War is not only about the front, it is also about the rear, offices, digital systems and the human factor. For Ukrainian businesses and organizations, the war brought not only logistical or financial difficulties, but also radical changes in the security sector, especially in working with personnel.
Today, HR must become not only a “human capital manager”, but also a co-creator of resilience and a defender of the company’s internal environment. Let’s analyze the key challenges and give practical advice on adapting HR policies in wartime.
The main security challenges in the field of HR during war
The threat of insider leaks
In conditions of information warfare, any employee can — knowingly or unknowingly — become a source of leakage of important information. Access to internal systems, knowledge of business processes or contacts can be used against the company.
Hostile influences and ideological risks
Influence agents, individuals associated with occupation structures or pro-Russian views can act under the guise of candidates.
Cyber threats in remote work
The massive transition to online mode has opened access to systems from employees’ personal devices, often without proper protection.
Emotional instability of personnel
War is also stress, PTSD, loss of relatives, temporary displacement. This affects behavior, efficiency and potential risks at work.
Mobilization and rotation of personnel
Employees may be called up for military service, change their place of residence or go abroad. This requires flexibility in personnel planning and adaptation of policies.
How to adapt HR policies to military realities?
1. Strengthening the verification of candidates
- Expanding background checks: monitoring social networks, checking geolocation (for example, long-term stay in occupied territories), analysis of worldview.
- Interview with a security specialist for sensitive positions.
- Introduction of a polygraph for sensitive and responsible positions.
2. Information hygiene and training
- Implementation of cybersecurity and data breach liability training.
- Conducting regular trainings with simulation of phishing attacks, actions in case of information leaks, etc.
3. Emotional support and psychological safety
- Cooperation with psychologists, creation of emotional support programs for staff.
- Training HR partners to identify signs of burnout or destructive states.
4. Flexible cooperation formats
- Implementation of “reserve core staff” policies that can replace mobilized employees.
- Legal regulation of remote or temporary work from abroad.
5. “Zero trust” policy and access control
- Review of roles and access in internal systems: only the minimum necessary.
- Automated control of employee actions in critical environments (SOC monitoring, event logging).
In times of war, HR plays a strategic role not only in adaptation but also in threat prevention. It must work in tandem with:
- Security Service
- IT and Cyber Security
- Legal Department
This forms a single system of organizational resilience.
War has presented HR with unprecedented challenges. But it has also accelerated its transformation: from an administrative function to a central hub for security, ethics, and corporate culture. HR today is not just about people. It is about protection, flexibility, and resilience in times of turbulence.
