Risk and threat assessment for youths at regional labor market (the case of the Sverdlovsk Region)

Abstract

This article analyzes the main risks and threats that arise in the contemporary labor market among the young people. Given the changes that are taking place under the economical digitalization, globalization processes, as well as due to the increase in the retirement age in Russia, there is a growing need to study the emerging risks. This paper assesses the level of threats to young professionals entering the labor market. The empirical basis of the work includes the data of statistics on labor and employment in Russia and the Sverdlovsk Region, as well as the results of the two empirical studies conducted by the authors in 2018-2019 by means of content analysis of employers’ advertisements and a questionnaire survey of the population. 6,521 vacancy announcements in the Sverdlovsk region were analyzed. 630 people (aged 18-60) were interviewed the sample was quoted by sex and age. The methods of data analysis include frequency distribution analysis, mean analysis, correlation analysis, and Chi-squared difference analysis. The authors have identified the main types of risks on the labor market: they are the problems of employment and the threat of unemployment; employment outside the studied specialty and “leaving” the profession; high differentiation of wages by industry and salary risks; non-compliance with labor legislation and social guarantees; involvement in informal employment. A detailed analysis of these risks is carried out and the threat level is assessed. The authors conclude that the greatest threat in the regional labor market is the mismatch of places of employment of existing qualifications and received specialty. This threat is dangerous not only on its own, leading to the loss of professional skills and competencies, a decrease in overall productivity, etc. Even worse, it increases the likelihood of other risks in the labor market. The employment outside the studied specialty correlates with violation of labor laws, non-compliance with labor rights of employees, and involvement in informal employment.