In June of this year, DashaMail conducted a survey among representatives of small, medium and large businesses about how their activities have changed after the start of a special military operation. 163 companies took part in the survey, of which 73.5% self-identified as small businesses, 21.6% – as average ones, 4.9% – as large ones.
Financial losses from the departure of Western brands and high-tech companies were felt by only 6.8% of respondents. 33.3% found an alternative, 28.4% replied that the impact of the situation was felt, but kept afloat, 27.2% did not note any impact on their business.
“From our experience, we can say that in March 2022 new customers came more than during the whole of 2021,” commented DashaMail CEO Yulia Rozhkova on the survey data. – “In the current conditions, the transition to Russian software becomes not only a matter of benefit, but also a matter of business security and stability. As for other industries, the construction of new supply chains and the search for alternative partners in a few months have become systemic and are already giving their positive results.”
Revenues of 55.6% of companies remained at the same level or changed slightly (increased or fell by no more than 20%). Financial losses by more than 50% were noted by 16% of the surveyed entrepreneurs, and only 4.3% of respondents increased income by more than 50%.
There was no critical wave of layoffs either. 64.8% of companies retained all jobs, 19.8% even increased their staff. 11.7% of respondents cut jobs, but not significantly, and only 3.7% of companies surveyed were forced to lay off employees en masse.
Salaries were also mostly unaffected: 75.3% kept employee income at the same level, 9.3% raised no more than 10%, 6.2% increased payments by more than 10%.
“Despite the obvious turbulence of the economy, business partially lives on old stocks, partially adapts to the new reality,” says Yulia Rozhkova. – During the pandemic, companies learned to protect people, now this experience has come in handy in many ways. Executives and owners try to avoid drastic decisions about the staff, realizing that it is always more expensive to look for new people.”