How do we cope with the consequences of the war in Ukraine?
KEY POINTS OF THE ARTICLE
- Adaptation of Whimsy Games’ operations due to the war in Ukraine.
- Establishment of new offices in Warsaw and Lisbon for team safety and continuity.
- Relocation of staff to safe locations, with 95% working outside or in Western Ukraine.
- Implementation of financial and emotional support measures for team members.
- Ongoing commitment to delivering both existing and new projects.
- Call for global support for Ukraine through donations and solidarity.
Before the russian invasion of Ukraine, Whimsy Games had a head office in Kyiv. The start of the hostilities on the 24th of February was a shock for us as for millions of Ukrainians. The war delivered a brutal blow to both our personal and professional lives. Many Ukrainian businesses were unable to continue their operations.
However, our company managed to avoid the worst-case scenario. We’ve always relied upon a distributed team. Even before the war broke out, some of our team members had been working from Poland or Portugal. At the moment, many of our specialists have already moved to safe areas. We have offices in Warsaw and our CEO Denis is opening a new office in Lisbon. All in all, we are safe and ready to take on new projects.
What actions did we take?
We did our best to keep our team safe and sound and continue to deliver results. In order to achieve this, we:
- defined safe locations. Obviously, the best option was to send our team-mates abroad. Within Ukraine, the safest regions are Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, which are furthest from the battlefields of this ongoing conflict.
- developed a contingency plan. We relocated as many team members as we could abroad. Redundant communication channels were established whenever possible.
- provided financial support and assistance in relocation.
- continued communication with our clients to alleviate their fears.
- focused on internal communication. Our HR specialists are conducting 1-to-1’s to identify the emotional strain, support, and motivate people.
- improved the delivery process. All existing projects are under way. Moreover, we start new ones. New commits are made each day. Project teams are designed to include enough specialists working from safe locations with stable internet connection.
Do we have a plan B if the situation gets worse?
At the moment, 95% of our team are working from countries other than Ukraine or from safe regions in Western Ukraine. They have stable internet connections and are doing their best to proceed with the existing and new projects. If the conflict escalates even further, we are prepared to relocate as many of our team-mates out of Ukraine as we can and continue our operations.
Believe in Whimsy Games! Believe in Ukraine!
Despite the war raging in our country, we manage to stay safe and continue our work. Moreover, we are motivated to do it more than ever. Rest assured that we will fulfill your projects to the best of our abilities!
As our company needs your faith, so does our country. We urge you to support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom. There are different ways you can help. In particular, you can support Ukrainian armed forces by donating through this charity organization or directly via the National Bank of Ukraine. Also, you can help Ukrainians affected by hostilities financially. Stand with Ukraine!
