The expert announced the end of the salary race in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      June 4, 2026 07:45 Economy NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Alexandra Turovskaya The active phase of the so-called "salary race" has ended in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The director of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of hh.ru, Zhanna Petrunina, spoke about the main trends in the labor market at the press conference "HR Code: Future, Technology, People, Creativity," which was attended by a correspondent from NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." The expert noted that employers are increasingly consciously refusing to participate in the race for personnel through salary increases.

      Many companies internally understand that they do not want to engage in it. And what can it lead to now? — questions Zhanna Petrunina.

      Instead of competing on salary levels, businesses are focusing on the skills of applicants, and most importantly, on their alignment with the current tasks of the company. In cases where employees lack competencies, employers are ready to invest in training. This is now one of the main trends in companies' plans for 2026, alongside increasing labor productivity, optimizing personnel costs, and developing brand, values, and a unified corporate culture. According to survey results, one of the main sources of anxiety for HR specialists remains the uncertainty of the future. According to the expert's observations, such sentiments are predictable and have persisted for more than a year.

      Speaking about the forecast for the labor market in the coming years, the expert named the main factors that are already influencing its situation. Among them are the demographic situation, the imbalance in industry growth, the environmental agenda, geopolitical and economic tensions, as well as technological development. It is worth noting that the expert does not believe in fears of mass replacement of employees by artificial intelligence. It is more about "AI augmentation" — using technology as a tool to enhance the employee, rather than replace them.

      It is cheaper for companies to develop their employees' competencies now than to look for new ones later. Because hiring is becoming more expensive every day. Companies are restructuring; they understand that they need to invest in improvement. Moreover, by 2030, there will be a significant shortage of highly qualified personnel, — emphasized Zhanna Petrunina.

      Earlier, we reported that the expert named the industries with the most acute labor shortages in the Nizhny Novgorod region. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+