The largest Ukrainian companies are gradually restoring their staff
OpenDataBot has compiled a ranking of the largest employers in 2025 based on data from the State Statistics Service and financial reports of companies. Ukrzaliznytsia has remained the stable and undisputed leader for several years in a row. Despite some turbulence and staff cuts, the company currently employs over 178,000 people. Six companies from the list hired new people last year. Two newcomers also broke into the list of the largest employers.
Ukrzaliznytsia has been Ukraine’s largest employer for four years in a row, with 178,616 employees. However, the company lost more than 9,000 employees over the year, with its workforce shrinking by almost 5%. In total, the company’s workforce has decreased by 54,000 employees since the start of the full-scale war.
ATB-Market came in second with 46,084 employees. Over the year, the company grew by almost 2,000 employees. The top three is rounded out by Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine with 37,714 employees. Over the past year, the company managed to increase its staff by 4,200 employees.
ATB notes that despite all the difficulties, the company created about 2,000 new jobs last year alone. This was achieved thanks to ATB’s dynamic development strategy, with the planned opening of new stores, the expansion of distribution centers, and the modernization of other enterprise facilities. This not only gave an economic boost to certain regions, but also provided thousands of Ukrainian families with a stable source of income. ATB’s personnel policy is aimed at developing what is known as human capital, which the company traditionally considers its most valuable resource and the key to its success.
The top ten employers also include retail chains, logistics companies, energy giants, and state-owned enterprises. Among them are the well-known Ukrposhta (31,739 employees), Silpo (31,366), Nova Poshta (27,509), Energoatom (27,352), Lisy Ukrainy (23,717), Ukrnafta (18,926), and Ukrgazvydobuvannya (17,317).
It is worth noting that Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine and Lisy Ukrainy broke into the top ten for the first time.
Only four companies reduced their staff last year. The leader, Ukrzaliznytsia, suffered the greatest losses. Ukrposhta also reduced its workforce by more than 3,000, Energoatom by 1,800, and Forests of Ukraine by 20% (more than 6,000 jobs).
At the same time, other companies are expanding. The largest increase was seen in Ukraine’s gas distribution networks: +12.5%. Silpo (+4.9%), ATB (+4.5%), Nova Poshta (+4.5%), Ukrnafta (+3.2%), and Ukrgazvydobuvannya (+2.9%) also actively increased their teams.
It is worth noting that there are companies that did not make it to the top but have seen good growth in the number of employees. For example, the Aurora chain of stores has quadrupled its staff during the full-scale war, from 3,000 to over 12,000 employees. And every year, their numbers are growing.
Aurora says that its team is its main asset. The chain does not have an HR department, but instead has a Human Capital Department. It is very important to treat employees as “capital” and not as a “resource.” The company’s approach is based on the idea that employees feel needed, that their opinions are valued, and that their ideas are heard — so they can make decisions or influence them. This is the key to everyone’s engagement and motivation.
NovaPay, part of the Nova Poshta group, is also growing rapidly: +7.5% in staff numbers in 2024. The same is true for the EVA chain of stores: +2% per year.
McDonald’s grew by only 0.2% and has not yet returned to its pre-war staffing levels, like most companies.
The company notes that McDonald’s is a business where people come first, and it is thanks to this approach that they continue to grow in Ukraine, despite any difficulties, supporting a team of 10,000 employees. The company cares about their well-being, indexes salaries annually, offers health insurance, and provides financial assistance to employees affected by the war. In addition, McDonald’s continues to pay salaries to all mobilized employees.
https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/top-employer-2025
