Russian small businesses hit by Work-From-Home orders

Hundreds of thousands of Moscow’s small businesses can not comply with new restrictions introduced by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin regarding the second wave of the coronavirus. He ordered the capital’s employers to ensure at least 30% of their staff are working remotely in an attempt to limit movement around the Russian capital. A recent survey of 300 businesses in Moscow showed that only 50% are able to meet the requirement, while others operating in sectors like construction, manufacturing, healthcare, retail and catering are finding it impossible to stick to the rules. More than that, Sobyanin warned that continued growth in cases could lead to tougher restrictions.

Russia’s small and medium-sized businesses have complained that the government has overlooked them in its economic response to the virus. Another survey, for the World Bank, showed that less than 30% of them had received any kind of government support since the start of the pandemic.