Who was the most active in hiring last year?
Opendatabot has formed a ranking of the largest employers in 2026, based on the financial statements of enterprises. The top three remain unchanged, and then the ranking has undergone minor changes: Silpo overtook Ukrposhta. In total, only six companies out of ten increased their staff last year. This is reported by open4business, according to the PromPolitInform portal.
Ukrzaliznytsia has remained the largest employer for over 5 years, but its team is gradually decreasing. Over the year, the company’s staff has decreased by 5% – to 169,952 employees. In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, the company’s staff has decreased by 27% or 62.8 thousand people.
ATB is in second place with 46,649 employees. Over the year, the company increased its team by 565 people (+1%), but since the beginning of the full-scale war, it has lost 14,133 employees (-23%).
“Over the past year, more than 2,300 new jobs were created at the corporation’s enterprises. Every month, on average, the company offers up to 200 jobs to job seekers. Currently, circumstances require us to improve work processes and increase labor productivity — in particular, the automation of many work algorithms is extremely active. During these difficult 4 years of full-scale war, we are proud that, despite all the difficulties, we have managed to preserve the main skeleton of the teams in each retail outlet. This is a victory for our store managers and their deputies, who directly organize the work of their subordinates on the ground.” — ATB comments.
Third place is occupied by Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine, where 39,444 people work. Over the year, the company added 1,770 employees (+5%) — this is the largest growth among all in the top ten.
Silpo overtook Ukrposhta and rose to fourth place with 32,367 employees. Over the year, 1,001 people were added to the team (+3%), but compared to 2021, the company lost 9,808 employees (-23%).
Ukrposhta, which is now in fifth place, has 31,739 employees — its staff has not changed over the year, but in the long term the reduction is significant: – 30,634 people (-49%) by 2021.
Nova Poshta maintains sixth position with 27,572 employees. Over the year, the company’s staff has not undergone any significant changes (+0.2%), while since 2021, human capital has decreased by 2,218 employees (-7%). Nova Poshta explains: the overall reduction in staff is mainly due to the war, employee migration, and changes in operational processes. In the future, the company’s focus is on retaining key employees and developing an internal reserve.
“We are currently focusing on people development: investing in training, mental health support, flexible work formats, and expanding the pool of candidates, in particular, by attracting veterans, IDPs, and older people.” — notes Anna-Maria Bondarenko, HRD of Nova Poshta.
The largest percentage of staff changes over the year occurred at Energoatom: -6%. In total, since 2021, the company has lost 8,087 employees (-24%). Currently, according to financial reporting, the company employs 25,740 employees.
In eighth place is Forests of Ukraine with 22,252 employees. Currently, the company has the status of “in a state of termination” due to the reorganization process. At the same time, it was this enterprise that recorded the largest percentage of staff reduction among the entire top ten last year: -6% (- 1,465 people).
Ukrnafta holds ninth place — 19,583 employees. Over the year, the company grew by 657 people (+4%). However, since 2021, Ukrnafta’s staff has decreased by 1,213 employees (–6%).
Ukrgazvydobuvannya closes the top ten with 17,794 employees: +477 people per year (+3%). This is the only company in the top that has increased its staff since the beginning of full-scale: +979 employees (+6%).
“We ensure the energy independence of Ukraine. Professional and motivated employees are our key asset, which guarantees the company’s sustainability and effective development of deposits. Our challenge is to preserve and develop the technical competencies of the team, attract and train young people, and form an elite in the search and development of hydrocarbon deposits,” comments Oleksandr Pimkin, Director of Human Capital at Ukrgazvydobuvannya JSC.
