After the war ends, Ukraine may face unexpected challenges in the labor market. The mass return of military personnel to civilian life will become a real test for the economy, the social sphere, and state institutions.
“The state will face questions about how to quickly integrate this ‘army of free hands’ into the labor market, prevent disillusionment and marginalization of thousands and thousands of economically active citizens, and minimize the social and ethical consequences as well as, no less importantly, the financial costs of social support for them and their families,” reports Humanitarian Media Hub, citing ZN.ua.
More than 500,000 people may return to civilian life at the same time. Most of them have lost their civilian skills, and the labor market is not ready to offer enough jobs with competitive pay. The average salary in the civilian sector is significantly lower than military payments, which reduces motivation for employment. Additionally, many demobilized individuals do not have a clear plan for returning to work, and psychological apathy and loss of faith in the state only complicate the situation.
The labor market is already showing imbalance: the number of job seekers is almost twice the number of vacancies. Increased competition for jobs may lead to the marginalization of part of the population, as well as increased financial pressure on the state due to the need for social support. The issue is especially acute for those returning from war with physical or psychological injuries.
The state needs to develop retraining programs, stimulate the creation of new jobs, support entrepreneurship, and provide psychological support for demobilized personnel. Without systemic solutions, the risks for the economy and society will only grow.
