Metinvest is implementing changes to overcome instability and staff shortages

The company is reviewing its recruitment and training strategies to adapt to the challenges of war

The war has significantly changed business approaches to HR management. This was stated by Tetyana Petruk, Director of Sustainable Development and Human Resources at Metinvest Group, at HRD Club Ukraine in Kyiv. The company has to quickly adapt to the new environment, as classical methods of working in an unstable environment do not produce the expected results.

Before the full-scale invasion, Metinvest had a high demand for vacancies, but now the situation has changed dramatically. The war, migration of Ukrainians to safer regions and mobilization have led to a significant shortage of staff. Currently, about 3.7 thousand vacancies remain open.

“It’s not just that we can’t afford a competitive selection process – we are ready to hire most of those who want to work,” Petruk said.

Due to staff shortages, Metinvest is changing its approach to training. Instead of lengthy courses, the company is focusing on quick learning of the most important skills. For example, the training period for an apprentice steelworker has been reduced from six months to two.

“We have to revise all programs and even retrain instructors to meet the new requirements,” Petruk explained.

In addition, in a time of war, training programs include critical knowledge such as first aid. This allows not only to quickly adapt new employees but also to increase the level of safety at work.

At the HRD Club Ukraine meeting, managers from various industries discussed the challenges of implementing changes, shared strategies for dealing with resistance in teams, and exchanged tools for successful business adaptation to new realities. The participants agreed that modern challenges require flexible solutions and a willingness to quickly change approaches to HR management.

As GMK Center reported earlier, 192 veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war have already returned to their jobs at Metinvest Group’s mining and processing plants. The enterprises provide veterans with employment and re-adaptation support, free legal and psychological counseling, and retraining if necessary.