When COVID struck, we all learned how quickly things can change. People and businesses adapted, sometimes success, although it was challenging. Training stopped or went online. L&D budgets were cut or spend was frozen. We all had to figure it out and to a certain extent, we are still working on that.

COVID was one thing. War is quite another. What happens to L&D when war breaks out?

Russia invaded the Ukraine in 2022  and very quickly people started leaving the country or relocating internally. McKinsey¹ report that 6.9 million people were displaced within Ukraine and over 8 million left the country, moving into neighbouring countries in Europe. The effect on businesses across Ukraine varied by location and sector, ranging from no real impact, to sudden drops or spikes in sales, to complete business closure.

“When war started, I was delivering the final day of a three day programme. Everyone in the building felt panicked. The CEO said to me, ‘don’t worry, we will pay your invoice’. Honestly that was not my first concern, and I have great respect for him that he even thought of it.” Marina Ivanenko, a Ukrainian facilitator, coach and management trainer recalls the start of the war. “Those first few weeks were scary, I thought my business was finished. A number of businesses thought the same too. We all went into survival mode, many people leaving home. None of us were sure what would happen next, or when. There was a strange sense of quiet for many people. I took up painting to keep my hands and mind occupied.”

Within a few months, companies of different sizes reached out to Marina, asking if she was still available to deliver training. With a background in management skills, Marina was well placed to meet a building demand in the so-called soft skills of management. Those soft skills proved to be essential over the following months as businesses began to work out ways to adapt.

After the Crimea invasion in 2014, companies mapped out formal business continuity plans. The pandemic tested those plans, creating a positive impact for future disaster scenarios. In particular, the pandemic meant that middle managers developed greater ownership of decision making in their areas of responsibility, increasing their adaptability and decision-making time.²

“Client companies started asking for short courses all in the areas of mental health, psychological safety, building resilience and creating a calm workplace” said Marina. “It was very much about what do we want for our people, rather than what do we want from them.” Many people were asking their managers, “what do we do? Do we stay? Or leave?” Of course, there is no answer to this. It is essential for managers to have the skills to deal calmly with their teams in a highly volatile and uncertain setting.

As the war has continued, businesses have dealt with further change. Men are called up to serve in the army, people moved to other countries and many have now returned. HR planning, talent management and succession planning is now very fluid but still necessary. This creates opportunity for new thinking at corporate, team and individual level.

Tochylkin Sergiy is a businessman in Southern Ukraine. With a chain of stores and a food production plant, it was vital his company continued trading. He said, “in challenging times like these, strategic vision and a long-term perspective become key factors for success. We focused on leadership development of our leadership team can:

• Inspire and motivate employees.
• Make informed decisions in conditions of uncertainty.
• Develop innovative thinking.
• Ensure continuous development of the company.”

This type of thinking can be found in many companies. Marina talks to HR teams asking questions like “How do we offer career development to people who still need to think of their careers, during war time? How do we create viable succession plans when people may simply not be there anymore?  What skills do managers need to keep everyone on track, help them feel safe and cared for? How do we support employees who have become so tired of the war that they might be careless of their own safety. These are important questions for businesses of all sizes.”

Ukraine draws on learning from the pandemic to apply it in new ways. One company trains multiple people to cover business critical positions, ensuring they have options to continue. Employees feel encouraged to stay in the business to build on their career and help the business to innovate. Other companies find that people returning from other countries in Europe have new ideas and a fresh approach which helps Ukrainian business adapt and thrive.

“The HR focus has changed from structure to skills and behaviours” said Marina. “There is greater emphasis on developing several people to have the skills and behaviours that leaders need, so there is a pool of people to draw on in the future.” This is precisely the kind of talent management which gives business flexibility, and individuals the encouragement they need to stay.

Ekateryna Tiurya is HR Director of a group of restaurants in Kyiv, which have stayed open throughout the conflict. “We discuss with our leaders what is valuable to us and what makes us unique. It helps remind us how special we are. Now we pay a lot of attention to mental health. We prepare teams for future change and prioritise supporting employees in managing emotions and preventing burnout.”

What is the future for L&D in Ukraine? Training continues because companies are doing business. While technical skills will always be needed, essential people skills are more in demand than ever, as companies focus on developing a flexible, adaptable and resilient workforce. The impact of this on future business is not yet known, but there are indicators that this will be positive for Ukraine.

Marina reports that her clients see improved motivation and confidence as a result of continued skills development. People are very focused and not easily distracted. Standards of KPIs and achievements are not being lowered and companies continue to deliver high quality products and services. “We have a new diversity and sense of flexibility with what people have learned living in other EU countries. We behave differently now; we are so adaptable. I believe the Ukraine has the potential to be a powerhouse once the war is finished. We are so adaptable and resilient.”