Research on the organization of remote workplaces in Russian enterprises

Abstract

The article examines the contradiction between the sharp increase in the number of remote workplaces and the difficulties in their organization experienced by both employers and their employees. This problem is enhanced by the fact that in scientific publications the issues of organization of remote workplaces with the modern digital environment, mass transition to the remote work in a pandemic are poorly understood. The authors present a review of currently available scientific research and publications, which confirmed the conclusion that, along with a deep study of the essence of remote work and remote jobs, their advantages and disadvantages, the reasons for their appearance, there is a shortage of research on the organization of remote jobs. The purpose of the research presented in the article was to study the state of the organization of remote workplaces in Russian enterprises. The research hypothesis is formulated as follows: despite the intensive development of the practice of remote workplaces, there are many difficulties and problems in their organization. The study uses methods of analyzing secondary data presented on the websites of various agencies, job search services and analytical centers; questionnaire survey at Omsk enterprises. There were interviewed remote employees (481 people) and their managers (253 people) at 206 enterprises of Omsk. As a result, the growth in the number of remote jobs at Russian enterprises was confirmed. This is evidenced by research presented on the websites of the Headhunter job search service, the NAFI analytical center, and the Hays international recruitment agency. A study at the Omsk enterprises have demonstrated the existence of problems in organization of remote workplaces, for example, in equipping remote workplaces, in irregular work schedules and blurring the boundaries between work and personal life, in the lack of effective communication and social isolation of employees, in the lack of understanding of employees' career prospects. The study was conducted in the period from November 2019 to February 2020. With the onset of the pandemic and the massive forced transfer of employees to remote work, the processes of organizing remote workplaces have become even more relevant. As a result, there is planned the second stage of the study, which will further study the features of the organization of remote workplaces in the context of the pandemic. It is planned to develop a mechanism for organizing remote workplaces of specialists, taking into account the timely conditions for the functioning and development of enterprises.