Companies based in Europe reacted with shock and dismay to the events unfolding in Ukraine. The sight of tanks rolling into a sovereign European nation has triggered anger and sadness in many, and also awoken painful memories for those who have experienced conflict or whose families have been forced to flee their homes and start again in a new country.

European-based companies are currently activating crisis management teams to provide practical help to those employees directly caught up in the conflict. Human capital strategies are focusing on two immediate priorities: 1) providing relocation assistance to ensure staff and their family reach safety, and 2) financial assistance.

Relocation support
Some companies began advising staff and their families to leave Ukraine. With borders closing, this is increasingly difficult. Companies are therefore switching their attention to supporting staff who manage to reach a safe border. Relocation assistance can be in the form of:

• Organizing further transportation via locally hired buses, travel information, and financial assistance to move to safer locations.
• Meeting staff at the borders to offer reassurance and practical help, such as local SIMS, credit cards, and cash and to connect them with other assistance provided by the company, local teams, and humanitarian agencies.
• Providing temporary accommodation through mobilizing colleagues from different work locations to connect and provide temporary shelter, booking hotel accommodation in nearby safe locations, providing rental accommodation, and linking fleeing staff with local offers of accommodation.
• Joining international efforts to help relocation—for example Airbnb has announced it will work with its members (or “hosts”) to provide free accommodation to 100,000 refugees fleeing from Ukraine.
• Fast-tracking emergency immigration applications or work permits to enable employees to relocate to more secure locations.

Financial assistance
Companies can also provide financial assistance, including:

• Advancing salaries and providing bonuses for relocation and emergency costs.
• Rerouting salary payments—several payment providers have closed local currency payments, with firms instead routing payments to other international entities.
• Flexible alternatives, including local bank payments, international wire payments and wallet payments such as PayPal and transferring payment through non-state-owned banking apps.
• Switching salary payments to alternative currencies, enabling staff to access payment in other countries such as Poland and Turkey.
• Devising clear policies for staff who are called up or volunteered for military service. For example, this might include receiving a certain percentage of salary during conscription, guaranteeing employment after conscription, enabling flexibility for staff to attend military or first aid training. Policies also need to be in place should employees in international assignments be required to return to their home country for military service.

We will continue to share practical strategies to help HR leaders respond to the crisis in Ukraine and the inevitable ripple effects that will affect business operations and workforce well-being.