The expansion of the voluntary health insurance program, now including dental and psychological services, holds particular importance for employees at Russian firms. In surveys focused on workers aged 24 to 39, this expanded coverage emerges as a key factor for 44 percent, with 18 to 23-year-olds showing 40 percent prioritization. The findings come from a collaboration between Budu online health management and the Zarplaty.ru Research Center, and the results have been reviewed by socialbites.ca.
Among Russian respondents, 39 percent say having the maximum set of services within VHI, including dental and psychological care, strongly influences their job choice. Another 25 percent value a VHI plan, but the specific services included in the package are not a primary concern when evaluating potential employers.
Forty percent of respondents place great importance on the components of VHI, with expanding the package a top concern for them. In detail, 35 percent of Millennials, 44 percent of members of Generation Z, and 56 percent of Baby Boomers share this perspective on employer-provided health coverage.
Across all participants, the main criteria for selecting a workplace include the ability to cover continuing education costs (41 percent), access to additional paid days off beyond standard vacation (39 percent), and partial coverage of child-related expenses (30 percent).
Investments in professional development are highly attractive for 80 percent of respondents who value advanced training coverage. Millennials particularly weigh in on benefits such as reimbursement for sports activities (44 percent) and extra paid days off beyond holidays (42 percent). For Generation X, the key plus is employer coverage of meal costs (33 percent) and cellular data (29 percent). Among Baby Boomers, two thirds seek additional paid leave, while a third would opt for an employer that pays for gas expenses.
More than half of all respondents express willingness to switch jobs to gain an expanded social package and extra employer incentives. The largest share of younger workers—about 80 percent of Zoomers and 61 percent of Millennials—say they would move to a different company to access better bonuses. Fewer Generation X employees are ready to make a move, at roughly 56 percent, while a strong majority of Baby Boomers—77 percent—prefer to stay in their current role.
There is also a trend noted in prior reporting: a majority of Russians indicate a preference to work under formal employment agreements only, reflecting a focus on official registration as a baseline condition for job security and benefits. This preference aligns with broader workplace security considerations observed in different regions, including North America, where formal employment status often accompanies access to comprehensive health and social packages. (Source attribution: Budu online health management service; Zarplaty.ru Research Center; summarized by socialbites.ca.)