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EMPLOYMENT RECORD BOOKS IN A DIGITAL ERA: OLD WINE INTO NEW WINESKINS?

Russians tend to be worried about switching to e-format employment record books. However at least every third employed Russian does not deny the possibility to switch to the e-version.

Russians tend to be worried about switching to e-format employment record books. However at least every third employed Russian does not deny the possibility to switch to the e-version.

MOSCOW, JULY 28, 2020. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey devoted to employment record books: how Russians use them and how they perceive the initiative to switch to electronic employment record books.  

Use of employment record books today

Ninety-two percent of adult Russians have their employment record book: 43% say their employment record books are kept by the employer; 49% of respondents keep them at their own place. The share of those who keep their record books themselves is higher among people living in rural area (59%) and urban localities with less than 100,000 inhabitants (53%). The share of those whose employment record books are stored in the employer’s office is higher among those living in the metropolitan area (53%). Seven percent of Russians do not have an employment record book.

Most of the employed Russians work legally and have an employment record (84%). This share is higher in large cities: 91% in the metropolitan area; 87% in the cities with 500-950,000 inhabitants. Fourteen percent of Russians say they do not have an official employment record: they are mainly rural area inhabitants (23%). Women are more likely to be legally employed than men (90% vs 79%). Illegal job is more typical of men (19%) and young people aged 18-24 (20%).

The older the respondents, the more often they had to change their legal jobs. Twenty-five percent of Russians have more than 5 employment records in their books: they are predominantly Russians aged 45-59 (36%) and 60+ (30%). Twenty-two percent of Russians have changed 4-5 legal jobs; they are often Russians aged 35-44 (28%). The share of those who have had 2-3 legal workplaces is 34%; they are largely 25-34-year-old Russians (45%). Twelve percent of Russians have only one employment record; they are young Russians aged 18-24 (34%). Unsurprisingly, 37% of Russians in this age group have not had a single record in their employment record books, while only 5% of the population has never been employed legally.

Switching to e-format: who knows about that?

Starting from January 1st 2020, electronic employment record books will be introduced in Russia.[1]

A majority of Russians (83%) have heard about the initiative to switch to electronic employment records; 29% say they are well aware of that. Those who report so are basically residents of the metropolitan area (91%), million-plus cities (89%), as well as cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants (85–86%). As to the rural area inhabitants, one in four respondents (24%) learnt about the initiative during the survey.

[1]Pension Fund of the Russian Federation

The 25-34-year-olds show similar levels of awareness: 37% of them say they are well aware. On the contrary, 40% of the 18-24-year-olds say they have heard about that for the first time, probably because of the lack of legal employment.

Who is willing to switch to e-format?

Twenty-nine percent of respondents (except for non-working retired persons) would like to use the e-version instead of the employment record book in a paper form. They are predominantly residents of Moscow and St Petersburg (36%) and young Russians aged 18-24 (51%). However, more than half of Russians would not like to go paperless (56%). Those who are reluctant to switch to the e-format are inhabitants of rural area (68%) and older generations (68%). In addition, 6% of Russians say they already use electronic employment record books; every tenth (10%) failed to answer the question.

Of those who are still able to continue their career and have no employment record book, almost one-third (30%) would like to have the e-format labor book. A majority (63%) opt for the paper-based one.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic employment record book over the paper-based?

Russians think that the main advantages of the electronic format of the employment record book is that it is reliable (12%), convenient (12%), available and easy to obtain (10%). In case the employment record book is lost it is much easier to restore the data (9%); e-format would also help to reduce paperwork (5%). At the same time, 24% of Russians consider that the e-format does not have advantages over the paper-based one; 30% could not highlight the advantages of the e-format.

There are a number of disadvantages: one-third of Russians are afraid of possible loss of data due to system malfunction or unauthorized access (34%). Russians are worried that the database can fall into the wrong hands (5%); they distrust electronic media (4%) or are more accustomed to the paper format (4%). Four percent of Russians also say that they are not comfortable with equipment, and it is much harder for them to use the electronic employment record book.

Common opinions on the employment record book formats

Russian concerns about data security issues when using electronic employment record books are also seen through the prism of opinions. More than half of Russians agree that the paper-based labor book would help to secure against system malfunction which might lead to employment record data loss (68% of Russians think so). On the contrary, almost one-quarter of Russians (23%) are confident that there is no need to use paper-based records because electronic format can keep the data secure. Sixty-nine percent of Russians consider that the information from the electronic books may be made available to third parties. However, 20% of Russians are confident that the e-format data can be securely protected. Forty-six percent of Russians think that records in the employment book can be made without the employee’s consent. Thirty-nine percent of Russians believe that records can be securely protected against unilateral actions and can be made only with the employee’s consent. Thus, despite high Internet penetration rate and growing use of modern technologies among Russians the level of trust in electronic systems is quite low. When choosing between data loss risks and a reliable, though not convenient, paper format, Russians would opt for the traditional one.

Russian VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on July 19, 2020. Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. A stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone number was used. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

*This answer option was not read to respondents.  

* This answer option was not read to respondents.

* This answer option was not read to respondents

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory.