Some Voices from Italian Youth on Well-Being: How to Cope with Job Insecurity?

Abstract

Insecure' jobs and alternating between periods of unemployment and periods of employment under fixed-term contracts are increasingly widespread among the youth in Europe. This phenomenon is an important risk factor for young people's well-being. Despite the growing number of studies, some issues have still not been adequately addressed. Compared to the high number of quantitative studies, the number of qualitative researches is limited: in fact, few studies have tackled this topic from a qualitative standpoint, highlighting the dynamics and the subjective processes which operate in this relationship and considering the different functions that work can have for the individual. Another aspect that has not been adequately dealt with is represented by the coping strategies that young people put in place to deal with job insecurity, and which have consequences on their well-being. The present article on the Italian case is intended to give a contribution in these directions. In particular, it analyses the way in which a group of 40 unemployed or temporarily employed young people, in-depth interviewed, subjectively describe the relationship between job insecurity and well-being, and reflects on coping strategies to face job insecurity and related perceived consequences. In doing this, the authors consider the role of individual factors, as well as of meso and macro ones, given that-for example-the national contexts have a role in influencing the way in which job insecurity is perceived and managed by individuals. The results highlight the complexity of this relationship, in which the intertwining of factors at different levels plays a very important role in determining the coping strategies and the overall well-being of people: individually, like the functions and the subjective meanings of work for the youth, but also in meso and macro terms, such as the familial support and relationships, and the institutional and public resources available.

Might insecurity and use of ICT enhance internet addiction and exhaust people? A study in two European countries during emergency remote working

“…Although some studies focused on the role of social support (supervisor support) and informal communication in reducing perceived uncertainties in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic ( Charoensukmongkol & Phungsoonthorn, 2020a ; 2020b ) and limiting negative effects on well-being, our work aims to examine the role of: general job insecurity ─ which has been considered a very significant source of stress in recent decades in European Countries ( Musumeci & Ghislieri, 2020 ) ─ in relation to which it is essential to mobilize energies, policies and tools to contrast, even more so considering the current and future consequences of the crisis in the labor market; the job demands in non-work times through technologies, a variable to which attention has only recently been directed but which is important in all reflections on the issue of the right to disconnect, a central theme in the discourses related to labor law, emerging regulations and human resources management policies and practices ( Ghislieri, Molino, Dolce, Sanseverino, & Presutti, 2021 ). …”

“…general job insecurity ─ which has been considered a very significant source of stress in recent decades in European Countries ( Musumeci & Ghislieri, 2020 ) ─ in relation to which it is essential to mobilize energies, policies and tools to contrast, even more so considering the current and future consequences of the crisis in the labor market;…”

Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Bricolage on Job Security and Sustainable Economic Performance: An Empirical Study of Croatian Companies during COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Job insecurity is a multifaceted construct consisting of two major components-objective and subjective uncertainty dimension [14,32] regarding continued [33] and impending employment [34]. Subjective component concerns employees' assessment of their current working situation, perceived employability, and susceptibility to imminent threats [35,36], and therefore appraisals of actual labor market situation vary among individuals.…”

“…Although the late increasing number of academics are examining the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on key sustainable practice indicators, such as resilience [11], innovative work behavior [12], turnover intention [13], and employee wellbeing [14], some sustainability drivers are yet to be appropriately addressed and empirically corroborated. The majority of available research addresses the issue of job insecurity, entrepreneurial bricolage, and entrepreneurial leadership from a theoretical standpoint, but such propositions are not sufficiently supported by empirical evidence.…”

“…The majority of available research addresses the issue of job insecurity, entrepreneurial bricolage, and entrepreneurial leadership from a theoretical standpoint, but such propositions are not sufficiently supported by empirical evidence. It will be of great value to management and entrepreneurship literature if the discussion on sustainability dynamics resulting from the appropriate application of entrepreneurial leadership is extended to include workers' subjective perspectives and attitudes in times of uncertainty and financial instability under the influence of resourceful, strong, and bricoleur management [14,15].…”