From Challenges to Opportunities: What 2025 Was Like for Smart Solutions

The year 2025 became a period of deep transformation for Smart Solutions, marked by a review of strategic priorities and stronger partnerships with clients. It is important to note that Smart Solutions is part of Eclectic Talents Group, which since 2009 has been uniting companies and projects in outsourcing and workforce management across the markets of Ukraine, the UAE, Europe, and Central Asia. This foundation enabled us to choose a path based on people-centricity and trust. At the core of our work has never been one-off “task completion,” but the creation of long-term value that helps companies grow sustainably and predictably.

A key factor in this transformation was the completion of the integration of Stafferty — an international HR solutions provider that joined Smart Solutions, strengthening our expertise and service scalability.

The integration of Stafferty became a systemic driver for renewing internal processes and reinforcing a client-centric approach. Thanks to team synergy, we were able to optimize processes, increase efficiency, and expand expertise across several areas simultaneously — from recruitment and outstaffing to HR function outsourcing.

“Stafferty’s integration into Smart Solutions was not just an organizational change for us, but a point of strategic growth. We didn’t simply combine operational capabilities — we united culture, experience, and a vision of the future of service. Today, our clients gain access to broader international expertise, and our team gains a new level of opportunities and ambitions. This merger is about synergy, the courage to transform, and readiness to meet the most complex business challenges,” – adds Iryna Prudnikova, CEO of Smart Solutions Ukraine.

Strategic Hiring and Operational Flexibility

Today, Smart Solutions supports more than 300 active outstaffing projects and provides employment to around 4,000 professionals. This scale gives our clients real flexibility: they can quickly strengthen teams, adapt to change, and plan further growth without unnecessary risks to operational stability.

Overall, the recruitment team delivered record results in 2025:

• an increase in Fill Rate to nearly 70%;

• consistent closure of C-level positions.

These indicators demonstrate not only process efficiency, but also the team’s ability to ensure a precise match between candidates’ competencies and business strategic goals.

The focus on executive and strategically critical roles (CFO, HRD, Global Mobility Manager, CEO, IT Director) reinforced Smart Solutions’ reputation as a partner in recruiting complex and business-critical specialists.

“Recruitment today is not about speed, but about accuracy and a deep understanding of the business. We immerse ourselves in the client’s context far deeper than a standard hiring process предполагает, which allows us to successfully close C-level positions and build leadership teams. The year 2025 proved that when a team acts systematically and focuses on long-term value, success becomes a predictable standard rather than a coincidence,” – notes Iryna Prudnikova.

Scaling and Process Stability

In 2025, outsourcing directions also demonstrated growth and strengthened operational resilience. The team conducted an audit of outstaffing processes and optimized them, launched a new payroll outsourcing project “from scratch” — including software implementation and full data migration — and expanded the client portfolio.

A key component of this growth was the Payroll function. Today, the team processes more than 10,000 payments monthly, ensuring calculation accuracy, timely transfers, and full transparency of financial processes for clients. The team’s high level of expertise was also recognized internationally: in 2025, Smart Solutions ranked 10th globally in the Clutch ranking among the world’s top providers in the BPO Payroll category.

At the same time, work began with Diia City residents — a new segment requiring specific expertise and high service standards. We now offer solutions that fully comply with regulatory requirements and the specifics of hiring in Ukraine’s tech sector.

In this context, the occupational health and safety direction also developed naturally — a key element of responsible people services. Alongside the growth in financial and operational outsourcing projects, client demand for comprehensive team support increased. In 2025, the occupational safety department showed one of the highest growth rates:

• increased the number of projects by one third;

• expanded coverage from 1,000 to 1,500 employees;

• launched a new service line supporting global occupational health and safety management systems for international companies.

“We pay equal attention to large-scale transformations and to targeted operational tasks. The ability to combine flexibility with standards is what clients value most in working with us,” – emphasizes Iryna Prudnikova.

The 2026 Vector: Investing in People and Technology

In 2026, we will continue to build our services around people — clients, teams, and candidates. This is our core principle and what defines the quality of every decision. Smart Solutions will also focus on strategic growth and strengthening its integrated people-services model. Key priorities include:

• expanding international presence and increasing the share of projects requiring high expertise and comprehensive solutions;

• data-driven approaches and automation to improve forecasting accuracy, process speed, and result predictability;

• strengthening the team and expertise with a focus on strategic roles and high-complexity projects;

• deepening the integrated service model that provides clients with end-to-end support at all stages of working with people and processes.

“We are entering 2026 with a very clear goal: to make our clients’ lives easier and their businesses more resilient. Technology and systematization give us speed, but the heart of every process remains the team. At Smart Solutions, we understand well the level of responsibility carried by company leaders and owners. That is why we strive to be a partner they can rely on when what’s needed is not just a service, but confidence in the result,” – concludes Iryna Prudnikova, Director of Smart Solutions Ukraine.