New agreement for young people: building better jobs

What do young people want from the world of work? Tired tropes about “job sellers” looking for “meaning” are a distraction. Most young people want what their parents and grandparents wanted: a decent income, the opportunity to move forward, and enough security to build a life. The problem is, they’re getting too few of them.

Weak global growth caused by economic disasters can be a big part of the blame for a decade youth unemployment, motela wage growth and the number of graduates non-graduate duties. There are also changes in the nature of the work.

The prevalence of concert platforms, unpaid internships, zero hours, agency, and temporary contracts can be excessive, as they remain a small part of total employment in most developed countries. But they are an important part of the youth labor market. On the eve of a pandemic in the UK, one in ten Employees between the ages of 16 and 24 had zero-hour contracts, up more than 6 percent in 2013. In the Eurozone, almost half Those under 25 had temporary contracts.

These arrangements suit some people, or provide a step towards something better. Others, especially non-graduates, be stuck years on them. Working in this way means fewer labor rights, less training and fewer opportunities to save for a pension. It also means being to make the first steak in a decline, as many found when Covide struck. In the UK, there were more than 35 people under the age of 35 80 percent about the fall in the number of employees since February last year.

Even those with stable jobs often do felt worried. They are concerned about fierce competition, and believe that long working hours and the increasing spill between work and home life will damage their health and relationships. If young people want to face the future with confidence, they will need three things: more jobs, insecurity and work cultures that are human.

To achieve the former, countries will need a macroeconomic stance, believing that a cold economy is more of a risk than a hot one. Young people, in particular, lose badly from the first, and a hard start in the job market casts a long shadow over lifelong gains and productivity. A tight labor market would lead to job, promotion and wage growth in the early stages of his career, which would bring economic benefits to all.

Second, employers should stop working with precarious insiders and outsiders who are protected by two-level employees. As a court in certain jurisdictions they finished, concert platforms have too much power over employees to continue to disclaim responsibility for them.

Flexibility that works equally for the employer and the employee should be promoted, but this should not be confused with such arrangements. insist on flexibility without exchange from employees. Companies need to let people know about their shifts and compensate them for last-minute changes (recent in New York and Chicago) “Work week fair” laws they are a model). Internships can be beneficial, but the interns will have to pay for companies that use them to do real work once a month.

Third, as companies try to become more diverse, younger employees should be taken seriously. tell me toxic work cultures, long hours, and the requirement to be “always on”. These generations grew up with digital technology and their risks and opportunities are more intense. They have the gift of talking openly about mental health. If we are willing to listen, they will help us save ourselves.

Join the live discussion of better work for young people with FT writers on Wednesday, April 28 at 2 p.m. Give your name here for a free ticket.

Other editorials and pieces from this series can be found at ft.com/newdeal