MOSCOW, 5 July 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey about Russian attitudes towards remote work as part of a TASS special project.
The pandemic has influenced our routines and activities, including our working model. Many people have faced the need to work from home. A quarter of Russians say they have worked remotely (25%). This percentage is higher among women (30%), Russians with higher education and those aged 60+ (29%, each). This may be caused by the fact that women, persons with higher education diplomas are more likely to work in office, so they can easily switch to remote work, whereas older respondents being more vulnerable to the coronavirus disease were forced to work remotely. Another factor is rural-urban differences: the number of residents of Moscow, St Petersburg and million-plus cities who have experienced working from home (38% and 36, respectively) is twice as large as the number of rural area inhabitants and residents of small settlements (20-17%).
Remote worker’s portrait
Today 10% of the working Russians are home-based; this share has not changed since 2021 (11%). They are equally men and women but mainly young respondents (19% of the 18-24-year-olds work remotely). The 45-59-year-olds are less likely to work remotely (6%). Remote work is popular with metropolitan residents and people living in million-plus cities (20-15%) and in North-Western Federal district (17%). Those working remotely tend to have good financial well-being (19% in this group work remotely); they are often employed in IT (36%), mass media (35%) or finance and insurance (23%).
Home-based work is often initiated by the workers themselves (65%). The older the age, the more employees are switched to remote work at the initiative of the employer or colleagues; this share is 37% among those aged 60 and older (vs 14% among those aged 18-24), meaning remote work has a forced character.
Remote work: pro et contra
Many people choose remote work due to different reasons, but 82% of them consider such working model to be convenient, and 62% see more advantages. One-third of Russians say that there are equally advantages and disadvantages (29%); disadvantages were mentioned by 7%. This trend remains the same across all age groups. Over a year those respondents who work remotely more frequently mention advantages (+18 p.p. compared to 2021) and a certain number of pros (+37 p.p. compared to 2021).
Over a year perceptions of remote work have changed - more respondents consider remote work to be more convenient. The percentage of those who think remote work is more productive has increased by 20 p.p. (45% in 2021; 65% in 2022); the share of those who find it easier to to set up working process at home has grown up by 12 p.p. (47% in 2021; 59% in 2022). The percentage of those who report longer working day has declined by 8 p.p. (43% in 2021; 35% in 2022); the share of those who find it difficult to work from home due to the lack of teamwork has decreased by 9 p.p. (33% in 2021; 24% in 2022). Eighty-five percent of work-from-home workers say remote work helps combine work and household chores.
Do Russians want to work remotely?
Those who work remotely appreciate this model and find it convenient but they are not numerous in the total number of workers (10%). Similarly, the percentage of those who would like to work from home is not large – 14% including those who already work remotely. At the same time, every third respondent would like to have an opportunity to have both onsite and remote work (33%). Conventional work model is still more in demand — 49%.
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Russian nationwide VCIOM-online survey was conducted on May 21-22, 2022. A total of 1,806 of working Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Respondents selected through stratified random probability-based sample completed an online questionnaire. Probability-based panel participants are recruited on a daily basis during Sputnik CATI survey; survey is based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers from a complete list of telephone numbers in use in Russia.
Due to the pandemic certain companies switched to remote work model. What is your current work model? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | ||
| 2021* | 2022 |
Basically from home, remotely | 11 | 10 |
Basically in office, on-site or travelling character of work | 75 | 76 |
On certain days I work from home, on other days I come to office | 12 | 9 |
Don’t know | 2 | 5 |
* Russian nationwide telephone VCIOM-Sputnik survey
Due to the pandemic certain companies switched to remote work model. What is your current work model? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Male | Female | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Basically from home, remotely | 10 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 12 |
Basically in office, on-site or travelling character of work | 76 | 75 | 77 | 65 | 77 | 73 | 81 | 75 |
On certain days I work from home, on others I come to office | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 10 |
Don’t know | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Due to the pandemic certain companies switched to remote work model. What is your current work model? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | |||||
Total respondents | Incomplete secondary education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education | |
Basically from home, remotely | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 12 |
Basically in office, on-site or travelling character of work | 76 | 82 | 71 | 83 | 75 |
On certain days I work from home, on others I come to office | 9 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
Don’t know | 5 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
Due to the pandemic certain companies switched to remote work model. What is your current work model? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | ||||||
Moscow and St Petersburg | Cities with 1 mln and over inhabitants | Cities with a population of 500 -950 thousand inhabitants | Cities with a population of 100 -500 thousand inhabitants | Cities with a population of 100 thousand and less inhabitants, urban type settlements | Rural area | |
Basically from home, remotely | 20 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Basically in office, on-site or travel character of work | 63 | 71 | 76 | 77 | 81 | 82 |
On certain days I work from home, on others I come to office | 16 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
Don’t know | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
Have you worked remotely for more than a month in a row before, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | |||
| Total respondents | Males | Females |
Yes | 25 | 20 | 30 |
No | 75 | 79 | 69 |
Don’t know | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Have you worked remotely for more than a month in a row before, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | ||||||
| Moscow and St Petersburg | Cities with 1 mln and over inhabitants | Cities with a population of 500 -950 thousand inhabitants | Cities with a population of 100 -500 thousand inhabitants | Cities with a population of 100 thousand and less inhabitants, urban type settlements | Rural area |
Yes | 38 | 36 | 28 | 23 | 17 | 20 |
No | 62 | 62 | 72 | 76 | 83 | 79 |
Don’t know | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Remote work, not onsite or in office, is likely your initiative, or was it imposed by your senior managers, coworkers? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians working remotely) | ||||
| Total respondents | Males | Females |
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Likely my initiative | 65 | 69 | 58 |
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Likely imposed by senior managers, coworkers | 24 | 23 | 26 |
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Don’t know | 11 | 8 | 16 |
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Is it convenient for you to work remotely in general, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | ||
| 2021* | 2022 |
Likely convenient | 64 | 82 |
Unlikely convenient | 29 | 12 |
Don’t know | 7 | 6 |
*Russian nationwide telephone VCIOM-Sputnik survey
Is it convenient for you to work remotely in general, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | |||||||
| Male | Female | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Likely convenient | 81 | 84 | 87 | 90 | 78 | 75 | 82 |
Unlikely convenient | 13 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 17 |
Don’t know | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
Is it convenient for you to work remotely in general, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | |||
| Very good, good financial well-being | Average financial well-being | Bad, very bad financial well-being |
Likely convenient | 89 | 86 | 66 |
Unlikely convenient | 10 | 10 | 22 |
Don’t know | 1 | 4 | 12 |
Do you personally find more benefits or more drawbacks, or equally benefits and drawbacks in remote work? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | ||
| 2021* | 2022 |
Likely more benefits | 25 | 62 |
Likely more drawbacks | 20 | 7 |
Equally benefits and drawbacks | 52 | 29 |
Don’t know | 3 | 2 |
*Russian nationwide telephone VCIOM-Sputnik survey
Do you personally find more benefits or more drawbacks, or equally benefits and drawbacks in remote work? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Male | Female | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Likely more benefits | 62 | 61 | 64 | 56 | 70 | 63 | 55 | 60 |
Likely more drawbacks | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 13 |
Equally benefits and drawbacks | 29 | 29 | 29 | 35 | 23 | 30 | 31 | 26 |
Don’t know | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Now I’m going to read out several statements about remote work; please tell me if you agree with them or not. (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | |||
2022 | Likely to agree | Likely to disagree | Don’t know |
When I work remotely/from home it is easier to combine work and household chores | 85 | 11 | 4 |
When I work remotely/from home my work is more effective, I can do more things in a day | 65 | 22 | 13 |
When I work remotely I have irregular working hours | 62 | 35 | 3 |
When I work remotely/from home it’s easier for me to organize my working process; nothing distracts me | 59 | 31 | 10 |
My day is longer when I work remotely/from home | 35 | 57 | 8 |
I find it more difficult to work remotely/from home because of different distracting factors | 31 | 62 | 7 |
I find it more difficult to work remotely/ from home because I am lacking my team/coworkers | 24 | 69 | 7 |
Now I’m going to read out several statements about remote work; please tell me if you agree with them or not. (closed-ended question, one answer, % of Russians who work remotely or have a hybrid model) | |||
2021* | Likely to agree | Likely to disagree | Don’t know |
When I work remotely I have irregular working hours | 65 | 32 | 3 |
When I work remotely/from home it’s easier for me to organize my working process; nothing distracts me | 47 | 49 | 4 |
When I work remotely/from home my work is more effective, I can do more things in a day | 45 | 44 | 11 |
My day is longer when I work remotely/from home | 43 | 56 | 1 |
I find it more difficult to work remotely/from home because of different distracting factors | 34 | 64 | 2 |
I find it more difficult to work remotely/ from home because I am lacking my team/coworkers | 33 | 62 | 5 |
*Russian nationwide telephone VCIOM-Sputnik survey
Which work model would you prefer in the future? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of working Russians) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Male | Female | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Primarily from home / remotely | 14 | 16 | 13 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 14 |
Primarily in office, onsite or traveling nature of work | 49 | 51 | 47 | 29 | 43 | 47 | 60 | 55 |
On certain days remotely, at home, on others – going to work | 33 | 30 | 37 | 46 | 35 | 35 | 27 | 27 |
Don’t know | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |