THE LABOR MARKET AND EMPLOYMENT IN UKRAINE IN THE CIRCS OF WAR

Abstract

The article analyzes the state of the labor market of Ukraine, which functions in conditions of war. It was substantiated that the majority of enterprises were not ready for the worst scenario of the development of events despite the formation of a threatening situation and military escalation near the Ukrainian borders. Quite a large share of such enterprises slowed down or suspended their activities. The companies of the IT sector, as well as those that were able to organize remote work and in which the relocation is not connected with the movement of significant production capacities, received a smaller shock. It was determined that during the first month of the war, the Ukrainian economy halved, which caused changes in the labor market. According to the survey results, on average, 53% of the surveyed respondents lost their jobs due to hostilities in the country (a total of 1000 respondents were surveyed). The biggest problem is in the east, where this indicator reaches 74%. In the first weeks after the start of the war, all online job search platforms saw a significant decrease in the number of open vacancies and resumes posted on them. In Ukraine, the number of resumes has critically decreased. There have been changes in internal migration, as well as population migration abroad. According to UN data, more than 4 million Ukrainians are seeking asylum in neighboring countries. The mass movement of the population to the western regions of Ukraine has led to a sharp increase in the shortage of personnel in the vitally necessary areas of the market in the areas covered by hostilities. The shock period on the labor market did not last long, and already in the second half of March there were signs of its gradual adaptation to the conditions of the new socio-economic reality. It was found that the most in demand on the modern labor market are specialists in the fields of agriculture, transport and logistics, as well as sales (salespeople, cashiers, etc.). The demand for medical workers and pharmacists has also increased. The fact that the RussianUkrainian war will significantly change not only the domestic, but also the global labor market is indisputable. One of the industries that can become a driver of further recovery and development of the domestic economy can be the IT industry. In addition, further development of various formats of remote work should be expect. Also, the need to restore the housing stock, rebuild domestic enterprises and infrastructure facilities creates favorable conditions for the intensive development of the construction industry. Undoubtedly, professions related to the security and defense sector, medicine, psychology, energy, logistics, etc. will be in demand.