Karavay A.V. Behavioral strategies of Russians in the context of escalating confrontation with the West. In: Russian society and challenges of the time. Book Eight ...

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the behavioral strategies of Russian citizens to maintain and improve their financial situation against the backdrop of systemic external shocks of the last decade. It is shown that despite improvements in subjective assessments of annual financial situation dynamics by 2024, the primary method of maintaining and improving financial situation remains the intensification of work, rather than expanding the range of alternative income sources or investing in human capital. Salary at the primary place of work still dominates as the sole or primary source of income, even among relatively affluent groups. At the same time, the length of the workweek has increased (from a median of 40 to 45 hours per year) without a proportional increase in compensation for these overtime hours. This limits opportunities for continuous education and cultural and recreational leisure, especially among individuals over 30. The decline in interest in self-development and formal professional development is due to a lack of demand from employers and the weakness of institutions for additional education, which contributes to the spread of informal and unstructured self-study. The chapter emphasizes that the established behavioral patterns of labor intensification, despite the short-term effects associated with the growth of real wages, create systemic risks for the implementation of national goals in the area of ​​building human potential and saving the population.