What do We Really Know About the Determinants of Labour Market Activisation?

This article investigates the determinants of alternative pathways to labour market activisation in Poland. The objective is to identify the key factors that influence transitions from inactivity to either employment or unemployment. Using individual-level data from the Polish Labour Force Survey (2011–2019), we apply machine-learning methods to analyse a uniquely constructed dataset tailored for this purpose. The analysis highlights the importance of several socio-economic factors. Our findings show that higher levels of education and work experience, being married, and receiving a pension as the main source of income are connected with an increased likelihood of transitioning from inactivity to employment. On the other hand, older, self-identifying as unemployed, and having lower levels of education or experience increase the likelihood of transitioning from inactivity to unemployment.