Are relationships at work prohibited in Ukrainian IT? Spoiler - no, but there are nuances. Here are three stories of lovers who work together in the same company

«Personal relationships should not influence work processes or decisions»

Ukrainian IT companies do not talk about direct bans on office romances, but emphasize professionalism and the absence of conflicts of interest.

Stas Sokolov, Communications Lead Railsware, notes that the company does not interfere in the private lives of specialists in principle. According to him, it is inappropriate for business to impose restrictions on personal feelings — this is the sphere of individual freedom. At Railsware, they consider it natural that people who work together on complex projects can get closer. At the same time, professional ethics and the priority of the interests of the business remain the key conditions, regardless of the development of the relationship. Sokolov also cites his own experience: a married couple works in his squad, who started a relationship before joining the company. According to him, this does not affect the efficiency of work, but on the contrary adds «bulbness» to the team atmosphere. At Railsware, love, marriage or the birth of a child are perceived as important life events that colleagues sincerely welcome — if they are ready to share their personal.

A similar position is held at Ciklum. As Olena Liebenstein, Head of Risk and Compliance, explains, the company does not prohibit friendships or personal relationships between colleagues, as the work environment often brings together people with common values. At the same time, Ciklum has a policy of avoiding conflicts of interest. Personal relationships should not influence work processes or decisions. In particular, the company avoids situations of direct reporting, when one partner has managerial or compensatory influence over the other. In such cases, employees are asked to report the situation so that, if necessary, the reporting line can be changed or responsibilities can be redistributed.

EPAM Ukraine also notes that there is no direct ban on relationships between colleagues. The company is guided by the principles of mutual respect, ethics, and professionalism. Personal relationships should not influence decision-making or team dynamics. EPAM adds that over the years of work, they have seen many examples of colleagues not only successfully cooperating, but also creating strong couples and families. Thus, instead of prohibitions, Ukrainian IT companies rely on transparency, professional ethics, and preventing conflicts of interest. «At the same time, we always adhere to the code of ethics to avoid conflicts of interest. For example, a husband and wife cannot be in a relationship of direct subordination (manager — subordinate),» notes Viktoriya Drobovych, head of the People Partners team at EPAM Ukraine.

Three stories where love and work go hand in hand

19 years of love, three children and switching in IT

Marina and Bohdan met and live in Vinnytsia, have been together for about 19 years and are raising three children. After ten years of touring shows around the world, they decided to change careers and came to IT through EPAM Campus. «Our family credo is to always move, not stand still. We want to develop, and IT has many opportunities for this. In addition, the company responds by offering many platforms for learning and growth,» shares Marina. The couple says that they are used to working and resting together and separating work from family life. And their common hobby, aerial gymnastics, only strengthens mutual understanding in the couple.

Love in the app

They are both originally from Zaporizhia, live in Kyiv, and met through an app. The couple has been together for about two years and will soon become parents to a daughter. Ahmed and Marina have known each other since school, fate brought them together at least three times, the last of which was decisive. Ahmed has been working at EPAM for almost nine years, and Marina came to IT after changing careers while studying at EPAM Campus. They admit that working in the same field provides additional support. «We understand what everyone is facing. This mutual understanding not only helps at work, but also strengthens relationships in everyday life or during joint leisure time,» shares Ahmed.

«We work as a team»

She is from Kyiv, he is from Vinnytsia, but they met in the USA during the Work&Travel program. The couple has been together for eight years. Mykola began his journey in the company with the EPAM .NET laboratory at Kyiv Polytechnic University. Their relationship developed in parallel with their professional growth in the company, and now they both hold leadership positions. The couple says that working in the same field helps them speak the same language.

Are relationships allowed at work? Tell us your love stories — write in the comments, on social networks, and at [email protected] .

IT is love. Three stories of IT professionals who created families at EPAM

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IT is love. Three stories of IT professionals who created families at EPAM

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