Lviv IT Cluster Launches a Project to Adapt Tech Companies for the Return of Veterans

On April 11, Lviv IT Cluster announced a new project aimed at reintegrating war veterans into work in tech companies. It will be implemented within the Victory Projects initiative in collaboration with the Mental Health Center.

The onset of a full-scale invasion forced many tech industry professionals subject to mobilization to suspend their work in the tech sector. According to the IT Research Ukraine 2023 study, two-thirds of surveyed tech companies have mobilized specialists on their staff. Mostly, their share does not exceed 5% of the total employees.

Half of the surveyed tech companies ensure job retention for mobilized specialists. However, tech professionals who defended the country have encountered difficulties adapting to civilian life after demobilization. Veterans need support in restoring both their mental health and their competencies. Therefore, integrating military personnel into the labor market is one of the top priorities for employers.

Given the circumstances, Lviv IT Cluster is launching a project with the goal of assisting tech industry professionals in returning to their jobs after demobilization.

“The project’s main concept is to create methodological materials to help companies adapt to veterans. It will include instructions for all levels: CEOs and owners, top managers, HR, and other specialists,” says Natalia Heras, project manager and the director of IT Club Loyalty program.

Representatives of tech companies EPAM, SoftServe, N-IX, and Leobit participated in discussing the future project.

“It’s good that the Lviv IT Cluster has taken up the initiative to provide education. We must understand that we need to adapt to veterans and find approaches to accommodate them, not vice versa,” says Mariya Koval, HR Director of Leobit.

“We began with education, hosting webinars and inviting organizations to share their experiences with us, in order to raise awareness within the team. We have also started creating formats for properly communicating with veterans,” adds Olena Khrypta, People Partners team manager at EPAM.

The above mentioned tech companies have already begun the process of reintegrating their employees.

“We already have cases of colleagues returning from the front. We provide them with time for recovery and rest, eagerly awaiting their return with gratitude for their contribution to Ukraine’s defense. We are ready to assist them to the best of our abilities,” shares Nataliia Solina, CSR Lead at N-IX.

“We strive to provide a comfortable working environment for veterans. To achieve this, our managers conduct an initial interview with the veteran. This helps us understand whether they need additional leave upon return, training, or retraining,” says Yuliya Tarkovska, CSR Senior Manager at SoftServe.

The project will be implemented with the help of specialists from the Mental Health Center.

“We will share the experience we have. We have psychologists, psychotherapists, and doctors who work directly with severe PTSD symptoms. They know how to help a person recover,” says Oleh Bereziuk, a psychiatrist at the Mental Health Center.

Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, Lviv IT Cluster has been supporting our defenders and implementing a series of projects aimed at bringing Ukraine closer to victory, known as Victory Projects. In October 2023, with the community’s support, the Mental Health Center began operating in Lviv, providing psychological support to participants in combat actions and military operations. In December of the same year, Lviv IT Cluster also opened a Mental Health Center for kids and teenagers based at the Saint Nicholas First Medical Association Children’s Hospital.