Reality Check for Youthful Employees: Disheartening Findings Revealed in Poll
Young workers across Australia, the UK, and Latin America are sounding off on the hurdles they face in the workplace, with mounting frustration over insufficient wages, skyrocketing costs, understaffing, and the consequences of digitalization leading to a detrimental impact on their mental health.
The Young Workers' Lab at UNI Global Union, in collaboration with regional partners, conducted a survey in 2019 with a whopping 1,700 participants. The poll received a staggering 15,000 votes and tackled a single topic: what are the biggest challenges workers are currently facing in their jobs?
The results categorized the shared concerns as follows:
Insufficient Wages
A pervasive issue across all regions, low pay sent a wave of frustration throughout the workforce.
In the UK, employees stated that pay progression is not keeping pace with inflation, especially for young workers, leaving many to grapple with escalating living and housing costs.
Workers in Latin America vented their frustrations over low pay and high rents. One common complaint read, "I work so many hours and yet I still have no money because the pay is so low!" Working long hours while remaining impoverished is not uncommon, and feelings of exploitation are rampant. Additionally, poor enforcement of labor laws and the recent crisis among companies only added to the anxiety.
Workers in Australia expressed concerns about pay for public holidays and Sundays, with one respondent stating, "Bruh I give up a whole Sunday and am barely compensated." The lack of recognition for a liveable wage was another major issue, as workers described growing financial insecurity and the spiraling costs associated with higher prices.
Young workers in Australia lament having to work on Sundays without proper compensation.
Stress, Discrimination, and Mental Health
In Latin America, employees demanded action against sexual harassment, a widespread issue in male-dominated workplaces rife with gender stereotypes. One response read, "The fact that victims are vilified – this needs to change." Stressors on mental health were another recurring concern, with employees feeling overwhelmed by the expectation to act like robots, with little breaks and scarcely any time for personal needs.
Employees in Latin America find being treated like robots to be a significant stressor.
In Australia, workers reported difficulty reconciling a lack of appreciation from management with the expectation of maintaining high standards. Workers felt pressured to work when sick, and abuses of power led to unhealthy relationships between employees and management. Summing up the sentiment, one worker wrote, "Who wants to be around people who don't appreciate what you do?"
Australian workers are affected by poor mental health due to abuses of power by management.
Diminishing staff levels were a hot topic of conversation for employees in the UK. The lack of support created frustration, and workers complained that their quality of work suffered as a result. Many cited the added stress of investing time outside contracted hours to meet expectations as demoralizing.
Insufficient Skills or Training
In Latin America, workers expressed concern about the rise of digitalization and its impact on decent work, suggesting that companies offer better training to protect workers and improve outcomes. Others cited feeling demoralized because of the constant need to retrain.
A reasons echoed in Australia, training and education were crucial for young workers to advance professionally. However, a lack of direction led to mistakes and a lack of confidence.
In the UK, there was frustration with the generational change, limited knowledge sharing, and insufficient structural and learning opportunities caused by budget restrictions. Older generations leaving and younger employees remaining led to a decline in available resources and guidance, contributing to the learning gap.
Conclusion
This multi-national survey provides a glimpse into the core challenges young workers are facing globally. Despite their aspirations to learn and provide better work, many feel unheard by management, adding to their burden amidst rising costs and social issues. Gaps in training, wages, and mental health support remain critical areas for improvement to empower young workers and create a healthier, more equitable workforce.
- Young workers in the UK are grappling with escalating living and housing costs, as pay progression fails to keep pace with inflation, particularly for the younger workforce.
- In Latin America, workers have expressed frustration over low pay and high rents, with one common complaint being, "I work so many hours and yet I still have no money because the pay is so low!"
- Australian workers are affected by poor mental health due to abuses of power by management, with one worker summarizing the sentiment as, "Who wants to be around people who don't appreciate what you do?"
- Employees in Latin America find being treated like robots to be a significant stressor, with many feeling overwhelmed by the expectation to never take a break or attend to personal needs.
- In the UK, there is frustration with the generational change, limited knowledge sharing, and insufficient structural and learning opportunities caused by budget restrictions, contributing to a learning gap among young workers.
