Structure of Employment for Youth Reveals Disheartening Scenario
Unraveling the Struggles of Young Workers Worldwide
A massive survey, involving 1,700 participants across Australia, the UK, and Latin America, sheds light on the challenges confronting young workers today. The crushing burden of insufficient wages, skyrocketing costs, understaffing, and the impact of digitalization are taking a heavy toll on their mental health.
Back in 2019, The Young Workers' Lab at UNI Global Union, in collaboration with regional partners, conducted this survey. The findings resulted from 940 answers, which were voted on 15,000 times by the participants. The central question that sparked the conversation was:
What are the biggest challenges you are currently facing in relation to work?
The table below summarizes the most common struggles the young workers across the three regions identified.
Wage Woes
Inequitable pay took center stage in the discussions among workers in all regions.
United Kingdom workers felt abandoned as their pay couldn't keep pace with escalating living and housing expenses
British workers expressed grave concerns over stagnating wage progression, particularly for young employees. Anxiety-inducing subjects like increased living and housing costs ranked high among their expressed concerns. A frequently-voiced sentiment was the need for employers to view their staff as dynamic and capable of learning and growing with the organization. 'Pay should acknowledge the skills individuals bring to an organization, and those skills and contributions are not static.' To rectify the situation, solutions such as pay progression and financial acknowledgement for continual improvement in job performance were suggested. 'In-grade pay increases would reward my growing expertise,' commented one respondent.
In Latin America, workers grappled with low wages and mounting rents. 'I work countless hours yet remain financially strapped due to paltry pay,' read a popular response from a disgruntled worker. The feeling of being undervalued and exploited was widespread, with worries stemming from factory closures and businesses facing a crisis. Poor enforcement of labor laws was another cause for concern.
In Australia, pay for public holidays and Sundays was a recurring issue. 'BUD I relinquish an entire Sunday for minimal compensation,' stated one worker, 'A co-worker works at [removed] and receives double on Sundays.' The recognition of a livable wage was another prevailing topic. Workers, especially those pursuing college degrees, expressed growing financial insecurity due to higher prices. ' Everyday expenses are becoming more expensive, but I'll be left with meager savings due to earning minimum wage as I graduate and attend university.'
Stress, Discrimination, and Mental Health
In Latin America, workers demanded an end to sexual harassment, a prevalent issue in a male-dominated society riddled with gender stereotypes. 'It's crucial that the victim is no longer vilified, which needs to change,' read one heartfelt response. Mental health was another pressing concern for workers in this region. They spoke of the emotional toll of being treated like machines, with little time for breaks and a constant expectation to deliver at work instead of with family. Managers were reluctant to accommodate workers' personal lives, like appointment scheduling.
Workers in Latin America yearned to not be treated like machines.
In Australia, workers described feelings of disengagement after their efforts went unnoticed by management. 'The company doesn't care about its employees, yet it demands higher performance standards from us,' reads the top-voted response. Abuses of power led to toxic dynamics between employees and managers. Workers questioned how to challenge these abuses without reprisal. Workers faced pressure to work even when sick, as one explained, 'A lack of care pervades, so who wants to be around people who don't value what you do?'
Workers in Australia wrestle with poor mental health due to aggressive management practices.
Understaffing was a significant topic among workers in the UK. 'Work is chaotic due to staff shortages, which fuels stress,' reads a common response. The absence of support led to frustration in delivering quality work, often requiring employees to invest extra time outside of their contracted hours.
Skills Gaps and Training
In Latin America, workers worried about the consequences of digitalization for decent work. 'In these times of technological change, companies should engage workers in better training, thus improving outcomes,' said a respondent. The continuous need for retraining created a sense of demoralization among workers. 'The biggest challenge is constantly learning the new technology that the company releases,' read a popular response. 'Because staying updated about new work techniques is ongoing.'
The need for better training was echoed in Australia. Workers felt frustrated by a lack of guidance, which caused mistakes. A top-voted response in Australia expressed the challenge in this way, 'Not being taught everything, and struggling to keep up, is a significant challenge as it prevents errors at work and fosters more self-confidence.'
In the UK, workers shared frustration over knowledge gaps due to the departure of experienced generations. ' Experienced generations are leaving, while inexperienced staff remain with reduced opportunities for learning and guidance due to cost-cutting,' reads the most popular response. Workers expressed the need for advice and resources to perform their jobs effectively but weren't sure who to reach out to. Additionally, poor IT infrastructure was a common complaint. 'We fall behind our competitors and other private capabilities due to our inability to keep pace with technology and innovation, becoming irrelevant as a result.'
In conclusion, this multi-national survey offers a fascinating glimpse into the core issues that young workers face worldwide. They aspire to deliver quality work but feel their efforts are going unnoticed and their concerns ignore by managers. This, coupled with mounting expenses, is taking a toll on their mental health.
This survey took advantage of ThoughtExchange, a paid tool. If you're interested in trying it out, reach out to UNI Global Union for more information. You can learn about other cutting-edge digital tools for trade unions in our Connective Action: Digital Tools for Trade Unions series. Read about our previous survey tests here.
- The impact of digitalization is not only impacting the work of young workers in Latin America but also causing a sense of demoralization due to the constant need for retraining, as one worker stated, "In these times of technological change, companies should engage workers in better training, thus improving outcomes."
- Mental health concerns were prevalent among young workers in Australia, with workers expressing feelings of disengagement after their efforts went unnoticed by management, as one worker put it, "The company doesn't care about its employees, yet it demands higher performance standards from us."
- Wage disparities in the UK have a significant impact on the mental health of young workers, with British workers expressing grave concerns over stagnating wage progression, particularly for young employees, and anxieties related to increased living and housing costs. One employee commented, "Pay should acknowledge the skills individuals bring to an organization, and those skills and contributions are not static."
