LABOR ACTIVITY OF RUSSIANS DURING THE FIRST WAVES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: EMPLOYEE'S PERSPECTIVE FROM THE VOLOGDA REGION

The relevance of the study. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic remain a topical research field not only in epidemiology, but also in the social sciences. The introduction of a lockdown in most of the world provoked serious social and economic upheavals that affected all spheres of life in 2020. The purpose of the article lies in the study of changes in the labor activity of Russians during the pandemic, which is caused by the small number of empirical works in this area. Materials and methods. The research is based on the monitoring data of the quality of labor potential of the Vologda region population for 2018 and 2020 respectively. In order to form a more homogeneous sample, the object of the study was narrowed down to employees. During the comparative statistical analysis, we used traditional methods, one of which was the method of frequency distribution. Findings and conclusions. The results showed that working hours at the main job did not change significantly during the first waves of the pandemic. At the same time, the resort to practices of secondary employment and unregulated work outside normal working hours began to be observed much more often. The most noticeable effects of the pandemic were reflected in the intensity of labor, which turned into the need to work harder. This applies to all considered qualities of the employee's labor potential considered in the study, but the burden on physical health has increased most of all. According to the respondents, the reserves for increasing the productivity of their work are primarily related to the modernization of equipment and the improvement of production. In conclusion, the article emphasized the importance of the research field in the light of the sanctions pressure caused by geopolitical instability in 2022. The analysis gives us a new perspective on the external stability of the sphere of social and labor relations in Russia and outlines the range of problematic issues, neglect of which in the current conditions can lead to severe socioeconomic consequences. Prospects for further study are seen in the revelation of the features of the workers’ labor activity in various sectors of the economy.