More than a third of Russian companies forgo annual bonuses in 2026

Source: Forbes

In total, 46.9% of Russian companies do not plan to pay employees end-of-year bonuses, with 36.2% forgoing bonuses only in 2026, despite having paid them a year earlier. The findings come from a survey of 1,076 companies across Russia conducted by Aktion Bukhgalteriya, Forbes Russia reported.

Another 20.4% of respondents have postponed their bonus decisions indefinitely. Only 22.3% of those surveyed said they would pay bonuses to all employees. Another 10.4% said they would reward only part of their staff.

A decline in this year’s financial results was the leading reason cited for skipping bonuses, named by 56.9% of survey respondents. Another 8.8% pointed to taxes and insurance contributions as the deciding factor.

Experts attribute the trend to rising business costs. Russia’s corporate profit tax rose from 20% to 25% in 2025, and the value-added tax rose from 20% to 22% starting in 2026, alongside a lowered threshold for qualifying for the simplified tax system. At the same time, weak demand and a high key interest rate have made loans too expensive, while rising production costs are squeezing profitability and forcing companies to cut spending.

Employees of small businesses will be hit hardest by these changes, according to Aktion Bukhgalteriya. Decisions at these companies more often hinge on a single person and current revenue. Large businesses, which have reserves and formalized bonus programs, will continue paying bonuses.

However, some companies may replace annual bonuses with quarterly bonuses, paid training, or non-monetary incentives to avoid a buildup of financial obligations by December, experts say.

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More than a third of Russian companies forgo annual bonuses in 2026

Aktion Bukhgalteriya

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More than a third of Russian companies forgo annual bonuses in 2026

Aktion Bukhgalteriya

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