Quiet rooms, a psychologist, and more: how Ukrainian businesses care about the mental health of their team

A full-scale war is raging in Ukraine, and this is changing not only our daily lives, but also the way we work. When the night can pass to the sound of explosions, and the morning can begin with a power outage, it is difficult to talk about a "normal working day".

That's why more and more companies are prioritizing the mental health of their employees. They are learning to be flexible, supportive, and to allow time for recovery, showing that the main thing is not to "sit through" the hours, but to preserve strength and humanity. And this is what becomes the support that helps to withstand the darkest times.

LIGA.net spoke with members of the CEO Club about how they support the mental well-being of their teams. Everyone's experience is different, but they all agree: caring for psychological health today is not just an option, but part of a responsible company culture.

The following people shared their thoughts and practices:

• Vitaliy Sedler, CEO and co-founder Intellias
• Natalia Morozova, Managing Partner and CEO Havas Village Ukraine
• Natalia Yaromenko, Founder and CEO Beauty Tech Corp

Who determines, and how, that an employee is showing signs of burnout?

Vitaliy Sedler: Taking care of the emotional well-being of our specialists is one of our key priorities. To understand how our colleagues are feeling and what support they need, we always talk to them and work with several levels of well-being monitoring.

First of all, we constantly stay in touch with colleagues – through regular surveys, informal conversations, and individual meetings. Monthly Pulse Surveyallows us to find out how an employee feels in their team, on a project, and whether the interaction with the manager is comfortable. If the feedback raises concerns, our Employee Experience team will definitely find out the reasons.

Once a year, we conduct an Engagement Survey.– a large employee engagement survey, which also includes questions about stress levels, well-being, and work-life balance. This data helps shape strategies for the coming year.

In addition, managers conduct individual check-ins every quarter.meetings during which, among other things, mental state is discussed. We have also launched a special portal for managers where they can see whether a colleague has been on vacation or has had time to rest and recover. This comprehensive approach allows us not only to detect signs of burnout in a timely manner, but also to provide appropriate support promptly.

Natalia Morozova: HR plays a significant role in this process, but our group operates on the principle of "mutual participation" within the team – it's not so much about monitoring colleagues' work, but about being attentive to their well-being.

We have an active communication culture built on trust, where hierarchy and verticality do not interfere: employees can freely share their well-being with managers and the HR manager. This allows us to notice negative trends in a timely manner – fatigue, decreased motivation, which can be the first signs of burnout.

In this way, each team member can count on the support of their manager, HR, and colleagues: we do not ignore a person's situation, but try to support them and find a solution, because human capital is our main asset.

Natalia Yaroshenko: In our company, burnout isn't just about fatigue or overload. It most often occurs when an employee loses the sense of purpose in their work. To avoid this, we've implemented an OKR (Objectives and Key Results) system, which allows us to tie each task to a larger goal. When you clearly see how your actions lead to results, energy emerges, not exhaustion.

We don't wait for burnout symptoms, but work proactively. I personally hold weekly one-on-one meetings with all top managers, where we not only discuss plans, but also check energy levels, emotional state, and current challenges. Team leaders are used to "taking the pulse" – whether the tasks make sense, whether the drive is maintained, and whether fatigue is accumulating. We work with the understanding that, as Frankl wrote: "He who has a 'why' can bear almost any 'how'."

Does your company have any policies or approaches to help employees better balance work and personal life?

Vitaliy Sedler: Work-life balance is not just an advantage, but a necessary condition for long-term well-being and effectiveness.

All colleagues have access to a flexible work format; they can choose to work from home, from the office, or combine both options. This allows for better planning of the day, taking into account individual circumstances. In addition, everyone can independently determine their convenient working hours.

For parents who want to work from the office but don't have anyone to leave their children with, we have supervised nurseries in our Lviv and Kyiv offices. Special rooms for caring for the youngest children are also available.

Natalia Morozova: We adhere to a flexible approach that allows us to maintain balance.

We have a hybrid work schedule: on certain days of the week, employees work remotely, while on others they visit the office.

If a colleague experiences significant life changes – the birth of a child, relocation, or other circumstances – we are ready to switch them to a different work schedule or provide more flexibility. Therefore, we have team members who work remotely 100%.

In cases of maternity leave, we look forward to the employee's return, often offering adapted conditions or even a new position that matches the colleague's new interests, development, and aspirations. This allows everyone to feel comfortable, combining both areas: professional development and personal life.

Natalia Yaroshenko: Our main principle is not time, but results: we don't count hours, but evaluate effectiveness. Formally, the working day lasts from 10:00 to 19:00, but in practice, we adapt to different time zones – the USA, Ukraine, and Asia – and adjust to specific tasks. We adhere to a hybrid format: we spend part of the week in the office to synchronize and maintain team dynamics, and the rest of the time we work from any convenient location.

For us, balance means energy, so after late meetings or early calls, you can start the day later – the main thing is to maintain productivity without compromising your life. We believe that freedom and trust create the best results.

What programs or initiatives do you have in place to maintain the mental health of your employees?

Vitaliy Sedler: With a focus on the mental health of our colleagues, we have launched the internal platform IntelliWell. It covers four key areas: mental health, physical activity, interaction between colleagues, and the workspace.

The "mental health" program includes access to video meetings with experienced psychotherapists, and a special program based on best practices of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Intellias specialists can take 8 free sessions with a psychologist per year on the Pleso platform, discussing any issues that interest them. Colleagues have access to both individual consultations and group sessions, as well as resources to overcome anxiety, stress, and traumatic experiences.

In addition to the initiatives offered by IntelliWell, colleagues can choose the Mental Health benefits package. It provides even more opportunities to support mental health, including coverage for additional sessions with a psychotherapist. All colleagues have access to curated services for emotional and social well-being, crisis guides, and digital assistants.

At Intelliwell, we encourage physical activity.– We motivate you to take up a new sport, start your own sporting challenge, or join an internal sports community and get support to improve your own sports activities. The diverse range of activities in this area covers everything from running and yoga to cycling, and more.

Taking care ofTo foster communication among colleagues, we strive to create even more opportunities to come together, share emotions, and exchange experiences. For example, Intellias specialists can attend the weekly online "IntelliMorning" kitchen and listen to interesting stories from colleagues about their lives and hobbies; join the Book Lab community, where they read and discuss exciting fiction and non-fiction literature; and become part of IntelliParents – a helpful community for parents united by common interests and goals.

Intellias workspaces are comfortable for both productive work and relaxation. We encourage specialists to visit the offices, especially during office days, to socialize, unwind, and have fun.

Natalia Morozova: The company has various initiatives aimed at maintaining psychological resilience. These may include, for example, training sessions, particularly in self-regulation and monitoring one's own emotional states: a prime example is the training from the DoLadu team, which helped employees better understand their own reactions and implement self-help techniques. Such measures not only reduce stress levels but also create an atmosphere of support and openness.

Natalia Yaroshenko: Mental health is not a formality, but part of our daily culture. Weekly one-to-one meetings with the CEO allow us to notice emotional breakdowns and fatigue in time and provide the necessary support. Stoicism has become an important tool for us: we sponsored the publication of Massimo Più's book "How to Be a Stoic," because stoicism teaches us to focus on what is within our control and not waste energy on what is beyond our control. Sport occupies a special place, as it is an important source of recovery – we support participation in marathons, races and various activities both by our own example and as a team.

How does your company support its employees during wartime?

Vitaliy Sedler: We understand the value of 24/7 communication and support, especially during these anxious times. Therefore, we provide prompt and transparent communication through dedicated channels where everyone can quickly get help. The Emergency Response team is responsible for coordinating actions, monitoring events, and responding promptly to calls.

In 2022, we launched IntelliAssistant, which remains our reliable assistant in any situation. It works without days off or vacations, supporting colleagues in everyday matters and crisis situations. Today, IntelliAssistant helps not only with information or career opportunities, but also with emergency requests related to force majeure, health problems, or safety risks – particularly during enemy air attacks. In such cases, the digital assistant registers the signal, and then we quickly contact the colleague to provide the necessary assistance.

The Lviv and Kyiv offices have special IntelliWell spaces – quiet rooms where you can relax, recharge, and take care of your emotional state.

In addition, in case of difficult situations in the energy system, all offices are equipped with autonomous power supply and alternative internet channels. For those who work from home, we have held a series of meetings on energy independence. We conduct first aid training and practical exercises where specialists learn to act quickly and effectively in emergency situations.

This helps us ensure that we can continue working even in difficult conditions, while maintaining the safety and comfort of the team.

Natalia Morozova: In times of war, we pay special attention to the safety and well-being of our people. Therefore, our office has a bomb shelter, and our AIDA charitable foundation helps employees whose homes have been damaged by shelling: for example, we organize window replacements and provide financial support to those colleagues who, while serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, allow us to continue working. In critical situations, we always consider the human factor – we seek compromise and humane options for the work schedule the day after shelling or dangerous events.

Each agency in the group can, of course, implement additional initiatives, but the basic principle is the same: we prioritize safety and health above formal requirements.

Natalia Yaroshenko: During wartime, we have become even more flexible: if there was a difficult night, shelling, or power outages, people can start their workday later, recover, and work at a comfortable pace. We adhere to a hybrid schedule and build a culture of trust, because it is important not just to "sit out" the day, but to truly deliver results, so we always adapt to the circumstances.

Vacation for us is not an option, but an obligation: we have extended its duration and abolished the possibility of carrying it over from year to year, encouraging not to skimp on recovery.

Weekends also remain stable – Saturdays and Sundays are always non-working days, even despite the challenges. After all, a resilient company is not about heroic work to exhaustion, but about care, openness, and systematic approaches to balance, meaning, and mental resilience.