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April 1, 2008 - Richard Donkin
Staff sourcing across the European Union is relying more than ever before on labour flows between member states, taking advantage of a willingness, particularly among young people, to travel in search of work.
Employers seeking to make the most of these labour flows can benefit from an appreciation of young people's attitudes. But understanding that the so-called "generation Y" has different values to the previous generation is not enough for policy makers and recruiters.
A recent international study of young people has demonstrated that inter-generational attitudes vary markedly, depending on nationality.
The study, Young People Facing The Future, undertaken by the Fondation pour L'innovation politique, was based on a survey of close to 23,000 people - mostly aged between 16 and 29 - across 17 countries.
It discovered significant differences in attitudes to work among young people from country to country. The research found, for example, that young people in France and Italy were far more conformist than those in the UK and Nordic countries. Some 54 per cent of young French adults agreed with the statement that "to have a successful career you must conform to the expectations and wishes of others." In the UK only 26 per cent of young people agreed with the statement.
French youth appeared to be markedly happier than British youth to undertake traditional jobs. While 70 per cent of the French sample said they believed a fulfilling job could deliver a happy life, no more than 43 per cent of young British adults said the same.
This did not mean, however, that the French were optimistic about their careers. While one in four young French adults said they believed their personal future looked bright, in the UK the proportion was closer to one in three. In Denmark more than one in two young people - nearly 60 per cent of those questioned - were optimistic about their personal futures.
Anna Stellinger, the foundation's director of economic and social research, believes the results reflected the differences in national educational and employment systems. Job protection in the UK and Scandinavia, for example, is much weaker than that in France.
This means that British and Scandinavian jobs are more accessible to young people who find it easier to move within the system. Permanent jobs in France, in contrast, are harder to come by, and when young French people do settle in to careers they do so in the belief that they are in the system for the long term.
However this greater sense of security does not seem to be generating enterprising or innovative attitudes. The report suggests that young people in France feel they have little power to change the course of their lives and less control over their careers than those in the Nordic countries.
The study discovered that one of the biggest differences between those in western industrialised countries and those in developing countries was in attitudes towards materialism. Material possessions were less important to young people in wealthy European nations than to their counterparts in developing countries. Those in the wealthier countries placed a higher value on education as a way of gaining access to interesting work.
Unlike their European counterparts, however, young people in the US retained a historical interest in collecting material goods.
A strong area of convergence between countries apparent in the research was the way that attitudes of men and women are uniting in acceptance of women in the workplace, although stereotypes of masculine and feminine occupations remain.
The research also revealed a few generalities, across all nationalities. Young people, it discovered are generally less willing to commit themselves to any available job in the way that their parents may have done. Free time is also valued highly by the younger generation.
A surprising finding in the research that ran counter to a widespread belief that individualism is growing among young people, was that collective structures remained important. Belonging to a group was a significant concern among most of those questioned.
Overall the research confirms that attitudes of young people are shaped largely by the society in which they are raised and educated. It also shows that, differences apart, young people share much the same priorities about their careers.
When asked to list their priorities, the number one concern for 70 per cent of those questioned was "interesting, meaningful work." Personal health was the second most important priority, third was security, fourth, a sense of pride in the job, fifth was good colleagues, sixth a good boss, and seventh, good career opportunities.
Each of these priorities were rated above a high salary which trailed in eighth place. Less popular still, were fixed working hours, suggesting that flexible working is going to be increasingly popular among young people in future.
It is clear from the research that more needs to be done to create better workplace opportunities matching the aspirations of young people. Some countries, it seems, are making more progress than others in this respect. The evidence suggests that Nordic and British policy makers are a step ahead of those in France and southern European countries in creating a more adaptable workforce. Those who wish to create a more united Europe on jobs must accept that some member states have some catching up to do.
Young People Facing the Future, an International Survey, is published by Fondation pour l'innovation politique..
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