Labor market shortages, the shift in priority from employers to employees, the shortage of skilled workers, etc. — these are perhaps the most frequently discussed topics in the Russian media lately. The relevance of this issue cannot be overstated, nor can the need to understand what is happening in the labor market. Modern Russia is facing an unprecedented drop in unemployment, a general labor shortage, inter-sectoral labor flows, and a fundamental mismatch between the education system and the needs of growing production. The new industrialization and nationalization (Gerber, Gimpelson 2024; Bitzinger, Raska 2022), is largely driven by the demands of the military industry (the consequences of a special military operation) and import substitution requirements (the consequences of international anti-Russian sanctions, see more: (Entin et al. 2024; Gaur et al. 2023)). Along this, the country is undergoing a new phase of structural breakdown, institutional restructuring, and the development of comprehensive solutions. There is a shift away from the strategy of deindustrialization and replacement of manufacturing with creative industries that has been prevalent in recent years (Veselkova, Pryamikova 2024) towards the real sector of the economy: new plants, factories (Seliverstova 2024), and agricultural enterprises (Maslova et al. 2024).

Global technological, social, and economic changes, the revision and redefinition of the role of the state in the national economy, new regulations, and state orders cause the emergence of breakdown, uncertainty (Ermakoff 2015; Tavokin 2024), dialectical contradictions, causal opposition, aptly named by Olga Aksenova as the paradox of subjectivity (Aksenova 2023, p. 125). On the one hand, there has been a significant increase in digital control, a unified centralised management system, the subordination of the regional agenda to national projects and, as a result, the formation of a dense, structurally homogeneous administrative management system, or "structural coercion" (Solovyov 2024, p. 108), primarily requiring subordination, execution, and accountability. On the other hand, the regional context, the internal and external freedom of economic entities, their responsibility for production, profitability, and the social stability of the teams entrusted to them remain unchanged. No administrative system can completely eliminate conflicts and contradictions that arise locally, take into account the specifics of economic management, cost optimization, the selection of suppliers and contractors, market agreements and disagreements. Russia is no exception. Despite all the peculiarities of Russia's modern economy, Europe, North America, and Asia experience similar processes. (see, for example: Chinorachy, Corejova 2019; Evangelista, Guerrieri, Meliciani 2014).

According to Aksenova, the paradox of subjectivity is the contradiction between a regulated context and the autonomy of an economic entity. The latter is based on local power structures, its own hierarchy, and its own goal setting. The regulated context is formed through power "over," while autonomy is formed through power "for":

Purely methodologically, this approach is based on the scientifically recognized thematic and functional division of power "over" (affirming the significance of hierarchical dispositions) and power "for" (revealing the nature of the distribution of power), which ultimately determines the semantic unity of all forms of political domination emerging in the state. In its concise form, this division implies an understanding of how "power over" is transformed into "power for," revealing how and for what purpose the ruling players use their dominance (Solovyov 2024, p. 99).

No matter how extensively artificial intelligence develops, how widely electronic systems of universal accounting and control are implemented, or how regulations for conference calls that form a vertical management style evolve, decisions at the local level are made individually and retain their autonomy. At turning points, the diligence, timeliness, and accuracy of lower-level management elements are important, but at the same time, initiative and a willingness to take responsibility are necessary, to act not only as an executor but also as a critic of incoming orders. The first quality is inherent in agents, the second in actors. Every enterprise manager combines both roles to one degree or another: "The same subject is both an actor and an agent, just as any action is both freedom and normativity" (Aksenova 2023, p. 140). That is why it is so important not only to study the regulatory framework and improve management regulations, but also to listen to and publicize the voices of those who perceive, criticize (openly or behind the scenes), and ultimately implement these regulations, adapting orders to local conditions.

In August 2024, the Field Research Centre of the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting in RANEPA conducted an expert survey of business leaders and regional officials on labor market issues in the Republic of Khakassia. A total of 10 expert interviews lasting from one and a half to two and a half hours were conducted. The selection of informants was carried out through an administrative procedure by means of a written request to the governor asking for assistance in selecting experts and organizing fieldwork. This request was necessary to ensure the participation of experts with a status no lower than that of deputy regional ministers and directors of regional enterprises notable for their contribution to the region's gross domestic product. At the same time, this type of sample selection is associated with a number of biases caused by administratively approved behavior (for more details, see Rogozin 2021). In addition to consenting to the recording of the conversation, the experts' statements were coordinated: some of the harsh judgments were deleted, and some of the experts wished to remain anonymous (see the signatures below the statements). This once again highlights the sensitivity, not so much of the issues raised, but rather of the responses to them, judgments that may affect the interests of different parties and cause unjustified conflicts.

The main objective of the study is to reconstruct perceptions of the labor market directly from employers and government officials responsible for personnel decisions in the region, to go beyond the media noise and delve deeper into the sometimes contradictory, critical, or apologetic statements of people who have the authority and intention to make decisions and thereby change the current situation.

As a result of many hours of conversation and the compilation of a multipage narrative, three parts of the conversation about the personnel shortage have been identified. First, a description of the discrete, here-and-now present, which can be defined in one statement: a universal personnel shortage. Second, the continued past, the established rut (according to Auzan), which predetermined and shaped the current problems. We are talking specifically about the continued past, which is present now, but whose roots can be traced back to the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Thirdly, the active future, or sets of necessary decisions, actions already taken, forecasts made, risks identified, and ways to overcome them. Only actors who are capable not only of carrying out instructions, but also of making independent decisions and taking responsibility for their consequences can deliver the third part. This was precisely the reason for the requirement for such a high status of informants and the refusal to talk to more informed specialists who are directly responsible for recruitment at enterprises or personnel policy in the republic's government. The difference between expertise and status is one of the most important related conceptual pairs in the methodology of focused interviews and requires a separate methodological description, to which we will definitely return in the future.

The discrete present, or the universal labor shortage

All experts talk about a personnel shortage in Khakassia, which mainly affects blue-collar professions. It is very typical for the country as a whole (Zoidov et al. 2024; Chekmarev et al. 2023).

The comments of a number of experts reveal similarities not only in substance, but also in wording, in the metaphors used, and in the emotional perception of the situation. The labor market is perceived, on the one hand, as hierarchically structured and, on the other, as structurally uncertain (according to Ermakov) field of opposing employers and employees. Although they do not agree on the chronology of the transformations that have taken place in the labor market, the experts are of the opinion that, as a result of radical changes in the external environment, employees have found themselves in a privileged position:

«...the employer's market has been replaced by an employee's market <...> in 2022, we were building a highway, and there were no problems with contractors or anyone else. We were able to dictate prices, <...> since 2023 <...> contractors have started to dictate prices <...> now we are starting to feel the same with employees» (director of the Abakan Municipal Housing Fund NPO).

«[2010 and 2024 — ] are simply opposite poles <...> [Previously] we did not look for employees, but employees came to us and left their details <...> and now everything is completely the opposite» (human resources specialist at the Abakan Municipal Housing and Utilities Specialized Vehicle Base).

HR managers at «Bentonite Khakassia» LLC note that before 2020, it was possible to build up a labor pool and select employees, but now the situation is completely opposite:

«...we are now struggling to build up the labor pool; we have almost nobody. We are already taking from what we have. That is, a person comes, and we are already very happy that he has come to us» (head of the HR department of «Bentonite Khakassia» LLC).

Other informants demonstrate a similar attitude toward potential employees in conditions of labor shortage:

"In general, we are happy to see everyone who comes to us, we work with everyone" (HR manager at the Abakan Municipal Housing and Utilities Specialized Vehicle Base).

In a situation of staffing uncertainty and an exacerbating shortage, words of goodwill and friendliness toward applicants take on a different meaning, distinct from the usual forms of politeness. Previously, employers chose and dictated the terms; now, they offer and persuade.

The head of the HR department at «Bentonite Khakassia» LLC emphasizes that the labor shortage remains a pressing issue despite the availability of social benefits, "acceptable" wages, and the company's reputation in the region. The director of an industrial enterprise makes a virtually identical statement: she believes that the company's willingness to provide "both a good social program and compensation payments" does not fully solve the problem of staff shortages.

A representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection notes that the official unemployment rate is at a record low: 1,900 unemployed. He compares it with the previous minimum of 4,500 unemployed in 1995:

«I worked with unemployed citizens. <...> We worked with employers, searched, went around, begged them <...>: 'Well, maybe you have vacancies for at least half a day, or for the period of vacation, or for the period of sick leave <...>, because times were tough <...> last year <...> all employers started shaking us like a pear tree. We say, <...> here we have <...> two thousand unemployed people, take anyone. We don't have any more» (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

The sharp contrast between the past and the present is revealed in the juxtaposition of images of queues on the one hand and bareness and emptiness on the other.

"We even had, excuse me, a queue of people waiting to be employed by us" (Head of the Human Resources Department, "Bentonite Khakassii" LLC).

"... today <...> our labor market is completely bare. That is <...> figuratively speaking, there are no lines outside our doors <...>" (Head of Human Resources department at PAO «Rosseti Siberia» branch).

"There is a shortage of mechanics, plumbers, and drivers. Everyone cried out when people started leaving. All sectors, all industries. There is a lack of police officers. And these administrations have been stripped bare in the municipalities. That is why there is a shortage everywhere" (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

In addition to the professions already mentioned in the quote, the deputy minister speaks of an acute shortage of teachers and doctors:

"We always have a severe shortage of doctors and teachers." And similar problems persist in the agricultural sector:

«The main problem is people in the working professions. These are shepherds, cattlemen, machine operators, shearers» (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

A personnel specialist at the Abakan Municipal Housing and Utilities Specialized Vehicle Base speaks of a large labor shortage for cleaning the city. Referring to his previous work experience, the informant adds that there is a high demand for low-skilled workers, such as cashiers and sales assistants. The director of the Abakan Municipal Housing Fund NGO in the construction sector cites bricklayers and concrete workers as the most demanded professions.

It would seem that the situation is more favorable for energy supply companies, as mentioned by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, but representatives of the energy sector themselves are very critical of what is happening. The head of the HR management department at the Abakan branch of «Rosseti Siberia» raises the issue of the current high staffing level—about 93%—noting the increased level of staff turnover:

"...why is our staffing level so high? Well, because <...> young people are coming in <...> Turnover is the number of employees who have left the average headcount, and staffing levels are the number of positions filled in the staffing table. In other words, we lay off a lot of people, but we quickly hire new ones» (head of the personnel management department of the Abakan branch of PAO «Rosseti Siberia»).

The director of Abaza-Energo LLC describes a much more critical situation:

"The heart of the enterprise is the thermal power plant <...> At the TPP, there is currently <...> a 10-12% staff shortage <...> there we <...> are doing everything we can to retain personnel." <...> network repairs, pumping stations <...> there is currently a 30% shortage> (executive director of Abaza-Energo LLC).

First and foremost, there is a shortage of maintenance staff, emergency repair mechanics, and gas welders, the informant notes. Other experts from PAO «Rosseti Siberia» and «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC also mention the high demand for maintenance personnel:

"All factories need electric welders now, all mining and processing plants — in many places" (director of an industrial enterprise).

Among the most concerned employers, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development emphasizes "transport workers" (representatives of transport companies):

"[They] specifically say that we have already promised all kinds of salaries, but no one wants to go."

The expert also reports "complaints" from representatives of trade, the coal industry, and agriculture; however, their complaints sometimes become part of a strategy of averaging, indistinguishable from the average level in the republic. For example, despite the complaints voiced by the "trade" sector, employers in this sector 'still' have the opportunity to work "in the shadows." The expert also believes that in a number of areas, external factors have alleviated the shortage. In particular, in the coal industry, the demand for workers has decreased due to quota cuts and sanctions related to the SVO. As a result, coal sales to European countries have practically stopped. Thus, external uncertainty partially compensates for internal uncertainty, the commodity market — the labor market.

The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Khakassia as a whole is also not inclined to regard the staffing situation as a critical problem for the economy. The position of employers themselves varies (in some cases, ambivalent interpretations arise within a single interview). On the one hand, all informants confirm the relevance of the staffing problem. On the other hand, some informants note that, despite the existing difficulties, the crisis point has passed, and they express optimism about the future staffing situation at their enterprises.

For example, the «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC enterprise is short of 10% of its employees; even taking into account the fact that the actual percentage is significantly higher, since the formal indicator does not take into account the need to hire additional workers for the period of vacations and sick leave, the head of the HR department says that the most difficult period is already behind them.

Manufacturing representatives stay optimistic, not because they hope to overcome the labor shortage (although informants mention that some workers are returning to the enterprise after experiencing much more difficult shift work), but because their enterprises have effectively monopolies in their fields; they expect the lack of competition from foreign companies due to sanctions. Last but not least, they mention "activity," openness, and flexibility of the organization as their competitive edges:

"We are constantly striving, in all areas, for example, to develop new types of the same powder <...> in all, in all areas <...> we have our own research laboratory, which is engaged in studying this Bentonite in every possible way" (HR Director, «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

"We participate in many [programs/competitions] <...> In general, it is quite an open company that is willing to cooperate <...> We try to participate in as many competitions as possible <...> If the Ministry of Economy holds one, we participate; if the Ministry of Labor holds one, we participate <...> we are very active everywhere. <...> Under the presidential program <...> we already have <...> six people <...> who actively travel everywhere, learn from others and share their own experience, and come to us. We are one of those organizations that are generally open to everything new> (Head of the Human Resources Department, «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

A less common topic in the context of the conversation about staff shortages is the lack of mid-level specialists:

"...by and large [there is a shortage] of engineering and technical specialists, specifically production and technical specialists <...> there are no such super-specialists. We choose from what we have> (head of the HR department at «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

Only one informant, who is directly affected by this problem, mentions the shortage of management personnel:

«I arrive at the plant at 7:30 in the morning and leave at 9 in the evening. I have a shortage of personnel, including management. I have to perform the stupid functions of a production director or someone else so that we can at least somehow manage the process» (director of an industrial enterprise).

Migration of the working-age population has been observed before, but in recent years it has directly affected all sectors of the economy without exception, contributing to the flow of labor from low-paying industries to high-paying ones. Inter-sectoral flows are a sign of the current times; previously, this was extremely rare. All participants in the study mention this, regardless of the sector of the economy in which their enterprise operates:

"...all resources have already been sucked dry. The male population <...> is all on duty. Off the top of my head, about 40% are on duty" (executive director of Abaza-Energo LLC).

"Yesterday, my surveyor, who earns 75, said, 'I'm quitting.' 'Where are you going?' 'I'm going to the North Pole, <...> well, to work on a rotational basis <...> but I'll earn twice as much money.' <...> I somehow persuaded him <...> to stay, to think about it <...> three drivers quit last month, <...> two went on to the north, one <...> to the south> (director of the Abakan Municipal Housing Fund NPO).

We are seeing a noticeable outflow of labor to resource extraction companies:

"Here nearby, well, this is the far north, Nornickel <...> oil workers <...> gold miners <...> from Omsk <...> to Yakutia - they all come to work on a rotational basis" (director of the Abakan Municipal Housing Fund NPO).

"Our qualified drivers, excavator and bulldozer operators work in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and nothing can lure them here. Even high salaries at Siberian Coal Energy Company are not attractive. No. They leave and work on a rotational basis in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Either in Norilsk or some other cities» (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

"...where do our <...> machine operators go? <...> To the mines. <...> And most importantly, who leaves? <...> The most skilled, the most, how should I put it, normal ones. <...> Because coal miners are also sloppy, they won't take some drunkards. <...> And those who remain today are those who... no one needs» (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

As one of the informants notes, sometimes it is even possible not to travel far from home, which further enhances the appeal of fly-in fly-out work:

«...when I was there, we had <...> five drivers <...> who quit, and before, if the rotational job site was very far away, <...> now there are <...> within a radius of, for example, <...> 120 km from Abakan, <...> somewhere there is a quarry, somewhere there is something <...> that is, they can, for example, work there for a week, and on their day off <...> come home <...> and of course, the wages there are very attractive to them» (HR specialist at the Abakan Municipal Housing and Utilities Specialized Vehicle Base).

The discrete present in the labor market, observed here and now, is critical for all employers without exception. Optimism and pride in effective decisions or achievements are intertwined with the transition to manual control, increased workload, and the formation of rotational and overtime forms of employment. Whereas previously competition for highly qualified employees took place within a single industry, now inter-industry flows have become more frequent. The wage gaps are so significant that people are willing to take risks and change their usual employment formats, leave for fly-in fly-out work, or move to another field, even if it has a similar specialization but with a different labor and social context: from agriculture to the gas and oil industry, from civil service to trade and tourism, from housing and utilities to construction. This explains the concern and anxiety of business leaders even though staffing levels remain high in some cases. Labor has become the scarcest resource, and the labor market has become the most competitive and unpredictable.

The continued past, or reasons for the labor shortage

Experts identify a number of reasons and contributing factors for the labor shortage. They do not bother to find explanations that are now obvious not only to specialists:

«And after the pandemic, something serious happened. And we felt it very strongly ourselves, because a crazy labor shortage emerged» (head of the HR department at «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

"The most comfortable year was 2014. <...> Immediately after that, something began to change for the worse on the production side" (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

The main reason for the labor shortage is low real wages and the actual decline in the purchasing power of workers in certain industries, on the one hand, and wage stagnation, on the other (Balatsyuk, Kresnikova 2024, pp. 52, 56-57).

"Of course, <...> you can't say that salary is the most important thing. <...> but probably in 90% of cases it is still the most important thing" (Head of the Human Resources Department of PAO «Rosseti Siberia» branch).

"...it is difficult to attract people with corporate motivation now. Basically, everyone is interested in money" (HR director of «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

Many informants note that low salaries are not the result of a conscious decision by a stingy employer, but rather due to the lack of the necessary budget at the enterprise.

Sometimes, a lack of funds is not a single case, but a trend affecting an entire sector; for example, tariff-regulated enterprises in the field of heat supply or housing and communal services:

"...we sound the alarm, we go to the administration, we send letters, we ask for raises, we back up our requests <...> with figures and facts. We do everything. <...> For example, I am now posting that we need an occupational safety specialist. <...> We really need one <...> I am posting my ad on Headhunter <...>, but it always ends up at the very bottom in terms of salary. <...> Even private companies <...> can afford <...> to pay an occupational safety specialist 60,000, but we can't <...> the city administration gave us our salaries, and that's it» (HR specialist at the Abakan Municipal Housing and Utilities Specialized Vehicle Base).

The director of the Abakan Municipal Housing Fund NPO mentions the difficulty of competing for in-demand skilled workers. He explains it by the fact that there is currently wage inflation among workers:

"There are 200 [bricklayers] in the city, and there aren't any more. They just go around in circles, raising prices in a spiral. One offers a higher price, another offers a lower price, but the project has to be built, so he also raises his price. Over the course of a year, the price of bricklaying has increased from 3,700 per cubic meter to 7,200 today."

The first deputy minister of agriculture of Khakassia explains that employers are unable to pay competitive wages because revenues from the sale of manufactured products are constantly declining and cannot compensate for the costs of spare parts, fertilizers, and energy:

"all regions are talking about this <...> at different levels and for a long time <...> to bring a combine harvester here, it immediately becomes 500-600 thousand more expensive."

For Khakassia, due to its specific geographical location, the problem is very acute:

"..you've already looked at the map, right? Where is Khakassia? It's like an appendix (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

"..it's possible to set up production, but where do you get the people? You can't lure them with crazy money, the whole economy will go to zero" (Director of the NGO "Municipal Housing Fund of Abakan").

The reason for labor migration is not that workers are picky or looking for a better life, but rather that they are fleeing a bad life: low pay, high workloads, and excessive stress associated with chaotic work organization. The second reason for the shortage is the low social prestige of numerous professions that are in demand but "derogatory," according to one official. Locksmiths, welders, machinists, and machine operators are needed, but lawyers and economists are entering the labor market in large numbers.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic gives specific examples in agriculture. He explains the shortage of shepherds among the local population as follows:

"I come to Tuva, we go to a farmer, his child is grazing, he is 12 years old. I say, 'Why isn't he in school?' He says <...>: 'He has learned to write, he has learned to count, he can speak. That is his wealth' <...> our local population, the Khakass people, have become so assimilated that <...> this profession is no longer attractive today» (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

Urbanization adversely affects the situation with personnel in agriculture: the desire to migrate to cities, increased ambitions, awareness of more prestigious, well-paid professions that do not involve heavy physical labor, and opportunities for vertical mobility, largely through education. At the same time, even in cities with "declining industrialization" and in villages with no prospects, where there were once factories, collective farms, and state farms, everything good is associated with the industrial past (Veselkova, Pryamikova 2024, pp. 14, 20). The population is leaving, but is always willing to consider staying if the right conditions are in place. The current situation can be explained more by the lack of a coordinated media policy at the state level and the invisibility of "dirty" professions in the media:

Let's take a look at the media. We see IT specialists, we see bloggers <...> But have they shown even one milkmaid? Have they shown even one shepherd? Have they shown a machine operator? Yes, they show a tractor driving in a field, and that's it. But have they shown the machine operator himself? (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

The third reason is the selective nature of state benefits and subsidies, which has resulted in a steady outflow of labor.

"Where are the young people from the villages going, guys? <...> The police, the Russian Guard, somewhere else. I'll tell you why agriculture is losing prestige. Let's put it this way. He's a policeman, he has all the privileges, right? He can go to resorts, <...> free travel <...> and other things. Young people are leaving, let's say, for the Armed Forces and the like. I've worked my whole life. Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia. Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. <...> What benefits and quotas do I have? <...> What does being a veteran of labor give me? Free travel on public <...> municipal transport (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

Another participant in the study points to a program operating in the Kemerovo Region that allows significant labor resources to be drawn there from Khakassia:

"Last year, Kuzbass came up with an idea: if you come to five certain industries - well, that's what they wrote in the ad - and get a job in one of these industries, you get a bonus of 200,000 rubles. <...> That's <...> the gimmick. There is no such gimmick in Khakassia" (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

Problems associated with attracting rotational workers, in particular the geographical remoteness of the region and low wages, could be solved by providing subsidized housing, but there are no opportunities for this in the city:

"We don't have our own premises for accommodating workers at the plant, there are no dormitories. <...> There are only a few city dormitories here, and the living conditions there leave much to be desired. <...> We pay for housing, but it is practically impossible to rent it during the summer, for example. <...> There is little housing, it is expensive, and shift workers are not particularly welcome to rent it» (director of an industrial enterprise).

Another informant also discusses the provision of comfortable housing that could attract shift workers to Abakan, citing the example of Yakutia's single-industry towns at diamond deposits (the towns of Udachny, Aikhal, Mirny), where dormitories are being built for rotational workers.

The fourth reason is the low level of cultural and educational infrastructure in the region. Youth are leaving the republic due to the region's unattractiveness: quality education, career prospects, and cultural and sporting leisure activities. Self-development and professional growth, which can only be achieved through education, are key values for young people (Balatsyuk, Kresnikova 2024, p. 59). The values of self-affirmation in achievement are no less significant for representatives of other age groups, who are becoming more mobile and demanding in the labor market (Temnitsky 2022; Popov, Baimurzina 2024).

«A lot of students <...> graduate from college and leave <...> for Krasnoyarsk, other cities <...> Some want to live in a big city with a developed infrastructure, some people don't have enough entertainment here, which is also an important factor for young people» (director of the NGO "Municipal Housing Fund of Abakan").

«...young people here don't really have anywhere to go to have fun. There is <...> beautiful nature here, but it's all in remote places: if I want to swim in a comfortable place <...> I have to travel at least 100 kilometers. <...> What kind of leisure activities are there? Climbing mountains. Well, not everyone can afford to climb mountains» (director of an industrial enterprise).

The director of an industrial enterprise delivers a harsh verdict on educational institutions in the republic that train workers in specialized fields and engineering and technical staff:

"There are no educational institutions here that train high-quality specialists in the necessary numbers <...> to provide <...> such manufacturing enterprises with workers." "...education here is neglected, that's for sure. Young people don't stay here" (director of an industrial enterprise).

Others speak in a more neutral tone:

"...young people want something new, not what they have here, they want to try themselves in new areas, <...> they get together and leave" (Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Khakassia).

However, not all the reasons cited are external. The fifth, one of the most significant reasons for the current staffing crisis, is the inability to organize work in conditions of staff shortages and production expansion:

Every factory is different. Every process is different. If it is structured and a person has proven themselves as a specialist, they are used to working <...> by the book. <...> These blinders, as they wrote in the regulatory documents, published, <...> drew up diagrams, that's how we move forward. That's how people work. That's how they are effective. When they come here, where everything is missing, shortages here, shortages there, they fall apart on the spot <...> A manager who comes here to lead immediately fizzles out because he has no specialists. It is his job to build his own staff as well> (director of an industrial enterprise).

The shortage of all resources and the need to increase production capacity is one of the characteristics of the current day, but the reasons for labor market crisis are rooted in the past. While some, adhering to a survivalist worldview, see only problems in the current situation, others, focused on development, see opportunities:

...our recent years since 2020, since the pandemic, and then all our sanctions, have actually played into the hands of our <...> machine building industry. Import substitution is now developing, and of course we weren't ready for this, as was the case with everything Russian. <...> Nevertheless, we are striving and trying to double, triple, or even increase our business tenfold, and we are now earning quite well from this. This is one of the reasons for the shortage, well, I am taking the <...> area of production personnel. We planned to triple our production volume, but I can see that neither production is ready, nor have any resources been worked out, so people are not the most important things> (director of an industrial enterprise).

I think we only benefited from the sanctions, because <...> we had foreign competitors, the same <...> Kazakhstan, <...> there were some deliveries from America and India for the same blocks. <...> And because of all these sanctions, they have practically switched completely <...> to Russian products <...> since we are virtual monopolists and leaders in this field, I think it has only worked to our advantage> (HR director of «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

Finally, the sixth and final reason is structural failures in the interaction between the state and business, which are natural but by no means fatal in the current circumstances. Business leaders forced to solve staffing problems mention the sluggishness, excessive regulation, and inflexibility of regional authorities, citing their lack of interest and initiative in solving pressing issues of regional economic development. They demand that regional authorities be independent in their decision-making, although the latter often claim to be merely executing federal orders.

«To be honest, it doesn't help at all. We get requests asking: <...> what problems you are experiencing, what skills are in short supply, and so on. <...> I don't see any comprehensive work <...> aimed at supporting the labor market <...>. Everyone tends for themselves as best they can"; "...the situation with the Koreans [referring to the attempt to secure a quota for workers from Korea]. We went everywhere, to the Ministry of Construction and everywhere else, but they all just shrugged their shoulders: <...> 'It's not within our competence. Solve your own problems" (director of the NGO "Municipal Housing Fund of Abakan»).

The expert believes that now there is no coordination of actions or development strategy at the city level partly because the city and the republic depend on the vertical implementation of projects, ensuring their financing from federal sources:

"...the republic is deficit-plagued, subsidized <...> only federal financing enables construction to survive <...> The city also lives from year to year: when federal money appears, they start building; when there is no money, they don't build."

For the study participants who hold high positions in regional ministries, the most painful issue is their relationship with the federal government. Some of the problems of this interaction are fundamental in nature and do not depend on the volatile political situation (for example, which officials are in conflict with each other and which are in alliance). The very logic of communication between the regions and the center is stable. Regional officials are expected to do something other than give an "accurate" and 'objective' account of the situation. In their speech, officials construct "Moscow" as a single actor, often indifferent to the troubles and concerns of the regions:

"Surely at some higher level <...> they don't understand that <...>? Or do they never travel beyond Moscow to the regions?" (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

"Moscow does not accept our complaints. It says you are not working well" (Deputy Minister of one of the ministries of the Republic of Khakassia).

In some cases, even correctly reporting existing problems and proposals to "Moscow" does not lead to the desired result. Sometimes officials hint at the incompetence of their federal colleagues, at their demand to achieve results in short, unrealistic time frames:

"Targeted training is a difficult issue, especially within the framework of today's 555th decree. It was issued on April 27, and by June 10, it was necessary to build pool of employers who would <...> confirm targeted training. Quotas, non-quotas, and so on <...> naturally, this was assigned to the employment service. They say: «We are going to fire all of you <...> right now, " you — I don't use that word. <...> So they are lobbying <...> for quick decisions. Maybe they are good, but they are untested. Making untested decisions for the whole country. And that's why we see what we see.»

"Moscow tried to measure [shadow employment], which seems to be very high in our republic. <...> Something <...> they sorted people into groups, sorted and sorted, but we don't agree with their calculations. So what if you sorted them into groups?» (Deputy Minister of one of the ministries of the Republic of Khakassia).

"Develop a forecast until 2042." They gave us literally a few weeks <...> we developed it, fine, you want it this way, you want us to do it any old way? Here you go <...> but this is wrong» (deputy minister of one of the ministries of the Republic of Khakassia).

The first deputy minister of agriculture of the republic describes how he has to independently correct what "Moscow did wrong." He cites the example of problems with collecting statistical data on livestock numbers:

"...according to the veterinary service, we have 600,000 sheep in the republic, according to statistics — 380, according to our reports — 450" (first deputy minister of agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

He explains the "discrepancy" in the figures by the autonomous existence of the veterinary services and the Ministry of Agriculture. As a result, the statistics collected by the latter do not reflect the real situation.

"[Statistical service employees] come to them [agricultural producers] and ask, 'How many livestock do you have?' She may say two. Everyone lies in the farm books. One hundred percent <...> She says 2, but in fact there are 10" (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

The ill-considered and hasty nature of the orders concerning the introduction of digitalization raises many questions. The First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the republic notes that the task set at the federal level to chip 100% of livestock by September 1 is unrealistic, since even the legislation itself has not been brought into line with this requirement. A decree on mandatory chipping has been adopted, but no changes have been made to the law on personal subsidiary farming (PSF): the current wording does not allow PSF owners to be forced to chip their livestock.

The interview reveals a narrative about manually correcting inconsistencies in federal legislation on one's own initiative and by one's own efforts, since there are no procedures for adjusting the initial collection of statistical data:

"I tell them [the statistics service]: '<...> Let's do it this way. You say that you have a secret list of who you are surveying. <...> Before you do the survey, come to the veterinary station. <...> I'll call, <...> they'll give you a specialist, and the specialist will tell you. <...> You come and say: '<...> How many cows?' She says: 'Two'. 'Wait, you have 15 according to the veterinarians." I say: "Maybe then <...> our statistics will match the facts." She says: "No, we don't have the right." I even have a written response <...> from the statistics department. I made a direct request there. <...> "Dear Alexander Alekseevich, we have our own methodology" (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

Sometimes these assignments, numerous and some even meaningless, come under criticism:

"We have <...> a lot of assignments, and I don't understand why we do some of them. If it's statistics, you can take it all yourself, and we'll fill it out for you. You can do it yourself, develop a program, and let it pull it all together for you" (deputy minister of one of the ministries of the Republic of Khakassia).

Some informants, who are not privy to the intricacies of political games and are not in public service, declare their apoliticity and admit their ignorance of who exactly holds leadership positions in the city and the republic, and their inability to point out their specific mistakes. Nevertheless, they have a generally negative attitude toward the authorities:

"I don't know much about regional authorities. <...> I am an apolitical person."

"I have not personally encountered any problems with these administrators."

"It seems to me that they are all old <...> and lack energy."

"Generally speaking, <...> they are stuck in their ways. They are unwilling <...> to accept changes in the current reality."

Only in one episode does the criticism become a little more specific:

"There are events, a tripartite commission <...> is called. And so all these governments, ministers of health, construction, economic development <...> they came, we sat down - and nothing happened. So what is this? (director of an industrial enterprise).

Among employers, there are those who shy away from state involvement, expecting only new burdens from it. The first deputy minister of agriculture in Khakassia demonstrates that this attitude may be justified, mentioning the excessive labor intensity of electronic reporting procedures for receiving state subsidies, the benefits of which are questionable:

"He [the farmer] says, I don't need your subsidy. I'll work better without the subsidy, survive somehow. <...> Didn't report to the tax service - - eat it. Didn't report statistics - eat it."

"...this is program 1432, if you are an agricultural producer, a discount <...> 10% <...> on agricultural equipment purchases. Let's be honest, I'm a factory, <...> I'll set the price right away, then give a 10% discount. <...> Let's take the 10th year as an example. How much did "Belarus" cost? <...> 740 thousand. Today <...> 2 million 400. (First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Khakassia).

The continuing past, sometimes indistinguishable from the present, which shapes and sets the current trajectory of economic and social development, appears in conversations with experts concerning different problems - a familiar set of discursive markers in social policy discussions. At the same time, these problems conceal enormous opportunities, as our interlocutors mention. And the more critical the comments, the more specific the conclusions with examples and figures, the more the personal, effective characteristics of the people who make decisions and are responsible for their consequences are revealed. At first glance, Khakassia appears to be a subsidized republic completely dependent on the federal government, but this is far from the case. The pre-crisis past points to impressive opportunities not only for survival, but also for the development of the republic and the country in difficult socio-economic conditions.

Active Future, or Solutions of Labor Shortage Problems

A significant number of participants in the study unanimously predict that the crisis will worsen in the next few years, when the older generation will retire if there is no replacement from the younger generation:

«...I think the biggest shortage is excepted to come in 5-10 years. Now, as we are saying, one year [informant is now 62 years old], we will become unable to work» (first deputy minister of agriculture of the republic of Khakassia).

«If nothing is done, I think there will be a collapse in two years. Well, we will somehow last a year» (director of the NGO «Municipal housing fund of Abakan»).

«...Those employees who are 60 or near 70, 90% of them will resign in five years. Those who are between 25 and 50 - they are leaving. Nobody is coming <...> If everything remains the same, five years, we have five years» (CEO of «Abaza-Energy»).

Besides the generational problem that informants face when thinking about the future, inflation processes are a concern:

«...If inflation grows and our salary lags even further, despite being indexed, I think that the need for personnel will increase» (Head of the human resources department of «Rosseti Siberia» branch).

At the same time, many informants are optimistic about the future

«I want to believe in the best, because, you know, how many turns we had in our life. Well, so many things happened. We fell and rose then. Things stabilized and then again anew» (Staff Specialist of MCU Abakan «Special Housing Infrastructure»).

«... we believe that we will go forward. We have to give credit to our shareholders, <...> our <...> colleagues who manage the company, precisely on strategic development, on everything. I think that we will only grow and move forward» (Staff Director of «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

The way forward is determined by a list of measures and decisions taken or to be taken in the near future. The basic solution is to raise wages (not only to achieve self-sufficiency, but also to affirm self-sufficiency)» (Temnitsky 2022)) for key and deficit occupations:

«This will attract and retain staff. People will be interested, they will see that the company is willing to pay a decent salary. Why should he go to the North, eat, so to speak, frozen food, live in cold climate when he can stay here at home with his family and work» (CEO of «Abaza-Energo»).

Creating a comfortable working environment has an extremely limited effect if there is no parallel wage increase:

«... you can put a man in a gold cabinet, while paying 10 thousand rubles, he will sit, sigh a bit, chuckle <...> then he gets tired. Coming home, the wife will ask: «Have you bought some bread?» (CEO of «Abaza-Energo»).

Some informants mention the opportunities that the diversification of wage calculation formulas provides:

«Today, there are multiple ways to pay people <...> We want to pay for the result. And, actually, this is my job. Figure out how to pay for work so that people are motivated, and the business owner gets the desired result» (director of an industrial enterprise).

«We have different programs to motivate employees. <...> for example, there is a <...> strategically important team in the same plant for processing clay <...>. We now have free access here, this is the construction crew <...> they have a salary of 90 per hand [in other prices at the company average salary - 50-60 thousand]» (Director of personnel of LLC «Bentonite Khakassii»).

The head of the personnel department at «Rosseti Siberia» branch provides a detailed list of benefits and additional payments designed to attract young employees. (northern allowance, allowance for seniority, bonus system, corporate discounts, etc.):

«... young people are motivated to work with us, because we give <...> them <...> certain preferences, benefits <...> and supplements. <...> We have a fee <...> for combining occupations <...> Let's say he works with us as an electrician, he has a B and C driving licenses, he used to work as a driver, <...> He can combine work as a driver of a brigade car and an electrician. For this, he receives a supplement of up to 20% <...>» (head of personnel department of «Rosseti Siberia» branch).

Innovative ideas about continuing education are the second solution after the revision of material incentives to work. An effective company not only hires university graduates but also develops its own training program that lasts until the employee retires. In the case of a well-developed corporate social policy, it continues afterwards. Training not only benefits the employee, but also the company. As a member of the company, employees are constantly developing professional knowledge and skills, (Sizova et al. 2023, p. 41) not just showing off a diploma:

«... they finish technical school, come to work with us and <...> continue their study, receive higher vocational education. Accordingly, we provided both training and scholarship» (Personnel Director of «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC).

«... we got the educational license. <...> Two weeks we spend on theory. We'll make them revise this theory for another week to make sure they understand why they have learnt all these things after dealing with it knowledge in practice. Reading blueprints, for example. When you just memorize all these designations, it does not linger in your mind <...> I also have an advanced mechanical memory, but while I haven't done it myself, I find it complicated. And the same with my guys. They came, studied, immediately looked at the blueprint, immediately processed, and that's it» (director of industrial plant).

Active co-location of learning and production processes can be achieved through partnerships and personal arrangements, spanning from school to the workplace:

«We concluded tripartite agreements, <...> we attract children to us for practice, we conduct excursions <...> try everything to lure them to us after graduation» (Staff Director of «Bentonite Khakassii» LLC). «We have a lot of schools here, we cooperate with everyone who has training programs that suit our needs: electric power engineering, electrical engineering, <...> electricians» (head of personnel department of «Rosseti Siberia» branch).

«... There is a construction school here where, for example, masons are trained <...> our goal is to make company-sponsored contracts with them. It will allow us to hire recent graduates <...> so they will have a job immediately after completing the military service» (director of NCB «Municipal Housing Fund of Abakana»).

«... we met with the heads of educational institutions, Khakassian State University, Khakassian Technical Institute and others. <...> they <...> realize > that they can not attract young people to technical jobs. <...> This has to be worked out somehow. We as employers are ready to take these specialists from them» (director of an industrial enterprise).

The third solution is to overcome production ageism, or age discrimination, by involving all capable and active people in work regardless of their age. Therefore, it is necessary to review the formal requirements for employment, adapt schedules and workload, and make the system of employment and professional requirements more flexible.

Finally, the fourth and most controversial measure in the current political situation is the attraction of migrant workers. However, the study participants do not rely on using foreign migrants to meet their manpower needs because of the recent tightening of migration legislation, (especially from main sources of labor migration: Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), a lot of formal obstacles and the unwillingness of the relevant ministries to help overcome them and instability of the international political situation:

«Eastern Ukraine all worked for us. <...> power engineers and construction workers were great. But now, of course, there is nobody» (director of the NGO «Municipal housing fund of Abakan»).

«... we <...> many countries have now banned. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan <...> No Armenia, no Ukraine» (CEO of «Abaza-Energo»).

Employers are discussing alternative routes for possible labour imports, looking in particular at the African region.

Changing the regional orientation doesn't necessarily eliminate many formal barriers:

«... It is also <...> certain difficulties, quota, paperwork, so we contact people who are already doing this business, who have contacts, established connections. I tried with one company to work on this issue, but they quickly fell apart, apparently faced with the difficulties of hiring these people. <...> He arrived at my plant, it should have been Indians, came, looked at the conditions, we took him to a hotel, which has more or less suitable conditions, discussed everything. Eventually he disappeared» (director of industrial enterprise).

Four main directions for the active future are: decent wages, continuing education, anti-ageism, and adaptation to the demographic situation on the labor market. The latter presents severe difficulties because of the ill-conceived and sometimes contradictory federal migration policies. Losing a substantial amount of required staff due to political ambitions is highly risky and requires a separate consideration.

Conclusion

In the beginning of the article, we clarified the distinction between actor and agent (Aksenova 2023) and the actualization of social and managerial uncertainty (Ermakoff 2015) as the basic context of this distinction. Although the success of selecting a terminological pair (agent-actor) for correct practical fixation of distinction is doubtful (agent» and «actor» - concepts are often synonymous, as a result of which conceptual confusion can arise), this distinction may be one explanation of the dysfunctional relationship between the centre and the regions and, as a consequence, of some difficulties in achieving the goals set at federal level. According to the distinction mentioned earlier, there is both creative thought and initiative, as well as passive, sometimes forced, compliance with others' will. There are those at the top who set the agenda, develop reform programs, and those who put others' plans into practice in local contexts. Conversations with regional officials reflect their perception as agents by federal officials, who often treat the regions solely as executors but not as equals, able and willing to use knowledge of the regional context to adjust the unified directives coming from above. In fact, we see the same managers constantly switching between the «agency» and «actorality» modules. The key to their success is the proactive work of regional officials in creating measures of state support for employers and personnel policy, adaptation, and nuancing the arrangements according to regional specificities. The acknowledgment of each individual's right to be both an agent and an actor, along with the normative creation of a space for subjectivity, is a primary objective. Otherwise, there exists dissatisfaction, apathy, and the absurdity of directives from superiors that are not open to discussion.It is crucial to highlight that the subjects, embodying both actorality and agency, can present themselves in a dual capacity: as critics, challenging the prevailing order, and as apologists, endorsing and facilitating its perpetuation. For this reason, this criticism should not be interpreted as evidence of disobedience, refusal to cooperate, or threat of sabotage.Being an actor involves being anxious and uncertain about what is happening, doubts about the correctness of the chosen path, criticism of the orders, and search for interpretation options to accept or reject external incentives to act. To be an actor, one must possess doubts, criticism, and the ability to act simultaneously.Reading transcripts of expert conversations and analyzing scattered facts and events can help you distinguish between the past and the expected future of state policy in the field of labor relations. This policy is based on a common, universally shared view of the human resource hunger, with already visible consequences and open only to individuals to make decisions and really influence what happens. This opportunity is given to people who are able not only to criticize, doubt and execute, but also to act, persuade and give instructions.Short-term and discrete expert talks with regional officials and businessmen open wide prospects for the development of the Russian labor market. We must not overlook the most important details of the description, which are presented in a logical, rational, and somewhat contradictory fashion.