Human Capital

The development of human capital is becoming one of the key tasks of the Russian economy. Russia is among the countries with a fairly high level of human capital. According to estimates by the United Nations Development Programme, based on the results of 2023–2024 Russia ranks 56th in the Global Human Development Index.

One of the factors influencing this indicator is the accessibility of education. Thanks to the existing education system and modern technologies, even residents of remote regions of the country can obtain an education. General secondary education and secondary vocational education are free of charge; in addition, universities have state-funded places, and various social support measures and grant programs are available.

At the same time, there are also problems that affect the labor market. First and foremost, this is population aging and a decline in the number of people of working age. As a result, the need for qualified personnel becomes even more pressing for the Russian economy.

According to Rosstat, in 2025 the share of the working-age population was about 62% of the population, while the share of the population younger than working age was about 19%. According to Rosstat forecasts, by 2045 the share of the working-age population will decrease by 4.5%.

In addition, negative factors include insufficient provision for professional development during one’s working life. Thus, another problem emerges related to employees’ qualifications. The Government of Russia has already raised the issue of imbalance in the labor market.

At present, the number of young and older employees is growing, while the number of middle-aged workers with experience and qualifications is declining. By the end of 2025, the unemployment rate in Russia was less than 3%, according to Rosstat.

At the same time, demand for employees last year increased by 17%, according to estimates by the Higher School of Economics (HSE University). As a result, the role of the personnel shortage only increases under such conditions.

At present, it is more difficult for employers to find and attract qualified workers; the imbalance is becoming more apparent across all regions of the country, including the capital. In the Moscow region, labor shortages are present in industrial production, construction, transport, and the information technology sector. Overall, across Russia, the main demand for personnel is recorded in blue-collar occupations and manufacturing (37%), sales and customer service (33.5%), and construction and real estate (14.7%).

In addition, business faces a new task: retaining such employees, increasing their professional effectiveness, developing competencies, and ensuring long-term engagement in the organization’s activities.

Author: PhD in Economics, Senior Lecturer, Department of World Economy and World Finance, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation Kristina Davidovna Gvasalia.