While the front holds the defense, the rear is increasingly talking about the shortage of workers. In March 2025, 65% of Ukrainian enterprises again recognized the lack of personnel as the main problem for doing business. This is evidenced by the results of a monthly survey by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (IER), published by Glavkom.
“Over the past months and even quarters, the problem of labor shortage has been among the leaders,” explained IER Senior Researcher Yevhen Angel. According to him, business is suffering both from the conscription of workers into the army and from the mass departure of personnel abroad.
Security is the second most important barrier. In March, 53% of companies said they simply “found it unsafe to work.” This again raises the issue of attacks on critical infrastructure, shelling in frontline regions, and general instability.
The top three main problems are rising prices for raw materials and supplies. This factor was mentioned by 48% of respondents.
Instead, the "horror story" of recent months — power outages — is losing its relevance. While 18% of businesses complained about it in February, only 9% did in March. The problem has dropped to eighth place in the anti-rating.
What do businesses think about the government's actions? In March, two-thirds of respondents (65%) called the state's policy on supporting entrepreneurs "neutral", another 23% - frankly negative. Only every tenth entrepreneur believes that the government is helping effectively.
In the shadow of the problems, cautious optimism is also heard. The average salary in Ukraine has increased by 20% over the year, to 24 thousand hryvnias. The highest profits are shown by atypical professions: farmers (66,500 UAH), dermatologists (50,000 UAH), and even radio technicians.
But no matter how much wages increase, if there is no one to work, business growth is questionable. And while the army is holding the front, the economy needs no less support — and most importantly, people.
