Young People Struggle to Adapt to Traditional Work Environments
Alan Milburn, former Labour health secretary and government jobs adviser, has identified an "anxious generation" of young people who are finding it difficult to adjust to the conventional workplace. He emphasizes that businesses need to evolve by providing greater flexibility and enhanced mental health support to prevent what he describes as an "economic catastrophe."
In November of the previous year, Milburn, who held multiple government positions under Tony Blair, was commissioned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to investigate why nearly 1 million individuals aged 16 to 24—approximately one in eight—are not engaged in education, employment, or training.
His interim report on this demographic, commonly referred to as Neets, is scheduled for release next week. It highlights that "a rising tide of mental ill-health, anxiety, depression [and] neurodiversity" significantly contributes to the high levels of economic inactivity among young people.
Impact of Social Media and Mental Health
The review is also expected to explore the growing impact of social media on the mental health of young adults. Milburn asserts that the brains of this generation have been "rewired" by constant smartphone use.
"The system is trapping people in worklessness rather than enabling them into work," Milburn told The Times. "We’re at a risk of just writing a whole generation off.
"This is a bedroom generation. They are sort of living in their bedrooms. They are on all the time, they’re never off. [Social media] is leading to some evidence of functional impairment, changing their sleep patterns, concentration levels. That is having an impact on their ability to work.
"They are not snowflakes. People say it’s a soft generation. My view unequivocally is that it isn’t. It is an anxious generation."
Statistics on Neets and Mental Health
More than half of the UK’s 946,000 Neets have never held a job, and a quarter are classified as unable to work due to long-term sickness or disability. Among these, 43% identify mental health problems as the primary reason for their inability to work, a significant increase from 24% in 2011.
The government reported last year that the UK’s proportion of Neets is considerably higher than in many other developed nations. The UK has roughly twice the number of Neets as Japan or Ireland, and three times as many as the Netherlands. Additionally, unemployment among those under 23 has been linked to lower wages even two decades later.
Understanding the Generation’s Unique Challenges
Milburn’s forthcoming report states:
"[Young people] are different, not worse, not lazier, not less intelligent. They have grown up in a digital world that has rewired how they communicate, form relationships and manage stress. They have fewer experiences of workplaces and they present with higher levels of anxiety and depression."
Potential Solutions Amid Labour Shortages
Milburn is expected to propose that Neets could offer a valuable resource for British businesses currently facing skilled labour shortages amid declining immigration. Data released on Thursday indicated that net migration to the UK fell to 171,000 last year, down sharply from a peak of 891,000 in 2022.
Calls for Radical Change in Education and Social Media Policy
Earlier this week, Peter Hyman, a former headteacher and adviser to Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, described schools as becoming a "pipeline" to worklessness. He urged the government to implement radical reforms, including a ban on social media.
