British Polish Chamber of Commerce

Most of this year's meetings were focused on manufacturing employers' biggest concern – recruiting and retaining skilled staff for their factories.

On 20 September, the BPCC organised a meeting at the premises of Polaris Industries in Opole, a modern manufacturing facility producing quads. The substantive part of the meeting focused on optimisation of existing human resources. After a welcome to Polaris from operations director, Bogusław Dawiec, the firm's HR manager Aleksandra-Nowak-Kmieć, talked about coaching and mentoring – explaining clearly the difference between the two – and their role in developing staff. Łukasz Chodkowski from the Dehora Consultancy Group gave valuable tips about managing shift work to optimise employees' work-life balance.  Aneta Dominiak-Gnojnicka and Agnieszka Borys-Gajda from TLNC Global explained how to identify and build on employees' strengths in a structured manner to boost individuals' and teams' productivity. The BPCC's chief advisor Michael Dembinski led a panel discussion focused on recruitment and retention of employees.

There then followed a factory visit, after health and safety training and wearing personal protection equipment, participants had a chance to watch quads being built – some with six-wheel drive for military or agricultural use, others for sport and fun. Everyone was suitably impressed by the production and the focus on quality that was evident at every step of the process.

Unfortunately, due to heavy rain, there was no chance to ride Polaris quads on the test track adjoining the factory.