Development of the Russian labor market in the context of the digital transformation of the economy

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Introduction The current stage of economic development is characterized by digital transformation and the active introduction of digital technologies. This is manifested in the active integration of digital solutions into the business processes of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption, which allows for reducing costs, increasing productivity, efficiency, and the competitiveness of companies. This aligns with the basic provisions of the national project “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation”. Simultaneously, the digital transformation of the economy has a significant impact on the Russian labor market. On one hand, an increase in the productivity of skilled workers can be observed under conditions of process automation, and their employment is expanding. On the other hand, under the influence of digital solutions, a reduction in the number of jobs characterized by routine production operations can be observed. Consequently, a trend towards employment polarization can be noted, alongside a simultaneous reduction in workers with low and medium qualification levels. The aim of the study is to identify trends and prospects for the development of the Russian labor market under conditions of the digital transformation of the economy. Materials and Research Methods The methodological and theoretical basis of the research consists of works by Russian and foreign scholars dedicated to studying the influence of the digital transformation of the economy on the Russian labor market. The examined works raise questions about existing trends in the development of the labor market in Russia under the impact of large-scale digital technology adoption, as well as its development prospects. Assessing the prospects allows for identifying weaknesses in the current employment situation and preparing a set of recommendations aimed at improving state policy regarding workforce training and employment management. The research was conducted using scientific cognition methods such as induction, deduction, analysis and synthesis, as well as classification and segmentation. The empirical basis of the research consisted of statistical data, published scientific sources, and data from sociological surveys. Results The development and functioning of the Russian labor market are highly dependent on factors such as the demographic crisis, which led to a decline in birth rates in the 1990s. Consequently, a decrease in the size of the labor force can be observed today. Furthermore, significant factors include the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, manifested in the spread of remote work formats; the outflow of migrants related to the volatility of the national currency; the emigration of qualified specialists influenced by the political situation in the country; a significant level of income differentiation among the population; changes in foreign economic ties; the introduction of digital technologies; and the increase in production capacities in accordance with the tasks of ensuring national security. Therefore, the digital transformation of the economy acts as a crucial factor influencing the development of the Russian labor market. А number of program documents operating in the sphere of economic digitalization can be identified (Fig. 1). The development of the digital economy is a strategic direction for the Russian Federation, as evidenced by the development of the Strategy for the Development of the Information Society in the Russian Federation until 2030. The effectiveness of this process will determine our country’s competitiveness on the world stage. The digital transformation of all spheres of public life leads to the widespread adoption of cross-cutting technologies, which produce significant systemic transformations, resulting in the formation of a new economy and a new configuration of communications47. 47 13-digit figure: the global digital economy will grow to $16.5 trillion in 2028. URL: https://adpass.ru/13-znachnaya-tsifra-mirovaya-tsifrovaya-ekonomika-vyrastet-do-16-5-trln-v-2028-godu/ (accessed: 10.09.2025). (In Russ.). Fig. 1. The main software products operating in the field of digitalization of the Russian economy Source: compiled by K.V. Rangu, M.G. Bistrina47. The most important development trend at the current stage is the digitalization of the economy. This transition, accompanied by the active use of remote work and communication formats, began to develop intensively during the COVID-19 pandemic. As is known, socio-economic processes influence the development of digital technologies, contributing to changes in work methods and production models, which, in turn, stimulates innovation and multiple changes in familiar spheres of public life and the economy. In particular, new technologies are changing processes in public administration, medicine, manufacturing, energy, and finance. These spheres are actively developing and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, digital twins, and augmented reality, which helps improve work quality and ensure competitiveness. The development and implementation of digital technologies contribute to increased economic efficiency, strengthened connections and resilience in crisis situations, and the socio-economic development of the economy as a whole. T.A. Litvinyuk and N.E. Lesnikova [1. P. 539] believe that the digital economy is a new type of economic activity. The digital economy is actively used by modern organizations, which utilize databases acting as a key resource for production, distribution, and consumption. 47 Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 05.09.2017 No. 203 “On the Strategy for the Development of the Information Society in the Russian Federation for 2017-2030” (In Russ.); Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 03.02.2019. No. 234 “On the Management System for the Implementation of the National Program ‘Digital Economy of the Russian Federation’ (together with the ‘Regulation on the Management System for the Implementation of the National Program ‘Digital Economy of the Russian Federation’)” (as amended on 08.01.2024). (In Russ.). E.A. Popov [2. P. 50] notes that the digital economy is an economic activity within which digital technologies are widely used. Their application allows for conducting production processes and significantly increasing production efficiency, as digital solutions process large volumes of information and form optimal business processes. Having analyzed various approaches to defining the “digital economy”, it can be said that the digital economy acts as a type of economic activity of enterprises. Under these conditions, the efforts of many countries are aimed at developing digital solutions and digitalizing public life, which potentially leads to a transition to a knowledge economy [3. P. 60]. Similar trends are observed in the Russian Federation, and accordingly, the state program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” is being implemented. The Russian labor market is influenced by the following directions of digital changes: automation of business processes, introduction of electronic document management, and the use of digital platforms for interaction between producer and consumer. Although many researchers assess the future development of the labor sphere differently, they all agree on the high degree of uncertainty regarding the impact of the digital transformation of the economy on the labor market. This is expressed not only in the assessment of eliminated, obsolete, and newly created jobs but also in the qualitative requirements for workers and the organization of labor at enterprises [4. P. 16]. The main trend of economic digitalization can be called the automation of business processes through the introduction of AI, machine learning, and robotics technologies, which achieve increased production efficiency and reduced costs. Despite this, this trend is accompanied by a reduction in jobs in traditional sectors of the economy and the replacement of manual labor with machine labor. This creates challenges for workers who may become unemployed or face the need to acquire new skills. The latter is due to the fact that the digital transformation of the economy contributes to the emergence of new opportunities in the labor market, manifested in the creation of new professions related to information technology, data, and analytics. A change in the employment structure is occurring, characterized by a growing demand for highly qualified personnel capable of working with modern information technologies. Thus, the digital transformation of the economy requires workers to constantly learn and adapt to new conditions, which increases the importance of educational programs and professional development. A trend towards the development of the platform economy can also be observed, within which interaction between buyers and producers takes place on digital platforms, contributing to the emergence of such forms of employment as freelancing and short-term contracts. A negative aspect of the development of platform-based forms of employment is the reduction in stability and social protection for workers, and an increase in their concern about the observance of rights and working conditions. The digital transformation of the economy is characterized by growing inequality in the labor market, as the demand for workers with low and medium qualifications decreases, while the demand for highly qualified personnel, for whom diverse new opportunities are opening up, increases. The introduction of digital technologies leads many companies to undergo reorganization and change their business models to ensure market competitiveness. For Russia, the active development of digital services is characteristic, as can be seen from the data in Figure 2. Fig. 2. Development of digital services in Russia (2024) Source: [5]. Surveys of Russian companies indicate that in the coming years, 30% of Russian enterprises and organizations plan to implement AI technologies in their business processes. It is expected that this will increase the speed and quality of work processes by up to 5-6 times [6. P. 70]. Each year, a growth in the index of readiness of priority sectors to use AI technologies can be observed. Thus, the average level of AI usage in the Russian economy is estimated at 32%. 27% of Russian enterprises are beginning active implementation of AI technologies (e.g., enterprises in engineering, insurance, retail, etc.); 23% of Russian enterprises are characterized by studying and planning implementation (e.g., enterprises in electric power, agriculture, and automotive manufacturing); 17% of Russian enterprises have set the strategic goal of developing AI. The most in-demand digital solutions are intelligent systems (71%), computer vision (69%), and speech recognition and synthesis (67%). It can be noted that the Russian economy is characterized by a significant shortage of qualified personnel in the field of AI [7. P. 93], as the level of enterprise provision with AI specialists in Russia in 2024 was 34%. The greatest demand exists for professions related to the digitalization of the economy, such as data analysts, programmers, content marketers, and warehouse workers. It is expected that under the influence of digital solution development, professions such as call center operators, salespeople, travel agents, bank employees, couriers, taxi drivers, translators, and accountants will leave the market [8. P. 210]. The digital transformation of the economy significantly impacts the Russian labor market, creating both new opportunities and serious challenges. Successful adaptation of the labor market to changes requires active cooperation between the state, educational institutions, and businesses. Mitigating the negative consequences of digital transformation and ensuring more sustainable development of the Russian labor market in a rapidly changing world is possible through investments in education and vocational training, the development of social protection strategies for workers, etc. Conclusion The Russian labor market is characterized by an increasing personnel shortage. One of the mechanisms for reducing it is the introduction of digital technologies. The digitalization and automation of business processes allow for replacing a large part of heavy routine tasks with machine labor. According to the WEF forecast, in 2025 approximately 95 million jobs worldwide will be replaced by machines, while 97 million new jobs will appear in the fields of cloud technologies, e-commerce, AI, and big data47. The most in-demand professions are software specialists, information security specialists, machine learning specialists, and data analysts. With the development of platform employment, flexible work schedules, workplace arrangements, and geographic mobility will be actively introduced, allowing employees to combine professional development, job functions, and family responsibilities. Consequently, professional trajectories will change to enable the most comprehensive development of personal competencies. Thus, the digital transformation of the economy will lead to changes in the labor market. Companies will place great emphasis on the qualification level of workers, consideration of their career interests, employee training and retraining, the formation of new motivation and incentive systems, etc. The problem of personnel shortage will be addressed, on one hand, through the active introduction of digital solutions and automation of business processes, and on the other hand, through active recruitment of job seekers without experience, expanding the scope for student internships, and working with graduates of educational institutions. More opportunities will become available for job seekers from older age groups and people with disabilities, those convicted or released from places of imprisonment. Women on childcare leave will become increasingly in demand in platform employment. With the development of the digital transformation of the economy, new professions and requirements for employee qualifications are emerging. Workers possessing the necessary skills have strong bargaining positions, which contributes to salary growth. Through the development of digital technologies, workers have gained access to more information about salary levels and their own opportunities. Consequently, they change jobs relatively easily in search of more interesting offers from employers.

About the authors

Kristina V. Rangu

RUDN University

Author for correspondence.
Email: 1032230446@rudn.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-4377-1364

Master Student at the Department of Public and Municipal Administration

6 Miklukho-Maklaya st., Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

Mariya G. Bistrina

RUDN University

Email: bistrina-mg@rudn.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5676-506X
SPIN-code: 9692-1662

Candidate of Political Sciences, Senior Lecturer, Department of Public and Municipal Administration

6 Miklukho-Maklaya st., Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

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