or unpaid
  • during nights, Sundays or public holidays.

The items exclude:

• hours paid but not worked due to leave, sickness, accidents, strikes, lock outs, slack time, etc.,
• time spent for meal breaks,
• commuting between home and work.

The variable does not cover self-employed persons.

Wages and salaries are benefits for work, paid or handed over in nature (calculated as appropriate) to employees. Wages and salaries are comprised of: personal wages and salaries and payments from profit and balance surplus in cooperatives.

Personal wages and salaries comprise, among others: basic wages and salaries, premiums and prizes, bonuses (e.g., for working in unhealthy conditions, for seniority, for serving in management positions), wages and salaries for working overtime, wages and salaries for time off (paid lay-offs, holidays, illness) and allowances and claim benefits.

Wages and salaries include remuneration paid to employees or other natural persons irrespective of the sources of their financing, i.e. from the company's own funds or reimbursed.

Statistical unit is KAU, however reporting unit for raw data is legal unit (LEU), which is later estimated into KAU.

The target population for STS data includes kind of activity units with the number of employed persons 10 or more people. The frame for identifying units for the target population is the Statistical Business Register (BJS) supported by the National Official Business Register (REGON). 

The basis for the selection of entities is their principal kind of activity according to the Polish Classification of Activities (PKD 2007– equivalent of the NACE Rev. 2) and the number of persons employed.

The number of units by KAU in December 2023 for each area was:

For Industry – 31811 units, i.e. with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – 8672  units,  
• 10-49 persons  – 23139 units.

For Construction – 15694units, i.e. with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – 1389 units,
• 10-49 persons  – 14305 units.

For Wholesale and retail trade – 26859 units, i.e. with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – 3841 units,
• 10-49 persons  – 23018 units.

For Services - 31895 units, i.e. with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – 5303 units,
• 10-49 persons  – 26592 units.

In addition for wholesale and retail trade and for services for the number of employees and self-employed persons variable small unites (up to 9 persons employed) are added – requested by Eurostat.

Wages and salaries and Hours worked by employees cover all areas of Poland. Number of employees and self-employed persons include persons who perform work in Poland and abroad for the national units in which they were employed.

Time series according to NACE Rev.2 are available since 2000 except for hours worked by employees and wages and salaries in retail trade and services which are available since 2010.

Until 2020 the observation unit was LEU (an approximation of enterprise), since 2021 data are compiled for KAU (insignificant breaks in time series may appear in some aggregates).

For number of employees and self-employed persons, wages and salaries and hours worked by employees indices the base year is 2021. 

In Eurostat STS data are presented as indices for the number of employees and self-employed persons, wages and salaries and hours worked by employees.

Raw data by legal units are collected in number of persons employed, in thousands PLN for wages and salaries and thousands of hours for hours worked by employees.

Reference quarter.

Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation).

Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 mentioned above.

The legal basis of Statistics Poland's responsibility for collection, processing and dissemination of statistics is the Act on Official Statistics passed on 29th June 1995 with subsequent amendments (consolidated text published in the Journal of Laws 2021 no 955). 
Information on surveys is given in the “Statistical Survey Program of Official Statistics” which exists as an annual regulation of the Council of Ministers.

Data on number of persons employed, wages and salaries and hours worked by employees are collected on the basis of the “Statistical Survey Program of Official Statistics” (for national purposes data are compiled by LEU). These data are then used as the basis for compiling indices by KAU according to the requirements of EBS Regulation and General Implementing Act.

Data are sent to Eurostat.

All statistics collected and published by Statistics Poland's are governed by the Act on Official Statistics. This Act establishes the statistical independence of Statistics Poland's. Statistics Poland can not publish, or otherwise make available to any individual or organization, statistics that would allow the identification of data for any individual person or entity.

The question of confidentiality is explained in the art. 10, 38 and 38a of the Act on Official Statistics:

Article 10.

Identifiable individual data collected in statistical surveys are subject to absolute protection. Such data may only be used to prepare statistical studies, compilations and analyses, as well as to create a statistical survey sampling frame by the President of Statistics Poland; making such data available or using them for purposes other than those specified herein is prohibited (statistical confidentiality).

Article 38. 

1. Identifiable unit data obtained in statistical surveys may not be published nor made available.

2. Statistical data obtained in statistical surveys that can be linked and identified as data concerning a specific natural person, as well as information and statistical data characterising economic and financial results of national economy entities conducting economic activity, may not be published nor made available if the given aggregation consists of fewer than three entities or the share of one entity in a given compilation is greater than three-fourths of the whole.

3. In the case of national economy entities, the information and statistical data referred to in sec. 2 may be published if the person authorised to represent a given entity has consented to the publication of specific data characterizing the economic and financial results of that entity.

Article 38a. 

1. The President of Statistics Poland, at the request of entities referred to in Art. 25 25 sec. 1 point 9, justified by the preparation of specific programmes, forecasts and analyses, may provide these entities with identifiable unit data of public finance sector entities within the meaning of Art. 9 of the Act of 27 August 2009 on public finances.

2. The data made available in accordance with sec. 1 may be used only for the purpose indicated in the application, subject to the rules referred to in art. 38 sec. 1 and in Regulation No. 223/2009.

Confidential data are treated in accordance with the policy described in concept 7.1.

The following data are subject to special protection and are not disseminated:

• data of individuals,
• aggregates consisting the values of one or two entities,
• aggregates with the share of one entity higher than the three-fourths of the total value in aggregate.

STS data by KAU are published in the Knowledge Database – Short-term-statistics – data by Kind-of activity unit, approx. a month after transmission to Eurostat.

Eurostat disseminates data according to announced Release calendar.

Raw data by legal units from the monthly survey (DG-1 form) are released in Poland according to the news releases calendar. 

Release calendar for the Knowledge Databases for STS data by KAU: https://dbw.stat.gov.pl/en/kalendarium

News releases on Statistics Poland’s website for raw data by legal units (under the name “the enterprise sector”): https://stat.gov.pl/en/latest-statistical-news/news-releases/.

Article 14 point 2 of the "Act on Official Statistics" states that official statistics shall provide equal, indiscriminate and simultaneous access to the statistical information to everyone, especially to major figures and indicators. Data are released simultaneously to all users and are available on the Statistics Poland website (http://stat.gov.pl/en/) in publications.

The data are regularly sent to Eurostat shortly after national release - according to the requirements of EBS Regulation and General Implementing Act.
According to the article 14 point 2 of the "Act on Official Statistics" nobody, even parts of the public administration (or Government) has prior access to data before its release.

STS data by KAU are published quarterly nationally and quarterly transmitted to Eurostat.

Raw data by legal units are published monthly nationally. 

STS data by KAU have no news release, they are published in the database mentioned in 8.1. 

STS data by KAU are not disseminated in publications, however raw data by legal units are published in “Statistical Bulletin” – monthly edition presenting basic data on the socio-economic situation of the country, of which data for the enterprise sector (total, sections and divisions of NACE Rev.2); indices, i.e. previous month=100, corresponding month of previous year=100; gross data 

STS data by KAU are available in the Knowledge Databases: https://dbw.stat.gov.pl/en.

Raw data by legal units are available in the Local Data Bank (under the name “the enterprise sector”).

No access to micro-data.

STS data by KAU are sent to Eurostat both to be used in European aggregates as well as to be released as national data.

Documentation on methodology available on the Statistics Poland's website (http://stat.gov.pl/en/):

1. Statistical Survey Program of Official Statistics (in English),
2. Glossary of statistical concepts (in Polish/English)
3. Methodological notes in publications regarding raw data by legal units (Polish/English):

• • “Statistical Bulletin”
  •  Methodological report. Monthly activity report of enterprises (in English)
  • Methodological report. Statistics on labour market, wages and salaries (in Polish)
  • Methodological report Wages and salaries in the national economy (in Polish)
  • Methodological report Employment in the national economy (in Polish)

The legal basis of the quality measurement and assessment is the internal Regulation of the Statistics Poland's President No 35 of 28th December 2011 which came into force in the 4th quarter of 2012. The quality assessment of statistical surveys is conducted according to an annual quality program for the official statistics which is in line with the Regulation of the Statistics Poland's President No 35 of 28th December 2011.

Procedures and rules applied in quality assessment and monitoring are based on the ESS Quality Standards, i.e. the ESS Quality Declaration, recommendations of the ESS Leadership Expert Group on Quality (LEG) and the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). 

The quality of statistical surveys is evaluated by means of standard quality reports and quality indicators recommended in the ESS Handbook for Quality Reports as well as by self-assessment checklist and quality audits and reviews.

Last quality assessment of the monthly survey (DG-1), which is the data source for most STS indicators was conducted in 2022.
A quality report was elaborated on the basis of standard quality procedures recommended in the ESS Handbook for Quality Reports. The quality of the monthly survey was described by means of standard quality indicators characterising the following quality aspects: relevance, accuracy and reliability, timelines and punctuality, comparability and coherence.

• Relevance is maintained every year while drafting the Statistical Survey Program of Official Statistics”. User satisfaction survey was conducted at the end of 2013.
• Concerning timeliness and punctuality all releases are delivered on time immediately after they are prepared.
• Comparability of series is maintained geographically and over time.

Coherence is observable with other cross domain surveys, quarterly and annually (it concerns data collected from legal units).

User needs are systematically monitored and taken into consideration while drafting the Statistical Survey Program of Official Statistics” for the next year. The organs of the state power, government and self-government administration, organisations of employers and other institutions, provide opinions on statistical surveys and recommend implementation of the new ones.

Data users, e.g. universities, research institutes, enterprises or individuals may indicate their needs by data inquiries and orders. 
Classification of national data users with an indication of their importance for official statistics, taking into account the purpose of data usage, is the following:

• key users – government and self-government administration, National Central Bank, Polish Financial Supervision Authority;
• important users – research institutes, universities, organisations of employers, enterprises, insurance institutions, media;
• other users – social organisations, professional self-government, economic self-government, trade unions, students, individuals.

User satisfaction is observed continuously. The number of articles in newspapers etc. is monitored. Information materials are released to press, radio, television, press agencies and information offices.
Universities and research institutes, representatives of organisations of employers, who are the members of the Statistical Council, indicate their needs by data inquiries. Realisation of data inquires is examined each time all year.
The needs of users' are satisfied in professional way. The users receive data on current economy activity of enterprises by the following ways:

• Internet
• monthly publications
• quarterly publications

In addition, user satisfaction survey was conducted at the end of 2013. The survey covered the following data users: government and self-government administration, National Central Bank, Polish Financial Supervision Authority, research institutes, universities, organisations of employers, enterprises, insurance institutions, media, social organisations, professional self-government, economic self-government, trade unions, students, individuals.
User satisfaction survey was carried out via internet. Questions included in the questionnaire were adjusted to all data users mentioned above and they comprised, among others, the following issues:

• general information on using statistical data (which data were used, how often and for what purpose),
• assessment of data availability, transparency, timelines, comparability and level of details,
• evaluation of services provided by Statistics Poland and assessment of the internet website http://stat.gov.pl/en/,
• assessment of statistical metadata (methodology, glossaries, classification applied, etc.),
• users' needs and expectations concerning disseminated statistics and offered services,
• general assessment of statistics (according to the European Statistics Code of Practice).

The report on users' satisfaction is available on the Statistics Poland's website (in Polish).

Data are consistent with the requirements of  Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation) and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 mentioned above.

The response rate for main data source, i.e. raw data by legal units in the survey carried out on a DG-1 form is high, there are only negligible non-sampling errors concerning coverage, measurement and non-response. Data are assumed final data and are not revised (except extraordinary situations).

The sample of legal units with the number of persons employed 10-49 people and census of units with the number of persons employed 50 or more people.
The sample selection of legal units with the number of persons employed 10-49 people at the NUTS 2 level and for sections and divisions of NACE Rev.2.

Data for entities which do not complete the statistical questionnaire (DG-1 form) are estimated according to the previous reports.
Actions to speed up or increase the rate of response are telephone or e-mail follow-up of non-respondents and analysis of the reasons for non-response.

STS data by KAU are sent to Eurostat according to the EBS Regulation, and approx. a month later are published nationally.

Data are delivered on time according to the scheduled release dates.

The same statistical concepts and classifications are applied in the entire national territory.
Polish Classification of Activities (PKD 2007) is consistent with European Classification of Economic Activities (NACE Rev.2).
Classification of territorial division applied in Polish statistics is consistent with the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS).

Data are comparable over time. Time series according to NACE Rev. 2 are available in Eurostat from 2000 onwards (2010 for hours worked and wages and salaries in wholesale and retail trade and services). Since 2021 data are compiled by KAU, before 2021 data were compiled by LEU (an approximation of enterprise), therefore insignificant breaks in time series may appear in some aggregates..

STS data for labour market are comparable with other STS domains by KAU as statistical unit.

Raw data by legal units are compared to the annual inquiry and to accrued data from the same monthly survey. The same short-term survey report data is also used for collecting other short-term indicators.

The higher aggregates are consistent with their main sub-aggregates and the higher aggregation levels are obtained by summing up absolute values from lower aggregation levels.

Cost of the NSI:

• annual cost of collecting data on the DG-1 form – 128,800 hours (the costs also cover part of national needs as it was not possible to separate the costs of data collection only for EBS purposes);
• annual costs related to data processing, imputation, grossing up, validations, calendar adjustment (wages and salaries and hours worked), as well as preparation of data for dissemination:
  • 559 hours for number of persons employed,
  • 624 hours for wages and salaries,
  • 500 hours for hours worked.

Burden of respondents: 18 hours – average annual respondents burden (it includes preparing data and filling-in the DG-1 form)

Data revision policy  (in Polish) is consistent with Eurostat recommendations.
According to these recommendations, notice about major changes, e.g. in classification, methodology or base year, is provided in advance of the change. Notice about minor changes is given at the time the change is introduced.

The same revision policy is applied to data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.

Raw data by legal units as well as data compiled by KAU are assumed as final data.

The main data source for raw data is a monthly statistical survey carried out on a DG-1 form  and it covers legal units with the number of persons employed 10 or more people. The same survey is also used for collecting other short-term indicators.
The sample is established once a year based on the Statistical Business Register (BJS) and updated regularly during the year.

The analysis below applies to legal units from survey carried out on a DG-1 form for December 2023.

For industrial units with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – a census is conducted (8528 units were covered with the survey, out of which 7522 units submitted the report), 
• 10-49 persons  – 22985 units, out of which a minimum 10% sample is selected at the division level of sections B to E36 of NACE Rev. 2 at each NUTS 2 level (3314 units, among which 292 units submitted the report).

For construction units with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – a census is conducted (1373 units were covered with the survey, out of which 1154 units submitted the report),
• 10-49 persons  – 14282 units, out of which a minimum 10% sample is selected at the division level of section F of NACE Rev. 2 at each NUTS 2 level (1557 units, among which 910 units submitted the report). 

For wholesale and retail trade units with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – a census is conducted (3820 units were covered with the survey, out of which 3341 units submitted the report),
• 10-49 persons  – 23014 units, out of which a minimum 10% sample is selected at the division level of division 45, 46, 47 of NACE Rev. 2 at each NUTS 2 level (3315 units, among which 2164 units submitted the report). 

For services units with the number of persons employed:

• 50 or more persons – a census is conducted (5475 units were covered with the survey, out of which 4589 units submitted the report),
• 10-49 persons  – 26808 units, out of which a minimum 10% sample is selected at the division level of sections H, I, J, L, M (excl.701, 72, 75) and N of NACE Rev. 2 at each NUTS 2 level (3544 units, among which 2149 units submitted the report).

In addition for wholesale and retail trade and for services, the small unites (up to 9 persons employed) are added for the variables: number of employees and self-employed persons (requested by Eurostat).
Data reported by legal units (raw data) for national purposes are compiled by LEU, however each legal unit covered by the survey has identified KAU’s NACE code which is the basis for compiling data by KAU.

Raw data by legal units are collected monthly (quarterly for hours worked) on a DG-1 form.

A single monthly questionnaire on economic activity (DG-1 form) is used for all respondents (legal units) covered by the survey.
Data are collected both for reporting month and for accrued period (cumulative data from January to the end of the reporting month). In accrued data, reporting units include possible revisions for the previous periods.
All data collection is done by electronic questionnaire. Non-response is monitored by means of the completeness of reports.
Dissemination of electronic questionnaire in the Reporting Portal for reporting units — until the 5th working day after the end of the reference month; reminding the reporting units over the phone or e-mail that they have not completed the questionnaire — on the 6th working day after the end of the reference month.
No changes are planned in questionnaires and data collection methodology.

Data prepared by regional statistical offices are controlled by the Statistics Poland's staff at the basis of data from previous and analogical months. After this validation, monthly data are considered as final when first released and are not subject to revision (except for extraordinary situations). Before transmission, data are validated on the SDMX application and then sent in SDMX format. After sending, the file is validated by the EDAMIS system.

After validation of data reported by legal units, data for non-respondents are estimated on the basis of their responses from the previous periods. In order to obtain data for the whole population of KAU covered by the survey, grossing-up is done at the Group level of NACE Rev. 2. Each legal unit covered by the survey has identified KAU’s NACE code which is the basis for grossing-up as well as for data aggregation at the NACE levels required in EBS Regulation. On the basis of absolute values indices are compiled.  

Hours worked by employees and wages and salaries are adjusted.

Type of adjustment: calendar adjustment, no seasonal adjustment

Level of detail: sections, divisions, MIGs;

Program JDemetra+, TRAMO/SEATS method

Methodology of adjustment:

• regARIMA, 1 regressor connected with the changing number of working days in a week resulting from national holidays,
• leap year effect (if relevant),
• Easter effect (if relevant),
• outliers (AO, LS, TC) with automatic detection supported by additional analysis and a priori knowledge.
• automatic model selection with additional non-automatic verification of problematic cases,
• additive or multiplicative decomposition,
• direct adjustment of aggregates.

Revisions:

• model updated once a year including revision of historical data.

Not applicable.