Employment of veterans in Ukraine
According to the disclosed data by Oleksiy Reznikov, by the end of 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had about 700,000 personnel, and the entire security and defense sector amounted to a million Ukrainians.
The issue of meeting the needs of veterans is gaining new dimensions and exposes aspects that have remained invisible to society, the state, and employers. According to the latest research conducted by Veteran Hub in collaboration with Work.ua and Lobby X, 61.89% of employers still lack experience in recruiting veterans, despite the ongoing military operations for the past 10 years. This is an additional confirmation that personnel policies have long required significant transformations.
Regarding how new strategies are built through trial and error, and discussing the prospects of employment for veterans and their needs, Elena Kutsokon, Head of Recruitment at Smart Solutions, shared insights.
What problems do veterans face during reintegration?
The experience of employment and working with veterans is currently not a widespread phenomenon and is only gaining momentum due to mass demobilization. In general, 55% of veterans surveyed by Veteran Hub express an intention to return to their previous place of work, while 45% have decided not to do so. The reasons for this vary, including the desire to reprofile and develop in another field, injuries received that prevent working in the previous format, and the lack of official employment, among others.
“One of the main external problems on the path to reintegration, as noted by combat participants themselves, is the bias of employers assuming that all military personnel return to civilian life with mental disorders, including PTSD, and therefore cannot effectively work and interact with colleagues,” – says Olena Kutsokon.
It’s important to note that not all military servicemen are directly in combat zones. Their positions, locations, and service experiences differ significantly, as does their psychoemotional state upon return.
In addition, many veterans take pride in their service and the experience they gained, so they prefer not to receive pity and sympathy instead of respect, which is a common occurrence. The team and leadership should be aware of this and create an environment where the dignity and achievements of each team member are recognized, and communication is based on mutual respect and understanding, without singling out or special treatment.
The impact of veterans’ unique skills and experience on business
It is important to understand that the majority of mobilized individuals in Ukraine are non-professional military personnel. Before the war, they led ordinary lives and worked in civilian jobs. Consequently, they have the potential for quick adaptation.
The main characteristic is that the military service experience becomes a way of life, part of identity, and belonging to a community of like-minded individuals with similar life experiences. Therefore, abrupt changes can be challenging, especially for those who were directly on the front line.
Overall, being in the service requires military personnel to quickly learn and adapt to changes. These are the qualities that distinguish demobilized professionals and employers with experience working with veterans. Among other unique skills are:
- Quick decision-making
- Readiness for risk
- High-level planning skills
- Self-organization and self-discipline
- Stress resistance
- Multitasking
- Critical thinking
- Responsible leadership
- Teamwork skills
- Team-building skills, and more.
“A veteran, as a rule, is a person with high motivation, especially if they volunteered for military service. Motivated employees are always effective workers who enthusiastically perform their tasks and bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to existing business processes,” – notes Olena Kutsokon.
By finding adequate formats for scaling and integrating veterans’ experience into companies, businesses create a platform for development and improvement of work processes and corporate culture.
More details exclusively on the 24th channel here.
