What is it about?
Civil servants in Ukraine have faced extraordinary pressures while working under martial law. This study looked at how leadership, teamwork, and salary satisfaction influenced their job satisfaction and mental health. Using survey data from over 1,600 employees, we found that feeling supported by leaders and coworkers helped workers enjoy their jobs more and feel healthier, even during the ongoing crisis. We also found that employees responded differently depending on whether martial law made them feel motivated, neutral, or demotivated. The findings suggest that improving leadership skills, teamwork, and financial stability can help protect mental health and keep government services strong during national emergencies.
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Why is it important?
This study is one of the first to examine how organizational climate, leadership, and financial satisfaction affect the mental health of civil servants working under martial law conditions. Unlike earlier research that focused on stable environments or short-term crises, we show how extreme, prolonged national emergencies reshape workplace experiences. Our findings reveal that leadership and team dynamics can make a critical difference in maintaining public service resilience even under military conflict. This work provides urgently needed evidence for governments and organizations seeking to support essential workers during ongoing crises.
Perspectives
Writing this article was both a professional challenge and a personal mission. As someone working closely with the psychological well-being of individuals facing extreme circumstances, I felt it was vital to give voice to the often-overlooked struggles of civil servants during times of national crisis. This study gave me the opportunity to blend rigorous statistical analysis with real-world concerns about resilience, leadership, and human dignity under pressure. I hope that this work not only contributes to academic discussions but also inspires more concrete actions to support those who quietly sustain public life during turbulent times. Above all, I hope it reminds readers that even in the most difficult conditions, strong leadership, supportive teams, and a caring workplace can protect people’s mental health.
Dr. Vitalii Shymko
Pereyaslav-Xmel'nyc'kyj derzhavnyj pedahohichnyj universytet imeni Hryhoriya Skovorody
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Organizational climate, leadership, and mental health in crisis: the case of civil servants in Ukraine, Organizational Analysis, April 2025, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijoa-12-2024-5113.
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