Ukrainian businesses are concerned about staffing issues after May 18, when the law on mobilization tightening comes into force

Ukrainian businesses are concerned about staffing issues after May 18, when the controversial law on toughening mobilization comes into force.

Several entrepreneurs have already stated that their male employees are planning to resign in order to minimize their presence on the streets, or they are offering to transfer them to double shifts.

“The problems started back in 2023 when companies were required to report data on conscripted employees to territorial recruitment centers. Many wanted either to resign or to work without official registration. But after May 18, the problems are becoming much more significant. Male employees, frightened by fines and the requirement to carry a military ID everywhere, want to collectively lie low. Simply staying at home and going out as little as possible. Therefore, they suggest transferring them to remote work. Otherwise, they will resign. But I definitely can’t transfer everyone to remote work,” says one of the entrepreneurs.

The owner of a small manufacturing business told journalists that the situation with personnel after May 18 could become critical for him.

“My business’s specificity is such that you can’t work from home. I have a production cycle. People need to be in the workshops. And people want to resign,” the entrepreneur says.

Even those enterprises that have been granted the right to reserve employees are facing problems.

“There have been cases where a person who came to the territorial recruitment center to update their data and undergo a military medical examination was sent to mobilization instead of being reserved. Therefore, people are very afraid and are also planning to resign. Order needs to be established with reservations, giving guarantees that people will not be mobilized. Otherwise, work will be paralyzed,” says another entrepreneur.