Young people and precarious work in England during the Covid-19 pandemic: a psychology of working perspective

Christie, Fiona ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1384-3683, Robertson, Peter and Swingewood, Adele ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5863-8590 (2025) Young people and precarious work in England during the Covid-19 pandemic: a psychology of working perspective. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. ISSN 1359-432X

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Abstract

Young people are disproportionately represented in precarious work and are particularly vulnerable to labour market shocks. This article explores the lived experiences of twenty-one young precarious workers in England during the Covid-19 pandemic. Employing a qualitative longitudinal research (QLR) design, repeat interviews were conducted in 2021 to examine how participants’ needs were met within the context of precarious work and how they made meaning of their working lives. Reflexive thematic analysis was guided by the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), with a focus on human needs. Findings explore the role of career adaptability, work volition, social support, and critical consciousness as malleable factors that can buffer young people against the adverse effects of precarity. Participants articulated diverse rationalizations of their work situations: dedication to precarious career; adapting to stopgap option; juggling trade-offs between work factors; and resigned disengagement. While they utilized resourceful, lifewide strategies to meet their needs and demonstrated a clear awareness of labour market injustices, none engaged in collective or political action. The article concludes that while PWT concepts offer value in analysing precarity, the theory is less suited to illuminate the complex role of reflexivity in shaping worker subjectivities.