The publication examined how businesses are supporting their employees amid large-scale power cuts in Kyiv and compiled case studies from the country’s largest employers.
Kyiv, Kharkiv and the Odesa region recently came close to a blackout: on Saturday, electricity, water and heating were cut off in the capital, and the metro was brought to a halt. While the problems were resolved, the incident highlighted how fragile the situation remains. In Kyiv, not all residential buildings are yet receiving heating, and strict power-cut schedules are still in force. All of this continues to affect employees’ psychological well-being.
According to a study by the psychotherapy platform Rozmova, nearly 50% of surveyed specialists reported a deterioration in clients’ emotional well-being towards the end of 2025. Ukrainians are experiencing despondency, tension and a sense of emotional heaviness. Rozmova’s research showed that people most often seek therapy for anxiety (86%); depressive symptoms, apathy and despondency (69.5%); burnout and emotional exhaustion (66%); as well as post-traumatic and complex post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD and CPTSD; 18%).
Russian aggressors appear to be attempting to further destabilise the situation by preparing new attacks on energy infrastructure. How are businesses responding to the challenges faced by Kyiv residents and what employee support programmes are Ukraine’s largest companies implementing?
Tetiana Petruk, chief sustainability officer of Metinvest Group:
“At Metinvest, we understand that, due to hostile shelling, the situation with electricity, heating and water is becoming increasingly difficult for every Kyiv resident. This also affects employees at our Kyiv office and their families. That is why the company has introduced two key measures to help people cope with the consequences of these attacks.
“The first is a 100% remote-working model, which has been in place continuously since 2022. Subject to managers’ approval, it allows employees to decide whether to work from home or from the office. It also enables them to relocate – to another area or city, and in some cases even to another country – while remaining fully engaged in the company’s work, including from our other offices.
“The second initiative is the opening of a Point of Resilience at the company’s Kyiv office for Metinvest employees and their families. This heated space is equipped with a powerful generator, satellite internet, access to hot drinks and food, and even a table-tennis setup. Employees have responded quite positively to the opportunity to use the facility.”
Representatives of Genesis, BGV Group Management, PrivatBank, Raiffeisen Bank, SoftServe, Prom, IDS Ukraine, Nestlé, Carlsberg Ukraine, Philip Morris, McDonald’s and GlobalLogic Ukraine also shared details of their employee support programmes with NV.