Staff Shortage. How VARUS is Solving the Problem of Workforce Deficiency

Felix Matyushin, Head of HR Department at VARUS Supermarket Chain

25.07.2024

Women — A Powerful Workforce During the War. They are actively taking on professions that were once considered exclusively "male," and even the lack of specialized education does not hinder them.

The situation in the Ukrainian labor market remains challenging: over 5 million working-age Ukrainians are still abroad, and about one million are mobilized or serving under contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, Ukrainian companies are growing and need to expand their staff.

In 2022, VARUS received 10 applications per vacancy, but now there are only two, meaning the flow of candidates has decreased by about five times. It cannot be said that there are no candidates at all in the labor market: the trend of a shortage of qualified personnel is strengthening. However, the share of people, especially the youth, with minimal or no work experience is increasing. Additionally, not all candidates want to be officially employed for various reasons.

Besides professional skills, there is also a mismatch between candidates' expectations and employers' capabilities. Currently, the expected salary level of applicants for any position has increased compared to pre-invasion levels.

First of all, we feel the shortage of line personnel: cashiers, bakers, loaders. The number of responses to such vacancies has significantly decreased over the past 1.5 years. Therefore, we are looking for different approaches to motivate employees and have launched retraining programs. We are also ready to train candidates without work experience.

For over a year, VARUS, together with UNDP and the German government, has been implementing a training and employment program for Ukrainians. Thanks to this, people who lost their jobs could undergo internships in the VARUS network through the State Labor Service of Ukraine.

Newcomers were accompanied by mentors — network employees who had previously undergone special training in the basics of mentoring and pedagogy. For a month, they helped trainees acquire new skills and adapt to working in the company. Subsequently, program participants could join the VARUS team and continue working in the network.

Moreover, VARUS participates in a veteran socialization program, which includes retraining those who returned from service. Under the program, veterans can take professional courses and, in the future, gain employment, including in the VARUS network. One example is a three-month course in "System Administration."

Our network also provides opportunities for career development within the company. For instance, line personnel can undergo training and change qualifications, for example, from a cashier to a baker.

Women — A Powerful Workforce During the War. They are actively taking on professions that were once considered exclusively "male," and even the lack of specialized education does not hinder them.

At VARUS, we retrain and train women from scratch at our own expense so that they can work as security guards, meat processing specialists, etc. Some of these professions are not easy — both physically and morally, but our women are not afraid of challenges, and we provide them with maximum support.

For example, Yana Bondarenko has been working as a security guard at one of the VARUS supermarkets in Dnipro for three months. Previously, she was a cashier and administrator in several retail chains, and spontaneously decided to try a new role at VARUS. She completed training within the network and performs her duties excellently, receiving strong support from her colleagues.

Currently, about 35 women hold positions at VARUS that were previously mainly held by men. We understand that their number will only increase.

How to Solve the Problem of Workforce Shortage? The most effective solutions in current conditions are those that combine the efforts of the state, local governments, and businesses. The VARUS program with UNDP, implemented in partnership with the State Labor Service, is one such example.

Businesses can provide jobs and participate in personnel retraining programs, employ internally displaced persons, and help in the socialization of veterans. At the same time, the state should support socially responsible businesses that make a significant contribution to the economy and development of Ukraine.

Consolidated efforts of the public and private sectors can help our country overcome the unprecedented challenges we all face.