When business is personal: Responding to war in Ukraine

The Situation: Few international companies are untouched by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many leaders have employees and partners on the front line in this conflict. How should company leaders respond when business becomes this personal?

Coming to terms with refugee staff and those taking up arms

Austin-based BP3 Global is just one of the thousands of companies coming to terms with supporting their Ukrainian teams through this bloody conflict and humanitarian crisis. Founder and CEO Scott Francis has a small team ordinarily based close to Kyiv. All have been displaced by the war. At least one has signed up to take up arms as part of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense.

Most of the rest have made their way to the western city of Lviv, itself now coming under aerial bombardment. And yet, amid the grief of being separated from family, friends, and home, many team members prefer to work. Those who opt to work do so because they find it a useful distraction from the reality around them—even for just a few short hours.

Francis says when you work alongside people long enough, you are bound to encounter personal tragedies. In these moments, Francis is reminded how much he hates the phrase, “It’s nothing personal; it’s just business.” Instead, in these dark moments, business reveals itself as being very personal indeed.

“In circumstances like this, business is really personal. This stuff is really important,” he emphasizes.

Now is the time to do the right thing, without counting the cost

Care—at a very human level and without counting the cost—is the only response. BP3’s HR team has been working through the options. If employees have concerns about the costs associated with moving to safety, access to funds, international exchange rates, or simply having to move somewhere where no one knows you, the BP3 team is working hard to remove any obstacles.

The approach has been to make sure the team knows help is on offer for those who want to move, as is support for those who choose to stay. Francis has not felt it has been his place to tell his team what choices they should make; they are likely to have much more relevant data (and context) than he has. His role has been to provide support for his team’s options—whether helping with the short-term cost of finding new accommodations or working out where individuals may wish to live into the mid-term and beyond.

Back Ukraine by employing its people—no matter where they end up

Francis is adamant that whatever the outcome, he will not be put off employing Ukrainians no matter where they live—now or in the future. He sees this as an important way companies like his can continue to support the people of Ukraine and, through them, the rebuilding of the country.

Forbes estimates 30,000 Ukrainians work for third-party service providers, many in digital engineering. A further 20,000 are employed in GBS (global business services) centers in Ukraine.

BP3 is making very tough circumstances for its employees just a little easier. Its readiness to do so without counting the cost is a choice Francis can make because his Ukrainian team accounts for only around 3% of his employees. The challenge is greater for those with larger percentages of Ukrainian employees. But here is where the wider business community can and must be ready to play a part.

The Bottom Line: Out of desperate times, an opportunity to do the right thing, close your skills gap, and tackle diversity.

Where governments can (and should) open borders, business leaders can fill vacancies and offer a safe and sure anchor to the disrupted lives of the many women who have already headed west, often with children to support.

Ukraine is known for its digital talent. Here then is an opportunity to do the right thing, close your digital skills gap, and positively impact your gender balance while helping Ukraine stand tall.