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Research goes on
The project of USUE scientists “Study of the Impact of Digital Employment on Fertility and Parental Well-Being” received additional funding of 7 million rubles for 2024. Experts from the Russian Science Foundation noted the significance and timeliness of the work and provided a grant to the USUE researchers.
The study examines the impact of digital employment on fertility. The author of the idea is the head of the laboratory for research on digitalization of employment at the USUE Department of Labor Economics and HR Management, Natalya Tonkikh, who has been working on this subject since 2022. The project working group also includes Associate Professor at the Department of Labor Economics and HR Management Tatyana Kamarova, and Associate Professor at the USUE Department of Business Foreign Language, Tatiana Markova. Over the course of 2 years, the researchers built a theoretical base and conducted several social studies involving over 5 thousand people from all over Russia.
“Not only a survey was conducted but also an in-depth interview with residents of Makhachkala, Vladivostok, and St. Petersburg. These are regions with different levels of digital technologies development and different quality of life. The study confirmed the hypothesis that people aspire to have several children, but social conditions hinder the full realization of their plans. In addition, the share of child-free among respondents was around 3%, which is rather high,” Natalya Tonkikh notes.
Besides, the survey results revealed a high level of overscheduling. Most Russians do not have time to complete all referral tasks in the allotted 40 hours a week, which, of course, leaves traces on everyday life.
Processing and analysis of the obtained data will continue in 2024. In addition, to complete the study, the research team plans to conduct a targeted survey of self-employed people, freelancers, and bloggers. The research team will also study the experience of foreign countries in implementing demographic policies.
USUE scientists plan to present the results of a large-scale scientific study to the Department of Labor and Employment of the Sverdlovsk region and the regional government. The authors of the project are convinced the data obtained will help formulate well-worked recommendations for implementing demographic policy in the country, understand what factors can be used to increase the birth rate, and settle the problem of personnel shortages.
