Low level and quality of life among economically active population: identification criteria and assessment of occurrence

The article presents the results of identification of groups with low level and quality of life among Russian economically active population. Its relevance is determined by the clarification of national goals and targets for Russia’s development until 2030, as well as the reduction of population’s level and quality of life considering socio-economic consequences associated with measures to counter the spread of COVID-19. The results of the research complement other publications devoted to the study of multidimensional poverty and the social structure of society, offering criteria and social standards for identifying the lower groups by the level and quality of life among economically active population. Social standards for assessing the situation in the sphere of employment, education, material and property provision of households (monetary income, savings, and real estate), as well as self-evaluation of the level and quality of life, including the identification of key and additional signs of precarious (precarized) employment with the identification of the most vulnerable groups of employees, are overviewed. Based on the analysis of RLMS data, we obtained estimates of the scale of groups with low level and quality of life in Russia for 2018, which include more than 40% of economically active population. Among them, precariously employed people are the most widely represented, while a significant part of them is characterized by a concentration of signs of precarious employment. The structure of groups with a low level and quality of life is determined, and the core, extended core, and periphery are identified in their composition. The proposed methodology makes it possible to develop targeted social policy measures taking into account typical problems in the area of employment, material and property provision, etc. Further research may be linked to development of a methodology for multi-criteria identification of groups that are characterized by a more prosperous situation in terms of the level and quality of life, including the study of the prevalence of precarious employment among them.