Staff shortage in Ukraine: 40% of companies expect the situation to worsen.

According to inkorr.com: The labor market in Ukraine faces a clear staff shortage. According to a survey by OLX Work and the European Business Association, 40% of employers are expecting the situation regarding staffing to deteriorate. Among large companies with more than 250 employees, this number rises to 60%.

writes Finance.ua

.Business representatives are the most optimistic: 39% of them hope for stability or even improvement. In retail, 35% of respondents also expressed positive forecasts.

Business strategies during staff shortages

To compensate for the lack of staff, companies plan to:

• attract youth who are not subject to mobilization (41%);

• establish cooperation with universities and colleges (35%);

• hire retirees (30%).

The sharpest shortage is observed

in skilled trades — 63% of respondents confirmed this. Additionally, 35% of companies feel a lack of middle-level specialists, 19% lack highly qualified specialists, and 9% lack managers.

Employee bonuses in 2025

To retain employees, employers plan to improve working conditions: 39% of companies intend to introduce motivational packages in 2025. The most common bonuses include:

• health insurance;

• free training or retraining;

• free lunches;

• corporate transportation;

• the option of remote work;

• availability of a shelter on the company premises.

Among other options that companies are considering are:

• hiring youth under 25 (21%);

• involving retirees (17%);

• actively employing women (15%).

The impact of youth emigration on the labor market

The law on the emigration of men aged 18–22 has also negatively affected the staffing situation. 23% of Ukrainians in this age group plan to emigrate.

Despite the staff shortage, only 13% of companies are open to foreigners. The main barriers are the language barrier (27%), the lack of need for foreign specialists (41%), and insufficient experience in collaborating with them (23%). Tax incentives, financial bonuses, and simplified legalization could attract employers.

Specific needs of employers

According to OLX Work, demand for vacant positions in manufacturing, retail, education, and abroad is increasing. Demand for assemblers has significantly increased — since May, the number of vacancies has risen by 331%, and the average salary has reached 25,000 UAH.

The State Employment Service confirms

this trend: there is a lack of electricians, teacher assistants, and specialists working with children with special needs in Ukraine. In these categories, demand exceeds supply by almost a thousand vacancies.The labor market in Ukraine currently faces serious challenges due to young people emigrating and low interest in hiring foreign specialists. Despite the overall staff shortage, particularly in skilled trades, companies are ramping up efforts to find and retain employees by developing various motivational programs. This could positively impact the country's economy if businesses can find ways to adapt to the new realities.