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So you have a fixed-term employment contract, are hired through a temporary employment agency, work part-time or even just part-time. And the numbers are growing: in 2019, 55% of young employees worked irregular hours, today this figure has reached 58%.
The number of fixed-term contracts has increased in particular, AK says. Statistics Austria’s labour force survey shows that 18% of people aged 15 to 25 have a fixed-term employment contract. “This is four times as many as adults and twice as many as 20 years ago,” says Schönherr of the Foresight Institute. Apprentices are not included.
Young employees in the tourism, agriculture and teaching sectors are particularly caught up in these chain contracts. The relatively short employment period, averaging just six months, is also stressful – for older workers, the average is 12 months.
Breaking through the pressure of time constraints
“Young employees in particular need more security in their working life. “Therefore, stricter regulations must be put in place when hiring workers under the age of 18,” said Andreas Stangl, chairman of the AK in Upper Austria. In addition, according to the survey, 16% of boys also live in temporary rentals. “This may also be a reason for the decline in job satisfaction,” said Schönherr.
“Job satisfaction is plummeting in many areas.” Before the pandemic, in 2019, job satisfaction was higher than among older people – 81% were satisfied, now (2023) it’s just 60%. Back then, 87% of young employees were satisfied with their lives overall; now, that number is 71%, compared to 80% of employees over 25 (2019: 86%).
Job satisfaction is now recovering among older people, but it has stagnated among younger people. “Job satisfaction has also declined among adults, but not as much as among boys,” Schönherr said.
Dissatisfied with work pressure
Only two-thirds (68%) of young employees are satisfied with their colleagues – before the coronavirus pandemic, this was 85%. 14% of young people feel a heavy burden of loneliness and isolation at work, twice as many as older people (7%). This even applies to the third of those under 25 who work from home. This is also due to precarious working conditions and frequent home working, says Reinhard Raml, Managing Director of IFES.
25% of young people and 21% of older people complain about constant work pressure without a break. 21% of those under 25 also complain about constant changes in work processes. “It’s becoming more difficult for young people to have a career at the moment,” says Rammer.
Before the pandemic, young people were happier when they started their careers. “The long-term stable situation has changed due to the pandemic, which means we are reaching worrying levels,” the pollster said. “This is already a form of long-term COVID.”
“Expressed a reluctance to work”
The working environment has become noticeably more condensed. 71% of young employees “have a relatively strong feeling of unwillingness to work” – this was up from 41% in 2019. This should not be equated with laziness. Depression has also increased sharply. “Youth psychiatry is full.” But general irritability due to stress and pressure is also relatively high. After the coronavirus pandemic, the inability to switch off has increased significantly.
“We don’t see any structural easing of the labor market here,” Raml said. Many people retired over the next decade. The IFES boss said, “The intensity of work is definitely increasing.”
The survey shows that most young employees cannot get rid of their jobs and rely on financial support. Before the epidemic, 60% of people lived without financial support, but now it is only 40%. 28% of people cannot afford to go on vacation, and 16% of people are worried that they will no longer be able to pay rent within six months.
Requests from the Labor Chamber of Commerce
AK is now calling for a ban on temporary work and fixed-term employment contracts for people under 18, unless there is a valid reason such as maternity leave or holiday work. AK-OÖ president Stangl said: “You don’t need to do this because you can always cancel – just have an unpleasant reason.”
The Labour Union also calls for the expansion of social work in the field of school psychology, “especially in vocational schools”. And: “We do not believe that fixed-term leases are necessary. We demand the abolition of fixed-term lease contracts; if you need it yourself, you should of course be able to access it,” said Stangl.
Raml said AK Upper Austria’s current special survey is based on random interviews with more than 4,000 employees in 2023, including up to 500 young people, who were interviewed both in person and online.
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