WARTIME PEOPLE MANAGEMENT: UKRAINE'S CIVIL SERVICE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION EXPERIENCE AND LESSONS FOR RESILIENCE

Abstract

The ongoing war in Ukraine presents a unique, critical test for public administration, accelerating the need for digital transformation within the civil service. The purpose of this paper is to explore the transformation of HRM practices in Ukraine's Civil Service in the context of rapid digitalization and crisis, identifying the specific challenges of adapting EU-aligned digital HR models and evaluating their contribution to organizational resilience during wartime. Methodology. The research is based on a comparative policy analysis of the ongoing civil service reform framework and a qualitative synthesis of secondary data (official reports from the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NACS), legislative acts, and recent academic literature). The study employs a structured approach to examine the implementation of key digital tools, such as the electronic HR information system (HRIS) and online professional development platforms, specifically analyzing their applicability and effectiveness in environments characterized by infrastructural instability and workforce displacement. Key Findings and Results. The results highlight a strategic, albeit resource-constrained, shift towards employee-centered digitalization, driven by the need for transparency and continuity. While digital tools have successfully streamlined recruitment and performance monitoring (critical for EU alignment), their full operationalization faces significant limitations due to infrastructural constraints, acute security risks (cybersecurity), and the necessity of rapid legal alignment with martial law provisions. The paper concludes that hybrid HR systems–combining robust global technological solutions with flexible, localized modules–represent the most promising and resilient approach for maintaining state functions. Practical Implications and Value. The findings offer evidence-based recommendations for public institutions operating in active conflict zones or other severely disrupted environments, emphasizing the necessity of integrating technological innovation with strategies for ensuring psychological safety and human capital adaptability. This study contributes to the literature on public sector crisis management by offering an original, timely analysis of how a national civil service is advancing digital transformation and strategic HRM, not despite, but because of, a major geopolitical disruption.