Determinants of Labour Mobility in Russia

Labor mobility is a complex phenomenon that requires taking into account not only economic determinants of the decision to change jobs, but sociocultural constraints, the influence of institutions and structural changes in the society. Recent research of the field has showed a big gap in the number of people who want to change jobs and the people who really do it, what indicates the presence of many constraining factors of labor mobility in Russia. The study aims to identify determinants of labour mobility in Russia, focusing on the effect of family characteristics, education and qualification level and subjective job satisfaction on occupational change based on Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey data. The influence of both exogenous and endogenous factors of job change was confirmed. The limiting factors of labor mobility are specific experience, higher education and job satisfaction. Long working week, high subjective assessment of professional qualifications and confidence in alternatives increase labour mobility chances. The desire to change jobs is a strong predictor of labor mobility. It also moderates the effects of anxiety about job loss and long working week on labor mobility. An interesting result of the research is the insignificance of the effect of family obligations and associated with it risks on labor mobility. It may indicate the decrease in gender differences in labor mobility and requires more detailed study. In addition, the desire to change jobs and labor mobility are the subject for further research interest, in particular the increase of the period under review between the designation of the desire to change jobs and the decision on labor mobility.