Abstract
PurposePositive examples of situations in which young adults new at work experience feeling secure in the role as novice in the work force are here focused. The aim is to analyze how young adults who are new to the labor market express having a sense of security in the workplace. The long-term goal is to strengthen the conditions for the health and wellbeing of workers entering the retail labor market.Design/methodology/approachThirteen individual in-depth telephone/video-interviews were conducted with young adults (aged 18–28) working within the retail sector in Sweden. Using a thematic interview schedule, the interviews focused how the interviewees contextualizing stories on being novice at the labor market. The study is based on those parts of the material in which stories on feeling secure was expressed.FindingsThe analysis resulted in two themes: A sense of security is related to carrying out work safely and a sense of security is related to receiving support. The first theme illuminates how work is structured and safety training respectively contributes to a sense of security and the latter reveal how social support from a variety of sources (managers, colleagues and others outside the work environment) contributes to a sense of security when new at work.Originality/valueUsing a health promoting perspective, the study complements the existing perspectives of challenges faced by novices as they enter working life. Also, the study highlights the importance of including relations outside the workplace when searching for the understanding of the experiences of being new at work. The study indicates that focusing on the sense of security by well-structured work, safety training and social support might contribute to the strive for a sustainable working life for young adults.
Highlights
Being young and new at work is associated with various challenges
3.1 A sense of security is related to carrying out work safely When it comes to how a sense of security is narrated by the interviewees, the first theme illuminates how the expressions of being safe and sound is related to formal structures: organization and safety training, constituting the two sub-themes here
The first sub-theme referring to carrying out work safely describes how the experience of the organization and management of work to achieve safety was found to contribute to the sense of security
Summary
Being young and new at work is associated with various challenges. As shown in previous research, young adults encounter various difficulties, insecurities and risks when they enter© Erika Wall, Sven Svensson and Anna Berg Jansson. Being young and new at work is associated with various challenges. Young adults encounter various difficulties, insecurities and risks when they enter. © Erika Wall, Sven Svensson and Anna Berg Jansson. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
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