A Toxic Combination: Performance, Temporariness, and Struggling for Success in Early Working Life

This article examines some of the conditions that can explain the rise in young workers’ mental health and well-being problems in early work life. Based on 30 qualitative interviews with Danish workers under 30, who all had experienced different kinds of mental health and well-being problems in earl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Young (Stockholm, Sweden) Sweden), 2023-06, Vol.31 (3), p.268-287
Main Authors: Nielsen, Mette Lykke, Winding, Trine Nøhr, Grytnes, Regine, Rønberg, Mette Toft, Sørensen, Niels Ulrik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Mental health services
Self-actualization
Temporary employment
Well being
Workers
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This article examines some of the conditions that can explain the rise in young workers’ mental health and well-being problems in early work life. Based on 30 qualitative interviews with Danish workers under 30, who all had experienced different kinds of mental health and well-being problems in early work life, it shows how poor working environment and employment conditions often are triggering factors for young workers’ mental health and well-being problems. Mental health and well-being in early work life seem to be linked to the conditions through which young workers’ cultivate themselves as valuable working subjects in a time where work is a crucial arena for self-formation and self-realization. It is concluded that the combination of performance-oriented workplace cultures, temporary employment, and young workers’ aiming to achieve success in their work life, is a toxic combination for mental health and well-being.
ISSN:1103-3088
1741-3222
DOI:10.1177/11033088231162900