Russian companies shift to flexible wages, adapting quickly to economic shocks.
The Russian labor market adjusts to changes by adjusting wages rather than employment levels. Companies in Russia use a high proportion of variable wages to respond to economic shocks. A study of Russian companies from 2009 to 2017 found that firms with good financial health, high investments, higher wages, and more employees tend to use a larger share of variable wages. From 2012 to 2017, the use of variable wages in Russian companies increased significantly.