HR Wisdom Summit 2026: Why the HR Director Became the Owner's Right Hand and How Their Role Changed During the War

How is the role of the HR director transforming during crises and wars? How to cope with daily challenges and build an automated knowledge management system? These questions were at the center of the discussion "HRD --- Secrets of the Profession" at the HR Wisdom Summit 2026. Top HR managers discussed the ethics of interaction within work teams, combating burnout, and toxic leadership.

Moderator Natalia Lukash, along with market speakers, explored how to identify hidden talents and how to draw the line between empathy and financial pragmatism.

They shared their mistakes and successful cases:

• Ilona Pasechnik -- HRD ALVIVA GROUP;
• Yulia Titurenko -- HRD of "Yuzhny" Bank;
• Tatyana Gonchar -- Managing Partner of DCT Consulting.

Opening the conversation, Natalia Lukash emphasized the stereotypes prevalent among owners and CEOs regarding the role of HR. According to her, sometimes management, which does not have close contact with HR directors, may not understand the essence and principles of their work. It seems that the essence boils down to holidays or "pizza days," but in reality, the paradigm of perception of the profession should be different. Moderator Natalia Lukash stressed that the role of HR goes far beyond organizing corporate events. Photo: Delo.ua

The moderator suggested that the speakers refrain from discussing "successful success" and instead share real cases that tell candidates about interviews in HR.

The first to share her experience was Ilona Pasechnik. She emphasized that she never hides the real pace of business from potential employees and stresses that, despite ambitions, the company can pivot 180 degrees halfway if the market or trends demand it.

"During the response, I not only listen to what the person is saying but also analyze non-verbal signs. Depending on what I see, I either delve into details if the candidate starts to 'drift' or blatantly lie to my face, or I make sure that the person is responding sincerely."
HRD ALVIVA GROUP Ilona Pasechnik shared her principles for conducting interviews and explained how she identifies insincere candidates. Photo: Delo.ua

Next, Yulia Titurenko shared her experience. She noted that it is important to honestly talk about vacancies and conditions in the company:

"We always tell candidates that the bank is currently undergoing active transformation. We have many changes, new projects, a fast pace of decision-making, and many opportunities to show oneself. But at the same time, this also means a high intensity of work, the need to adapt quickly, step out of the comfort zone, and take responsibility. For some, this may be a challenge, but for ambitious people, it is exactly that."

Tatyana Gonchar also shared her somewhat radical tool. She mentioned that during interviews with managers and asset directors, she deliberately presented an unattractive image of the company:

"I always told the harsh truth and, to be honest, deliberately scared candidates with future challenges. If a person started to hesitate, I would exaggerate even more. As a result, 99% of them stayed with the company, and a few months after the probation period, they would come and thank me for being so honest with them."

Next, moderator Natalia Lukash noted that in her practice, she also tried to build interviews on honesty, as painting ideal pictures often turns into a nightmare for candidates on their very first day at work. She asked Ilona Pasechnik about finding the golden mean between empathy for employees and financial pragmatism.

Ilona Pasechnik is convinced that this balance should start with a change in mindset and a shift from a paradigm of constant regret to a concept of care through clarity. The speaker urged to carefully check business processes, as "exhausted" employees often waste energy on outdated bureaucracy rather than on real tasks.

"In practice, it turns out that this exhausted staff can actually be burdened with ineffective work. This is a real case: about 30-40% of tired people spend their time filling out reports that are no longer needed. To prevent this from happening, we hold one-on-one meetings to help.

Another case is global, when a business clearly understands that it can no longer extract the usual level of expenses, and within the budget, it is necessary to keep only a certain number of people. Essentially, this is about optimization. In my 25 years of experience, I have often had to manage such processes. And in such situations, the most important thing is to act quickly and honestly."

The discussion then shifted to issues of systemic management and risk management, where Yulia Titurenko supported the thesis about the importance of business strategy, which helped the bank relieve tension and discussions around KPI approval three years ago.

When the moderator asked her about "irreplaceable" key employees and the tools for retaining them, Yulia emphasized the importance of building systematic processes:
<<For me, the question is not how to retain a person when they have already submitted their resignation, but how to ensure that this decision does not come as a surprise. We invest a lot in the system: in service culture, employee journey, and leadership development. The manager's book helps work with employees at different stages of their journey in the company.>>

Managers simply do not communicate with their people and do not understand their state. The decision to leave is not made in one day -- the process begins several months before the resignation. The secret of the HR director's profession is to build a system where such crises will be rare exceptions."

The HRD of "Yuzhny" bank, Yulia Titurenko, explained why regular communication with employees helps prevent unexpected resignations. Photo: Delo.ua

Tatiana Gonchar noted that there are many situations in Ukrainian companies where the inefficiency or uniqueness of one person hinders work processes, and this is a direct fault of the HR department. As an example of overcoming such a crisis, she provided a real case:

"In my practice, there was a situation where the entire business depended on one technologist from a canning company, and the recipe for their signature pickled mushrooms belonged to him. This specialist was a person of mood: processes in the company could completely stop depending on how well he had slept. The company suffered huge losses because of this."

Next to him worked a very smart girl. The technologist did not want to be a mentor, but thanks to her communication skills and flexibility, she gradually began to acquire his knowledge in the process. We realized that this was our chance and systematically supported this process. About six months later, she could do absolutely everything on her own. This case forced the company to completely restructure its knowledge management system, as they had many similar bottlenecks."

Continuing the conversation, moderator Natalia Lukash raised the topic of "toxic geniuses" - high-performing employees who bring significant profits to the business but simultaneously have a toxic influence on the team. She asked Ilona Pasechnik if she had encountered such individuals in her practice and how she managed to neutralize their destructive influence on the team without harming the business.

Ilona Pasechnik agreed that in many holdings, due to high performance, such leaders are treated as "sacred," turning a blind eye to their behavior. However, she suggested combating this phenomenon with financial pragmatism:
"If a top manager brings colossal income to the company, both the CEO and shareholders love it. Therefore, a special attitude often forms towards such people. I have been told more than once: 'Just don't touch him, let's be careful, maybe we can overlook something.' But what about the turnover rate in the department because of him?

Summary: Regular communication with employees is crucial for preventing unexpected resignations, as highlighted by HR experts in the discussion.

Another option: when a "genius" focuses on their expertise, we place one or two highly resilient individuals next to them, acting as a buffer in communication with other departments. Simultaneously, we actively prepare a Plan B: extracting contacts from them, documenting processes, and acquiring expertise. And when the backup is ready, it’s time to say goodbye to that person. I am convinced that a company should have no "sacred cows," because in the long run, this destroys the company from within.

Natalia Lukash confirmed these words with data from a Harvard Business Review study, which states that the cost of a toxic employee is twice as high as their dismissal and the hiring of a new specialist, and handed the floor to Tatyana Gonchar for the presentation of assessment tools.

Tatyana Gonchar noted that tolerance for toxicity destroys any system and suggested influencing such leaders through metrics and tools for objective feedback:

"I want to propose practical tools that I have used myself. If a company tolerates such behavior, it destroys the system. As an HR professional, I suggest implementing objective assessments, such as the '360-degree' method based on competencies. Korn Ferry tools work excellently, assessing leadership style and the atmosphere.

I had a case where we conducted an assessment for a large metallurgical company. An extremely directive and toxic leader was simply shocked by how he was actually perceived by subordinates and colleagues. Within a month or two, we saw real positive changes in his management style and communication manner.

But if even after this, the person is not ready to change, does not want to go into coaching or work on themselves, then, of course, it’s time to say goodbye, because it will only get more expensive from there.

At the end of the panel discussion, the moderator offered the speakers a symbolic final blitz: to recall their most painful professional failure that made them want to leave the profession forever. Managing Partner of DCT Consulting Tatyana Gonchar explained how to identify toxic leaders through objective assessment and change their behavior. Photo: Delo.ua.

Yulia Titurenko noted that disappointment usually arises not from a single mistake, but from accumulated fatigue; however, the right corporate culture and support from the company's top leadership help overcome any crises:

"In the bank, we openly say that mistakes are allowed. Especially if the company is actively transforming. If people are afraid to make mistakes, they stop taking responsibility, stop proposing new solutions, and development halts. Therefore, our culture is not a culture of punishment for mistakes, but a culture of learning. A mistake is not a reason to be fired or to quit.

For Tatyana Gonchar, the main lesson was the transition from consulting to the corporate sector, where she had to let go of illusions about the automatic effectiveness of beautifully written regulations without working with real people.

"For me, this was not quite a failure, but rather a systemic error in thinking when I first transitioned from consulting to the position of HR director in the corporate sector. I sincerely believed that if I built effective HR systems perfectly and brilliantly, the company would automatically become more effective. But that was very naive. It doesn’t work that way. A valuable lesson: no matter how brilliant a system you write, it won’t work if you don’t change the behavior of the leaders making management decisions."

Ilona Pasechnik concluded the blitz of confessions by stating that a crisis of youthful idealism almost made her change her career path.

I won't go into detail about the failures, but of course, they happened. At one point, I really considered leaving the profession. It was an existential moment due to youthful idealism: you try to do your best for the company, and then you see that it doesn't work out completely or not in the way you dreamed. But I still love my job. And finally: don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, because that's where we grow.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only and doesn't constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Any events, rewards, online promotions, or related information mentioned herein should not be considered a recommendation, solicitation, or invitation to purchase, sell, trade, or otherwise deal in any crypto assets. Crypto assets are highly volatile and may result in loss. The availability of WEEX services, products, and related events may vary by region. You are responsible for ensuring that your participation is in accordance with applicable local laws and regulations.