I have only visited Poland a couple of times, but one thing I noticed was the high amount if hierarchy in the offices, even among the young. It was uncomfortable at times for me, as people enforced their control over people below them, even when it wasn't necessary. Made it hard to train at times.
Out of work though, the same people were easy going and fun. It was strange!
I think this strange culture comes from multiple sources: one thing was that Poland kept very strict social hierarchy rules much longer than the Western Europe did. With low industrialization levels, basically until WW2 you had clearly defined nobility and serfs. Only a minority people could be considered a middle-class citizens.
In the meantime we also had partitioning of Poland, many uprising, a short independence and then, after WW2 we ended up under the Soviet regime. This also messed people's minds a lot, because it promoted upstart people, who were advancing their social status by cooperating with the authorities and strengthening their regime, and not based on their merits. And even if some people did not take advantage of this, they still built resentments against those which did.
All in all, it makes for a very poor working culture in Poland. Most of us are very hard working and rather competent, but our business culture is very bad.
I was in Lutz (I don't have the fancy L) on a business trip and went out with a couple of the clients for some food and beers. I really like the Polish humour, as there is a down to earth, matter of fact darkness in it :)
Thanks for the insight too. It is really interesting to consider what shapes us through culture and how far back the footprints go.