MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set a goal to increase labor productivity in the country, since in the coming years the economy will face a shortage of personnel due to demographic problems.

"Given the demographic challenges in the coming years, the Russian economy will experience a high need and even a shortage of personnel. This is absolutely certain. We must understand that we will have to live with this in the coming years," the head of state stated, speaking at the congress of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia.

Putin is confident that "in these conditions, it is critically important to increase labor productivity, upgrade industry, the agricultural industrial complex, the service sector, and many other sectors of the economy as well as the social sphere with the help of digital technologies, automation of production and management processes." This should result in improved working conditions and wages.

The President mentioned centers of industry expertise, that, according to him, should help in this work, where the best practices of lean production and management will be "pooled and replicated."

"We will continue to create such centers throughout the country," he promised.

"We don’t have much choice - either we need to import labor from abroad, or increase labor productivity," he admitted.

Putin noted that "modern production and jobs should appear everywhere in all regions of the country."

"We will additionally set up tools and mechanisms to support business and the development of our territories for this purpose," he assured. According to the president, "measures to stimulate investment will be linked to increasing employee salaries and improving benefit packages, including quality healthcare and vacation for specialists.".