In the peacetime column “How they work” a sad prefix appeared – “during the war”. Now the companies tell us about the organization of work in the new reality, the payment of salaries and the action plan. Their work now is an important economic front. We believe that the exchange of experience will help to make better decisions, and the chronicle of events will remember an important period in the history of Ukrainian business.

agama is a communications services constructor from which you can assemble an integrated solution for any communication task. The group of agencies includes the communication agency provid, the PR agency PLEON Talan, the integrated marketing solutions agency Talan Communication, the trade marketing agency Clever Force, and the media agency OMD Media Direction Ukraine. Among the clients are the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Kyiv City Administration, Chemonics, Noology, Kyivstar, Nova Poshta, MHP, Carlsberg, DISCOVERY, and other international and Ukrainian companies and donors.

Was there a plan in case of a full-scale war?

Although the war has been going on in Ukraine for nine years, and we, as a group, have not remained indifferent to these events, until recently, we were confident that common sense would prevail, and there would be no full-scale invasion of a European country.

On the eve of the invasion, together with the communication agency provid, we were discussing this year’s applications for creative festivals, and with HR specialists, we were planning a team meeting for the evening of February 24th: to chat and calm down over a slice of pizza. Even on February 25th, one of our agencies, Talan Communication, was organizing an event in Zaporizhzhia.

However, despite this, there was a plan. It consisted of two directions: first, people, coordination at the level of each agency and the group as a whole. Against the background of news reports, we had already begun to implement this part of the plan: building communication chains, preparing to communicate without a mobile network, and forming work algorithms. We anticipated cyber attacks, so we moved all critical information to a separate server. We also had a meeting point in a shelter, with water and warmth. Every day, the president of agama, Andy Bain, sent emails, analyzing the situation and reassuring us.

Secondly, business processes and clients. We began diversifying our business at the end of the year by adding various companies to our client portfolio that would support us during the crisis. Not everything worked perfectly, but still, we can talk about some level of preparation.

How did you greet the war? What problems did you solve first?

The first message in the shared work chat appeared around six in the morning. No one understood exactly what they heard, and various versions were spreading in the news. But we knew for sure that work in the office was canceled. The main concern was the safety of our people and their families. We stayed in touch to make sure everything was okay, that nothing threatened families.

Several times a day, there were roll calls in the shared chats to check on everyone’s well-being. There were also joint meetings with agency directors to discuss further actions.

Did you conduct employee relocations?

We did not organize collective relocations, but even before the start of the war, we informed the team about possible relocation options. These were mainly locations within Ukraine, with new opportunities emerging in different regions and abroad every day. International partners of our PR agency PLEON Talan offered accommodations in the UK, and some of our colleagues temporarily settled in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Currently, the team is dispersed across safe regions of Ukraine. Some remained in Kyiv throughout, while others have recently begun returning to the capital. We also have exciting stories of evacuating our colleagues from Hostomel and Mariupol, but thanks to collective efforts, they are now safe.

How did you support employees financially?

In February, we paid salaries earlier and in full so that every employee would have money in the unpredictable situation.

The marketing industry immediately went on pause along with budgets. However, prior diversification and having international clients help us sustain the team, although we had to cut March salaries to preserve the entire team. But we already see positive trends in the market, so we hope to soon restore salary levels.

How did you rebuild the company’s operations?

Our group of agencies offers a wide range of services, some of which are still frozen. Additionally, the products we previously offered to the market have undergone changes.

Talan Communication, whose main focus was events, suffered the most. The same goes for Clever Force, which closely collaborated with the retail business. However, apart from that, they provided creative and digital services, which are currently the focus.

In the PR agency PLEON Talan and the communication agency provid, things are better, although we had to freeze cooperation with some clients. Therefore, they redirected their resources to support clients working on the information front. PLEON Talan actively communicates with foreign media and partner agencies, conveying the current situation in Ukraine to English-speaking audiences.

provid is actively involved in digital support for the information war. We refreshed the national identity for the 30 years of Independence of Ukraine: the flower now symbolizes not just the flourishing of our homeland but also the symbol of the struggle for independence. We also created creatives for campaigns against the activities of international brands in the Russian market and the Instagram account ukraineisatwar, reminding everyone that the war in Europe is ongoing.

Have there been any changes in the roles of team members?

Since the beginning of the conflict, a large part of our team has been involved in volunteering activities: searching for necessary equipment for the Armed Forces, distributing aid, and participating in information warfare and territorial defense efforts.

Having learned from previous experiences, we already had a certain algorithm for remote work in place. However, in the initial days of the attack, many colleagues spent a significant amount of time in bomb shelters, which affected their work dynamics. Additionally, the psychological and emotional state of individuals has had an impact on their work. Therefore, messages with new tasks now often start with “Are you safe? Are you available?”

Currently, teams are maximizing support for each other. Creative teams have retained their functions, while managers have become more versatile, taking on roles in client service, project management, and new business development. Many have also taken on roles as social media managers and analysts, regardless of their previous positions.

Furthermore, everyone enthusiastically responds to pro bono projects, with ideas coming from anyone within the agama group of agencies.

How do you support the emotional state and mood within the team?

We strive to keep each other in focus. Regular communication, video calls, or chats help everyone understand they are not alone and know where to turn for help. Members of the team occasionally share useful resources such as tips from psychologists or materials for children.

Regular work status updates have been reinstated. This helps bring clarity, keep the team energized, and shift focus away from endless scrolling through news feeds.

Additionally, during the first month of the war, the president of agama sent a daily email with key news of the day, company plans, and perspectives. Currently, this has reduced to one or two emails per week.

How has the war affected the number of clients and financial indicators?

It would be an overstatement to say that the war has not impacted finances. Like many others, we have been significantly affected. However, after regaining our footing in the initial days, we began targeted work with several of our clients. Recently, we have observed increased interest from new clients. PLEON Talan has received a number of requests for crisis PR, and it was incredibly uplifting to receive news of winning a major tender. Such optimism from one of our clients caused a real sensation within the provid team.

How is client work structured now?

Currently, if we manage to plan any work, it’s usually only for a week or two ahead. Document processing and invoicing may take a bit longer, but everyone is understanding of the situation.

Security

From the first days of the war, we have been in touch with our Ukrainian clients. We continue to work with those who are safe and able to work remotely. Some clients and projects have paused until the end of the war, while others have joined their foreign offices and are able to work.

Support

During this time, it’s important to be more than just partners: to inquire about how things are going, to talk, to support, to ask how you can help. Communication with foreign partners has hardly changed. As a team, we personally felt their support in letters of solidarity with Ukraine.

Project Transformation

In a crisis situation, businesses cannot remain silent. It’s necessary to voice your position, communicate with employees, clients, partners, and investors. And the war has turned out to be such a huge crisis for everyone. Therefore, we advise our clients to pay more attention to internal communications, to maintain communication with clients, and to manage social media.

We also inform our partners abroad about the situation in our country and urge them to cease any cooperation with the aggressor country.

What are your plans if the war drags on?

We plan to continue working and supporting the country’s economy. Effective communication at all levels is always necessary, especially during a war.

We are already looking for cooperation opportunities with EU markets and services we can offer there. We are also developing a plan for project recovery with some Ukrainian clients (for now, online).

What word describes your work right now?

Transformation and teamwork.