The tools and practice of measuring labor productivity: industry and country approaches

In recent years, research on labor productivity has become increasingly relevant due to the pressing issue of labor shortages. The implementation of the national project “Labor Productivity” has shifted research interest toward measuring productivity levels. This paper hypothesizes that the approaches to measuring labor productivity adopted in Russian statistical practice differ significantly from research methodologies and recommendations, failing to address the driving forces behind productivity growth. This raises the question of identifying the nature of these differences to correct the interpretation of measurements and to understand avenues for enhancing productivity. This article systematizes approaches and methodologies for measuring labor productivity while identifying the challenges of their application in statistical observations at industry levels and within the Russian economy as a whole. The authors employed systematic, comparative, and statistical methods for scientific analysis. The findings indicate that few of the methods for measuring labor productivity proposed by foreign research are used in Russian statistical practice. This leads to a decrease in the possibility of conducting research at the macroeconomic and sectoral levels. In this regard, the question of measuring labor productivity in the Russian economy is still open. The conclusions regarding the characteristics and challenges of calculation methodologies may serve as a basis for developing strategies to improve labor productivity measurement. This is essential for conducting accurate assessments and identifying pressing issues related to productivity growth in Russia.