EBA Odesa Holds “Security Barbecue”: How to Test Your Team’s Readiness for Crisis Situations

16/ 10/ 2026

Business preparedness for a crisis depends not only on the security of facilities or the availability of evacuation plans, but also on how effectively a team can act in a coordinated manner at a critical moment. How can businesses assess this readiness in practice, identify weaknesses, and strengthen personnel safety? These were the key questions addressed during the event “Security Barbecue: Stress-Testing Team Readiness for Crisis Situations”, organised by the European Business Association’s Southern Ukrainian Office on 14 October. The event brought together business representatives to discuss practical solutions that help companies protect employees, ensure coordinated responses to incidents, and strengthen operational resilience. The session was led by Kateryna Sergatskova, Director of Daily Humanity and a certified risk assessment and management specialist. Daily Humanity works in high-risk environments, providing training and consulting organisations on physical security, first aid, psychological resilience, and risk management. Since 2022, the organisation’s team has trained more than 4,000 professionals. During the session, participants explored three crisis scenarios relevant to Ukrainian businesses: a strike on an industrial area during working hours, a prolonged power outage, and an employee injury. Using these scenarios, they discussed how to organise evacuations, track employees’ whereabouts, establish backup communication channels, and assign responsibility for decision-making in the first minutes following an incident. Special attention was given to seven areas for assessing a company’s security capabilities: leadership and accountability, risk assessment, training and practical skills, incident response, psychological resilience, personnel information and monitoring, and equal protection for all categories of employees. As part of the practical session, participants also examined five systemic issues that can undermine crisis response: Dependence on individuals rather than an established system — when critical processes rely on a single specialist, whose absence can put the entire team’s operations at risk. Documentation instead of practical skills — when evacuation plans and instructions exist only on paper, while employees have not practised them in realistic conditions. Unequal levels of protection — when office employees have better access to safety measures than drivers, warehouse staff, contractors, and others involved in operations. The misconception that outsourcing transfers risk — when a company relies on external contractors, even though responsibility for organising personnel’s actions during a crisis remains an important part of its own processes. Overconfidence in the absence of threats — when a previous track record without incidents is mistakenly treated as a guarantee of future safety. The practical discussion also covered the actions a manager should take during the first hour after an incident. Key principles include prioritising human life and health over physical assets, maintaining coordinated communication with employees and other stakeholders, making timely decisions even when information is incomplete, and preventing personnel from returning to work prematurely. Participants reviewed self-assessment criteria for evaluating their company’s security capabilities and discussed how to demonstrate genuine team readiness through tangible evidence: regular drills, tested procedures, up-to-date information on employees, and clearly defined areas of responsibility. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experience and practical approaches to risk management. Its main takeaway was that crisis readiness is determined not only by the existence of plans, but also by a team’s ability to act in a coordinated manner when there is no longer time to prepare. Regular scenario-based exercises, reviewing procedures after incidents, and ensuring adequate protection for everyone working at a facility help businesses reduce risks to people and maintain business continuity. The EBA Southern Ukrainian Office would like to thank Kateryna Sergatskova and the Daily Humanity teamfor sharing their expertise and practical recommendations, and FS Group for its partnership and for hosting the event at its office. Thank you to all participants for the engaging discussion and for contributing to the development of a strong safety culture in Ukrainian businesses!

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The event brought together business representatives to discuss practical solutions that help companies protect employees, ensure coordinated responses to incidents, and strengthen operational resilience.

The session was led by Kateryna Sergatskova, Director of Daily Humanity and a certified risk assessment and management specialist. Daily Humanity works in high-risk environments, providing training and consulting organisations on physical security, first aid, psychological resilience, and risk management. Since 2022, the organisation’s team has trained more than 4,000 professionals.

During the session, participants explored three crisis scenarios relevant to Ukrainian businesses: a strike on an industrial area during working hours, a prolonged power outage, and an employee injury. Using these scenarios, they discussed how to organise evacuations, track employees’ whereabouts, establish backup communication channels, and assign responsibility for decision-making in the first minutes following an incident.

Special attention was given to seven areas for assessing a company’s security capabilities: leadership and accountability, risk assessment, training and practical skills, incident response, psychological resilience, personnel information and monitoring, and equal protection for all categories of employees.

As part of the practical session, participants also examined five systemic issues that can undermine crisis response:

Dependence on individuals rather than an established system — when critical processes rely on a single specialist, whose absence can put the entire team’s operations at risk.
Documentation instead of practical skills — when evacuation plans and instructions exist only on paper, while employees have not practised them in realistic conditions.
Unequal levels of protection — when office employees have better access to safety measures than drivers, warehouse staff, contractors, and others involved in operations.
The misconception that outsourcing transfers risk — when a company relies on external contractors, even though responsibility for organising personnel’s actions during a crisis remains an important part of its own processes.
Overconfidence in the absence of threats — when a previous track record without incidents is mistakenly treated as a guarantee of future safety.

The practical discussion also covered the actions a manager should take during the first hour after an incident. Key principles include prioritising human life and health over physical assets, maintaining coordinated communication with employees and other stakeholders, making timely decisions even when information is incomplete, and preventing personnel from returning to work prematurely.

Participants reviewed self-assessment criteria for evaluating their company’s security capabilities and discussed how to demonstrate genuine team readiness through tangible evidence: regular drills, tested procedures, up-to-date information on employees, and clearly defined areas of responsibility.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange experience and practical approaches to risk management. Its main takeaway was that crisis readiness is determined not only by the existence of plans, but also by a team’s ability to act in a coordinated manner when there is no longer time to prepare. Regular scenario-based exercises, reviewing procedures after incidents, and ensuring adequate protection for everyone working at a facility help businesses reduce risks to people and maintain business continuity.

The EBA Southern Ukrainian Office would like to thank Kateryna Sergatskova and the Daily Humanity teamfor sharing their expertise and practical recommendations, and FS Group for its partnership and for hosting the event at its office.

Thank you to all participants for the engaging discussion and for contributing to the development of a strong safety culture in Ukrainian businesses!