Labor resources, their composition and reproduction. Labor resources, economically active population and methods of their calculation

Labor resources - this is the part of the country’s population that has the necessary physical development, health, education, culture, abilities, qualifications, and professional knowledge to work in the field of socially useful activities.

• working-age population of working age (both employed and not employed in social production). These include: men aged 16–59 years and women aged 16–54 years, with the exception of non-working disabled people of groups I and II and non-working people of working age receiving benefits or old-age pensions;
• population older and younger than working age employed in production (actually working).

where NTSV) is the population of working age; I – non-working disabled people of groups I and II of working age; PL – non-working benefit pensioners of working age; Pr – working pensioners; RP – working teenagers.

The relationship between such concepts as “labor resources”, “economically active population”, “economically inactive population”, “employed”, “unemployed” is shown in Fig. 4.1.

Rice. 4.1.

Labor resources consist of actual and potential workers. The necessary physical and intellectual abilities depend mostly on age: in the early period of a person’s life and in the late period, when a person loses his ability to work. Age appears in the so-called criterion form, which makes it possible to select labor resources from the entire population.

Working age varies widely and may depend on professional, personal or special features. It means the age of a person that allows him to work in this moment time, at a given time and under specific conditions:

• 0–16 years - as a rule, is considered a disabled age, however, in accordance with the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, in case of receiving a basic general education, or leaving this institution in accordance with federal law employment contract can be concluded by persons over 15 years of age. In some cases, an employment contract may be concluded with persons over 14 years of age, in agreement with one of the parents (guardian, trustee);
• 16–54 years old – for women (inclusive);
• 16–59 years old – for men (inclusive).

The concept of “labor resources” can still be found today, although, as mentioned above, the requirements of a market economy make it necessary for our statistics to transition to a different accounting system accepted in international practice. work force recommended by the International Labor Organization. Age limits and socio-demographic composition of the labor force are determined by a system of legislative acts. They (borders and composition) changed in different periods of the history of our country. Thus, in the first five-year plan (1929–1932), the lower limit of working age was set at 14 years. By the end of the second Five-Year Plan (1933–1937), this limit was raised to 16 years. During the Great Patriotic War she dropped back to 14 years old. Currently, the working age limit is 16 years. There are trends of a decrease in the share of the population under working age and working age and an increase in the share of the population older than working age. Experts predict a noticeable reduction in the total population and the share of the population in pre-working age, a stabilization in the share of the population in retirement age and an increase in the share of the population in working age, an aging population, which in the future will lead to a reduction in the working age population.

Labor resources are divided into active (i.e., persons directly employed in social production) and potential (students on the job and employed in the household).

The number of labor resources is determined for a specific date, but it can also be calculated as an average for any period of time. In Russia they make up approximately 50% of the total population. In the western economic science There is no single approach to defining labor resources, therefore, in national statistical publications of countries with market economies, as well as in international statistics, there are various concepts related to the characteristics of this category.

Working population - this is the main part of the labor force of working age, possessing the necessary psychophysical development, knowledge and practical experience and able to fully participate in physical and intellectual work. In world statistics, the working age population is considered to be between the ages of 15 and 64, and according to the UN, it accounts for about 3/5 of the total world population. Currently, the issue of increasing the working period is being considered, but in modern conditions average life expectancy is this:

• for men it is 64 years old;
• for women – 74 years.

However, for some types of activities so-called benefits are provided. They touch people busy with work associated with high psychophysiological stress or unfavorable working conditions ( chemical industry, metallurgical industry, ballet, etc.). In reality, preferential pensioners can continue to work and therefore are included in the labor force.

During perestroika, the emergence of a new economic and ideological doctrine was accompanied by the removal of the state from the sphere of decision life problems individual. Limited social politics ideologically justified, expressed in the statement about its ineffectiveness and injustice of free distribution of social benefits with a corresponding refusal of obligations.

This happened against the background of a new social stratification, which was expressed at the lower level in the impossibility of a person by ordinary work in his specialty and having a certain qualification to secure even a minimum level of existence. Objectively, this is still expressed through high level unemployment in general and structural unemployment. At the same time, we have a paradoxical situation where enterprises seem to be working, people seem to be working, but wage is not paid for months or its amount is not commensurate with basic needs.

In table Table 4.1 provides data on some basic indicators of the state of labor resources in Russia for the 1990s. compared to developed countries in the mid-1990s.

Table 4.1

Comparative assessments of Russia and developed countries for some economic indicators and human resource parameters

Some main problems, contradictions and desired state in the field of labor resources in Russia during the 1990s. summarized in table. 4.2.

Table 4.2

Problems and contradictions in the field of labor resources in Russia in the 1990s.

Negative trends characteristic of the social and labor sphere of Russia have led to the fact that not only the socially vulnerable non-working population, but entire professional and sectoral layers of workers (peasants, public sector workers, highly qualified workers of the system of formative industries) have become social risk groups National economy) (Table 4.3).

Table 4.3

Correlation of labor development indicators Russian society(base of comparison – 1990)

Working age: Men 16-59, Women 16-54. This is a set of people capable of working based on age and health.

The population of working age minus the disabled people of this age who are not working, minus the number of pensioners of this age.

Labor resources. This is the part of the country's population that is employed in the economy or not employed, but capable due to age and health. This is the working population of working age, working teenagers under 16 years of age, people over working age, employed in the economy or unemployed.

Also taken into account balance of pendulum migration. Natural movement – change in numbers excluding migration. Replenishment is the entry into working age of teenagers and the attraction of disabled people. Retirement – ​​mortality, retirement, leaving working age and cessation of work and disability. To characterize the intensity, the following are used: the coefficient of natural increase and the coefficient of migration increase .

Labor balance – statistical table.

Section 1 - Number and reproductive composition of the population (the total number of labor resources, including:

a) working-age population of working age,

b) working teenagers,

c) working pensioners.

Section 2 - Distribution of labor resources by type of employment in total, including:

a) number by industry,

b) students of working age, studying outside of work,

c) working-age population of working age not employed in the economy).

Economically active population – part of the country’s population that provides labor supply (employed + unemployed). Busy - having an income-generating occupation. Unemployed – over 16 years old, have not had a Lately work, were looking for it, and were ready to start it. Economically inactive population – unemployed and not looking for work (children, housewives, students and other persons).

Distribution by age and employment.

1. Working age population = B+D+D+E

2. Working population = B+G+E

3. Labor resources = B+C+D+E+F+W

4. Employed in the economy = B+B+F

5. Unemployed = G+Z

6. Economically active = B+V+D+Z+F

7. Economically inactive = A+D+E+I

7.1 Economically inactive population of working age = D+E

7.2 Economically inactive population not of working age = A+I

8. Labor resources =6+7.1 -D

1. Population working capacity coefficient– share working population in the total number.

2. Working ability rate of the working age population– the share of the working-age population in the working-age population.

3. Total population employment rate– share of employed people in the total number.

4. Employment rate of the working age population.

5. Total load factor– the number of people of disabled age per 1000 people of working age.

6. Labor force replacement rate– the number of children and adolescents per 1000 people of working age.

7. Pension load factor- the number of pensioners per 1000 people of working age.

8. Unemployment rate– the share of unemployed among the economically active.

9. Economic activity rate– the share of economically active people among the total population.

Labor resources are the part of the country's population that is physical development, acquired education, professional qualification level is able to engage in socially useful activities.

LABOR POTENTIAL- CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

AND FORECASTED IN THE FUTURE

LABOR OPPORTUNITIES OF THE COUNTRY, REGION OR

ENTERPRISES. LABOR

POTENTIAL CHARACTERIZED

THE NUMBER OF WORKING AGE POPULATION, ITS

PROFESSIONALLY-

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, OTHER QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS.

People actually involved in material production or non-production sphere.

Economically active population

The share of the economically active population varies across countries.

IN developed countries In the West, about 70% of all labor resources are economically active. This situation is primarily associated with unemployment. It sometimes reaches 10 or more percent of the workforce.

The share of the economically active population in developing countries is even smaller - 45-55%. This is due to general economic backwardness, lack of jobs, the difficulty of involving women in production given the predominance of large families, and large masses of young people entering working age. True, unemployment in developing countries does not exclude the widespread exploitation of cheap child labor.

Economically developed countries

Really working – 48-50%

V These are mainly blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, and mental workers.

V service sector - large commerce, passenger transport, domestic services, banking among women workers – 4050%.

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Really working – 35-40%

V mostly peasants

V service sector – small traders share of women among

employees – no more than 30%

In developed countries, employment in industry is 2530%, and the number of people employed in agriculture is constantly decreasing. Along with 55-65%, the number of people employed in the non-productive sector increases, represented not only by such

traditional activities such as education, health and recreation, but also trade and financial activities(USA, UK, Germany, Belgium, France, Sweden).

IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, MORE THAN HALF OF THE POPULATION IS EMPLOYED IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY. THE SHARE OF EMPLOYED IN INDUSTRY DOES NOT EXCEED 20%. IN POST-SOCIALIST COUNTRIES THE BASIC PART OF THE POPULATION IS EMPLOYED IN MATERIAL PRODUCTION (ALMOST 50%

- IN INDUSTRY, 20%

- IN AGRICULTURE). THE NON-PRODUCTION SPHERE ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 30%, WITH 2/3 OF THEM WORKING IN EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CULTURE.

Features of the formation of labor resources and labor force

There is no significant difference in the definition of the lower limit of working age in different countries, while the discrepancy in the upper limit can be up to 20 years. Such a large difference in the upper limit of working age is due to the difference in average life expectancy and the material capabilities of society in terms of pension provision for people. In most countries of the world, the upper limit of working age is set at 60-65 years, and in many countries in Asia and Africa, the retirement age is set at 65 years. In countries with high life expectancy (Denmark, Sweden) – at 67 and even 70 years (Norway).

The labor force in Russia includes the working age population: men aged 16 to 59 years and women from 16 to 54 years, as well as teenagers under 16 years old, and people retirement age who take part in social production.

More than half of the world's countries make no difference in the retirement age of men and women. In other countries, women have the right to retire 3 (USA, Sweden) or 5 years (Switzerland, Finland, Russia, Ukraine) earlier than men.

Labor resources.

The bulk of the labor force consists of adults from 16 to 54–59 years old, i.e. working population. Working pensioners are part of the labor force.

The unemployed are part of the labor force that wants to work, is looking for work, but cannot find it.

Labor resources are a part of the population that, due to the combination of physical abilities, special knowledge and experience, can participate in the creation of material wealth or work in the service sector.

The criteria for allocating labor resources from the total population are the limits of working age, which are established by the state and depend on the social system, life expectancy of people, other socio-economic factors and on official government acts adopted in this regard. In the USA, for example, the lower limit of working age for boys and girls is 14 years of age, the upper limit for men is 65 years and women is 63 years. In the Republic of Belarus, the working age for men is from 16 to 60, for women - from 16 to 55 years.

The workforce includes:

working-age population of working age;

working teenagers (up to 16 years old);

population over working age who takes part in social production.

The working-age population includes persons of working age, with the exception of non-working disabled people of groups I and II, as well as persons who retired on preferential terms earlier than established in general procedure working age.

Depending on the attitude towards work, the labor resources are divided into the following categories:

employed in public production; self-employed labor activity; those who are studying part-time; those employed in household and personal subsidiary farming; military personnel.

Labor resources have quantitative and qualitative characteristics. The first include indicators of size and composition (age, gender, social groups, etc.); to the second -

indicators of educational level, professional qualification structure, etc.

The age structure of labor resources involves the identification of the following main age groups: youth aged 16-29 years; persons from 30 to 49 years old; persons of pre-retirement age (men 50-59 years old, women 50-54 years old); persons of retirement age (men 60 years and older, women 55 years and older). Sometimes 10-year age intervals are used to reveal age structure. Labor activity is considered the higher, the larger the proportion of the working-age population is occupied by persons 20-49 years old and the most are made up of men.

The gender structure of the labor force is characterized by the ratio of the number of men and women in its composition. It is determined, as a rule, by the working-age population - the main source of labor resources. In the Republic of Belarus, for example, specific gravity men make up 47%, women - 53%. This ratio is considered normal for economically developed countries.

To characterize labor resources by level of education, the following most important indicators are used: level of general, special and higher education; level of education by social group.

By level of education, the ratio between the number of labor resources with higher, specialized secondary, secondary and incomplete secondary education is determined regardless of the work performed or position held.

The ratio of workers by type of activity and level of qualification characterizes the professional and qualification structure of labor resources. Professions are determined by the nature and content of labor, the specifics and operating conditions of individual sectors of the economy. Within the framework of general professions, specialties are distinguished. Depending on the complexity of the work, highly qualified, qualified and unskilled workers are distinguished.

When determining the ratio of labor resources by personnel categories, workers and employees are taken into account, including managers, specialists, etc.

Knowledge of the structure of labor resources is necessary to determine the directions for their effective use.

The basis for the formation of labor resources is the reproduction of the population, which is carried out through a change of generations as a result of the birth and death of people, i.e.

With an increase in the birth rate and life expectancy, there will be an increase in the population and, consequently, in the labor force. The Republic of Belarus, for example, belongs to the group of countries with extremely low birth rates. IN last years There are 14.5-17.3 births per 1000 people. There is an increase in mortality and a decrease in life expectancy. If this situation continues, the population and labor resources will decrease.

Population migration is important in the formation of labor resources, leading to their redistribution between territories, sectors of the national economy and types of activities. However, the assessment of territorial mobility of the population for economic development is ambiguous, and, above all, when its size and direction do not correspond to the needs of the national economy. This could lead to an oversupply of labor in some areas. populated areas or to their lack in others, which in both cases is a negative phenomenon.

All migration data are used to determine the exact population size in the country and regions, to calculate indicators related to population and labor resources. Thus, the size and composition of labor resources are determined by demographic factors (population size, its gender and age structure, etc.) and migration processes.

The distribution of labor resources is carried out mainly based on the existing economic potential in the regions. As the volume of work changes and the structure of the national economy changes, the need for labor resources also changes.

For society, the optimal option is when all labor resources are fully utilized. However, in market economy this condition is observed extremely rarely even in those countries where there is an increased need for labor. There are many reasons for this, including objective ones. First of all, this is a reduction in the number of workers and employees while improving the structure of production, dismissal due to dissatisfaction of some workers with working conditions, the search for a new job, the cyclical nature of economic development, the influence of seasonality, etc. Therefore, in real conditions, not all of the able-bodied population is engaged in socially useful work. The most important task in planning economic development is to avoid excessive surplus labor and at the same time ensure the functioning of the labor market in order to use it more efficiently. Increasing the proportion of the working-age population engaged in social work and providing such opportunities to people of retirement age and teenagers improves the socio-economic situation. If necessary, the external labor market is also considered, especially in times of crisis and other unfavorable situations within countries.

In modern conditions, an important problem is the problem of unemployment. Unemployment is a socio-economic phenomenon expressed in the fact that certain part the working-age population cannot realize its labor potential.

According to the definition of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the unemployed are persons who are able and willing to work and are actively looking for work.

In Belarus, for example, the unemployment rate in 2000 was 2%. At the same time, the share of hidden unemployment is high. 11.2.

A shrinking and aging workforce is unfavorable for the labor market

Demoscope has written more than once about the unfavorable demographic changes that await Russia in the coming decades. They were discussed, in particular, where it was about the inevitability of a decline in the country's population and its aging.

Demographic changes have, among other things, huge economic consequences that cover all main areas of the economic field: the labor market, the consumer and services market, the savings market, affect the investment climate, social spending and, accordingly, the system and tax rates, on financial flows.

Currently, these consequences are not well understood, which limits the possibilities strategic planning in conditions when the country faces significant and not always favorable demographic changes.

Natural population decline is an extreme and, in principle, not necessary manifestation of the profound demographic changes that all countries are currently experiencing. Its appearance, and especially its significant scale in Russia, is a consequence of especially unfavorable conditions, in which demographic processes common to all have unfolded in our country over the past hundred years.

However, another consequence of demographic changes – population aging – cannot be avoided under any circumstances. Demographic changes, generally progressive, automatically lead to a change in the shape of the age pyramid; it will never return to its previous shape. Another thing is that in Russia the evolutionary process of a natural restructuring of the age pyramid was superimposed by various kinds of social upheavals, which greatly deformed its outline.

Already the evolutionary aging of the population gives rise to considerable economic problems, since it significantly increases the burden on the working-age population of elderly and elderly people.

Perturbation deformations of the age pyramid can seriously aggravate these problems, which is what is happening now in Russia. Due to the same features of the age pyramid that make natural population growth impossible, in the coming years the country will face a decline in the working-age population (numerous generations of the 1950s will drop out years of birth

The difference is very large. Until recently, the working-age population increased annually by approximately half a million to a million people; this growth is being replaced by an even greater annual decline. As was shown in, it will be possible to get out of the hole no earlier than in 15 years, and then only under the most favorable circumstances, for which the optimistic “high” version of the Rosstat forecast is calculated. Only in this case will a small increase in the working age population begin. And according to other forecast options, even this will not happen; the annual decline will become less, but will not disappear.

Simultaneously with the reduction in the working age population, rapid aging will occur, i.e. an increase in its composition of older people and, accordingly, an increase in the average age of potential employees. This process has been going on for a long time. In 1970 the number junior group The population of working age (16-29 years) was 1.9 times larger than the size of its older group (45-54 years for women and 45-59 years for men). By the early 1990s, this ratio had dropped to about 1.5 times and remained stable for some time. But since the beginning of the 2000s, aging has resumed and will now proceed non-stop. In the second half of this decade, younger and senior group working-age populations will become equal, and then the younger group will be inferior in size to the older group for the first time, and by 2025 the ratio of the younger group to the older group will be 0.8 (Fig. 1). Average age The potential worker age, which was 34.5 years in 1970 and has now reached 36.3 years, will exceed 38 years by 2025.

Figure 1. Average age of the working population and the ratio of the population aged 16-29 years to its population aged 45-54 years (women) and 45-59 years (men)

It is interesting that the number and share middle group of working age - from 30 to 45 years - does not show a tendency towards directional changes, but experiences strong fluctuations, which can also have considerable consequences.

The general picture of changes in the age composition of the working age population is presented in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Ratio of three population groups of working age, million people and %