Psychosocial Working Conditions among Young Professionals

Marcela Peterson

When discussing the challenges faced by young people in the labor market, attention often focuses on unemployment, job insecurity, or barriers to professional entry. However, there is a silent, persistent, and deeply harmful phenomenon cutting across sectors and countries: negative psychosocial exposures in the workplace — such as job insecurity, low autonomy, excessive workload, harassment, and unfair relationships. According to evidence synthesized by Shields and colleagues (2021), these conditions, often invisible or normalized, have a direct and substantial impact on the mental health of workers under the age of 30.

Research shows that young workers, because they are in a transitional phase marked by instability and limited bargaining power, are particularly vulnerable to low-quality jobs. Continuous exposure to low job control, excessive demands, fear of job loss, or experiences of harassment progressively undermines psychological well-being. Anxiety, depressive symptoms, and emotional distress become common responses—not due to individual fragility, but as a consequence of cumulative structural pressures shaping everyday work experiences.

These adverse conditions affect not only individuals but also professional behavior and overall performance. In hostile environments, young workers often shift into self-protective modes: they reduce initiative, avoid interactions that may generate conflict, they become more reactive to mistakes, and, in many cases, lose confidence in their own potential. Over time, this process erodes motivation, job satisfaction, and willingness to learn—elements that are crucial in the early stages of a career.

One of the most concerning findings of the review is that recent exposures have an even stronger impact on mental health. In other words, current experiences of harassment, injustice, or low autonomy are more damaging than similar experiences in the past, indicating that psychosocial risks operate continuously and cumulatively. In addition, cohort studies suggest that young workers in low-control occupations face a higher long-term risk of developing depressive disorders.

These vulnerabilities do not arise randomly. They are especially concentrated in jobs characterized by temporary contracts, informal arrangements, unpredictable schedules, and low wages — forms of employment that, according to Shields et al. (2021), became even more prevalent after economic crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Precarious employment creates a vicious cycle: poorer job quality increases psychosocial exposure; greater exposure worsens mental health; and deteriorating mental health makes career continuity and advancement more difficult.

Another critical issue highlighted by the review is the limited capacity of work systems to identify or monitor these risks. Many exposures go unreported, clear protocols for addressing psychological distress are lacking, and young workers often hesitate to report problems due to fear of stigma or retaliation. The absence of reliable data hinders the development of organizational policies aimed at prevention and reinforces a culture in which suffering is treated as an inherent part of working life.

Given this scenario, it is essential to recognize that psychosocial risks are not “subjective issues” but real, measurable factors as important as physical or ergonomic risks. Organizations, managers, and HR professionals must adopt an active stance: systematically assess psychosocial working conditions, strengthen psychological safety, increase autonomy, promote stability, create effective support channels, and implement practices that reinforce organizational justice.

By approaching these phenomena from a broad, evidence-based perspective, it becomes possible to transform workplaces into environments that support, rather than undermine, the development of young professionals. The goal is not only to protect mental health but also to ensure that young workers can build solid, sustainable career trajectories aligned with their potential. At a historical moment marked by uncertainty, investing in healthy working conditions is not merely an ethical choice — it is a strategic imperative for the future of work.