Is PKO Bank the Best Employer in Poland in 2025?
PKO Bank has made significant strides in national employer rankings over the years. In Forbes Polska’s Poland’s Best Employers 2025 survey (conducted with Statista), PKO Bank jumped 50 places from the prior year to rank 89th overall out of 300 companies. This marked its third consecutive year of improvement – an impressive climb of 194 spots since 2022 (when it was as low as 283rd).
Has this recent uncommon stride pushed PKO Bank up the ladder as one of the best employers in Poland in 2025? Let’s find out.
PKO’s Rise in Poland’s Employer Rankings
Within the banking sector category, PKO Bank was rated the 4th best bank to work for, trailing only ING Bank Śląski, mBank, and Bank Millennium. This surge signals growing employee approval of its workplace conditions and reputation.
Beyond Forbes, PKO has garnered other employer accolades. It earned the Top Employer 2024 and 2025 certifications from the Top Employers Institute. In fact, 2025 marked its sixth consecutive certification, a streak that underscores consistent recognition of its HR practices.
To cement its place among potential jobseekers, in the 2025 certification, PKO’s HR practices scored high enough to place it among the top ten certified employers in Poland. This certification recognizes PKO’s “active dialogue with employees,” and its efforts to continuously raise HR standards. The leading Polish bank also enjoys a strong employer brand among students and young professionals.
Universum Global ranked PKO 9th and 13th in its 2024 students survey in the Business/Commerce as Law category, confirming its strong appeal to students. In earlier AIESEC Polska “Employer of the Year” rankings, PKO also achieved a high score — 1st in the banking sector and 4th overall in 2015 and 7th in 2017.
These results and external endorsements reflect PKO’s lasting reputation among young professionals in Poland and indicate that PKO’s reputation as a workplace is robust and improving.
Leading Poland’s Banking Workforce with Diverse Careers
With over 21,700 employees in mid-2024, PKO Bank is Poland’s largest bank, offering roles across finance, IT, innovation, and customer service. Its scale provides strong career growth and the chance to work on high-impact projects nationwide.
Job stability remains a major draw. As Poland’s biggest bank by assets, PKO’s financial strength and market leadership give employees a sense of security and pride in where they work.
PKO’s Modern Culture: Empowering People and Innovation
PKO Bank is reshaping its culture to be more people-focused and innovative. “Our HR strategy focuses on people… Together we create a whole that promotes our values – partnership, development, and influence. Values are the driving force of our organizational culture,” says Jolanta Wiewióra, PKO’s Director of Employee Relations. Through recent initiatives like #naWARTOŚCiowani (“Valued by Values”), the bank shows how it has refreshed its core values and leadership approach to build a more empowering workplace.
In terms of benefits, employees enjoy competitive pay, bonuses, private healthcare, and pension programs, along with training, career development, and agile working tools. PKO’s #FokusNaCiebie (“Focus on You”) well-being program supports mental and physical health, emphasizing work-life balance and burnout prevention — priorities for today’s professionals.
Known for its innovation, PKO created Poland’s first mobile payment app (IKO) and continues to invest in fintech and AI-driven solutions. This blend of tradition and modern technology signals a company committed to both people and progress, giving employees opportunities to grow and shape the future of banking from within.
PKO vs. Poland’s Top Employers: A Banking Powerhouse
While PKO Bank remains a major employer in Poland, calling it “the best” in 2025 is premature. Cross-industry rankings are still led by global tech and consumer brands. The Forbes 2025 list, for instance, was topped by Adidas (apparel), Intel, and Hilton, with Microsoft and Google also in the top five — well ahead of any bank.
Within the sector, smaller rivals like ING Bank Śląski ranked 11th overall and highest among banks, while mBank and Millennium also came in above PKO this year. Analysts suggest that smaller, more agile cultures and modern perks help these rivals stand out.
Moreover, Poland’s 2025 talent market is fiercely competitive, with tech firms (like Samsung), manufacturers, and even state institutions like the central bank (NBP) often having strong appeal due to their global brand prestige or unique benefits.
PKO, despite its dominance in banking, must compete with these firms to attract top talent. Industry observers note that younger tech graduates often gravitate to big tech or fintech startups, while PKO might be more attractive to those seeking a stable, long-term career in finance.
Still, PKO’s rise in the Forbes/Statista survey shows that its recent HR and culture initiatives are working, even as the race for Poland’s best employer title remains tight.
PKO’s Employer Brand: Strong, Stable, and Closing the Gap
In summary, PKO Bank in 2025 is undoubtedly one of Poland’s top employers, especially in the financial sector, but it’s not the uncontested best employer, yet.
PKO Bank has a long history, a massive workforce, and the kind of stability few employers can match. It’s earned Top Employer honors and made big strides in employee-led rankings — proof that its workplace culture is genuinely improving. Staff often point to career development, strong benefits, and PKO’s solid reputation as reasons they stay.
That said, being “the best” employer in Poland is a moving target. Tech companies and global brands still set the tone with flexibility and perks that banks can’t always match. PKO might lag slightly in those areas, but it offers something different — security, growth, and purpose within one of Poland’s most established institutions.
It may not have replaced Google or ING at the top of every professional’s wish list, but PKO has earned its place among Poland’s premier employers. With steady investment in people and culture, it’s getting closer to the very top.
Author: Richardson Chinonyerem
