Workplace Safety: Hybrid Working Exposes Young Workers to New Risks, IOSH Research Warns

Recent studies carried out by the Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH) have revealed that younger workers’ career development, relationships at work, and mental health are being negatively impacted by home and hybrid working.

Hybrid arrangements have proven advantageous for many more seasoned and senior workers. However, younger employees are finding it difficult to adjust to a system that makes them feel abandoned by their job, alone, and unconnected.

Of those aged 18 to 24, around half (48%) believe that working from home or in a hybrid environment makes it more difficult to establish connections with supervisors and coworkers.

Over two-fifths (43%) worry that their ability to grow personally and professionally will be hampered by fewer in-person encounters. A third experience is a lack of drive.

Relationships at work seem to have degraded, even for those who go to work every day. Of this group, 39% said it had become harder to interact with coworkers as a result of the move to remote and hybrid working methods.

After graduating from school, college, or university this summer, between 400,000 and 600,000 young people are expected to join the workforce in the UK.

The issue is being made worse by the lack of face-to-face coaching and direction. Two to three times a week, less than one in five employees (17%) get constructive criticism.

Among those aged 18 to 24, this increases somewhat to 19 percent. Just 16% of entry-level employees gain from consistent coaching. However, just one in five office-based or hybrid workers have regular weekly check-ins with their management.

There is a noticeable effect on mental health. According to one in six young employees (17%), their wellness has become worse. Over a quarter (28 percent) feel isolated from the people they work with. This percentage increases to 36% for entry-level employees and 32% for intermediate-level employees.

The general answer to the question of what would enable younger employees to thrive was unambiguous. Wellbeing and mental health assistance came in second (42 percent), while structured check-ins with managers came in first (45%).

Other factors were greater possibilities for face-to-face cooperation (35 percent), in-person coaching or mentorship (35 percent), and more defined professional development routes (40 percent).

The desired work paradigm for IOSH is hybrid working. According to IOSH President Kelly Nicoll, companies need to better engage their newest hires so they may realize their full potential and contribute to the success of their companies.

“Instead of only communicating with young employees and hybrid workers once a month, managers should schedule more structured supervision time and frequent check-ins.”

“In addition to scheduling weekly and monthly one-on-one sessions to discuss performance and cover broader issues like health, safety, and wellbeing, as well as mentoring, coaching, and career development, they also need to make time for daily informal catchups,” Kelly said.

“Occupational safety systems should fully incorporate mental health risk management, and management practices should be updated to reflect the changing needs of a hybrid, multigenerational workforce.”

According to writer, journalist, and activist Natasha Devon, younger employees are not receiving the career counseling and mentoring that earlier generations naturally received.

We are aware that companies may maintain their competitiveness in a global market by implementing a flexible, people-first work philosophy. In reaction to the conclusions of the IOSH study, she said, “A crucial component of this is the retention of younger employees.

“A good place to start is by realizing that Gen Z’s experience in the workplace is very different from that of previous generations, and that they may be missing benefits we took for granted.”