This general view shows destroyed Russian armored vehicles in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022.
Aris Messinis AFP | Getty Images
When BigCommerce executives held their global general meeting on Thursday, they did not expect any of Ukraine’s 106 employees to appear on screen. Most officials there were busy trying to find safety, while Russia stepped up its attack on its smaller neighbor.
Two days earlier, a TV station in Kyiv, half a mile from BigCommerce’s office, had been bombed by Russian soldiers, killing at least five people. Company employees were evacuated at the time.
But from a dark room in an undiscovered place, BigCommerce’s product manager entered the video chat. She was responsible for what CEO Brent Belm called the most significant launch in the company’s 13-year history.
“There was no dry eye at the meeting,” Belm said in an interview late Thursday. “The rest of us were so incredibly inspired that she would be there with such a strong voice and leader.”
BigCommerce provides software that helps online retailers manage and promote their online storefronts, process payments, and improve speed and reliability.
In a statement on Monday’s quarterly earnings, Bellm spent several minutes briefing investors on the situation in Ukraine, noting that some officials “joined the army and took up arms to defend their country” and several were reported that they are in places where they are not safe, whether in Kyiv or abroad. “
Ukraine is emerging as a prominent area for technical talent and has become one of the largest markets for IT outsourcing in the world. In numerous earnings reports this week, US technology companies added Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a risk factor for their business. Cloud software vendors Snowflake, Box and Veeva noted the risk, along with HP Inc. and alternative energy provider Plug Power.
Most companies, such as Box, said in standard language that factors such as the “Covid-19 pandemic or the Russian invasion of Ukraine” could affect the results.
The situation of BigCommerce is much more extreme. The Austin, Texas-based company opened an engineering center in Kyiv in 2019 and has about 8% of its workforce there. On its job page, BigCommerce lists 20 jobs in Kyiv, compared to 52 in Austin, 26 in London and 24 in Sydney.
“Ukraine has one of the most experienced and talented engineers in the world, and our team there is just amazing in so many different ways,” Belm said.
Despite the chaos on the ground, Belm said the employee who called the meeting wanted to provide the company with an update for multi-showcase, a product that allows retailers to create and manage multiple storefronts from a single BigCommerce site.
BigCommerce office in Kyiv, Ukraine
BigCommerce
“She didn’t take us through her personal experience of relocation or where she is, she just gave us an update on product launch,” Belm said. “This is the biggest product presentation in the company’s history and they have been central to it, and it is the product manager. So watching it live on screen and demonstrating the grandeur of what went into this product was very inspiring.
However, her colleagues knew that she and her colleagues in Ukraine were having a nightmare.
Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last week with military attacks on key cities. President Vladimir Putin’s forces have faced fierce resistance from Ukrainians, but the deadly shelling continues. More than a million people have fled the country.
“We cannot create peace, we cannot hold them on the ground with our hands,” Belm told Ukrainian officials. “But one of the most important things we can do is let them know that no matter what they do, their jobs are secure and the company will do everything it can to support them until they return to safety.”
Distraction from television
More than half of the company’s employees in Ukraine work several hours a day, and some work full-time, mostly as distractors, Belm said. But no one is expected or wants to work.
“They may no longer have a government to take care of them, but they have an employer who will,” Belm said. “In many cases, they say they do not want to spend days watching TV and panicking and deviating from the crisis.
Sherry Manning, CEO of BigCommerce, said the main thing Ukrainian employees want from the company is regular contact. Two human resources representatives are in Ukraine and are checking employees via Slack or by phone. They also conducted daily safety checks, contacting neighbors and relatives to make sure team members were safe and accountable.
The Ukrainian government announced at the beginning of the invasion that men between the ages of 18 and 60 should stay in the country. Most of the employees of BigCommerce in this demographic group have moved to the western part of Ukraine, moving away from Russia to the east. Kyiv, the capital and largest city of Ukraine, is closer to the middle of the country.
Manning said 15 of the 106 employees were still in Kyiv at the end of the day on Friday. Some escaped to neighboring Poland. Most identified as “safe”, while two said they were “dangerous”, Manning said, adding that the situation could change every day.
Some are preparing in case they are called to fight for their country, and several have already taken up arms to join the defense.
Manning said employees around the world support their colleagues with donations. Employees in Australia and other countries offer their homes.
“Every morning we tell them you’re not alone and we won’t forget you,” Manning said. “We tell them we’re doing our best to reach you.”
Bellm is also considering ways to find a more sustainable solution.
“I could see us opening an office in Poland at some point down the road,” he said. “We just tell them that we want to do everything we can to keep in touch and support you financially and in other ways.”
“The most innocent and beautiful thing”
Belm said the invasion was a shock to the Ukrainian team. He meets with them every month and said he asked them in early February why they were not worried, as American intelligence reports were circulating that Putin’s attack could be imminent.
The invasion was just a pose, Belm remembered, the officers said. Many of them have Russian relatives, and they stressed that the two countries have coexisted for years.
“It was the most innocent and beautiful thing,” Belm said of the staff’s response. “They just kept saying, ‘We don’t think they’re going to attack, we’re a peaceful people.'”
Belm is now trying to come to terms with reality.
“They are innocent,” he said. “They did nothing to provoke anything. These people have been attacked and displaced and are now in danger of death. We do what we can and we pray for peace and we are praying for their lives. That’s every emotion you can imagine. ”
There were some challenges in maintaining cash flow, as banking and payment systems were disrupted in the region. But Manning said the company had created unforeseen cases.
“There was a short period in which we paid in US dollars, but the banks were not allowed to convert them into local currency,” she said. “And then, even when employees received their money in local currency, they could usually convert it back into US dollars, but they couldn’t.”
They have since been able to raise dollars, Manning said, adding that the company has also offered early access to salaries and provided interest-free loans if people need the extra money.
“They are investing in one of the most valuable assets they have in this world, which has been a lifelong education, work experience, passion, talent,” Belm said. “There is an obligation to take care of us in return, and that is to do everything we can to make their time with us worthy of them.”
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