On transforming EVA’s corporate culture since the outset of the full-scale invasion

At the beginning of the war, I heard someone say: “In times of crisis, values no longer matter, because war has changed everything.” Those words struck me, because values have always been the foundation I rely on. Watching how our team acted, I was pleasantly surprised. Our values didn’t disappear — they became even more pronounced.

Even before the war, we worked to ensure our values were lived in action, not just written on paper. Under wartime conditions, our value of “responsibility” took on new meaning. In peacetime it meant quality work and social responsibility. Now it also means personal initiative. For example, our corporate restaurant team has been preparing full meals since the war began for wounded servicemembers undergoing rehabilitation at a hospital in Dnipro. About 400 of our colleagues are deployed to the front, and many volunteer. This is how our corporate culture transforms — grounded in core values, yet gaining new depth through deeds.

Humanity as the Driver of Change

External circumstances set the stage — but it’s always the human factor that unlocks potential, helping create something meaningful, or blocking it. Our company has always fostered an environment encouraging initiative and activity. Ambitious goals, innovation, new projects — they kept our people energized. The war shifted the focus, adding deeper meaning to many things: it became clear who was ready to take responsibility and show initiative under the toughest conditions. These people became the drivers of change.

How the War Changed Our Initiatives

One of the most vivid examples is our employee psychological support program. It began forming during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Back then, the focus was adapting to remote work and handling disruptions to routine — largely placing the onus on management, with psychology playing a supporting role.

With the war, it became clear that you can’t talk about effectiveness without considering emotional well-being. So we created a dedicated psychological support function — caring not only for outcomes, but for the whole human resource.

We employ both internal and external psychologists, provide individual consultations as needed, hold weekly group online discussions called "Coffee with EVAfamily" where staff talk informally about anxiety, war, family, and anything else on their minds. We also created a "Circle of Trust" where colleagues going through difficult life events support one another. The feedback is real — people share how these meetings help them maintain balance.

Key Actions for Adapting Our Team to New Conditions

The first is offering remote work. We maintain a hybrid format for office staff. Another key factor was the work we did pre‑war with managers — from executives to line managers. When the war began, they stepped up not only in management roles but also partially took on HR functions. They became a support system for their teams and had insight into employees’ personal lives. That support is invaluable in times like these.

Projects That Were Paused, Then Restarted

We paused all training programs during the first three months of the war. It was clear that neither our people nor we were ready for development at that moment. Everyone was focused on family safety and helping the front lines.

Three months later, we returned to training. Our CEO, Olga Shevchenko, said: “If people at EVA aren’t learning and growing, then this isn’t EVA.” We relaunched development initiatives and invited everyone to participate. At our first online session, over 1,000 people joined. Since then we’ve maintained all learning and development programs, including leadership training.

Employer Brand Principles at EVA

Our employer brand is rooted in being people‑centered. Projects and priorities may shift — standing still is not an option — but putting people first is our foundational principle.

What Candidates Value in Choosing an Employer

Candidates prioritize competitive pay, flexible work arrangements, stability, and a strong employer brand. We work systematically to build that brand. Internal research shows nearly 70% of new hires join EVA because of our image as a stable, market‑leading employer providing opportunities to grow. That reputation also helps retain staff for the long term.

The Role of Employer Brand During the War

The war strengthened the role of employer branding in Ukraine — and we see that in turnover metrics. Turnover has dropped significantly since before the war: for front-line outlets it’s down 27%, and for office staff it’s down 50%. Key employee churn fell from 5% to 0.4% annually — and was zero in Q1 2025. People stay because they trust the company. They seek stability and reliability. Brands that proved responsible in tough times suffer less from staffing crises.

New HR Tools

We’ve significantly advanced digitalization. Almost all HR processes are now automated — everything from opening a vacancy to the end of a new hire’s probation. All stages are integrated into one system, accessible in real time by everyone involved. Communication is fully online — no more in-person training or meetings. Digitization is here to stay.

Next Step: Inclusivity

We keep our core values but add a new one: inclusivity. War has shown how important it is to create environments where returning people — veterans included — feel welcome and comfortable. But inclusivity isn’t only about disability — it’s about respect for diverse experiences, emotional states, and life circumstances.

What Inspires Me at Work

I’m inspired by people. Everything we do is for people, with people, through people. If it doesn’t inspire you, you’re in the wrong place. I’m also inspired by seeing something big grow from a small idea.