Yet, this is not the case with everyone - when someone is looking for a permanent job or income, working in the agricultural sector is not an attractive option. Chances are these candidates will opt for work in other, more stable sectors. Employers in the agricultural sector need to keep this instability in mind and increase salaries. This will make it far more attractive to prospective employees.
Minimum wage in Poland – gross and nett
As you can see, in the past five years, the minimum wage in Poland keeps rising, up 31%.
Seasonal work - why it doesn't suit everyone
Not every employee can, or wants to, do agricultural or horticultural seasonal work. This kind of work is often very dependent on the seasonal peaks of different kinds of fruits and vegetables. This means there is not year-round work, and people looking for a permanent job are, therefore, not interested in this type of work. In addition, working out in the fields, or in an orchard, is also dependent on the weather conditions. The weather determines how pleasant the working conditions are. Rain or sunshine, the work still needs to get done.
On the other hand, working in the greenhouse sector is different. The climate-controlled environment in the greenhouses enables work to continue year round, although it is also mostly seasonal work. Although the weather has no influence on the crops, temperatures can climb very high in these greenhouses, especially in the summer.
In this way, every kind of seasonal work has its advantages and disadvantages. This makes it a very attractive option for one person, and an absolutely horrible one for another. Employers not only need to attract workers, they need to keep them. The high standards they set and the special characteristics of the agricultural and horticultural sectors make it difficult to recruit permanent employees.
Harvest times are primarily where foreign workers are of most use in the harvesting, sorting and packaging activities. The Netherlands is also one of the most popular choices for these workers because the agricultural and horticultural sector an important player in this country's economy. Work can be done outside and inside (greenhouses and packaging warehouses). The high season for farms is mostly in the summer. Work can, however, be done in greenhouses, almost all year round.
Since the fruit and vegetable sector, and its seasonal work, is not attractive to everyone, this sector needs to find new ways of recruiting employees. There is a high turnover of workers, and it is difficult to hire them and get them to stay in one place for longer periods. In order to make it more attractive to job-seekers, employers must be more flexible and wages need to be increased.