“The full-scale war has irreversibly changed not only the labor market but also the employer itself,” says Iryna Makoveieva, HRD at Oschadbank

The perception of the employer brand has changed during the full-scale war. For candidates, corporate culture and company values, the company’s attitude toward people, and support for mobilized employees both while they are doing their military service and upon their return to work have become more significant. Oschadbank’s HRD, Iryna Makoveieva, shared with Dilo how candidates’ expectations have changed, why inclusion has become integral to corporate culture, and what principles help the Bank remain one of the country’s largest employers.

In recent years, Oschadbank has consistently developed its equal opportunity and inclusion policies. Do you notice that candidates are increasingly paying attention not only to the position itself but also to the company’s corporate culture?

– The war has fundamentally changed how people perceive Oschadbank. Five years into the full-scale invasion, our magnitude, consistency, and capacity to ensure continuous operation under the most challenging conditions have become particularly valuable. When chaos reigns, these very qualities have become our core value and a reliable pillar of support for millions of people.

Absolutely. For many years, we have been consistently striving to ensure that Oschadbank is not only a strong and well-structured bank but also a forward-thinking employer where people are eager to work and grow. Our scale and long history are our strengths. Oschadbank boasts the largest network of branches, employs thousands of people, and at the same time delivers a service that is critically important to the country. The war has demonstrated that resilience and the ability to operate continuously are key.

Oschadbank keeps operating, ensuring accessibility to financial services, and supporting the economy and businesses. Today, this is one of our key advantages as an employer.

Nowadays, we increasingly hear from candidates that it’s important for them to be part of something greater. Today, the core value for candidates and our employees is not simply working at a financial institution. It’s crucial for them to understand the significance of their work. We are part of a system that ensures the country’s stability amidst the war. In this regard, we could be compared to Ukrzaliznytsia or Nova Poshta, which must also ensure continuous operation under the most challenging conditions.

The opportunity to be employed by an institution that supports the economy, provides financing for critical infrastructure, assists the energy sector, and underpins the country’s financial system has become a very strong motivator.

Last year, we conducted our first comprehensive assessment of employee engagement. We realized that not all metrics would be ideal. The results highlighted both our strengths and areas that require improvement: the complexity of certain processes, workload, and compensation levels. For us, this is precisely where the value of the survey lies, namely in providing us with a realistic, rather than an idealized, picture of how employees perceive the Bank as an employer.

The survey results served as one of the sources for shaping our Employer Value Proposition: your work here matters for the country and for your future. This is the framework that shapes our employer brand today. On the other hand, supporting people has become extremely valuable. Our greatest priority is caring for our employees. The war has highlighted how meaningful such support truly is.

Oschadbank has programs in place to support employees and their families. If any of our colleagues have been affected by shelling, we provide materials and financial assistance to repair their damaged homes. We have systems in place for financial assistance, health insurance, psychological support, and mental health services. We want people to know that if something bad happens, they won’t be left to deal with it alone.

After heavy shelling, our top priority is the well-being of our people. We give employees time to recover and return to work when they’re ready.

When we were evacuating employees from Donetsk and Luhansk, and later from Kherson, a guiding principle emerged within the Bank: “Oschad is about its people.” It sums up what truly matters to us: people and mutual support. If evacuation is required, we arrange evacuation carriages. If an employee’s home has been damaged or lost, the Bank may grant the necessary assistance. So, on the one hand, people feel a sense of belonging to a greater cause, and on the other, they’re confident that the Bank will support them through difficult times.

We don’t usually use lofty words when talking about our team. For us, it sounds like this: “Oschad supports its people. Oschad remembers its people.” These words are backed by real actions. We’re implementing a sponsorship program aimed at providing long-term support to the children of employees who have passed away. We help them with their education and recreation, send them gifts, and support their families.

For the third year in a row, we’ve been planting thuja trees at Askold’s Grave in Kyiv as a memorial to our fallen colleagues. Every year, we believe and hope that this row of trees will stay the same, but, unfortunately, this year has brought us new losses.

Our Head Office features a digital Book of Remembrance, which compiles the stories of every employee who has lost their life as a result of russia’s military aggression since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion.

How does all of this influence people’s decisions to choose Oschadbank as their employer? Do candidates say they are choosing the Bank because of the values you’ve described?

– Yes, and we’re hearing this increasingly often. We tell candidates: we may not be the most technologically advanced bank on the market. Some companies are ahead of us in certain areas. However, we’re being honest about other aspects as well. We’re a responsible employer; we care about our employees. Working at Oschadbank makes a significant contribution to the country’s economy. As one of the country’s largest banks, we pay substantial taxes to the government, finance the economy, and support the country’s energy sector.

Our core value and greatest asset is the individual, their life, health, and equal opportunities.

Candidates are also interested in how the Bank supports mobilized employees and how the return of veterans to work is arranged. In this regard, we always emphasize that for us, this is not a stand-alone image-building initiative, but an important aspect of our systematic work with people.

All stakeholders with whom we collaborate on inclusion, accessibility, or veteran policy issues, including the National Bank, international partners, McKinsey, Deloitte, and the EBRD, are well aware that Oschadbank began systematically implementing these principles even before they became a mainstream trend.

At the same time, we have deliberately avoided creating a stand-alone inclusion or accessibility policy. All principles of equality are integrated into the Bank's general policies. The very idea of inclusion lies not in singling out particular groups of people, but in treating everyone equally.

We strive to be an employer that a mother raising a young child, a veteran, a person with a disability, a young professional who has recently graduated, or any other candidate can apply to with equal opportunity.

It would be inaccurate to say we have already achieved 100% success in this endeavor. We are constantly working to improve physical accessibility, barrier-free access, and infrastructure.

I remember firsthand, when I was a young mom myself and navigating the city with a stroller, just how challenging it was to access many places: stairs without ramps, high curbs, narrow walkways – so many places were basically inaccessible to me.

A person in a wheelchair and a mom with a stroller face very similar barrier.

That’s exactly why accessibility isn’t just about a specific group of people. It’s about convenience for everyone. Women make up 72% of our team. We understand their needs quite well. If September 1st or a parent-teacher conference is approaching, managers know they need to grant an employee time off.

If heavy shelling is expected, we recommend that managers whose roles allow for remote work organize their workspace safely and in a way that enables them to perform their duties, whenever possible.

What are the expectations of young professionals today? How do they differ from candidates 10 years ago?

– Young people have changed a lot. The key things young people are looking for are flexible schedules, social responsibility, a humane approach, and so on. We actively collaborate with almost all universities in Ukraine, which allows us to understand their expectations. Through the “My Start” paid internship program, students are paid 75% of the position’s salary, participate in a dual education program, gain practical experience, and have the opportunity to work at Oschadbank even while studying.

For young people today, it’s crucial to be respected, to have an exciting job, and to have opportunities for growth.

Many come to us with certain preconceptions. But once they start working or interning, they see state-of-the-art IT systems, technological processes, approaches to cybersecurity, risk management, and compliance, as well as learn about European industry standards. Young professionals often bring a fresh perspective to existing processes, suggest their solutions, and help us evolve. We view young people as a vital source of fresh ideas and change.

What other youth engagement programs does Oschadbank implement?

– Our key project is “My Start,” as it focuses on internships and practical training.

Along with our business units, our recruiters collaborate with universities, organize meetings and guided visits, as well as present students the various areas of the Bank's operations. The option for part-time employment allows us to attract the best upperclassmen, who no longer have to choose between earning their degree and starting their career.

We regularly visit university departments and invite students to our offices so they can get a behind-the-scenes look at how the Bank operates. Whereas we used to start working with students in their final years, we now begin engaging with freshmen. They can start gaining practical experience as early as their sophomore year.

Nowadays, ESG and sustainable development are increasingly being incorporated into HR strategies. How vital is it for candidates to work for a company that not only declares these principles but also implements them?

– This is most evident among young professionals. For them, topics like ESG, compliance, and adherence to European standards are familiar from their university days. When candidates see that a company doesn’t just talk about these principles but actually applies them, it builds trust.

For young people, this means they’ll be employed by a forward-thinking institution that meets international standards and is advancing toward the same goals as the country itself.

Looking five years ahead at the development of the employer brand, how do you see Oschadbank in 2030–2031?

– The biggest challenge in the coming years will not be access to technology, but a shortage of people. Ukraine is already experiencing an acute labor shortage, and therefore the competition for skilled professionals will determine employers’ future strategies. Speaking specifically about Oschadbank in five years, I see it as a more technologically advanced, efficient, and at the same time significantly more flexible employer.

We are actively automating processes, and this trend will only continue to accelerate. Artificial intelligence and new digital tools will take over most of the routine tasks. However, technology at Oschadbank does not replace people; rather, it makes their time available: instead of performing routine operations, the team will be able to focus on complex decisions, customer service, business development, and new products.

That’s why I see Oschadbank’s future not as a story of laying off people due to technology, but as a transition to a different model of operations, where technology boosts productivity and people focus on areas where their experience, expertise, and decision-making are needed.

Looking at the bigger picture, a great deal depends on how the country develops. We all expect a gradual alignment with European legislation, particularly the new labor laws. These laws will define the new rules for employers.

I participated in working groups alongside the Ministry of Economy, the EBRD, and other partners that analyzed Ukraine’s future labor market. One of the key challenges today is the labor shortage. This means that employers will have to take a much broader view of the labor market’s potential and create conditions under which more people can either return to the profession or learn new ones.

One such area is creating conditions for returning to work after long breaks, particularly after parental leave. The issue here is not only a willingness to work but also the availability of the necessary infrastructure and the ability to balance professional and personal life.

For employers, this also means the need to invest more in training and retraining. Here at Oschadbank, we see significant potential in this area: developing our in-house training programs, supporting people as they learn new professions, return to work after a long break, or effectively embark on a new career path.

An employer brand is not just what is communicated through official channels; it is what employees experience and subsequently convey to others.

We actively strive to hear not just the “right” answers, but honest opinions and candid feedback. We measure eNPS by engaging an independent firm, conduct mental health surveys in collaboration with professional in-house psychologists, evaluate the effectiveness of internal training, and implement wellness programs. We truly ask questions and listen.

Many companies invest in their employer brand, but far from all of them can measure the effectiveness of these investments. What metrics do you use to assess whether Oschadbank’s brand is truly getting stronger?

– For us, one of the most important metrics is the vacancy rate. Despite the labor shortage in the market, for the third year in a row, the vacancy rate at Oschadbank has not exceeded 10%, which is a very positive result.

Our primary objective is not only to attract new employees, but also to retain those who already work at Oschadbank. That’s why we assess two areas at once: how successfully we retain employees and how effectively we fill new vacancies.

For me, one of the key metrics is the Oschad comeback. We track how many former employees return to work at the Bank. Sometimes this figure reaches 15%. We’re always open to such returns.

For me, this is one of the best indicators of an employer’s strength. A person has already been employed at another company, gained new experience and skills, seen different approaches, and decided to return to Oschadbank. For us, this is an opportunity to bring back not just a former employee, but a specialist with new experience who can introduce new practices and ideas to the Bank. This is of immense value.

These days, companies are increasingly being evaluated not only in terms of salary levels or benefits packages, but also in terms of how they treat veterans. In your opinion, how does a company’s veteran policy contribute to its reputation as an employer in general and to Oschadbank’s brand in particular?

– Today, candidates are increasingly asking directly what guarantees we provide to mobilized employees. At Oschadbank, mobilized employees retain both their jobs and their average salary. We want every one of our defenders to know: while they are defending the country, their team and their Bank remain by their side.

In terms of numbers, Oschadbank currently employs about 570 mobilized employees. This figure changes every month but remains roughly the same.

The full-scale war has been ongoing for nearly 5 years, and 67 employees have returned to work with us after being discharged from military service. This represents about 40% of those demobilized; the rest left the team, as after a long period of service, they see themselves in professions outside the banking sector. More than 30 employees have joined the Bank's team after being demobilized, having previously worked at various companies.

Veterans have equal rights and responsibilities; we honor their contribution to the fight for the country’s independence and territorial integrity.

We systematically support veterans upon their return to the Bank's team: we train managers to facilitate veterans' smooth reintegration, provide an enhanced health insurance package paid for by the Bank, offer a week-long vacation with their families, free access to qualified psychological support, and, where necessary and possible, opportunities for professional retraining.

We honor those who have fallen and support the children of fallen employees; we assist their families, contribute to the children’s education, and facilitate recreational activities.

What happens after a veteran’s return to civilian work?

– For us, a veteran’s return isn’t just a single day or a single meeting. We start working on it even before they return to work. We communicate with their manager, their team, and, if necessary, their family. We give the person as much time as they need to adjust.

After all, everyone is different. I remember one of our cash-in-transit couriers who spent two years in captivity in Horlivka. When he returned, we insisted that he take at least a few weeks off. But after just a few days, he said, “I want to be with my people. I want to go back to work.” And we respect that.

Many companies create veteran communities within their organizations. Have you tested this approach as well?

– After veterans return to civilian life and rejoin the team, we make sure to reach out to each one, ask about their adjustment process, and whether they’re willing to join a community if one is established at Oschadbank. Most say they’re not ready yet. In our case, most of those mobilized are employees from the cash-in-transit and security departments. They return to their teams, where they are well known and understood.

We engage in-house psychologists and have very carefully suggested various formats for interaction. Can you guess what response we heard most often? “You need to work not with me, but with the team.” That’s exactly why we came to a different conclusion.