Updated: Nov 17, 2022
My background in the tech industry as a hiring and production manager has given me the opportunity to partner internationally and to recruit globally for various tech companies. Having lived for some time in Eastern Europe myself, I have direct experience with the people of this region and as conflict broke out, I was deeply troubled by the stories of the men and women being impacted.
The Russian invasion created millions of refugees, destroyed property, and upheaved the livelihoods of men, women and their families. In an attempt to find a way to help that might actually make an impact, I considered the talent I’ve recruited in the past and I wondered if tech workers in Ukraine could still carry out their work. I wanted to understand what the situation was for tech companies in Ukraine, so along with a small team, we simply began researching and reaching out to dozens of tech companies in Ukraine in the hopes of being able to help in a time of crisis. We were unsure what we'd find in terms of operational capability, but we quickly discovered that many of these workers are talented, professional, and enthusiastic to keep some sense of normalcy in their lives by continuing to work. They implored us to spread the word that Ukraine tech is still open for business.
In our report, we have detailed the products/services of the companies we researched. We have also highlighted additional information for the companies with whom we spoke directly. These featured companies responded promptly to our communications and were willing and able to meet with us to discuss the details of their products and services and we felt confident in their ability to deliver.
Imagine yourself in their situation: would you want to fill your waking hours fretting over the news, pacing inside your home in worry? Or would you prefer to have some semblance of normalcy, the stability of a routine, and an income and hope for better days? This is what we can offer the people of Ukraine. More than just a handout, our outreach program offers people surrounded by uncertainty a chance to work with international clients to help keep their company afloat.
During conflicts of the past, it wasn’t possible to hire refugees of a war-torn area to work in a US factory or office without physically displacing them. Sending food and aid was the best that could be offered but was difficult to coordinate and track and was a one-time boost in well-being. Rebuilding economies and societies took a lot of time and capital and often could not begin until the dust of war had settled.
However, work as we know it has changed in the modern age. Especially during the pandemic, many companies learned that remote work is possible, especially in tech. We know now that we don't need to be under the same roof or even in the same city, country or time zone in order to share most work in today’s digital industry. Technology allows us to hire our brothers and sisters across the sea. In our recent conversations with companies in Ukraine, we’ve been more than impressed with the responsiveness and professionalism demonstrated under immense stress. They are diligent and willing to put in extraordinary effort.
The country of Ukraine has put an emphasis on technical infrastructure and cybersecurity. They have been under constant attack from Russian cyberthreats and understand them better than anyone else. They can now export that expertise. And yes, doing business with a company whose workforce is entangled in conflict presents some risk. But helping a company survive catastrophe could pay dividends of loyalty, camaraderie and morale for years to come. These things are not easy to measure, but they matter to a company’s bottom line. Employees aren’t as detached as in times past. If they know that their organization is doing something to help ease suffering, they become invested.
So hire some heroes. Dust off that project that keeps getting kicked down the road. Take on an agile dev team. Opt for some pen testing that you’ve been putting off, or refactor some legacy code that none of your current engineers are interested in touching. Get something meaningful done on the other side of the world while your devs are sleeping. If you look, you can find a project that could use some help. Instead of moving it to the next sprint, send it to Ukraine and see what the heroes can do with it. I’m quite certain that you’ll be pleased with the experience and the results. We know that we have.
See our list of companies you can help support here: https://www.hireukrainetech.com.
Thank you.
