Career Expectations and Attitudes of Municipal Employees in the Russian Federation

Abstract

The importance of strengthening the institution of municipal service is determined by the relevance of administrative and economic tasks of Russian territories. In this context, high demands are placed on the municipal service personnel, their professional competencies and career planning. The purpose of the study is to identify possible problems and deficiencies faced by municipal government employees in building a career. The questionnaire survey method was used (N = 3.066, target sample, January 2025, 36 regions of the Russian Federation). According to the survey findings, only a third of the employees make long-term career plans in local government. Employees in key municipal positions are characterized by stable career attitudes, while those in junior positions are distinguished by the intention to change jobs. A conclusion has been made about the "career passivity" of municipal employees: more than a third of them do not make plans for the future, and those who declare an intention to leave the service do not take any active actions to find a new job. It has been established that for those municipal employees who do not plan to continue their career in municipal authorities, career growth at higher levels of the power vertical and a transition to another professional sphere are equally relevant. Longer employment is accompanied with a lower attractiveness of municipal service, which correlates with the peak of people’s burnout and intentions to change jobs. The effectiveness of the personnel reserve has a significant impact on the decision to continue a career.