WAGES, WORK CONDITIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH: A COMPARISON OF LOW AND HIGHER-WAGE YOUNG WORKERS

Abstract

Using quantitative survey data from a larger study entitled "In-Work Poverty (IWP) and the Challenges of Getting by among the Young", this study seeks to understand how wages and work conditions affect young people’s mental health. This research also examines whether adverse work conditions explain any association between low wages and mental health. Indeed, low-wage workers have poorer mental health outcomes. Overall, the findings suggest that both wages and work conditions have significant association on mental health, exposing low-wage workers' vulnerabilities as they face stressors from both low wages and work stressors. The study also found low-wage workers to have significantly fewer job resources than higher-wage workers. Specific job demands (such as workplace intimidation and high work pressure) and job resources (such as good management support and colleague support) were found to have significant relationships with poorer mental health outcomes, affecting low and higher-wage workers differently. Findings of this study underscore the critical need for higher wages and improved job resources for young low-wage workers to protect their mental health.