Chief Veterans Officer of the Aurora retail chain, Mykhailo Onufer, took part in the “Security Synergy” event, joining the expert discussion “People as a System: What Truly Sustains Business.” The conversation shifted the focus from processes and strategies to people — as the key foundation of companies’ resilience in times of change.

During the discussion, Mykhailo Onufer highlighted the challenges the labor market is already facing, particularly in the context of veterans returning to civilian life.
“Today, there are more than one million veterans in the labor market. Most of them are people returning to civilian life after sustaining injuries. Following the end of active hostilities and demobilization, the number of veterans will increase significantly, and this must be taken into account already now. Our internal survey on expectations regarding veteran policies showed that more than 75% of veterans are focused on development opportunities, particularly through retraining. Investing in veterans’ education or reskilling is the future, and this is an area already being actively addressed by the Ministry for Veterans Affairs and many Ukrainian companies. The focus should not be on finding a specialist for a specific position, but on being ready to welcome a person into the team and help them find their place within the organization,” he noted.

Participation in such expert discussions enables businesses not only to share experience, but also to shape people-centered approaches that support gradual adaptation, development, and long-term engagement within teams.