Organization of labor under conditions of uncertainty: The case of Ukraine

Abstract

Safety risks at work during a pandemic and war require new standards for the organization of work. Increasing socio-psychological pressure requires a better definition of staff duties, communication rules, and work and rest regimes. The purpose of the study is to determine the most acceptable regulations for the organization of labor that help to maintain the efficiency of a company’s activities in an unstable environment. In the course of the research, a content analysis of regulatory documents was carried out and a survey among HR managers, heads of Ukrainian companies, and their employees was conducted. All data were collected in two waves. The first wave was in November-December 2021 with 301 participants. Due to the beginning of the war, the second wave of the study was conducted in April-May 2022, when the wartime conditions have already made their impact, with 271 participants — managers, HR managers, and staff of Ukrainian enterprises. The results confirmed that working conditions and global risks that determine the types of the organization of work under uncertainty require a flexible approach. Mixed and flexible standards of the organization of work provide for optimal work modes and safer working practices, so they have been approved to be more effective. It has been determined that the disregard of global challenges, trends, and the social nature of labor by the company management reduces the effectiveness of labor organization regulations.