OREANDA-NEWS This year, a quarter of Russian companies plan to reduce their staff, writes Baza. Businesses have become more likely to resort to the so-called silent dismissal scheme: unbearable conditions are created for employees, and people quit on their own. This means that the company does not have to pay triple the salary and other options provided for in the case of a regular layoff.

Among the signs of a hidden dismissal are a sharp rise in performance, new reports and cuts in bonuses. According to Natalia Golovanova, head of the research center for the job search service, in 2026, a quarter of companies will undergo layoffs, and two percent will have massive ones.

HR expert Garry Muradian clarified that the trend has been gaining momentum since last spring. And now employers are forced to optimize the wage fund. Reasons: increased insurance premiums, falling demand, and a general deterioration in the economic situation.

Recent Rostrud data has shown that the number of employees planned to be reduced has been steadily increasing since mid-2025. Now there are 105,147 such people. Most of the cuts are planned in Moscow, Omsk and Irkutsk regions, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Moscow region. Employees in the fields of financial management and taxation, in state and local government bodies dealing with general and socio-economic issues, as well as medical workers are at risk.