HR expert listed the risks and benefits of being employed

HR expert Perkova: chronic stress has become the downside of being employed

Fri, 02/27/2026 - 00:35

Photo: IZVESTIA/Eduard Kornienko

Озвучить текст

Select important

Off

Poly-employment in 2026 has ceased to be an exception and has become a systemic phenomenon in the labor market. Svetlana Perkova, HR expert, founder and head of the ALL HR HR outsourcing agency, told Izvestia about this, commenting on the growing interest in additional employment and part-time jobs.

Monetary bar: about half of Russians are not ready to lower their salary expectations

The position of applicants is affected by the shortage of personnel in the labor market

According to the expert, the labor market has finally moved away from the linear model in which an employee has been working for one employer for many years.

"If five years ago combining jobs was perceived as a forced measure or a sign of disloyalty, today being unemployed is becoming the norm for Russian citizens. Ignoring the trend towards a portfolio career costs businesses millions of rubles in turnover," Perkova emphasized.

She noted that in 2026, the number of new user registrations on part-time job search services increased by almost 75% per year, and the number of companies willing to hire employees for short shifts increased by about a quarter.

The expert identified two main types of motivation to combine. The first one is generational.

"Young professionals aged 18-24 do not accept the idea of "one job for a lifetime." For them, being employed is a way of professional navigation, an opportunity to build a portfolio of competencies and try themselves in different fields," she explained.

The second type is adaptive. According to Perkova, Russians aged 35-50 are more likely to seek additional employment due to economic factors.

"Inflation and the desire to create a safety cushion are pushing people to look for part-time work in the evening or on weekends. This is no longer a matter of ambition, but a matter of financial stability," the expert noted.

At the same time, Perkova warned about the risks of self-employment for the workers themselves.

"Having multiple sources of income reduces the fear of losing a job, but the payback is often chronic stress and the risk of burnout. This is especially true for those who came to combine not by choice, but because of economic circumstances," she concluded.